Bay Rats & Buoys

Episode 63 of Bay Rats & Buoys is all about closing out an incredible year the right way. As 2025 winds down, Captain Gaige wants to take a moment to wish every listener, viewer, supporter, and fishing family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a healthy, successful New Year ahead. This community has grown beyond anything we imagined, and this episode is a true thank-you to everyone who tuned in, shared the show, fished alongside us, and helped make Bay Rats & Buoys what it is today.

To cap off the year, we’re officially launching LIVE re...

Why is the Stratford Shoal the most haunted lighthouse in the Long Island Sound? 

That’s how Episode 62 of Bay Rats & Buoys kicks off, and from there it only gets wilder. In this special holiday edition of the podcast, Captain Gaige dives into one of the most chilling maritime legends in our backyard — the eerie history, unexplained stories, and spine-tingling reputation of the Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Lighthouse. Whether you’re a boater, angler, or just someone who loves local lore, this conversation will have you looking at the Sound a little differently the next ti...

Episode 61 of Bay Rats & Buoys is packed with practical tools, winter strategy, and big-picture excitement as we gear up for an epic 2026 season. Captain Gaige kicks things off with a breakdown of captains-recommended boating apps that every angler and boater should have on their phone or chartplotter. From navigation and weather tracking to tides, currents, and safety tools, we talk about what we actually use on the water and why these apps can make the difference between a smooth day and a stressful one. Whether you’re a seasoned captain or a weekend bay runner, this segment is loaded wi...

Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 60 – “Charleston Reds, Southern Waters & Chef Rob’s Grand Opening!”

Episode 60 of Bay Rats & Buoys brings the heat straight out of South Carolina as Captain Gaige sits down with Charleston’s finest: Captain Jamey and Captain Matt from Charleston Red Fish Pros, along with our good friend Chef Rob, who just celebrated the grand opening of Global Pizza inside Godwin Beer Hall in Summerville, SC! This week’s episode is a blend of Southern hospitality, world-class fishing, and big news for the Bay Rats community.

Captain Jamey and Ca...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast – Episode 59 | Thanksgiving Special + Tournament Champion Interview!

Happy Thanksgiving to all our loyal listeners, subscribers, captains, and Bay Rats across Long Island and beyond! Episode 59 is packed with gratitude, good laughs, epic fishing stories, and a special guest who made history in our very first Bay Rats & Buoys Striped Bass Invitational. Joining Captain Gaige and Kory this week is none other than Andrew Viola, the champion who landed the monstrous 46” striped bass that took home the trophy, the grand prize, and—of course—the ultimate bragging rights for 2025!

Andrew walks us through the enti...

Welcome back to Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 58 — and this one is loaded with late-season chaos, winter prep, big announcements, and a whole lot of gratitude as we roll into Thanksgiving week! If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your passion for boating into a real paycheck, now is the time — get your Captain’s License at NauticalSchool.com and start making money on the water in 2025. Captain Gaige and Kory break down exactly why winter is the best time to enroll and knock out your classes before spring ramps up.

In today’s episode, we talk ab...

Late-Season Chaos: Bass Under Birds, Monster Tog Bites & Squid Starting to Pop!

Welcome back to Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 57, where the fall bite is absolutely exploding even as boating season slowly comes to a close. This week we’ve got Manny from the West on the cover, hammering bass at his secret locations using the Bay Rats & Buoys favorite NLBN lures—the same lures that have been crushing it all season long for us on the striped bass. If you’re looking for that late-season edge, this is the episode to watch.

Weathe...

Welcome back to Bay Rats & Buoys — Episode 56, where the winterization process has officially begun here in the Northeast. The cold fronts are rolling in, the yards are filling up with shrink-wrapped boats, and every captain is doing that final dance of oil changes, fuel stabilizers, and flushing systems before winter takes hold. But even with the seasonal shutdown starting, the fishing is STILL electric.


This week we’re talking squid jigs, green crabs, tautog, striped bass, and a ridiculous amount of bait stacked in our harbors. We’re seeing spearing, peanut bunker, and schools of squid lighti...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast Episode 55 | Hurricane Melissa, Big Tog, Bass Blitz & Harbor Squid!

