Conn Post 6/30/06

1. The fisheries on Long Island Sound have begun to blossom despite the recent bouts of foul weather. Striped bass, bluefish, porgy, blackfish and black sea bass all are readily willing to bite. Additionally, the number and size of summer flounder being reported have increased significantly over the past two weeks. Saltwater anglers should find some great fishing fireworks over the holiday weekend.
2. Over the past month, New York held a monopoly on the Sound's fluke action. That changed somewhat this week, as Steve Hockenburger of Stratford discovered while fishing around the New Haven Harbor breakwaters. In one trip, he caught a 10.32-pound fluke, two nice-sized black sea bass and a 29-inch long weakfish. Mike Otto of New Milford stopped by Stratford Bait & Tackle with a 10.50- pound fluke earlier this week. This fish, which was taken off Port Jefferson, is the current leader in the shop's yearlong fishing contest.
3. Along the Connecticut coast, look for fluke off Black Point in East Lyme, in Niantic Bay, off Long Sand Shoal at the mouth of the Connecticut River, among the islands and channel cuts between Westbrook and Clinton, around the east and middle breakwaters guarding New Haven Harbor, and at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Those traveling to New York should stop at Horton Point, the Mattituck Inlet and Port Jefferson Harbor. Sandeels are the best baits for New York, while local fish are taking squid-and-spearing combination rigs.
4. Striped bass fishing remains very good between Norwalk and New Haven. Fishing offshore in the late afternoon and at the night with eels and bunker has been productive, especially around the Norwalk Islands, Buoy 28C, Buoy 11B, Sunken Island, Penfield Light, Buoy 20, Middleground and the breakline at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Shorebound anglers are doing their best off Lighthouse Point, the West Haven Sandbar, all the public access points in the Housatonic River between Caswell Cove and the river's mouth, the east side of Seaside Park, Fayerweather Island, Penfield Reef, the St. Mary's Seawall, Sherwood Island State Park and Calf Pasture Beach. These same areas also harbor some early summer bluefish.
5. Last week, Milton Scantos of Stratford did well off Short Beach. He caught two keeper striped bass, weighing between 15 and 16 pounds on bucktail jigs. Scantos also landed a 10.06-pound bluefish, which hit a popper.
6. Trout anglers are still finding fish in the Farmington, Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers. Anglers fishing the Housatonic and Naugatuck rivers are reminded that the "thermal refuge areas" are closed to all fishing until Sept. 1. Thermal refuges are areas within 100 feet of the mouth of any small tributary stream. These feeder streams bring cool water from the hills to the main river. Trout often congregate in the cooler water to avoid the summer heat.
7. With the holiday weekend, freshwater anglers may want to search out smaller ponds to avoid pleasure boats and water-skiers. Some of the better pond fisheries include Lake Saltonstall, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Quonnipaug Lake, Bolton Lake, Pataganset Lake, Hatch Pond, Mudge Pond, West Hill Pond, Silver Lake, Dog Pond, Ball Pond, Winchester Lake, Mamanasco Lake, Park Pond, West Side Pond and Pierrepont Pond. These ponds have motor and speed restrictions. [FRANK MCKANE JR. Waterbury Republican]