TheDay - It's The Season For Fluke

• Large porgies can be caught right from shore between the Niantic bridges plus around various navigational markers in Niantic Bay. Hickory shad move in and out of the river along with a school of bunkers that arrive one day then disappear for the next two or three tides.No big bass were weighed in the last few days, said Richard at Hillyers Tackle, but he did see fluke on the scales, including a real doormat of 13.14 pounds caught by Krista Rokicki of Hebron off Misquamicut on a rig consisting of two bucktail jigs each sweetened with a strip of squid.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut took his wife out for a day of successful fluke drifting on Sunday at various spots off Weekapaug and Charlestown. The next day he used live bunker on the Watch Hill reefs for three stripers from 15 to 25 pounds plus two blues. In the morning he fished a 30-foot section of gill net to get bait in a local river. While waiting for bunkers to hit the net, he and his partner cast snag hooks to pass the time. Besides adding a few bunker to the live well, Al's friend managed to snag a 10-pound bluefish with the snagger.
• Capt. Don's in Charlestown said medium and large scup are on most any rockpile between Watch Hill Passage and Fresh Pond Rocks. Tautog season reopens in Rhode Island waters Saturday. If you arrive off Quonny Breachway at first light you might be able to catch hickory shad with a small lure and light rod then use then for striper bait off the rocks east of the breachway or maybe the outer reef at Charlestown.
• Surf anglers, some of them from Connecticut, caught small blues and schoolies between the Fire District Beach and Blue Shutters at sunrise on some mornings, very little on others.
• Capt. Al Anderson has yet to make an offshore trip for sharks, saying the weather has been keen against such plans ever time he's been scheduled to go. The water off to the east is very, very cold, even for sharking. It's been much better from 30 fathoms south of Block Island over to the Butterfish Hole.
• Bass charters to the North Rip and southeast corner of Block Island produced over 100 bass total tagged and released along with bluefish; all caught trolling small tubes on umbrella rigs meant to imitate all the sand eels in the water. On the Saturday evening trip they found the North Rip solid with bass the whole four hours, seeing lots of surface breaks and ending up with 28 stripers caught both casting and trolling.
• Fluking has been good and steady, said Don at King Cove Outfitters in Stonington. He rated the south side of Fishers as better than running to Rhode Island, saying the latter spot has a much higher ratio of short to keepers as of this report. Striper fishing was productive for the steadies on the Watch Hill reefs, trolling parachutes jigs on wire line or weighting a whole, live bunker and drifting it near the bottom in many of the deeper holes between the reefs.
• Joe Gilbert went out for fluke and returned on two consecutive trips with keeper fluke along with three nice sea bass per outing. Small blues and schoolie stripers can be caught at sunrise from shore from Stonington Point over to East Beach. The catching though is up and down, fair one day, very little the next time.
• Capt. Allen Fee was minding the store at Shaffer's Marina when I called. He and his wife fished off the Pink House on Tuesday, settling for three keeper fluke but lots of shorts. Porgy numbers are good to excellent for both rental boats and slip customers at many of the rocky humps from outside the Monastery to the Napatree Point bell. Striper numbers were down the last couple days from previous weeks said Allen.
• Bob's Rod & Tackle advised all readers in small boats to try for keeper fluke on either side of the Thames River before running down to Rhode Island. Bunkers are in the Thames, keeping bluefish in the river along with some keeper bass. Find the bunkers and the fish will likely not be far away. Blackfish were caught on crabs and worms around the rocky haunts on either side of the Thames River mouth.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat is like clock work with his e-mail on the fishing since last report. The daily bluefish trips have been “excellent” and the bass numbers “not too shabby either.” The afternoon fluke outings produced both sizes and numbers past what they expected said Brad, one of the trips so good they came close to limiting out on keepers. Biggest fluke of the week was 8 pounds with quite a few close to that and the biggest striper of the week, 17 pounds caught by Eric Westerly of Brewerton, N.Y.
• Capt. Jack Balint took time wrestling with some boat gremlins to tell me the bass numbers dropped down from what they were. The best catching was three-waying with 1-1/4 to 1-1/2-ounce bucktails. He recommended Seaflower or the east end of Fisher Island in 40 to 60 feet of water for fluke this coming weekend. Blackfish were landed off Junk Island and the school of bunkers in the Thames continues to hold bass to 40 inches and some big blues as far at times upriver as Norwich. The fishery is attracting a following said Jack, adding they are selling dozens of snag hooks per day in his tackle store.
• Capt. Kerry Douton at J&B Tackle said their charter boat is catching lots of blues in The Race and bass at times though they did have to deal with some slow periods due to very weak tides. You should be able to locate keeper fluke from the entrance of Niantic Bay over to Two Tree channel. Sharking is good right now off Montauk with lots of blue sharks though very few makos at this time.
• Canyon fishing is slow to sporadic, many holding back until firmer news comes in due to the high price of fuel needed to make the long run. A few bluefin were sighted on shark drifts off Montauk but nothing yet to plan a day around. (by Tim Coleman, org. published by the Day)

The Fishing Line

• Striper fishing has improved throughout the Sound with most of the popular reefs and shoals becoming productive, while anglers also have good catches both on bait and a variety of artificials fishing from shore.
  
• Tidal rivers are now seeing more schools of baitfish, so are good light action spots. Larger migratory stripers are starting to show up in a number of areas, as well as fluke and bluefish.
• Porgie season opened up June 1st and blackfish (tautog) season on June 15th, while the winter flounder season is now closed.
• For the largest fish, western CT shops are still sending boaters westward to New York around Hempstead, Cold Spring Harbor and Captain's Island in Portchester for stripers and Pt Jefferson / Mt Sinai for fluke.
  
• Eastern CT anglers can also shoot over to RI from the Watch Hill Reef to Pt Judith and Montauk where the striper and fluke fishing has been very good.
  
• Remember, if you fish NY waters for fluke that the state law is 19 1/2 inches, not 18 as in CT.