This week’s Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast comes straight from the studio, as Hurricane Melissa brings heavy winds and rain to the Long Island Sound. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected in the storm’s path—especially our friends down in Jamaica dealing with severe damage and flooding. While we may be docked this week, there’s no shortage of fishing action to talk about!

 Brought to You by The Nautical School

Special...

In this week’s Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast Episode 54, Captain Gaige kicks things off with a bang by announcing the winner of our One-Year Anniversary Raffle Giveaway! One lucky fan takes home a Star Rods Stellar Lite 6’6” medium fast rod paired with a Stradic 3000 reel, fully spooled with 20lb braid and ready to hammer blackfish this fall! The winner is revealed right away in the opening minutes—so don’t skip a second of this one.

As we roll into late October, the North Shore of Long Island is alive with action and stories from the S...

Episode 53 – Fall Run Frenzy & Extended Giveaway! | Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast

It’s another action-packed week on Bay Rats & Buoys as Captain Gaige dives into the heart of the fall fishing season and announces some huge news for our listeners! The One-Year Anniversary Giveaway is officially extended through next Friday, October 24th, giving everyone one more week to enter for a chance to win a Star Rods Stellar Lite 6’6” Medium-Fast Rod paired with a Shimano Stradic 3000, spooled and ready with 20lb braid! All you have to do is comment “Congrats” and #bayratsyearone on any of our social m...

It’s official — Bay Rats & Buoys turns ONE!  Episode 52 marks an incredible milestone for Captain Gaige, First Mate Kory, and every salty fan who’s been part of this wild ride from day one. This week’s two-hour anniversary episode is packed with laughs, chaos, gratitude, and some big surprises for our loyal listeners and sponsors who helped make this dream a reality.

FREE ROD & REEL COMBO GIVEAWAY!

To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we’re giving away a Star Rods Stellar Lite 6’6” Medium Fast rod paired with a Shimano Stradic 3000 loaded with 20lb braid — full...

The action is heating up in Episode 51 of Bay Rats & Buoys as Captain Gaige takes you through one of the most exciting weeks of the season! We’re just one week away from our one-year anniversary, and the celebration is already building. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to be entered into our Anniversary Raffle—winners will be announced next week!

Offshore Bite is On Fire

From the offshore canyons 100 miles out to the dragger lines just 30 miles off the beach, the bite is absolutely red hot! Tuna are crushing baits, mahi a...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast – Episode 50

We’ve officially made it to Episode 50, and we’re only two weeks away from celebrating our one-year anniversary! That means it’s time to crank things up a notch with giveaways, fishing action, and a reminder to like, comment, and follow us to be entered into our anniversary giveaway. We want to thank all of our loyal listeners and viewers who’ve been on this ride with us since day one—your support keeps the Bay Rats & Buoys crew rolling.

Fall Run in Full Swing

This week on Bay Rats & Buoys, Captain Gaige is back on the boat, just three weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the podcast! After days of relentless winds stirring up the Sound, the seas finally laid down and shifted direction just in time for this recording. That break in the weather set the stage for a raw, on-the-water episode filled with fishing talk, salty banter, and plenty of laughs.

 The week kicked off with a surprise appearance from Manny—better known around here as “Manny from the West"  who knows best. True to his re...

Spanish Mackerel Feeding Frenzy & The Cocktail Bluefish Invasion Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast 

This week’s episode of Bay Rats & Buoys is all about the hot action happening right now in our local waters! Captain Gaige is breaking down the lures and tackle that worked best for us this week chasing multiple inshore species. We stopped into Hi-Hook Bait & Tackle in Huntington to load up, and the gear did not disappoint. Spanish mackerel made a strong showing, and we even had them spitting up spearing as they hit the deck. These lightning-fast predators are a blast to catch, and...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast – Episode 47 | Season 2 | On the Boat

Labor Day weekend is officially in the rearview mirror, and we hope everyone got out to enjoy some time on the water! Whether you were fishing, boating, or just soaking up the last days of summer, the Bay Rats & Buoys crew is here to keep the stoke alive. In this week’s episode, Captain Gaige is back recording right from the boat, bringing you all the energy and local insight that makes this podcast a must-listen for anglers and boaters across Long Island and beyond.

