All rods, reels, and terminal tackle is provided, but for those of you who want to bring your own, you will want to check out the the following recommendations. Conditions, the availability of certain sizes of fish, and bait concentrations change all the time. A last minute call or email will ensure that you bring the right gear!
What To Bring On Your Long Island Sound Fishing Trip
Gear Checklist
- Polarized Sunglasses
- Head Protection
- Sunscreen
- Rain Gear
- Boat Shoes, Boots, or Sneakers (No Black Soles)
- Cooler to bring your catch home
- Ziploc bags
- Food & Beverages – No Hard Alcohol Please
- Cameras (cell phone cameras are just fine!)*
*If you bring your own camera equipment, please be sure it is properly protected from shock and water spray
Recommended Tackle
| Species | Technique | Recommended Gear |
|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass | Chunking & Live Lining | 6–7 ft medium/heavy conventional boat rod with reel handling 30 lb mono. Lighter line not recommended. Structure-heavy shallow areas; deeper water may require up to 8 oz lead. Braided line is not recommended. |
| Plugging & Peanuts | 6.6–7 ft medium fast to extra-fast spinning or baitcasting setup with 12–15 lb mono or 12–30 lb braid. Use 5–7 inch topwater/swimming plugs (silver, silver/black, silver/blue). | |
| Worm Trolling | 6–7 ft medium fast to extra-fast conventional or baitcasting setup with 12–15 lb mono. | |
| Fly | 9–10 wt rod with matching reel. | |
| Bluefish | Chunking & Live Lining | 6–7 ft medium/heavy conventional boat rod with reel handling 30 lb mono. Lighter line not recommended. Up to 8 oz lead may be required. Braided line is not recommended. |
| Wire Line Trolling | 5.5–7 ft extra heavy conventional rod with reel loaded with 40–60 lb Monel wire. | |
| Plugging | 6.6–7 ft medium fast to extra-fast spinning or baitcasting setup with 12–15 lb mono or 12–30 lb braid. Use 7–8 inch topwater plugs (silver, silver/black, silver/blue). | |
| Fly | 9–10 wt rod with matching reel. | |
| Fluke | Bucktailing | 6.6–7 ft medium/heavy fast to extra-fast spinning or baitcasting setup with 12–20 lb mono or 12–30 lb braid. Bucktails (½–2 oz) in white, chartreuse, green, and pink. |
| Blackfish | Bottom | 6.6–7 ft extra heavy conventional rod with reel using 20–40 lb braid. Bank sinkers from 2–8 oz. |
| Weakfish | Plugging | 6.6–7 ft medium fast to extra-fast spinning or baitcasting setup with 12–15 lb mono or 12–30 lb braid. SPRO bucktails (½–1 oz) in white, green, and pink. |
| Worm Trolling | 6–7 ft medium fast to extra-fast conventional or baitcasting setup with 12–15 lb mono. | |
| Porgies | Bottom | 6.6–7 ft medium/heavy fast to extra-fast spinning or baitcasting setup with 12–20 lb mono or 12–30 lb braid. |
More Fishing Tackle Recommendations from Northeast Angling
Frequently Asked Questions
If you choose to bring your own fishing gear, call or email the outfitter last minute to ensure you bring the right rods, reels, and tackle suited to current conditions, fish availability, and bait concentrations. This helps you avoid bringing unsuitable gear and maximizes your fishing success.
Yes, all rods, reels, and terminal tackle are provided for you on the fishing trips. However, if you prefer to bring your own equipment, recommendations are offered to help you bring appropriate gear.
For striped bass chunking and live lining, a 6-7ft medium/heavy conventional boat rod with a reel capable of handling 30lb mono line is recommended. Lighter line should be avoided, braided line is not recommended, and deeper locations may require up to 8oz of lead due to structure.
You should bring polarized sunglasses, head protection, sunscreen, rain gear, appropriate footwear (boat shoes, boots or sneakers with no black soles), a cooler for your catch, Ziploc bags, food and beverages (no hard alcohol), and a camera with protection against shock and water spray.
For bluefish wire line trolling, a 5.5-7ft extra heavy conventional boat rod with a reel loaded with 40lb-60lb monel wire is recommended to handle the strength and running behavior of bluefish effectively.
Yes, detailed tackle recommendations are available for various species including striped bass, fluke, blackfish, weakfish, sea bass, bluefish, and flounder. You can find these resources linked on the page for specialized tackle advice.
No, braided line is not recommended for striped bass fishing, particularly when chunking and live lining. Mono line of 30lb test is preferred due to the structural environments and weight requirements.