Captain Morgan, Madison

• Hooded sweatshirts and slickers were pulled from lockers to greet this early chilled windy morning. Bouncing along the shoreline in search of pods of bait was the chore at hand—and this day it was a chore. Spot after spot revealed little or no activity—echoes void on the screen as though it red-lined.
• Wind blew from the northwest, driving bait from most unprotected rivers or forcing it too far north. When a couple of blips appeared, fighting an uncontrollable drift just to haul a few pieces amounting to less than a quarter tote made for a long few hours of night fishing. Certainly, this was to be a momentary glitch in the routine and hopefully, a temporary one.
• The next couple of nights produced similar results—bunker popping up here and there, but nothing amounting to much. As the waters settled from recent stormy conditions, more fish appeared in the rivers and then, without warning, menhaden exploded driven by feeding fish below. Hauling gave way to a live-lining foray intended for some hungry cow at the bottom of the pile.
• These fish were big—in the 30- to 40-pound range—and eager to take free-swimming bait. It was dark, cold, and noisy as massive tails slapped the water, bait fleeing in all directions. All fish were released except the rat of the pack destined for the table. Baitfish strewn about, the cockpit looked like the deck of a trawler before it had been picked. Some bait for the next trip (and the next rip), a hardy wash down, everything stowed and almost everything was back to normal—whatever that is. Different—but a good trip, nevertheless.
• Fishing Reports:
• Crisp mornings set off this weekend from hot humid weather just a few days ago, but wind was a factor. Pre-dawn summer temps were in mid- to high 40s reaching mid-70s at day's end. Now that the Sound is calming down, more bait schools are showing up but aren't staying put for any length of time before popping up elsewhere. Bunker has been spotty but plentiful enough in the Sound to draw bluefish and keep stripers content. Once temperatures rise, menhaden schools will thicken.
• Striped bass fishing has been excellent with most local reefs holding fish. Six Mile has been good for trolling while Hatchett's, Cornfield Point, Southwest, Faulkner's, Brown's, and the Beacon have been attracting drifters. Pre-dawn has been striper time with many cows succumbing to live bait, chutes, and T/W's while the shoreline and tidal rivers have seen steady daytime schoolie action.
• Birds are working the surface more often as schools of blues blitz. Explosive action can be found at the turn of the tide when rip lines develop and baitfish are flushed and become disoriented. Chunks are readily being taken down below while top-water plugs are being chopped and hooks straightened. Light action rods are providing exciting action near sluiceways, along tidal flats, and in rivers.
• Fluking is really picking up along the Connecticut coast with a few trophy fish being caught near tidal inlets, back bays, and coves. By the time Nor'East's Flukemania rolls around on July 14 and 15, fishing ought to be prime. Register at Captain Morgan's for the shop contest and Flukemania's shot at the $10,000 first-place prize for the biggest fluke caught.
• Scup is in full swing as more porgy anglers are setting up on reefs. Two-pound fish are taking soft baits and exceeding minimum size limits of 10 1/2 inches is not difficult. Most popular inshore reefs are now active with hungry porgies that are even taking to drift rigs. Head for Faulkner's and other local spots for some good action. Although not as consistent, tautogs from 8 to 10 pounds are being boated. Jetty fish, however, are biting with catches in the four- to six-pound range. Several near-shore reefs are also producing good catches.
• Easy flows are making trout fishing the rivers quite manageable both for fly and spin anglers. Note that the Shetucket, Housey, and Naugatuck thermal refuge areas are closed until Sept. 1, 2007. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths. Largemouth bass fishing is varied with Quonnipaug, Cedar, Pattagansett, and Moodus being good spots to try. Try the Shetucket and Gardner for smallies and the newly stocked lakes/ponds for channel cats. (Captain Morgan, Guilford Courier).

On The Water Magazine

• Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: A great way to hedge your bets this time of year is to plan a combo trip. A great example of this is off the south shore of Rhode Island, where you can drift for doormat fluke up to 8 pounds, and when the sun gets close to the horizon, switch over to trolling or baiting-up stripers up to 40 pounds. From shore, try casting plugs for bluefish by day, throwing live eels or needlefish plugs after dark. If you are heading offshore to look for bluefin tuna, be prepared to do some sharking before you head in if there’s no sign of tuna in the water or on the radio.
  
• Warming waters are slowly changing the fishing scene, but for the most part the fishing remains excellent in Rhode Island waters. According to the report from Saltwater Edge in Newport, Narragansett Bay is warming up, and that means some of those big bass that have been sticking around feeding on pogies in Upper Narragansett Bay for the past few weeks are sliding out into deeper water. This could mean a pick up in the nighttime surf fishing around Newport and Narragansett in the coming week if you’re targeting areas near deeper water, and it should mean more big bass on the reefs off Newport. Beavertail, Brenton Reef and off Sakonnet Point area already reported to be coming alive with some decent bass. Target deeper waters and concentrate your fishing between sunset and sunrise for best results.
• According to On The Water Insider Thom Pelletier at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown, fluke fishing is good around Newport and Jamestown, but it’s excellent along the south shore. Good numbers of 4- to 6-pound fluke were reported off Matunuck and inside the center wall at Point Judith. Fluke are mainly in deeper waters, think 40 feet or deeper, and shore fishermen have been mainly taking shorts so far. Fluke rigs with squid strips are the preferred method for most. Dogfish have become an annoyance, especially for fluke fishermen working around Block Island. The Point Judith Lighthouse and the Center Wall also have lots of eating-size scup holding tight to structure.
• Thom had a few reports of good freshwater fishing. Windy afternoons on the ocean and an increase in fishing time for out-of-school anglers means that the ponds and lakes are seeing some interest from bass masters. Fishing is still good, but may get tougher with steamy daytime temperatures and summertime sun warming waters very quickly.
• Mostly schoolie bass and small bluefish at Black Point in Narragansett, said Mary at Maridee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett. Some bigger bass have been reported from the Narrow River, and using bucktails with squid or pork rind and targeting deeper water has been a successful technique to find bigger bass lately.
• In Charlestown, Capt. Don at Capt. Don’s Bait & Tackle has reports of good-sized striped bass being taken from the breachways at night by anglers fishing the top of the tide, mostly with natural bait such as live eels, bunker, or chunked bait. Bluefish, mostly small but with a few bigger ones mixed in, are also common along the beaches. Boat fishermen are catching bass by trolling tube-and-worm rigs along lobster pot lines, which typically mark rocky drop-offs. Fluke fishing remains good to excellent according to the reports Captain Don is hearing, with squid and mummichogs producing over hard bottom in 40 to 45 feet of water.
• Striper fishing out on Block Island is fantastic by all reports, with bass in the 40-pound range hitting on the beaches and taking needlefish plugs, live eels and chunked squid. John at Twin Maples Bait & Tackle reported that sand eels are abundant, and the Coast Guard Channel has been a great location for light-tackle and fly-anglers to go after bass from 26 to 40 inches using sand eel imitators. The southeast corner of the island seems to be producing the biggest bass, from Old Harbor Point to Black Rock Point. If you head out to Southwest Ledge to fish for stripers, be sure that you are within the 3-mile limit. According to Captain Don, the environmental police have been flagging boats fishing for stripers out at the Submarine Area and the western portion of Southwest Ledge. It is illegal to target striped bass in these federal waters.
• Sharking south of Block Island offers the surest offshore action right now for “blue dogs” and the occasional thresher or mako. You only need to go out as far as the Mud Hole for sharks, and there have been reports of bluefin tuna there as well. Jennie’s Horn and Ryan’s Horn have produced sharks and bluefin in the past week.
• From The Fish Connection in Preston comes word that bunker, bass and bluefish are thick around the mouth of the Thames River. Live-lining bunker or soaking chunks below the bluefish is a good bet for stripers. The Race is loaded with stripers hitting diamond jigs, but there are a lot of sub-legal fish for every plus-28-incher. Black Point has given up 30- to 34-inch stripers before sunset, Bartlett Reef has some big bass, and the Millstone discharge has bass and some big blues, which have been spotted chasing hickory shad in the early morning.
• Lou at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford said that fluke can be found in about 50 feet of water along the Misquamicut Beach area of Rhode Island, which is where Krista Rokicki caught a 13.4-pounder. Nice fluke, Krista! Isabella Beach on the south side of Fishers Island is red hot for fluke. Scup are thick among the rocks, and some of them are in the 15- to 18-inch range.
• Captain Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle in Madison reported more inshore action on blackfish from rock jetties. Sea worms may make better bait right now, but with all the scup around you’re better off using green crabs. Blues and stripers are around, mainly where the bunker are located. Find bunker and you could find stripers in the 40- to 50-inch range. Live bunker make the best bait, but live hickory shad will take trophies as well.
• Farther west in the Sound, sand eels are the main bait that is dominating the fishing scene. The stripers are keyed on the sand eels, providing the best action for light-tackle and fly-fishing anglers who can imitate the green-hued eels. From Fishermen’s World in Norwalk came a report of larger stripers in the 20- to 25-pound range being taken on live bunker and chunked bait outside of the Norwalk Islands. (Kevin Blinkoff, On The Water).

