Saltwater
Scup (Porgy)
Where to find them, how to catch them and the tackle to use.
01Introduction
The scup, called porgy by most Northeast anglers, is a deep-bodied, silvery-bronze bottom fish with strong teeth for crushing shellfish. It's one of the most abundant and dependable fish in the Northeast, often caught two at a time on bait rigs, and it's good eating. Most are under a pound, but big "dinner-plate" porgies reach 16 inches or more, and the species can reach about 20 inches and 4 pounds.
02Where to Catch
Range: the Northwest Atlantic, mainly from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras.
Habitat: scup browse the bottom for crabs, clams, worms and other invertebrates. Look for them over sandy bottom next to rocks, reefs, rock rubble, wrecks and mussel beds, in large bays and estuaries and in nearshore ocean waters.
Seasons: scup move north and inshore in spring, spend summer and early fall in bays and near the coast, and head south and offshore in fall, spending the winter on the outer continental shelf.
03How to Catch
Bait fishing
The standard approach is a two-hook high-low rig on the bottom baited with small pieces of clam, squid, bloodworm or shrimp. Anchor or drift over structure next to sandy bottom. Chum helps hold a school; fish where there's some current to spread it. If you're catching only small scup, move to another spot, or drift to find bigger fish before anchoring. In shallow water, bigger scup can be boat-shy, so drop your baits a little farther back from the boat.
Lures
Scup aren't picky and hit small lures readily: small metal and epoxy jigs, diamond jigs, small plastics, and especially vibration lures. In shallow water, a slow-sinking plastic vibe works; in deeper water or current, a heavier metal blade bait worked with a sweeping lift stays near the bottom where scup feed.
04Tackle
A light to medium spinning or light conventional outfit, a two-hook high-low rig with small hooks, and enough weight to hold bottom. For lures, a light jigging rod. Scup are managed coastwide, and seasons, sizes and bag limits vary by state; check your state's regulations.
05Questions anglers ask
Is a scup the same as a porgy?
Yes. In the Northeast, "porgy" and "scup" are two names for the same fish. It's a member of the sea bream and porgy family.
Why am I only catching small ones?
Small scup often swarm the bottom. Maryland's fisheries agency suggests moving to a new spot if you're catching small fish, drifting to search for bigger ones, and in shallow water dropping your baits a little farther behind the boat, where bigger, boat-shy fish may be feeding on the chum.