Fall ’26 Montauk | Striped Bass & Bluefish with Capt. Pat Havlik of Momentum Charters
Bait stacks up. Currents rip. Birds give away the action. Fall at “The End” is the kind of fishing you wait all year for.
We headed to Montauk with Capt. Pat Havlik of Momentum Charters, chasing striped bass and bluefish for our Fall ’26 collection. Along the way, we tapped into his knowledge of the conditions that shape this fishery, from the tide moving around the point to the wind changing how you approach it.
His biggest takeaway? Finding fish starts with understanding the water. The blitzes get your attention, but knowing what to do before they happen, and after they fade, is what keeps you in the game.
Why Montauk?
For striped bass moving south from New England, Montauk is a natural checkpoint. Its geography puts it in the path of migrating fish, while the bait gathering around the point gives them a reason to stick around.
“Montauk is like a big checkpoint for them to stop and rest and feed on the bait that congregates here during their migration south from New England,” Pat explains.
Think of it as a stop along the route where everything they need comes together. After covering miles of water, stripers arrive ready to take advantage of the food and structure in front of them.
For anglers, the opportunity is there. The next step is figuring out how the conditions will let you fish it.
Let the Tide Shape Your Approach
“Tides and current have mostly everything to do with fishing vs. catching.”
That’s Pat’s starting point for understanding Montauk. Around the point, powerful current influences how he approaches the day and which techniques he turns to as conditions change.
For casting and jigging, Pat generally favors the flood tide. His go-to options include bucktails tipped with pork rind and 4–6 oz diamond jigs worked near the bottom.
Then there are the days when everything comes together: fish feeding hard, a cast or a dropped jig getting hit almost immediately. Those are the blitzes everyone hopes to find.
But when that action slows and the current keeps roaring, Pat changes tactics. Trolling often becomes his most productive option.
The lesson is to stay flexible. The approach that worked earlier may need to change with the tide.
Read the Wind and Tide Together
There’s an old saying Pat hears around Montauk: “When the wind’s from west, fish bite the best. From the east they bite the least.”
But he’s quick to explain that fish will still feed during an easterly blow, sometimes aggressively. From a boat, the bigger question is whether you can effectively fish for them.
According to Pat, an easterly wind leaves little shelter around Montauk. Westerly winds offer more opportunities to find a lee, or water protected from the wind.
Even then, wind direction is only part of the picture. You need to consider which way the tide is moving, too.
Pat points to the south side of Montauk Point as an example. A flood tide paired with a west or southwest wind can create a favorable setup. An outgoing tide against a hard west wind can make the same area much more difficult to fish.
Before picking your starting spot, look at how wind and current will interact throughout the trip. That combination helps determine where you can fish effectively and when it makes sense to adjust.
Changing Weather Can Move the Bite
Fall brings plenty of bait to Montauk. Wind can change where it gathers.
“When the wind picks up it’ll drive them closer inshore and they’ll begin to concentrate in certain areas,” Pat says.
Migrating stripers follow that food, settling around structure near the point and other places where experienced local anglers know to look.
That’s one way a weather change can kickstart the fishing. As bait moves and concentrates, it can create new opportunities to find feeding fish.
Pat’s observations also reinforce the distinction between feeding activity and fishable conditions. A storm may get fish eating, while wind and sea conditions make reaching them much more difficult. Build your approach around both.
Look Up First
When we asked Pat what he looks for on the water, his answer was immediate.
“Birds first and foremost. It’s the most obvious sign that there’s life in that area.”
Bird activity gives you somewhere to start looking. From there, Pat leans on preparation: understanding the tides, knowing where he wants to begin, and having another option ready if that first stop doesn’t produce.
It’s easy to picture fall fishing as a search for the next obvious blitz. But Pat’s approach starts before that surface action appears.
Do your homework. Know the conditions. Give yourself more than one place to look.
Match Your Tackle to the Moment
Pat’s recommendations for fall stripers cover a few different situations, from working near the bottom to casting into a surface feed.
For casting and jigging:
Pat generally prefers the flood tide, fishing bucktails with pork rind or 4–6 oz diamond jigs near the bottom.
When a blitz breaks open:
Reach for a big floating topwater spook. Pat recommends a “walk the dog” retrieve, working the lure from side to side across the surface.
When the current roars and the bite slows:
Be ready to troll. For anglers interested in adding wire-line trolling to their approach, Pat recommends stopping by the Montauk Anglers Club for advice on a couple of setups.
These are starting points from a captain who fishes this water. Let the conditions and the activity in front of you guide the next move.
Gear That Fueled the Trip
Long hours on deck call for gear that keeps you comfortable as conditions change.
Capt. Pat relied on fan-favorite Rogue Wave boots and foul weather gear to stay dry and comfortable during our time in Montauk. Explore the Fall ’26 collection for the gear that keeps you ready for your own season on the water.
SHOP FALL ’26
Fish “The End” with Capt. Pat
There’s plenty to learn from reading the water, and even more to learn alongside someone who knows it.
Book a trip with Capt. Pat Havlik of Momentum Charters to experience Montauk firsthand, and follow along on Instagram for more from the water.