Norwich Bulletin

• Striped bass: The word is from Captain Bob Veach of Right Hook Fishing Charters, who books out of the Fish Connection and co-owner and charter Captain Jack Balint: "You've got to be on the fish -- but it can be real good." Eric Covino of Playing Hookie Charters said they have been averaging 15 to 25 fish per trip with three to five keepers.
• Fluke: Captain Don Cameron of Captain Don's in Charleston, R.I., Fish Connection, Shaffer's and everyone else we've talked to this week indicate that the fluke fishing is as good inside Long Island Sound as it is along the Rhode Island Beaches and Fishers Island.
• Bluefish: As the heat of summer takes over, bluefishing will only improve. There are big numbers of bluefish in along the northern Rhode Island shoreline and fish of all sizes being caught in local waters and around Fishers Island.
• Scup/porgies: Most fishermen are targeting fluke, stripers or bluefish, but anyone who has trouble finding and catching fluke for the dinner table can head to a nearby reef, rock pile or channel marker and catch porgies, some jumbo fish of more than a pound.
• Blue crabs: Last week Balint said a customer reported catching a few keeper crabs from the Thames River and this week Pat Abate of River's Edn in Old Saybrook said the lower Connecticut River and Oyster River are both producing fair numbers of keeper crabs.
• Freshwater Trout: After a week of hot, sizzling weather, trout fishing will drop down another notch as warm waters will literally par-boil any trout that can't find cool waters in which to hide for the remainder of the summer.
• Bass: Bass are now in their summertime feeding patterns, which means excellent fishing during the approach of storms with that drop in barometric pressure, temperature and reduction in light.
• Pike: Pike follows the same scenario as largemouths this time of year. When it rains and the pressure drops, these fish come out to play. During hot, bluebird summer days they can be tough.
• Walleye: There have been a few fish caught at Gardner Lake recently during the night bite and fish into the low 20-inch range reported from Beach Pond and Coventry Lake. (org published by Norwich Bulletin)

Rivers End Tackle Old Saybrook

• STRIPED BASS- This was the week for bass fishing to slow up a bit. Theres been some good sized bass in the lower Connecticut River but not a lot of them. Its slow fishing but chunkers and live bait fishermen have got a few bass up to 40 pounds over the past week. It seems like a new batch of bunkers have seeped in over the the last 2 days. Niantic has few bunkers but some hickory shad. The Thames River has a load of bunker and some jumbo bass to go along with them. Schoolies are running along
• the Old Lyme- Old Saybrook Shoreline succumbing to tube and worm during daylight and casters getting a few during low light. In general its time to switch to summer mode with the best daytime action being
• live/fresh bait or tube and worm. The Race has been slow the last few days with nights better than days. I suspect that will improve on the downside of this moon.
• BLUEFISH- Theres some blues in the lower River running from 2 to 15 pounds with the latter being rare but reported this week. Fresh chunk bait has been the best producer for both shore and boat fishing. Jigging has produced some good results at Plum Gut and Pigeon Rip, mostly on the flood tide.
• FLUKE- Fluking seems very democratic, with some fluke being spread out fairly evenly. The only place the numbers seem larger is along the RI South Shore. Theres been a good pick of fluke at soundview and a bit better off Millstone. The 80' plus waters off Waterford and Old Lyme are producing fewer but better sized fluke. The official keeper / short index for this week is 1 in 10.
• BLACKFISH- Some good catches were reported in the shallower waters of Hatchetts, Bartletts and Cranes Reefs.
• PORGIES- They're getting better this week as more reports are coming in from anglers trolling tube and worm and getting live bait. The best reefs to try are Hatchetts and Southwest. (by Pat Abate, Rivers End Tackle).