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast Episode 46 – Labor Day Weekend Fishing Report, Albies, Tuna & Offshore Action!

Labor Day Weekend 2025 is here, and it’s shaping up to be one of the busiest boating and fishing weekends of the year on the Long Island Sound and beyond! In this week’s episode of the Bay Rats & Buoys podcast, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory bring you an action-packed report loaded with updates on targeting false albacore (albies), Spanish mackerel, bonito, tuna, mahi, and wahoo. September is prime time to be on the water, and our North Shore fisher...

Hurricane Erin Storm Surge – Bluefish Tournament Weekend | Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast Ep. 45

Welcome back to another exciting week of the Bay Rats & Buoys fishing and boating podcast! In Episode 45, Captain Gaige broadcasts from the studio due to rain and stormy conditions as Hurricane Erin pushes a surge up the Long Island Sound. Even though we’re off the boat this week, there’s still plenty to cover as the WICC Bluefish Tournament heats up. Where are the gator blues hiding this season? We break down reports, tactics, and conditions as anglers across the region gear up for one of...

Episode 44 – Bay Rats & Buoys Fishing & Boating Podcast | Offshore Tuna, Mahi, Tilefish & Local Harbor Wildlife

We’re just 8 weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the Bay Rats & Buoys podcast, and excitement is building! In this week’s episode, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory bring you all the latest Long Island fishing and boating news, plus an epic offshore report you won’t want to miss.

Kory headed offshore again for one of his best trips of the season, landing bluefin tuna, mahi-mahi, and tilefish. The tuna bite is still ho...

In Episode 43 of Bay Rats and Buoys, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory bring you another action-packed episode focused on striped bass and tuna fishing here on the North Shore of Long Island and beyond! With just 9 weeks to go until our 1-year anniversary, we’re kicking things into high gear with big announcements and even bigger fish stories.



We’re excited to officially launch the Bay Rats and Buoys Fishing Club, kicking off in early 2026! This community-driven club will bring together anglers who live and breathe the salt life — whether you’re targeting cow stripers...

Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 42 – Mid-Summer Moves, Tuna Talk & Studio Upgrades!

Episode 42 is here, and believe it or not—we’re just 10 weeks away from celebrating one full year of Bay Rats & Buoys! This week, we’re dodging passing storms and soaking up the cooler air after a seriously hot stretch here on Long Island. While the weather breaks, the action heats up behind the scenes.

Construction is officially underway at the Bay Rats & Buoys studio as we gear up for a big push into the second half of the season—i...

Bay Rats & Buoys Ep. 41 – Mid-July Bass, Bluefish & Bait Mule Hacks!

Episode 41 of Bay Rats & Buoys is coming to you straight from the deck of the boat in Huntington Harbor on a picture-perfect July day! We’ve officially crossed the mid-July mark and the fishing action is still holding strong. Water temps are ranging from 72° to 76°, and yes — the striped bass are still here! Chunking and live lining have been the go-to techniques, and we even managed to hook into a few aggressive bluefish this week.

Private charters have been busy, an...

Bay Rats and Buoys Episode 40 – Montauk Canyon Challenge Special! 

Welcome to a special edition of Bay Rats and Buoys filmed on location at the legendary Montauk Yacht Club during the Montauk Canyon Challenge — one of the biggest tuna tournaments on the East Coast!

With 85 boats entered and over $1 million in Calcutta prize money on the line, this tournament is pure adrenaline from the dock to the deep. In Episode 40, we dive into the action and get a firsthand look at what makes this event a staple of the offshore fishing world. From canyo...

Captain’s Weekly Fishing Report – Mid-July Update! 

