Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• Memorial Day brought with it some fantastic weather and the fishing was pretty decent as well despite hoards of boats out on the water. To that point, like you, our schedules are extremely busy, but we would cash in two weekend days in a heart beat for one good day during the week to get out. This holds true especially around the islands when on the weekends the boat traffic can be pretty thick. Although the fish will not get scared and swim away, they will shut down feeding when these types of conditions exist, so if you can, (and we know it’s difficult), attempt getting out before work and/or after for a sunset excursion. Using the same techniques and tactics you would apply on the weekends, you could greatly increase your catch ratio solely due to the absence of heavy boat traffic.
• The week began a bit slow but by Wednesday the action did heat up. Across the way in LI seemed to slow down a bit after reports previously of some cows being caught over near Hempstead. The fool moon upon us will most likley move these fish out shortrly. The bunker is still in thick with a heavier concentration to our East. If you can afford the gas, making a journey to some of the deeper holes out towards Middle Ground, south of Penfield and outside the mouth of the Housatonic are your best bets for larger fish. We had reports of some 40+ inch fish taken in and amongst all these areas early in the week.
• Our scouts from shore reported Sand Eeels in abundance off of Compo and the Mill Pond all week with plenty of schoolie action on light tackle and flies with fish up to 30 inches. A green or pink hue epoxy sand eel imitation is your best bet or the new go to soft plastic Berkely Gulp. Before the harbor erupted over the weekend with boat traffic, we sent two boats out on Friday. One stayed close with the fly rods and the other ventured into deeper water. The inshore crew ruled the day with numerous fish in the high 20s all on flies inside of Copps Rocks, Wilson Cove and outside of our favorite little lagoon. One larger fish just shy of 30 inches was taken in deeper water.
• Reports and shop sightings between Compo and the Mill have Sand Eeels EVERYWHERE!! Our trusty shore scout Matt armed with his fly rod has been fishing these areas all week in the A.M. with consistent fish in the 30 inch range on multiple sand eel patterns. Sunday we sent another boat out with two newbies and they were not disappointed. After drifting some worms with solid action inside of the islands, they were surprised to hook into a 19 inch Fluke on artificial baits.
• Reports just in this A.M. from another one of our shore scouts Bill said plenty of fish to be had on soft plastics around the vicinity of Burial Hill beach on the incoming tide. After stopping by Compo at first light, the Sand Eels he reports were in so think they were reminiscent of bunker schools.
• I myself was out on the beach first thing Thursday A.M. prepping two new fly fisherman for thier first excursion this wekend and while practicing, viewed pods of small baitfish and sand eels getting pushed up onto Calf Pasture Beach. Too bad we only had 5 WTs with no hooks :)!