Rivers End Tackle Fishing Report

• STRIPED BASS- Some good sized bass have settled in on the local reefs. Big bass are hitting large live baits on Hatchetts, Bartletts, Cornfield and Long Sand Shoal. Bunker has been the bait of choice with some catches on hickory shad and porgies. The bunker have been spotty in the Connecticut River and most of the local estuaries. The usual drifts in the Race have been producing with moderate sucess.
• Southwest and Six Mile Reefs have had bass for bait drifters and trollers. School to medium sized bass have been hitting on the surface at the mouth of the River a few evenings this week. Tube and worm trolling has been effective with mostly schoolies along the Old Lyme to Waterford run.
• Shore fishing has tapered off at the DEP Piers with best results coming at dark with bait. Hammonassett State Park has had schoolies on the beach most evenings. Theres been schoolies along the Old Lyme beaches at or near dark hours. Reports from the RI beaches has a pick at the breachways.
• BLUEFISH- theres mixed sizes of blues at the Mouth of the Connecticut River from one to three feet long but theres no concentration of them. Pluggers are getting a few most mornings and evenings along Great Island, chunkers are getting more consistent results. Long Sand Shoal has had some big choppers for chunkers. The Race and Gut have a fair run of blues hitting diamond jigs.
• FLUKE- Reports are pretty even with medium sized fluke with an odd doormat coming in from Greenport, Montauk and Fishers Island. The numbers are not so great with the fish spread out fairly evenly. There have been some limit catches this week from Black Point and The Millstone area. The Soundview area has been producing less than limits.
• BLACKFISH- A few good catches were heard of at Hatchetts and Black Point.
• PORGIES- Reports got a lot better this week at Hatchetts, Bartletts and Cornfield. (Pat Abate, Rivers End Bait & Tackle, Old Saybrook)

CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #9 6/27

• TROUT
• Rivers & streams – Anglers are reporting very good fishing. The water is very clear with excellent flows and water temperatures remain cool despite the recent heat wave. The conditions don’t get any better than they are right now. At this time of the year bait fisherman are finding corn/mealworm combination to be very productive. Expect rainbows to be in the faster water.
• Farmington River is 54°F with 304cfs of clear flows. Isonychia (#10-12, evening), Blue Wing Olives (#18-26, mid-late afternoon), Sulphurs duns, (#16-20, afternoon to early evening for spinners), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-28, morning), Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings) are successful patterns. Try bottom-bouncing nymphs in the riffles. Good to excellent fishing can be expected in the Farmington River above the TMA for the upcoming holiday weekend.
• Housatonic River – Water temperatures near 70°F with 375cfs of clear, low flows. Some predicted thunderstorms for later in the week may impact temperature and clarity. Insect hatches include: Alder/Zebra Caddis (#10-12, afternoon-evening near overhangs), Green/Brown Drakes (#8-12), Sulphurs (#14-18, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#18-26, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#10-12 evening), Light Cahill (#12- 14, evening), and Tan & green caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening). Midges and stoneflies are located at the mouths of streams. Streamers (morning & evening) are catching some large fish. Golden stonefly (#6-10) nymphs hatch at first light and adults egg-lay after dark.
• Lakes & Ponds – Many of our lakes are still producing good trout fishing. Lake McDonough, East Twin, Highland, Crystal (Ellington), Alexander, Candlewood, Wononscopomuc and Amos Lakes, Beardsley Park, Stratton Brook Park, Chatfield Hollow, West Hill and Black Ponds are all reporting good catches of trout.
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing has improved this week with a number of lakes reporting good to very good fishing, including a 6lb 4oz fish from Crystal Lake in Ellington. Other lakes reporting good to very good catches include: Lakes McDonough, Lillinonah, Zoar, Saltonstall and Housatonic, Moodus Reservoir, Amos, Candlewood, Highland, Maltby, Wononscopomuc, Bashan, Tyler, Beseck, Bantam, Waramaug, Billings, Indian, Cedar and Rogers Lakes, Mono, Ashland, Dog, Manitook, Ball, Glasgo, Mudge and Pachaug Ponds.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Lakes Lillinonah, Housatonic and McDonough, Highland, Candlewood and Bashan Lakes, Squantz Pond, Housatonic (lots of fish), Naugatuck and Farmington (Tarrifville area) Rivers.
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good at Bantam, Winchester, Hopeville and Ashland Lakes and Pachaug Pond. Good
• WALLEYE fishing being reported at Lake Saltonstall, Squantz Pond, Saugatuck Reservoir and Saugatuck River.
• KOKANEE SALMON are being caught at West Hill Pond at 35-40’ of water.
• CALICO BASS fishing has picked up in Silver (Berlin) and Highland Lakes, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir and Dog Pond.
• Connecticut River – some STRIPED BASS up to 29 lbs are still in the upper river. Most of the fish have moved out. Fish are being caught on sand worms and using chunk bait. The main effort is at the mouth of the river where anglers are using plastics and poppers for bigger fish.
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is good and catches are reported in Haddam Meadows area. Good numbers of SMALLMOUTH BASS are being caught in the upper portion of the river near the mouth of the Farmington River. CATFISH are consistently being taken on frozen herring & cut/chunk bait.
• STRIPED BASS fishing for school-size stripers and HICKORY SHAD (especially in the lower Connecticut River) in the tidal rivers continues to be good. Fishing spots include the usual places: Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Hamburg Cove and around Calves Island in the Connecticut River including the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier down to Great Island and to the east breakwater, Sandy Point in New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor jetties, Housatonic River including Milford Point, the Devon area up to the Derby Dam, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), and Norwalk Harbor including around the islands. Cow stripers are on the local reefs at the usual spots: the reefs off Watch Hill, the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor-Charles Island area, Bridgeport Harbor, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, and the Norwalk Islands.
• BLUEFISH fishing is good throughout LIS with fish ranging in size from about 2 to 14 lbs. Bluefish fishing spots include the Race (most consistent spot), Plum Gut, the major reefs and rip areas in LIS, and the tidal rivers and harbors.
• SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing remains good at Sandy Point in the Stonington area, lower Mystic River over to Latimer Point, Twotree Island Channel, Black Point, Long Sand Shoal, New Haven Harbor off the breakwaters, Charles Island to Stratford Point, outer Bridgeport Harbor, and off the Norwalk Islands.
• SCUP and TAUTOG fishing is good to excellent on the local reefs.
• WEAKFISH rumors have been reported off Black Point and New Haven Harbor to Charles Island – Milford area.

Stripers, Blues, Fluke, Scup - They're All Here!