The summer heat is here and the water temps are cranking — 81° in the harbor and 76° out in the Long Island Sound! While the striped bass bite has slowed down a bit, live-lining bunker continues to produce the best results. Bunker pods have been showing nicely on the surface this week, giving us some exciting visuals and solid chances at quality fish.

On the bottom, the action hasn’t missed a beat! We’re out daily chasing fluke, sea bass, and porgy, and the cooler is...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast – Episode 38 

“Striped Bass Still Chewing in July!”

In Episode 38 of Bay Rats & Buoys, the striped bass bite is still red hot—and yes, it’s July! Despite rising water temps just shy of 73°, we’re still hammering quality bass daily. In this episode, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory break down the one technique that’s absolutely crushing it right now. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just looking to get in on the summer action, this is the tip you need to know!

Bottom fishin...

This past weekend marked the incredible launch of the Bay Rats & Buoys First Annual Striped Bass Invitational, and what a weekend it was! Over 65 striped bass were tagged and released with Gray's FishTag Research to support conservation and scientific tracking of this iconic species.

The excitement began Saturday morning at the Captains Meeting hosted at Whalestale Northport, where tournament shirts, rulers, Gray’s fish tags, tag applicators, and sponsor swag were distributed. Special thanks to CLiX Fueling, and shoutout to Howard and Steven for showing up in person to support the event!

Sunday morning, boats li...

Bay Rats & Buoys Ep. 35: Rain Blitz of 2025!

Jurassic Park on the Long Island Sound — monster striped bass up to 45 inches blowing up live bait! Capt. Gaige & Kory break down the red-hot bite, from flutter spoons to topwater, trolling, and more. Rain didn’t stop us — it delivered! Shoutout to Matt & Joe from Mt. Sinai for joining the action.

Book your trip at SandCityCharter.com and register for our First Annual Striped Bass Invitational on June 22, 2025!

https://sandcitycharter.com/podcast/

In this week’s action-packed episode of Bay Rats and Buoys, the bluefish have officially invaded the North Shore! These toothy torpedoes are pushing massive schools of bait into the back bays and lighting up the surface with explosive topwater strikes. It’s a thrilling time to be on the water, with birds working hard and both bass and blues feeding aggressively across the Long Island Sound.

While striped bass are still chewing, they’ve become noticeably more selective—favoring live bait presentations like bunker, butterfish, sand eels, and mackerel over artificial lures. But when the...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 33 Topwater Explosions, Fluke Frenzy & Big Blues Crushing Bait! 

This week on Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 33 we’re podcasting from the boat in Huntington Harbor as the topwater bite goes nuclear and bluefish finally show up in our area! Striped bass were blowing up spooks and Super Strikes with ferocity, including 40-inch fish smashing plugs all around the boat. The rip was alive with life and flutter spoons—especially gold and chartreuse—were getting hammered. Even a few young sailors from the local fleet got in on the action, hooking...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 32: Foggy Mornings, Topwater Blowups & Striped Bass Tagging

In this week’s Episode 32 of Bay Rats & Buoys, Captain Gaige is back on the boat diving into a fog-filled stretch that turned into some of the best topwater striped bass action we’ve seen all season! With two straight days of thick morning fog, the bass were dialed in on sand eels, exploding on spooks and surface plugs—and spitting up bait on deck when landed.

We made some key adjustments this week, swapping out our tr...

Welcome to Bay Rats and Buoys Episode 31! In this action-packed episode, Captain Gaige shares what we’re using right now to catch big striped bass in the Long Island Sound. From live bait tips to top-producing lures like Doc Spooks, white mini mojos, and trolling rigs, we break down the tackle, techniques, and tides that are working best for catching keeper striped bass and overs this spring.

We also feature the epic Mother’s Day striped bass trip with the Cavasos family—Mom kicks it off with a fat 35” over slot, Dad follows with a 36”, a...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast | Season 2, Episode 30: Lights-Out Bass Bite & Changing Conditions

In this week’s episode of Bay Rats & Buoys Season 2, we’re podcasting straight from the boat in Huntington Harbor as the striped bass fishing action heats up! For four straight days, the bite was absolutely lights out, with bass crushing everything we threw at them—until Friday, when the bite abruptly shut off as the water temps shifted. But don’t worry—by the weekend and midweek, the bass were back on the chew, this time favoring white mojos over last week’s go-to char...

