Montauk: Viking Star opens Coxes Ledge trips with big knothead sea bass as the night squid bite booms

The Viking Fleet out of Montauk opened its Coxes Ledge trips on Saturday, Oct. 24, and Capt. JR called it a very good start aboard the Viking Star. Anglers caught plenty of big knothead black sea bass, some super jumbo porgies, a few pollock, ling and cunners, and a small barrelfish. The pool went to Jose Rodriguez with a 4.7-pound sea bass, and Dane Clayton was second with a 4.3-pounder.

That night's squid fishing was "very very good," Capt. Carl reported. Some anglers filled well over a bucket with longfin squid, including many large tubes, though catches varied from angler to angler. The fleet ran two boats to avoid crowding, and Capt. Joe reported similar results on the Viking Star. Squid trips sail nightly at 6 p.m., and the departure moves to 5:30 p.m. starting Nov. 1.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, the Viking Star's blackfish and sea bass trip found very good sea bass fishing. Blackfish were good for anglers with a light touch: some had one or two, while others limited out. Miguel Rodriguez won the pool with a 5.2-pound black sea bass, and Ma Xubin took the edible pool with a 4.8-pound tautog.

Photo: An angler aboard the Viking Star with a big knothead black sea bass on the Oct. 24 Coxes Ledge trip. Credit: Viking Fleet.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Viking Fleet Fishing Report — Sat Oct 24 – Coxes Ledge (Oct. 24, 2026); also Sat Oct 24 – Night Squid and Sun Oct 25 – Blackfish & Seabass / TAU.