New York · Long Island
MAHI MAHI FISHING
IN FREEPORT NY
Freeport NY is a solid destination for mahi mahi fishing. Book a charter and target mahi mahi with local experts.
About Mahi Mahi Fishing in Freeport NY
Also called Dolphin or Dorado. Stunningly beautiful and acrobatic. Excellent eating.
Mahi Mahi — also called Dolphin or Dorado — are the most brilliantly colored fish in the ocean. Their iridescent body shimmers with electric blues, greens, and golds that literally change before your eyes. Males (called "bulls") develop a prominent flat forehead, while females ("cows") have a more rounded head profile. These fast-growing pelagic fish are found in blue water near floating debris, weed lines, and current edges. They are acrobatic fighters that tailwalk across the surface and make spectacular aerial leaps.
Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus
Mahi Mahi Seasonal Calendar — Freeport NY
Month-by-month availability for mahi mahi in Freeport NY, NY.
How to Catch Mahi Mahi in Freeport NY
Techniques & Bait
Trolling ballyhoo rigged with colorful duster/lure combinations along weed lines, current edges, and near floating debris is the classic technique. Once a school is located, stop the boat and pitch live pilchards, cut ballyhoo, or small live baits to the school — mahi travel in groups and multiple hookups are common. Casting light jigs, spoons, or fly-rod streamers to fish visible near floating objects is incredibly exciting. Keep one fish in the water next to the boat to hold the school in place while catching others.
Recommended Tackle
Medium spinning or conventional rod (6'6"-7 ft), 4000-5000 reel, 20-30 lb braid, 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader. For trolling: 20-30 lb class conventional rigs. Mahi have sandpaper-like mouths — fluorocarbon leader works fine (no wire needed).
Best Deep Sea Fishing Fishing Spots in Freeport NY
Top spots where local captains target mahi mahi and other deep sea fishing species.
Freeport Offshore Wreck Field
The waters 15 to 35 miles offshore of Freeport contain a dense concentration of shipwrecks in 80 to 140 feet of water that form the backbone of Long Island's South Shore offshore fishery. Sea bass, tautog, ling, cod, and pollock hold on these wrecks in enormous numbers during their respective seasons. The Freeport party boat and charter fleet runs daily trips to the wreck grounds, making the Nautical Mile one of the busiest fishing ports in the New York Bight.
Offshore Shark and Tuna Grounds
The offshore waters 30 to 60 miles south of Freeport support productive shark and tuna fisheries during summer months, with mako shark, thresher shark, yellowfin tuna, and mahi-mahi patrolling the continental shelf. Charter boats from Freeport drift-fish for sharks using chum slicks along the shelf edge, while tuna anglers troll and chunk along temperature breaks. The area provides some of the most accessible big-game fishing available from a New York City-area port.
Hudson Canyon (Freeport Access)
Hudson Canyon is accessible from Freeport on overnight trips of approximately 65 to 80 miles, offering world-class pelagic fishing at the mid-Atlantic's deepest submarine canyon. Yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, white marlin, blue marlin, and longfin albacore concentrate along the canyon's walls and temperature breaks during summer. The Freeport fleet's proximity to the canyon's western approaches provides a shorter run than many competing ports.
Seventeen Fathom Bank
Seventeen Fathom Bank is a natural shoal area approximately 15 to 20 miles south of Jones Inlet where the seafloor rises to concentrate baitfish and gamefish on the open shelf. Fluke, sea bass, and ling hold on the bank's harder bottom during their respective seasons, while bluefish and bonito chase bait over the shallower water during summer. The bank serves as a productive transitional fishing ground between nearshore and deep-water offshore trips from Freeport.
Other Species in Freeport NY
More fish you can target while visiting Freeport NY.
Mahi Mahi Fishing in Freeport NY — FAQ
Mahi Mahi fishing in Freeport NY is productive during .
Mahi Mahi fishing charters in Freeport NY are typically deep sea fishing trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Trolling ballyhoo rigged with colorful duster/lure combinations along weed lines, current edges, and near floating debris is the classic technique. Once a school is located, stop the boat and pitch live pilchards, cut ballyhoo, or small live baits to the school — mahi travel in groups and multiple hookups are common. Casting light jigs, spoons, or fly-rod streamers to fish visible near floating objects is incredibly exciting. Keep one fish in the water next to the boat to hold the school in place while catching others.
No — when you book a charter in Freeport NY, your captain provides all required New York fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Mahi Mahi regulations in New York include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Mahi Mahi in Freeport NY, you may also catch Striped Bass, Fluke, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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