• Lockers and bait wells secured, the last line slipped from the dock cleat. This was going to be a two-tide day and knowing that, the menu was varied. All hands were busy on deck rigging rods and terminal gear–something normally done in advance–but this was a last minute “grin and grab” trip.
• From pre-dawn to well after sunset, tides hit just right. Flood in the early morning and evening and ebb in the middle making for a multi-specie trip. Nets were cast upon departing, partially filled, and then hauled, carefully separating the menhaden from the mesh.
• A half a tote of fresh bunker and a short bucket of eels covered the bass and blues with some well-worn plugs for top water action should that occur. Squid was on board for a little mid-day porgy and fluke action–sea bass if the “hump” was right–and a few sandworms should trolling a tube fancy someone.
• Heading straight for a not-to-distant reef to live line bunker was the plan. Straight to the bottom the first one went before the nervous darting action began. Then it surged toward the top in an effort to escape the vacuum of a “cow” bass. Too late as the rod dipped to the water line and below. The hook was set once, twice, three times and the fight was on. “Fish on” and now both rods were in play.
• Within an hour, bluefish surfaced and the bass bite suddenly stopped. A massive feeding frenzy was underway as bunker broke the surface fleeing from the jaws of charging blues. Muscles strained while scales flew and mouthfuls of partially digested fish were coughed up. There was a flurry of activity during which blues fought each other for any lure cast in their direction.
• Battle worn anglers looked at each almost afraid to ask “What's next?” Before anything else was said, bluefish outfits were exchanged for fluke'n gear. Not much action at the top of the tide but after a little scup action, a few keeper fluke were put in the box when the tide flipped.
• As daylight melted, we thought eels were going to be the ticket. It turned out that more bass were attracted to bucktails and porgy's. Although a few linesiders took snakes, most were returned to the holding tank. On the way in though, several smaller stripers took a liking to a T/W in shallow water especially, when doused with scent. And that's the way it was, this late spring fishing trip.
• On the Water
• A great Father's Day weekend, except for short end of the day thunderstorms, saw fishermen out on the grounds. Even after brief bouts with the weather, schools of bluefish blitzed the surface as the tide began to flood. Cool weather morphed into a very comfortable day before yielding to tropical conditions. It was definitely a day to be on the water.
• Striped bass was the word as anglers hit the FLW trail looking for a pair of slot limit, keep-alive fish to capture the $10,000 purse plus any contingency bonuses. Fishing was hot as more than 50 percent of teams weighed in 863 pounds, 10 ounces of fish. Team For Net (Michael Monteforte) nailed first place with 36 pounds, 9 ounces, Team Porgy Pine (David Roessler) captured second with 34 pounds, 11 ounces, and High Hook (John Tarutis) took third with 33 pounds, 12 ounces. Last year's Connecticut winner, Team Tara Ann (Paul Santa Barbara) came in 12th (26 pounds, 14 ounces) and Team Keephers last year's overall FLW champions (Matthew Fleisher) logged 16th (24 pounds, 12 ounces).
• Late spring striper fishing has been excellent throughout the Sound especially since 40-inch-plus fish entered. Tony Prifitera of Guilford caught his 42-inch linesider trolling an umbrella rig at Six Mile Reef at the beginning of the flood. Most popular reefs and shoals have been productive while anglers fishing from shore also had good catches both on bait and a variety of artificials. Tidal rivers remain good light action spots many of which are now seeing more schools of baitfish.
• Twelve to fourteen pound Blues are taking chunks and jigs at Southwest, Kimberly and Faulkners with bass firing up in the early AM and later in the evening. Charles Reef is showing a mix while Goose/Duck Islands and Kelsey breakwater has had some tog action. Large porgies are showing up around Faulkners, Charles and Southwest. Good catches of fluke have been occurring in thirty feet of water or less during both tides while snappers along with blue crabs have shown in the tidal creeks. There have been great tides for the Madison/Guilford clammers hindered only by some heavy downpours. (Captain Morgan, Shore Publishing).

The Advocate - Fishing As summer takes off, fishing heats up in area waters

• As I write this column the official meteorological start of summer is just two hours away. But don't tell Connecticut anglers. Fishing in Long Island Sound has been so hot and the water so filled with hungry fish that it's felt like summer for weeks.
• The biggest fish caught last week was a striped bass that measured a huge 52 inches. Richie at Rudy's Tackle Barn reported that Nimo Cambareri caught the 46-pound cow while fishing off Captains Island.
• The next largest fish was boated by Derek Donofrio, who caught a 4-foot sandshark while fishing off Tod's Point. The large bottom feeder grabbed a bunker chunk.
• Also doing well at Captains Island last week was Frank Depietro, who caught a nice 36-pounder on a chunk of bunker.
• Shore fishermen are also doing well in Westport. Nick at Fisherman's World reported Mike Bach caught a 45-inch, 32.12-pound linesider while fishing at Compo Beach. The huge bass was taken on a live bunker. Bach also caught a very large trout recently. While fishing at the Saugatuck Reservoir he landed an 11.5-pound Seeforellen brown trout. He was using a Krocodile lure.
• While trolling off Captains Island Brian DeRosso caught a couple of stripers with the largest weighing 23.4 pounds. DeRosso was trolling a spoon.
• Mike Noyes at Sportsman's Den said his customers are doing very well in local waters. Matt Igoe brought in a 43-inch linesider that he caught while fishing in Greenwich waters. The big fish weighed 38 pounds and was taken on a live bunker.
• Robert Fong boated a 41.66-pound striper while trolling the mid-Sound off Greenwich. He was trolling a green bunker spoon.
• Gary Feighery fishes almost every day . . . and he catches fish every day. Last week he caught and released lots of striped bass while fishing the waters between Stamford and Greenwich. His largest fish measured 43 inches and weighed 28 pounds.
• Dr. Francisco Montano, Francisco Alcon and Manuel Portas spent a quality day fishing off Greenwich. They boated six stripers measuring between 31 and 40 inches. All were taken on bunker chunks.
• Dale Denio caught a 31-pound striper in the mid-Sound. No other details were available.
• Paul Mocciola used a bunker chunk to catch a big bass off Bell Island. The fish tipped the scales at 30 pounds.
• Mark and Austin Sichling found a school of hungry stripers at Greens Ledge and they caught several linesiders weighing between 20-23 pounds.
• George Scala cruised to the New York side of the Sound where he caught and released 10 striped bass. The fish were caught east of Matinecock, L.I. Scala was using bunker chunks for bait.
• Sam Hayes and Sam Arciola did well fishing in Bridgeport Harbor. Arciola landed a striper that weighed 33.2 pounds while Hayes reeled in a 26.2 pound striper. All were taken on bunker chunks.
• Pat Bruno Jr., 7, showed his father, Pat Sr., the proper way to fish for striped bass. Pat Jr. landed a 33-inch, 17-pound linesider from the shore at IBM in Stamford. The savvy young angler was using clams for bait.
• Pat Bruno Jr. should get to know Julia and Jonathan Miller. Julia and Jonathan are 7-year old twins and they are also expert anglers. While their father, Pete, took notes, they caught four stripers measuring up to 31 inches. They were fishing at Wilson Point in Norwalk and using bunker chunks for bait.
• Perhaps Pat Jr. and the Miller twins should get to know Natalie Kulis. Natalie, 5, is also an expert angler. She recently caught a 36-inch, 18-pound striper while fishing with her dad, Keith, and her Uncle Ricky. There were drifting bunker chunks at the Stamford breakwater.
• Phyllis and John Crimmins had a couple of good outings last week. On their first trip they caught six stripers while fishing at the Stamford Cows. Then on Saturday they took out Melinda Menhaden and Andrew Dillinger. Birthday boy Andrew caught the largest striper of the day, a 41-inch bass that weighed 28 pounds. When all was said and done they had six keeper stripers. All of the fish were taken on bunker.
• Ted Lionetti caught a 37-inch bass while fishing at the Stamford breakwater. That fish weighed 171Ú2 pounds and was taken on a piece of bunker.
• Freddie Bonilla landed a 30-inch linesider while fishing from Shippan Point. He was also using bunker chunks.
• Cummings Beach was also a good place to fish last week. Using bunker for bait, Roberto Pagan caught a 28-inch bluefish and a 36-inch striper.
• Paul McFarland caught a pair of 28-inch stripers while fishing off Cummings Beach. They were taken on bunker chunks.
• Vinny at Fish Tales Bait and Tackle said Philip Vincoli has been busy fishing his secret spot off Stamford. Vincoli consistently catches some nice stripers there and last week he landed a 36-pound, 10-ounce linesider while live lining a bunker.
• Henry Alexandre caught a 31-inch striper while fishing from the shore at Dolphin Cove. He used clams for bait.
• Capt. Jason Monet had a great fishing trip last week. While trolling a tube and worm combo he caught four stripers measuring up to 28 inches and four bluefish weighing up to 10 pounds. He was trolling off Stamford.
• Francisco Ordonez found success while fishing at Cobblestone Reef. Using fresh bunker for bait, he caught and released a couple of linesiders. He kept one fish that measured 381Ú2 inches.
• The team of anglers known as FranknWayne had a good day fishing off Greenwich. Frank Wasco and Wayne Sorbo boated six stripers weighing up to 25-pounds using bunker for bait.
• Louie Marroquin caught a pair of blackfish while fishing from the shore at the end of Hobson Street in the Shippan section of Stamford. The fish measured 171Ú2 and 19 inches. Marroquin was using Asian crabs for bait.
• Joe Pease cruised over to Oyster Bay for some bottom fishing. Using squid and spearing for bait he boated five keeper fluke. (Martin Armstrong, Stamford Advocate).

