The Freeport Tuna Club was founded in 1937 by a small group of dedicated sport fisherman who actively fished from Freeport, Long Island. Their purpose in establishing the club was to promote interest in all forms of rod and reel fishing with particular emphasis on the art of tuna fishing.

The Freeport Tuna Club (FTC) became the first tuna club on Long Island and remains the largest. Its leadership in the New York sports fishery is evident in the vigorous competition enjoyed by its members in the annual derbies and contests, including many successful competitions with other area clubs for such catches as marlin, tuna, and shark.

In 1939 the Freeport Tuna Club issued a friendly challenge to the Brielle Tuna Club to see who could catch the most giant tuna on specified tournament dates. This grew into the U.S. Atlantic Tuna Tournament that boasted a membership of 48 affiliated game fish clubs from up and down the Atlantic seaboard.

In 1965, the Freeport Tuna Club owned a piece of waterfront property on Miller Avenue on the west side of the Nautical Mile in Freeport. This property was deemed too small for the club by the membership and after an extensive search the FTC purchased a larger property. Located directly on the banks of Hudson Canal, one of Freeport’s biggest and busiest waterways, this new property had enough space for a clubhouse and marina. The property has since been renovated to include a new bulkhead, electric and water systems, bubble system, gravel, lighting, and boardwalk. In addition, the marina was dredged and floating docks were added.

Today, the Freeport Tuna Club has an active membership of 200 men and woman. Our members and their families have always been the cornerstone of our great club. Their dedication to the sport of fishing can be seen in our Club Records where you’ll find a listing of the outstanding catches made by our membership since its inception in 1937. Listings include catches from Alaska to Mexico and throughout the Caribbean, South America, Africa, Hawaii and of course, the length of the Atlantic coast.

The club now awards over 45 major trophies each year. Every March, these awards are given out at our Annual Awards meeting. It is a night that many members attend to see who is the best of the best.

The Freeport Tuna Club continues to be the oldest and largest fishing club in New York.