Striped Bass Bite is Red Hot This Week

The striped bass bite is absolutely red hot this week in Huntington, NY! Join Captain Gaige and Kory as they land dozens of fat 39” inch striped bass along with dozens of slots and overs. Watch as Dylan and Shelly crush the under-slot and slot fish on flutter spoons and trolling setups, and Kenny puts on a clinic with a dozen fish to 39” on flutter spoons! This video is packed with striped bass fishing tips, techniques, and the exact gear we’re using to crush spring bass in Long Island Sound...

Spring Striped Bass Fishing is Heating Up! | Bay Rats & Buoys Season 2 Ep. 28

In this episode of Bay Rats and Buoys, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory are back on the water chasing springtime striped bass across the back bays and beyond! After a quick fix from Keith at Yamaha in Britannia Yachting Center (the best in the biz!), we hit Huntington Harbor, the bay, and the Long Island Sound to track water temps and search for early season bunker and bait balls. With temps reading 55° in the harbor, 53° in the bay, and 50° in the Sound, striped bass fis...

Season 2 of the Bay Rats & Buoys podcast kicks off as Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory hit the water to dial in springtime striped bass! If you’re fishing for striped bass this spring, especially in the back bays, this is the video for you. We launched on Monday and spent the day chasing slot-sized striped bass using our favorite spring striped bass lures—small swim shads and the deadly Yo-Zuri 3D Minnow. The Yo-Zuri was the clear winner, helping us land and tag quality slot bass before releasing them healthy.

Striped bass fishing in early spring is h...

Striped Bass Season is Finally Here! | Bay Rats & Buoys Episode 26 | Saltwater Fishing Podcast

Welcome to Episode 26 of Bay Rats & Buoys – the ultimate striped bass fishing podcast for saltwater anglers, charter captains, and hardcore fishermen!

Striped bass season is officially back, and we’re fired up to kick things off! In this week’s episode, Captain Gaige shares what to use this spring to target migrating striped bass, plus essential early-season boating tips. Whether you’re surfcasting, trolling, jigging, or using live bait, this saltwater fishing podcast delivers everything you need to...

Bay Rats & Buoys Podcast Ep. 25 – Striped Bass Are Here & Our First Annual Invitational Is On!

In this week’s episode of Bay Rats & Buoys, Captain Gaige and First Mate Kory are back with big news and even bigger plans as we roll into the 2025 season! The first striped bass of the year has been officially landed — shoutout to Charles, who kicked things off in true Bay Rats fashion by hooking a striper on a blackfish jig tipped with a green crab. But he didn’t stop there. He tied on a white Tsunami swim bait and stuck an over...

Long Island’s Hottest New Striped Bass Fishing Tournament | Bay Rats & Buoys 1st Annual Striped Bass Invitational

Calling all anglers, fishermen, and boating enthusiasts this is the striped bass fishing event you’ve been waiting for.

On Sunday, June 22, 2025, the waters of Huntington Bay, New York will ignite with the energy of the Bay Rats & Buoys 1st Annual Striped Bass Invitational — a shotgun-style, catch-and-release striped bass tournament that’s all about competition, conservation, and community.

This premier striped bass fishing tournament is unlike any other in Long Island, bringing together the best inshore anglers...

Bay Rats & Buoys Announces First Annual Striped Bass Invitational – Episode 23 | Fishing Podcast


Attention all anglers, captains, and tournament fishermen! Captain Gaige is thrilled to announce the First Annual Striped Bass Invitational—the hottest new striped bass fishing tournament on Long Island! Mark your calendars for June 22, 2025, and register now at StripedBassInvitational.com. The first 25 boats to sign up will receive an exclusive Bay Rats & Buoys Tournament Bucket packed with premium sponsor giveaways. 


In this fishing podcast, we’re also gearing up for spring fishing season! The boat gets uncovered and tuned up this weekend...