Connecticut Post Fishing Report

• QUICK CASTS — Phil Grabowski of Stratford caught a 29-inch, 9.5-inch walleye fishing a Rapala swimmer in Lake Saltonstall last week. John Allen of Ansonia took a catfish of 20 inches on a lure, and Dolores Bonisch of Milford caught a 24-inch, 5.4-pound walleye using night crawlers.
• -The DEP reminds anglers that the thermal refuge areas on the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers are now closed to fishing and will reopen on Sept. 1. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths of posted tributaries to these rivers.
• FRESHWATER REPORT Trout: Water temperatures are still low enough to provide good fishing in many areas, including the Housatonic and Farmington rivers. Largemouth bass fishing is variable. Some good reports came from Candlewood Lake, Ball Pond, Billings Lake, Wononscopomuc Lake, Cedar Lake, Babcock Pond, Mono Pond and Pattagansett Lake. Mixed reports from East Twin Lake, Lakes Housatonic (fair action, all small fish), Lillinonah and Zoar, Bantam Lake (although a 7.5-pound bass reported among the catches)
• Smallmouth bass action was reported good at Candlewood Lake, Gardner Lake (some action, mostly smaller fish), Mashapaug Lake, Squantz Pond (mixed reports, but smallie fishing is starting to pick up). Some good river smallmouth action reported from the Housatonic River, also some catches reported from the Farmington in the Tarrifville area.
• Northern pike fishing is reported to be good at Pachaug Pond. Other places to try for pike include Bantam Lake, Quaddick Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow and Winchester Lake. Catfish fishing should be good in the newly stocked catfish areas.
• Try Bunnell's Pond in Bridgeport, Black Pond in Middlefield/Meriden, Lake Wintergreen in Hamden, Quonnipaug Lake in Guilford, and Maltby Lakes 2 and 3 in Orange/West Haven.
• Walleye fishing in Squantz Pond reported to be slow (although an eight-pound walleye was caught there). (by Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post).

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• The near shore fishing continues to provide fly and light tackle enthusiasts with good action for schoolie bass and small bluefish. We have had reports from shore anglers catching fish up to 22 lbs. as well using bunker chunks. Areas up and inside the mouth of the Saugatuck River on the incoming tide have produced some very nice fish all weekend including a 34 inch keeper bass by local angler Nick Randmer on Monday.
  
• Sand eels are still the main food source for shallow water stripers and bluefish and there are plenty of adult bunker in Norwalk Harbor with a few fish pushing them around at day break and at dusk. Fly fishers should try chartreuse/white clousers, epoxy sand eel imitations and olive/white deceiver patterns while fishing the shallows. We have just taken in some sweet new sand eel patterns hand tied by the one and only NJ native Peter Viviano, so be sure to come down and see what they have been hitting.(be sure to read Pete’s contributed article at the end of this report).
• Although the word is surely out about the spectacular fishing at the Mill Pond, despite large crowds on the weekends, it continues to fish quite well during the week after the crowds disperse. In fact, one of our scouts this week got spooked by a 40+ inch fish hunting the shallows at night which caused him nearly to jump out of his waders. The GULP sand eels that have been producing all month have just gotten better with an even more life like CAMO color that we just brought in. We prefer to fish these on a 3/8th oz. jig head with a very slow but jerky retrieve…hold on!!! Spin fisherman are doing well with small Yozuri Crystal minnows and the small Stillwater poppers. Now is a good time to consider using wire tippets and/or bite guard as bluefish are around in a variety of sizes from 12-30 inches. If you've got a lot of patience you still have a shot at a cow live lining and chunking outside the Norwalk Islands and around the deeper rip lines.
• We have received reports of some very large 25-30lb fish on chunks off of Stratford in the vicinity of "Can 2" if you are willing to make the run. There are still fish migrating but the water is warming up fast with 90 degree temps these past 2 days. The larger fish that migrate from the Chesapeake area should have all the reasons to stick around the Norwalk/Westport area with the abundance of bait that has been present, let’s just hope it sticks around. Need some action for the kids? Drop some Porgy rigs and some Westport Outfitter’s sandworms on our local rock piles and you will be sure to get that bend in the rod to put a smile on their faces.
• Across the pond in LI, one of our captains had nearly 20 bass up to 20 pounds fishing around the outskirts of the power plant in the shallows Tuesday afternoon. The crew also ran into some sleeping blue fish in the 15-16lb class that believe or not were running away from plugs and sub-surface lures (now that’s a first). We have been saying it now for a month, but now is the time to get out.
• If chunking and live lining is your fancy, we now have some of the freshest bait around including bunker (don’t forget the custom live lining rigs we make here). If all else fails, try flat lining some chunks which was responsible for several fish in the 20 lb class over the weekend. We have yet to see the fish really settle into the reefs, so we have put the T&W rigs at the back of the bag for now. However at the time of this report our scouts Matt and Steve had bagged a 41 inch fish inside of the islands using this technique (see homepage or below "Fish On" photo). The fish are here, so throw the kitchen sink if that is your method; the percentages are surely on your side.
• The inland lakes like Candlewood, Lillinonah and Zoar are fishing well for very large smallmouth bass using spinner baits and deep diving crank baits. Fly fisherman can get in on the action using large clousers with rabbit fur strips and also fly rod poppers just before dark. Largemouth fishing is going well also near points in the lakes. Pike have settled into their summer patterns and are holding in deeper water in Lake Lillinonah. Try 3 waying large suckers or pond shiners for the pike that are suspended in water up to 50 feet deep. Trout fishing is slow in most areas due to low flows, but the Farmington is always a good bet in the heat of the summer as the cold water flowing through the bottom of the dam keeps this fishery active all year long. If you are headed up that way, be sure to bring the gear!!

