Bay Rats & Buoys

Striped Bass Bite EXPLODES! Fishing League May Battle Heats Up | Boating safety Tips

Captain Gaige is back for Episode 82 of Bay Rats & Buoys, and the fishing action around the tri-state area is absolutely heating up! Water temperatures are climbing fast and the striped bass bite is officially ON FIRE across the Long Island Sound, New York Bight, and along the Jersey Coast. From working birds to aggressive bass feeding on bunker schools, anglers are finding fish and the season is shaping up as temperatures heatup in the northeast!  The competition inside  The Fishing League is also reaching another level as teams strategically position themselves to make a run at winning the month of May! Leaderboards are changing weekly with anglers from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut battling it out across multiple divisions. The best part? It’s NOT too late to enter your team! Register now and you still have a legitimate shot to win the month of May while stacking valuable points toward the season-long championship race. Every fish matters and every week the standings get tighter! Captain Gaige dives into National Boating Safety Week topics and discuss some of the biggest mistakes boaters make while fishing crowded areas amongst the fleet. From panic decisions at the helm to poor communication and unsafe maneuvering around active fishing boats, this episode covers important safety tips that every captain and crew should hear before heading out or into busy fishing grounds this season. Learning how to stay calm, predictable, and aware on the water can make a huge difference for everyone sharing the same fishing grounds. We’re also officially just FIVE WEEKS AWAY from the 2nd Annual Bay Rats & Buoys Striped Bass Invitational happening June 27th & 28th, 2026! Last year’s event successfully tagged 65 striped bass for conservation and research, and this year we want to tag even more fish while making the event bigger and better than ever. This epic two-day catch-and-release tournament combines competition, conservation, camaraderie, and huge payouts including cash prizes and giveaways. Register your boat now at  Striped Bass Invitational and join us for an unforgettable weekend on the water! Plus, Captain Gaige and Kory recap entertaining their first open boat trip guests and helping anglers land personal best striped bass aboard  Sand City Fishing Charter. If you’re looking to get on the water this season, private charters are now available! https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Striped Bass Bite EXPLODES! Fishing League May Battle Heats Up! Boating Safety Tips

Captain Gaige is back for Episode 82 of Bay Rats & Buoys, and the fishing action around the tri-state area is absolutely heating up! Water temperatures are climbing fast and the striped bass bite is officially ON FIRE across the Long Island Sound, New York Bight, and along the Jersey Coast. From working birds to aggressive bass feeding on bunker schools, anglers are finding fish and the season is shaping up as temperatures heatup in the northeast!  The competition inside  The Fishing League is also reaching another level as teams strategically position themselves to make a run at winning the month of May! Leaderboards are changing weekly with anglers from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut battling it out across multiple divisions. The best part? It’s NOT too late to enter your team! Register now and you still have a legitimate shot to win the month of May while stacking valuable points toward the season-long championship race. Every fish matters and every week the standings get tighter! Captain Gaige dives into National Boating Safety Week topics and discuss some of the biggest mistakes boaters make while fishing crowded areas amongst the fleet. From panic decisions at the helm to poor communication and unsafe maneuvering around active fishing boats, this episode covers important safety tips that every captain and crew should hear before heading out or into busy fishing grounds this season. Learning how to stay calm, predictable, and aware on the water can make a huge difference for everyone sharing the same fishing grounds. We’re also officially just FIVE WEEKS AWAY from the 2nd Annual Bay Rats & Buoys Striped Bass Invitational happening June 27th & 28th, 2026! Last year’s event successfully tagged 65 striped bass for conservation and research, and this year we want to tag even more fish while making the event bigger and better than ever. This epic two-day catch-and-release tournament combines competition, conservation, camaraderie, and huge payouts including cash prizes and giveaways. Register your boat now at  Striped Bass Invitational and join us for an unforgettable weekend on the water! Plus, Captain Gaige and Kory recap entertaining their first open boat trip guests and helping anglers land personal best striped bass aboard  Sand City Fishing Charter. If you’re looking to get on the water this season, private charters are now available! https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

STRIPED BASS Are HERE! Flutter Spoon Bite Heating Up + Fishing League April Winners Announced | Bay Rats Ep.80

