Montauk Fly Fishing Legends: Pro Tips for Striped Bass Success

The fish in the photo is a striped bass (often called a “striper”).

Montauk’s fall season is a spectacle of nature—striped bass and false albacore exploding through dense schools of bay anchovies, churning the water in a feeding frenzy known as the “blitz.” For anglers, it’s the kind of scene that etches itself into memory long before the first cast is made.

While many chase these blitzes with spinning rods and lures like Deadly Dicks or epoxy jigs, fly anglers know the thrill of delivering the perfect cast into this chaos is unmatched. But turning that opportunity into a solid hook-up takes more than luck—it demands skill, timing, and strategy.

Some of the best lessons come from the Montauk Masters—four veteran guides who’ve spent decades perfecting the craft of fly fishing for stripers along these storied shores. They approach guiding like a golf caddy approaches a championship round—reading the water, knowing the conditions, and helping anglers make the right cast at the right time.

John Abplanalp – Flats Pioneer

Abplanalp began fly fishing in the 1960s, later bringing those skills to Montauk’s sandy flats. He targets spring stripers in clear, shallow water using floating lines and crab-pattern flies, often from a flats skiff—a technique he helped popularize in the area.

Paul Dixon – Master of Adaptation

A pioneer of Montauk fly guiding since the late ’80s, Dixon blends Florida Keys techniques with local knowledge. He downsizes flies to match baitfish during fall blitzes and excels at positioning drifts over productive structure, from rocky points to hidden tidal seams.

Captain Tim O’Rourke – The Mindset Mentor

O’Rourke teaches that a calm, focused mindset is as important as perfect technique. His go-to setup includes a Sage Maverick rod and RIO Stealth Flats Pro intermediate line, ideal for precision casting in challenging conditions.

Craig Cantelmo – The Technique Teacher

Cantelmo stresses slowing down, refining casting mechanics, and practicing water-haul and double-haul techniques. His advice when a bass strikes: strip-set first, then lift—rushing the rod set often costs the fish.

Final Word:Whether you’re stalking shallow-water stripers in spring or chasing fall blitzes, Montauk’s fly fishing greats agree: success comes from observation, preparation, and patience. Learn the water, match the bait, and let experience guide the cast—and you might just join the ranks of those who’ve felt the unstoppable pull of a Montauk striper.