Projo Fishing: HotBytes

Outside, on Long Island Sound, large bass have settled in on the reefs, reports Pat Abate of Rivers End Tackle in Old Saybrook, Conn. "Big bass are hitting large live baits on Hatchetts, Bartletts, Cornfield and Long Sand Shoal. Bunker has been the bait of choice with some catches on hickory shad and porgies. The usual drifts in The Race have been producing with moderate sucess. Southwest and Six Mile Reefs have had bass for bait drifters and trollers." (Tom Meade, Providence Journal)

Connecticut Post - Fishing report

• Just how good the fishing is this week depends on who you ask. Some bait-and-tackle shop owners are bubbling with enthusiasm while others say things have slowed. When this happens the best thing anglers can do is venture out to find out for themselves.
• One observer on the positive side is Eric at Westport Outfitters, who declared in his usually reliable fishing report: "Our local inshore fishing is ON FIRE! Fly and light tackle fisherman are having one of their better seasons in a while with many of our outflows and estuaries providing numerous schoolie bass and keeper bass as well with some concentrations of bluefish in certain areas." An unusually high number of dogfish catches are being reported. This toothless shark rarely grows larger than four feet long but can put up a mighty fight on light tackle.
• Striped bass — Fishers throwing bunker chunks from jetties and from boats are doing well, taking many keepers from Gulf Beach and in the waters behind Milford's Charles Island. Jason at Bobby J's in Milford reports that one customer took 10 keeper bass (28 inches and longer) in two trips. The mouth of the Housatonic has slowed markedly for both bass and blues, but a couple of dedicated fly fishers reported take near-record sized sea robins while wading the sandbars in front of the Audubon Coastal Center this week. Bridgeport anglers are finding the striper fishing running hot and cold. One night a trip will yield lots of big fish the next nothing.
• Bluefish — Blue fishing seems to have died, at least temporarily, in the Bridgeport area. Anglers looking to hook up with small- to-medium-sized choppers should try walking out on Pennfield Reef where the blues are energetically chasing rubber shad, surface poppers and almost any hunk of hair and feathers in the fly box. For boasters cruising off Burial Hill Beach in Westport has been successful.
• Fluke — New York waters off Long Island's north shore are still the best bet for fluke.
• Weakfish — Very few reports of weakfish. What catches there are come mostly from New Haven Harbor.
• Trout — Trout fishing slowed this week as water temperatures began to rise, but there are still lots of stocked fish in the usual rivers, ponds and lakes. The upper Housatonic is reported to be low and warm. The best action comes before dark. Adler hatches are slowing down, but Cahills are plentiful at dark. (by Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post). 6/22

