Sunset Fishing Charter in the Hamptons
A sunset fishing charter in the Hamptons solves a problem most groups have: half the people want to fish and half don't. This trip gives you a couple of hours on the evening bite and then a slow ride back through Shelter Island's back creeks while the light goes gold. Nobody's bored. We're Charters in The Hamptons, a family-run operation based on Shelter Island, and this is one of our favorite trips to run. Call (631) 251-1777 and tell us your date.
The Evening Bite Is Real
Striped bass and bluefish feed hardest at low light. The last two hours before dark are one of the two best windows of the day out here, and the bay quiets down as the daytime boat traffic heads in.
You get better fishing and emptier water at the same time. That's not a marketing angle, it's just how the tide and the light work in the Peconics.
Timing Depends Entirely on the Month
This is the part people get wrong when they book. Sunset from Shelter Island moves nearly two hours across the season:
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June 21: about 8:25 p.m.
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July 15: about 8:20 p.m.
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August 15: about 7:47 p.m.
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September 15: about 6:58 p.m.
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September 30: about 6:32 p.m.
A trip that leaves at 4 p.m. is perfect in late September and finishes long before dark in June. Once we know your date, we work backward from sunset and set the departure from there.
Golden light is the twenty to thirty minutes before the sun actually drops. We plan to be off the fish and moving by then.
Good for Mixed Groups
Straight fishing charters are hard on anyone who doesn't fish. Straight sunset cruises are hard on anyone who does. This trip is the middle.
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The anglers get the best two hours of the day. Everyone else gets the water at its prettiest. It also works well for couples, small groups, and anniversaries, and more than one engagement has happened on this run.
Bring a Layer
The temperature drops fast once the sun goes. A July evening that felt warm at the dock at 6 p.m. can be genuinely cool on the water at 8:30.
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Bring a sweatshirt or a windbreaker for everyone, including the people who insist they won't need one. They will.
How the Trip Runs
Most sunset trips are structured in two parts.
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The Fishing. A couple of hours working the evening bite inside the bay. Light tackle, bass and blues, sometimes porgies if that's what's cooperating.
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The Ride Back. A slow run through the back creeks along Mashomack Preserve or around the Shelter Island shoreline. Engines down, cooler open, ospreys overhead.
Bring a cooler and something to eat. This is the trip where people linger.
Where the Ride Back Goes
The cruise portion is the part people remember, and we pick the route based on the wind that evening.
Mashomack Preserve covers roughly a third of Shelter Island's east side and is managed by the Nature Conservancy. Its back creeks are quiet, shallow, and full of birds. Osprey nest through the summer and you'll usually see several on the way through.
Coecles Harbor is protected and calm almost regardless of wind direction. Smith Cove on the south side of the island, just past the South Ferry, is another quiet option with a long open view west toward the sunset.
Crescent Beach and the water off Sunset Beach get the most attention, and the sunsets there are good, but on an August evening it's a crowd and a lot of wake. We'll take you if you want it. We'll also tell you when somewhere quieter is the better call that night.
What You Might Catch
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Striped Bass. Open April 15 through December 15, one fish per angler, and only within a 28 to 31 inch slot. Inline circle hooks are required when fishing bait.
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Bluefish. No size limit. Seven per angler aboard a licensed charter boat.
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Porgy. Eleven inch minimum for vessel anglers, 30 per person through August.
Limits shift year to year. Current rules are at the New York State DEC, and we'll confirm what's open when you book.
What's Included
Every fishing charter includes rods, reels, tackle, bait, ice, a USCG-licensed captain, fish cleaning at the dock, and required safety gear. Passengers don't need their own New York fishing registration.
You bring food, drinks, layers, and a cooler.
Why Book With Us
We're cousins who grew up on Shelter Island working the docks at our family's marina. USCG licenses in 2019, more than 200 charters since.
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Every captain holds a USCG license.
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We time the departure to sunset on your specific date.
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Private charters only.
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Pickup in Greenport and Sag Harbor, plus a Shelter Island base that puts the quiet water minutes away.
Why Book With a Local Boat
Anyone can point a boat west at 7 p.m. Knowing where the fish are feeding that particular evening, and which cove will be flat when the southwest breeze fills in, is a different skill.
We grew up on this island. We know which creeks hold water at low tide and which ones you'll bump through. That's not something you learn from a chartplotter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do we leave? It depends on your date. Sunset moves from around 8:25 p.m. in late June to about 6:32 p.m. by the end of September. We set the departure so you're fishing before the light turns.
Is the fishing actually good in the evening? Yes. Bass and bluefish feed hardest at low light, and the bay empties of daytime traffic at the same time.
Do non-anglers enjoy this trip? That's the point of it. A couple of hours of fishing, then a slow cruise back at golden hour. It works for groups where not everyone wants a rod.
How long is the trip? Most run about four hours. Tell us what you want the balance between fishing and cruising to be and we'll size it accordingly.
What should we bring? Food, drinks, a cooler, and warm layers. It gets cool on the water fast after sunset even in midsummer.
Can we do this in September? September is arguably the best month for it. Warm water, earlier sunsets, and almost no other boats out.
Is it good for a proposal? It's a popular one. Tell us in advance and we'll keep it quiet and pick a calm spot.
How many people can come? Most private charter vessels are limited to six passengers under federal law. Call with your group size and we'll confirm which boat works.
Do we need to bring fishing gear? No. Rods, reels, tackle, and bait are all included. Bring your own if you'd rather, plenty of people do.
Is the fishing part optional? Completely. Some groups fish the whole time, some fish for an hour and then put the rods away. Tell the captain what you want and he'll run it that way.
Why Book With a Local Boat
Anyone can point a boat west at 7 p.m. Knowing where the fish are feeding that particular evening, and which cove will be flat when the southwest breeze fills in, is a different skill.
We grew up on this island. We know which creeks hold water at low tide and which ones you'll bump through. That's not something you learn from a chartplotter.
Book an Evening
Give us the date and we'll work backward from sunset.
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Call or text (631) 251-1777, or email captain@chartersinthehamptons.com. We're at 63 S Menantic Rd, Shelter Island, NY 11964. See our boats or contact us.
