Freshwater anglers may cut their teeth on bluegill, but for many East Coast saltwater anglers, the gateway to a full-blown fishing obsession starts with the hard-fighting, fast-biting porgy. For many, the porgy is also known as scup. These scrappy fish swarm the waters from South Carolina to Massachusetts, attacking baits with reckless abandon and putting up a surprisingly feisty fight for their size. Whether you’re dropping a line off a jetty, dock, or reef, scup are almost always ready for action, making them an irresistible first catch for countless saltwater anglers.
Stenotomus chrysops, a member of the Sparidae family, shares its lineage with inshore heavyweights like snappers and sheepshead. In the Mid-Atlantic Bight, porgies move between the continental shelf and nearshore waters, heading shallow as temperatures rise. When winter sets in, they retreat to deeper waters along the outer continental shelf, waiting for spring’s return.
For most anglers, an average porgy weighs around one and a half pounds, though fish exceeding four pounds are not uncommon. With their thick, slightly oval bodies and sweet, delicate flesh, larger specimens have earned the nickname “pork chops.”
Porgy Fishing Action
Porgy fishing was a key part of my fishing journey, and I was lucky to learn from the best — Capt. Greg Dubrule and his top-notch crew aboard the Blackhawk, a legendary headboat out of Niantic, Connecticut. Dubrule describes porgy fishing as fun and accessible: “The most exciting thing about porgy fishing is that it can be non-stop action for all ages of people from 5 to 95, and they are so excellent to eat.”
The Blackhawk’s porgy season kicks off in early May as fish finish spawning in Peconic Bay, between Long Island’s North and South forks. Soon, massive schools move around Montauk, fueling a month of red-hot action before settling near Gardiners Island and spreading throughout the Long Island Sound for summer. In the fall, the bite reignites as bigger fish return to Montauk, the easternmost tip of Long Island. For the most part, key depth ranges run between 25 and 100 feet deep.
Experienced porgy anglers know that fresh bait is key—and aboard the Blackhawk, Dubrule and his crew take that to heart. They provide anglers with freshly salted local clams, while squid can also do the trick. To maximize the bite, they go a step further, deploying two chum pots packed to the brim with five gallons of freshly ground clam bellies, ensuring less time running and more time stacking the cooler. While porgy fishing can be as simple as a trip to the local dock, anglers looking for a quality experience and bigger porgy should consider a head boat. The Blackhawk puts anglers’ comfort first, as the 75-foot Gulf Craft vessel is fully stocked with air conditioning and heat on the deck houses and bridge, along with two heads.
Porgy Fishing Tackle
One of the best things about porgy fishing is that it doesn’t require fancy gear. While both spinning and conventional setups work, conventional reels are the go-to choice due to the heavy weights needed for bottom contact. Models like the Shimano Torium are top-tier options. For rods, anglers should look for a sturdy backbone to handle boat-flipped double hookups while maintaining a sensitive tip for bottom detection.
A standard bottom rig is the setup of choice, with a heavy bank sinker guiding a double-hook rig to the seafloor. Since sea bass are common bycatch, it’s wise to keep a few larger hooks on hand for upsizing when needed. To round out the system, a braided mainline is suggested for added sensitivity and abrasion resistance against sharp rocks.
For artificial purists, a variety of bucktail and plastic combos are paired with Berkley Gulp! baits are highly effective. Smaller butterfly and slow-pitch jigs also shine when fishing deep rock piles. Some anglers have even reported success hooking large porgies by vertically ripping vibe-style baits. No matter the method of choice for catching porgy, anglers need to be extra careful when handling fish as they have very sharp top dorsal fins that can tear a hand wide open in a flash.
Porgy is a versatile fish that can be prepared in many ways. Many people opt to lightly broil the fillets with olive oil and fresh tomatoes for a refreshing summer meal. It also makes an excellent choice for tacos, as the flesh holds up well while remaining flaky and tender when pan-fried. For a unique twist, Dubrule mentioned that porgy can even be enjoyed as sashimi, with a flavor described as “sweet as sugar.”
