Norwich Bulletin 5/20/06

1. The recent rains served to keep many fishermen at home last week. It appears that any anglers who ventured out to fish did pretty well.
2. Trout fishingin lakes has been excellent, but nearly impossible in swollen, flooding rivers and streams.
3. The big newsis the omnipresence of squid. There are more squid throughout the region than many I've talked to can remember in a long time.
4. Coming off a relatively mild winter, water temperatures are well ahead of the past few springs, despite the recent cool streak and heavy rains. As a result, bait in the form of squid and adult menhaden have moved into the area two or three weeks earlier than the past couple of springs.
5. The first reportsof 40-inch class stripers being caught in the Race came in this week. The Rhode Island beaches and salt ponds are all producing increased numbers of keeper-class (28 inches) striped bass. However, schoolies, with some ranging up to 30 inches, are everywhere.
6. Worm spawnswere shut off by the rains, but should be revved back up after a sunny afternoon or two, so expect places like Quonny Pond and Ninigret Salt Pond to be red hot this weekend or next week.
7. Fluke were reportedlybeing caught in abundance from Montauk Point to Shelter Island, along the south shore beaches of Rhode Island and in the Sound to Niantic Bay. The story is the same everywhere, lots of shorts for each keeper (18 inches). No one is reporting any doormats yet.
8. Right now the ocean is ready to explode with action from all the stripers and fluke that are now migrating into and through this area. Find the squid, which is not difficult, and there will probably be something predatory feeding on them. [orginally published Norwich Bulletin by Bob Sampson Jr]