🎣 The Ultimate Fire Island Reef Guide (Verified + Local Intel)
Structure, Wrecks, GPS Coordinates & Fishing Strategy
Prepared for: Oakdale Yacht | Fire Island Inlet Boaters & Fishermen
📍 Overview: Fire Island Artificial Reef (NY)
The Fire Island Artificial Reef is located approximately 2 nautical miles south of the Fire Island Lighthouse and is one of the largest and most productive reef systems on the South Shore of Long Island.
Primary Reference Point (Reef Center):
📍 40°35.835’ N / 73°12.480’ W
- Depth Range: 62–73 feet
- Size: ~800–850+ acres
- Layout: Roughly 1.5 miles east to west
- Bottom Type: Mixed artificial reef, rubble, steel, rock, and vessel structure
Unlike a single wreck site, Fire Island Reef is a massive distributed structure field made up of deployed vessels, barges, bridge materials, armored vehicles, rock piles, and construction debris from multiple decades of reef program deployments.
🧭 Official Reef Boundary (DEC Reef Grid – Approximate)
These coordinates define the general reef footprint. Structure is scattered throughout this entire zone.
- NW Corner: 40°36.100’ N / 73°13.500’ W
- NE Corner: 40°36.100’ N / 73°11.500’ W
- SW Corner: 40°35.600’ N / 73°13.500’ W
- SE Corner: 40°35.600’ N / 73°11.500’ W
⚠️ Note: Reef materials extend irregularly inside this grid. Do not expect a single “pile” — fishable structure exists across the entire box.
🚢 VERIFIED NAMED WRECKS & MAJOR STRUCTURE (High Confidence)
⚓ Big Time (Also Known as “Peter’s Reef”)
- GPS: 40°36.027’ N / 73°13.151’ W
- Type: Steel Barge (~55 ft)
- Sunk: 2021
- Depth: ~70 ft
One of the newer reef deployments and already holding strong life. Known for sea bass, porgies, and fall tog.
Accuracy Note: High confidence (documented reef deployment).
🛥️ Zeeliner (Converted Patrol Boat / Ferry)
- GPS: 40°35.587’ N / 73°11.221’ W
- Length: ~63 ft
- Sunk: 1985
- Depth: ~70–75 ft
A long-established piece of reef structure that consistently produces blackfish, sea bass, and porgies.
Accuracy Note: Well documented in reef and dive records.
🚤 Hudson (Work Boat)
- GPS: 40°35.711’ N / 73°11.684’ W
- Built: 1963
- Reefed: 2019
- Depth: ~70 ft
A productive but often overlooked structure. Frequently holds bait and steady bottom fish action.
Accuracy Note: Verified reef deployment (recent).
⛵ Courtesan (Sailboat)
- GPS: 40°35.896’ N / 73°12.934’ W
- Length: ~34 ft
- Reefed: 1998
- Depth: ~70 ft
Excellent drift location, especially for summer fluke along the edges and sea bass throughout the season.
Accuracy Note: Well documented in reef charts and diver logs.
🏗️ HEAVY STRUCTURE ZONE (Barges, Drydock, Scows)
This is where many of the largest tog and sea bass are caught.
🧱 Reported Drydock Structure (Commonly Referred to as “Ocean Prince” Unit)
- Approx GPS: 40°35.704’ N / 73°11.968’ W
- Type: Large steel drydock structure
- Depth: ~70 ft
⚠️ Accuracy Note:
High diver consensus and chart references place a drydock unit here, but historical reef records occasionally conflict with nearby reef sites. Treat this as a “confirmed structure area” rather than a guaranteed exact hull location.
⚓ Steel Barge Deployment (Primary Barge Piece)
- GPS: 40°35.973’ N / 73°13.242’ W
- Type: ~110 ft Steel Barge
Accuracy Note: Strong supporting records from reef deployment listings.
🚧 Air Force Scow (Steel)
- GPS: 40°35.914’ N / 73°11.986’ W
- Reefed: 2018
Accuracy Note: Documented reef material drop.
🛢️ Dump Scow DS-24
- GPS: 40°35.838’ N / 73°12.015’ W
- Reefed: 2018
Accuracy Note: Documented but exact orientation on bottom may vary.