Episode 80 of Bay Rats & Buoys is here and this week we’re back in the studio thanks to some rough weather keeping us off the water—but that doesn’t stop the fishing talk! Captain Gaige breaks down everything happening right now as striped bass season continues to heat up across the tri-state area and anglers are getting fish in every region of The Fishing League [https://thefishingleague.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]. This week we officially announced the April winners in all divisions of the league, and the competition is already getting intense heading into May! New teams are signing up every single day in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, proving this league is growing fast right out of the gate. If you haven’t registered yet, now is the perfect time to put your team together because every month gives anglers a fresh chance to win. The Monthly Featured Species leaderboard resets every month, meaning anyone can jump in and compete for monthly prizes in five different divisions no matter when they register. Meanwhile, your points continue stacking all season long as teams battle it out for the ultimate season championship title by December. Captain Gaige also talks about the importance of picking your weather windows this time of year. The bass are officially here, and the bite has been getting better by the day. One lure that has absolutely been producing lately is the flutter spoon. If you’ve never experienced striped bass smashing flutter spoons, you’re missing one of the most exciting bites in fishing. The team shares some insight into the setups, retrieves, and conditions helping put quality fish in the boat right now around Long Island. We also gave a shout out to Salt Mafia Gear [https://saltmafiagear.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] for their support and high-quality fishing apparel built for serious anglers. Make sure you check them out and support the brands supporting the fishing community. Another exciting announcement this week is Captain Gaige officially testing out the new Oakley Vanguard Meta glasses for content creation on the water. The first flutter spoon fishing video was already filmed using the new glasses, giving viewers a whole new perspective right from the action. Expect weekly fishing videos, reports, and behind-the-scenes content throughout the season. Want to get out there and catch striped bass yourself? Head over to Sand City Fishing Charter [https://sandcitycharter.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] and book your trip leaving from Huntington Harbor. The season is underway and the fish are chewing! https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Striped Bass Are HERE! April Winners + Fishing League Heating Up

Episode 79 of Bay Rats & Buoys is exactly what this podcast was built on—raw, unscripted, and back where we belong… on the boat in the marina. Season 3 is in full swing and you can feel the energy building as the fishing season starts to come alive across the Long Island Sound. This week, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory dive right into the action with a major update on The Fishing League as we gear up to announce our April winners this weekend. The leaderboard is already heating up, and the competition is only getting stronger. The best part? You still have time to register your team. We know plenty of anglers don’t even have their boats in the water yet—but that’s the beauty of this league. Whether you fish from a boat, kayak, or the shoreline, there’s a division for you to compete all season long. As always, we’re giving you the real-time intel you need to stay on fish. Every week we break down what colors are working, the lures we’re dialing in, current water temperatures, and the patterns we’re seeing out on the water. The striped bass bite is officially underway, and we’re seeing more life with every trip—things are trending in the right direction. Of course, with a new season comes the big questions every angler is asking… Will the bluefish show up this year? Will the bunker return in massive schools like we’ve seen in years past—or will it be another slow showing like last season? These are the conversations happening on every dock and in every tackle shop right now, and we’re breaking it all down based on what we’re seeing firsthand. One thing we do know—the water temps are running a bit cooler than last year, which lines up with the colder winter we had. That could play a big role in how this spring bite shapes up. We also drop big news about our Second Annual Striped Bass Invitational, locked in for June 27th & 28th. This year it’s a two-day event, and we’re bringing the heat with a tag and brag format that keeps conservation front and center while still fueling that competitive fire. If you’re looking to be part of one of the most exciting events of the season, now’s the time to get signed up. Season 3 is rolling, the fish are here, and the momentum is real. Let’s go. https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

Striped Bass BITE is ON! Back on the Boat | Fishing League Exploding

Episode 78 of Bay Rats & Buoys brings you right back where it all started—on the boat, leaving the marina and heading into our absolute happy place. There’s nothing like that first throttle up of the season, and this one felt even better knowing the boat is running flawlessly thanks to our new mechanic dialin’ everything in. Smooth, reliable, and ready to fish hard—that’s exactly how we like it. We didn’t waste any time getting back into the action either. As soon as we splashed, the charters kicked off and it was game on. The striped bass bite is officially ON here on the North Shore, and we’re putting clients on fish trip after trip. From first-time anglers to seasoned fishermen, everyone’s getting in on the action and creating unforgettable memories out on the water. This is what it’s all about—tight lines, screaming drags, and smiles all around. The momentum doesn’t stop there… The Fishing League is absolutely blowing up! Teams from all over the tri-state area are signing up, submitting fish, and climbing the leaderboard. The competition is heating up, and with the season running all the way through December 15, 2026, there’s still plenty of time to get your team in the mix. Whether you’re fishing solo, with your family, or running with a full crew—this is your shot to compete, track your catches, and be part of something big. Head over to TheFishingLeague.com and register your team today! We also made a stop over at the brand new tackle shop in Port Jefferson—Port Tackle—to stock up on some fresh gear. Always important to support the local shops here on Long Island, and these guys are bringing some serious heat to the scene. If you’re gearing up for the season, definitely go check them out. And if you’ve been watching the reports and thinking about getting out there… now is the time. Charters are booking fast as word spreads about the incredible striped bass bite we’re on right now. If you want a shot at landing a trophy fish and experiencing it firsthand, head over to SandCityCharter.com, fill out the contact form, and lock in your trip. We’re back, we’re fishing, and we’re just getting started. Let’s go!!!  https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/