🪨 Piano Scow & Additional Steel Units
- Approx Area:
40°35.872’ N / 73°12.022’ W
⚠️ Accuracy Note:
Local diver numbers widely referenced. Exact wreck footprint may be scattered or partially buried.
🆕 LESSER-KNOWN & LOCAL INTEL STRUCTURE (Moderate Confidence)
These numbers circulate among divers, party boats, and local captains. Fishable structure is frequently present, but exact material type may vary.
Irvington Barge (Newer Reported Drop)
- Approx GPS: 40°35.949’ N / 73°12.308’ W
⚠️ Accuracy Note:
Appears in niche reef logs and diver intel but not yet consistently listed in all official summaries.
🪖 UNIQUE REEF MATERIAL (Why Fire Island Reef Produces So Well)
Fire Island Reef is not just vessel-based. It contains one of the most diverse artificial reef material mixes in New York waters, including:
- Multiple vessels and work boats
- 10+ steel barges and scows
- Surplus armored personnel carriers
- Tappan Zee Bridge steel debris
- Steel railcars and bridge girders
- Rock and rubble fields
- Concrete slabs, rings, and forms
- Clam boats and construction material
- Pontoons and hull sections
This mixed relief creates endless micro-structure that holds bait year-round.
🧭 Reef Layout & Fishing Strategy (Local Captain Insight)
The reef typically begins on the northwest end with rock piles in ~65 feet of water and runs eastward across a 1.5 mile structure line.
Key Observations:
- Low rubble often holds more fluke than tall wrecks
- Heavy steel structure holds the largest tog
- Fish are spread across the grid, not stacked on one number
- Best results come from drifting structure transitions
Serious local captains rarely anchor a single waypoint — they drift the reef box while watching the machine for life and bait concentrations.
🎣 Seasonal Fishing Breakdown (Field-Accurate)
🌱 Spring (May–June)
Primary Species:
- Sea Bass
- Porgies
- Ling
- Occasional Cod (colder years)
Recommended Setup:
Hi-Lo rigs with fresh clams or squid. Light chumming can dramatically increase action.
☀️ Summer
Primary Species:
- Doormat Fluke (wreck edges & rubble zones)
- Sea Bass
- Porgies
- Bluefish on the perimeter
Pro Tip:
Large fluke often stage on low-profile rock piles, not just wreck hulls.
🍂 Late Summer to Fall
Primary Species:
- Sea Bass
- Porgies
- Stripers
- Bluefish
- Occasional Triggerfish
Stripers and blues commonly patrol the reef edges feeding on dense bait populations.
🎃 Fall (Peak Blackfish Season)
Primary Species:
- Blackfish (Tautog)
- Sea Bass
- Striped Bass staging
Key Local Insight:
By late October through December, large tog establish firmly on heavy steel structure, barges, and drydock sections. Teen-class tog are regularly reported by experienced anglers fishing crabs patiently on structure.
❄️ Late Fall & Winter
Possible Species:
- Jumbo Tog
- Cod (in some seasons)
- Ling
Deep structure and heavier reef materials tend to produce best in colder water.
🛠️ Tackle Recommendations (Practical Offshore Setup)
- 15–30 lb conventional rod preferred
- 30 lb braid for bottom sensitivity
- Conventional reels recommended over spinning for structure fishing
For Stripers:
- 25 lb mono with light egg sinker
- Live porgy or bunker chunks highly effective
- Keep sinker light to reduce hang-ups on structure
⚠️ Important Accuracy & Safety Notes
- GPS coordinates represent structure zones, not guaranteed single wreck hits
- Reef materials shift, settle, and scatter over time
- Always verify numbers on your chartplotter and sonar
- Expect snags when fishing heavy structure
- Structure density varies across the reef grid
- Diver and local intel numbers may differ slightly from official charts
📍 Final Summary for Boaters Out of Fire Island Inlet & Oakdale
Distance Offshore: ~2 nautical miles
Depth: 62–73 ft
Size: ~850+ acres
Difficulty Level: Beginner to Advanced (depending on drift and current)
Best Approach: Drift the structure grid, not a single waypoint
Fire Island Reef remains one of the most consistent and productive bottom fishing areas on the South Shore. Anglers who take the time to understand its distributed structure, seasonal patterns, and lesser-known wreck zones consistently outperform those who rely on only one or two public numbers.
This is a reef that rewards patience, proper machine reading, and local knowledge.