TheDay.com - Locals Joining The 50-plus Fraternity

• We have some big bass in our waters, said Matt at Hillyers Tackle. Since last report they weighed in 40-pounders and a 51 caught by a 16-year-old angler on an eel at Bartletts Reef. Matt joked the young man might now spend the next several years trying to better that outstanding catch.
• The Race is full of blues on some days making it harder to catch a daytime striper there. Blackfish were caught, but Matt expects that fishing to wane in the next few weeks as the summer heats up and fish move to colder water. Porgies are moving into the rock piles in the bay, especially the bell buoy at the bay entrance.
• Fluking reports were up and down, the most consistent fishing going to the steadies who put in 4-5 hours per tide, often finding good action for 45 minutes of that time. Shore anglers landed some keeper bass between the bridges at night when the boat traffic was down and a few blackfish from the shore.
• Our largest bass of the week came in Tuesday said Bill at King Cove Outfitters. Bill Gardiner of Mystic put a 56.4-pounder on the scale, location and method unknown. In the early morning the light tackle boats are finding sand eels between Sandy and Stonington Points, catching smaller stripers and blues feeding on them on fly and spin tackle.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut got a reliable report about two 50s landed in one trip by the same angler on live bait from the Watch Hill Reefs since last fishing report. Bunkers are proving much tougher to find now, pushed around the tidal rivers by school of smaller blues. He made a trip by himself on Wednesday, fishing the reefs in pea-soup fog for eight stripers, all “smaller” fish by live bait standards.
• Capt. Don's Tackle in Charlestown weighed in 35-40-plus pound bass during the weekend and week, most caught on large, live bait. Small blues and schoolie bass can be caught from the Quonny Breachway and nearby sand beaches at sunrise and after dark on small plugs and lead heads.
• Capt. Jim Beardsley took out a trio of 80-year-old fishermen off Quonny who landed 17 keeper fluke plus shorts, all on live mummies. Scup are around the breachway rip-rap, hitting best on small pieces of worms when the tide isn't running hard or slack water.
• Capt. Al Anderson found the north rip of Block Island full of bass and sand eels on his Monday trip. They landed about 60 stripers (10 keepers) trolling parachute jigs on small, graphite trolling rods. Boats trolling umbrella rigs totaled many more blues than stripers.
• Offshore, most of the blue sharks and some threshers were caught at 40 fathoms or beyond. The water off to the east is still very cold for most type of offshore trolling or even sharking.
• Cheryl at Shaffer's Marina said they weighed in a 45-pound striper on Sunday morning, location not known. Shore anglers are buying eels to fish after dark from the Fishers Island beaches.
• Over the weekend the better fluke catches were made by people on the water from 5-10 a.m., those generally going east of the carousel at Misquamicut in 50-70 feet of water. After that it seemed like the chances for landing only throwbacks increased by a wide margin. Among the better fish were doormats of 7 and 8.4 pounds by Steve Shred Nicki and a 6.8-pounder caught by Juana Brown, both from Preston.
• When the boat traffic is light, you might find keeper fluke around Gates Island and the mouth of the Mystic River, the latter spot on a weekday was where Ned from Brewer's Yacht Yard had two keepers on his last trip.
• Bob's Rod & Tackle said locals are out trying for blackfish along the Thames but getting on small ones since the season reopened on June 15. Live or chunked bunker is still the best way to land a nicer bass or bluefish along the river. Anglers on a budget found keeper fluke off Groton Long Point and Sarah's Ledge, saving money by not running all the way down to Charlestown, R.I.
• Over at the Fish Connection, Joe Balint heard about some 20-25-pound stripers caught in Norwich Harbor from under bunker schools and smaller bass down the river. Scattered fluke were caught inside the Thames as far up as the Montville boat ramp. The shoreline from Ocean Beach over to Groton Long Point has keeper fluke and throwbacks. Some locals cane back from the south side of Fishers Island saying they caught only sand sharks and skates.
• Crabbing has started up; best catch to date were 30 blue claws landed in traps during the day in Poquetanuck Cove. Porgies are moving into the rocky humps just outside the light at the mouth of the Thames.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat called it an excellent week of fishing with blues cooperating and nice sizes to boot. Big fish of the week though was a 15.8-pound striper caught by Alan Arken of Granby, beating out some of the larger blues. The evening fluke trips were good to very good with biggest around 24 inches.
• Capt. Kerry Douton over at J&B said their charter boat is getting lots of blues on some of the trips, not so many on others. If you want keeper fluke closer to home, look around the entrance to Niantic Bay over to New London.
• The Star Island Shark Tournament was won by a 300-plus-pound thresher, and Jeff Ross, a Connecticut resident, took the prize for biggest blue shark. Overall sharking is ongoing but to date the only bluefin reports were from outside on the edge on the continental shelf.
• Bunkers were very, very hard to find for striper bait said Mark at River's End. On Sunday six people set small gill nets in the lower Connecticut River but only two bunkers were caught in all combined. Lots of little blues were chasing bait on top at the river mouth on Tuesday. Casters caught schoolie bass along the river edges but almost all were at sunrise or very late in the day.
• The first smaller blue crabs were caught in nearby creeks. Porgy catches are slowly rising at Hatchetts and some keeper fluke are off the Old Lyme beaches along with lots of shorts with today's new higher minimum sizes. (Tim Coleman, The Day).

Noreast.com Western Sound

Week of June 11 through June 17

• The fishing in the western sound is about as good as it gets! The new moon brought a massive body of stripers into the area. The bluefish are starting to blitz the bait and can now be taken by just about every method imaginable. The fluke bite was also unreal with a huge invasion of sand eels really making them aggressive! The porgies continue to hold their ground a little further east off Bayville, Oyster Bay and Oak Neck, but the ride is worth it, with some scup pushing the 4-pound mark.
• Captain Joe from Moontide Charters got in on the awesome striper fishing earlier in the week before the new moon. “We had 4 bass pushing 30 pounds on Wednesday night in some pretty nasty weather,” Joe said. Joe also hit pay dirt on Friday, when he and his clients had a 36-inch keeper followed up by a 33-incher. The bunker are spread all over the Sound making it a little tough to find a school with something working them, but I have a feeling that is going to change sooner than later.
• John Knight from Hudson Park B&T was very enthusiastic about the fishing after the banner week he had! John and his crew headed out on the Gatto Go and slammed some serious bass to 38 pounds! “We had a 34, 36 and 38, along with a bunch of smaller fish,” John said. The three evenings before the new moon produced all the fish! “We fished after the moon and the only thing willing to eat were the bluefish, but that should change in a few days,” John said.
  
• Trolling is also producing some very nice fish off Rye and Mamaroneck. The bunker are thick, but the bluefish aren’t thick enough to start pushing them around the Sound. The fluke bite really picked up nicely outside Hempstead Harbor, Hart’s Island and the local points. I landed a nice 24-inch fluke on a Tidal Tails bucktail while jigging for small blues and bass off Stamford Lighthouse.
  
• Captain Steve from the Molly Roze was enjoying the phenomenal porgy fishing going on in the western sound right now! “I haven’t seen porgies this big in a long time,” Steve said. Steve was referring to fish that could easily fill a frying pan. Bayville, Oak Neck and Oyster Bay have been producing a “ton” of quality fish on both worms and clams. Steve was also very encouraged about the fluke bite after this past week. “We saw plenty of last year’s keepers get tossed back,” Steve said. The good news is that there are plenty of fish out there so anglers can cull through for their limit of keepers.
• The bass bite started very late in the evening this week and only lasted for a few hours due to the moon. Steve and I are both confident that things should be back on track by Monday or Tuesday and the bass will be back on the feed! There are also plenty of bunker around, but unfortunately not much is happening underneath them.
  
• John at Jack’s B&T weighed in some monster bass this past week! Melvin Medina took the big fish of the week with a 38-pounder, which was accompanied by a 29-pound linesider. Anthony Thompson landed over 7 keepers, releasing all except the biggest, which weighed in at 25 pounds. Most of the big fish came at the top of the tide. Anglers also did extremely well fishing off Buoy 42 off Mamaroneck in anywhere from 50 to 30 feet of water. There are also plenty of bluefish cruising the Sound in search of their next meal.
  
• The porgies are all stacked up off the points, with even bigger fish holding further to the east. The big story of the week was the fluke bite, which has busted wide open. Rueben and Anthony loaded up with squid and spearing from Jack’s and returned a few hours later with their limit of fluke to 23 inches! “We have some nice fluke holding off the Blousers, Big Tom and the local points,” John said.
  
• Captain Chris from the Island Current Fleet enjoyed an awesome week of fishing in the western sound. “The night fishing really turned on going into the new moon,” Chris said. The big fish of the week was caught by Jesse Calone and tipped the scales at 32 pounds. The week also produced a ton of bluefish, which are starting to reach the low-teens and are really putting anglers to the test!
  
• The porgy bite remains hot off Center Island, Bayville and Smithtown. Chris was also happy to see the fluke bite explode off Bayville! “We had a ton of sand eels in the water and the fluke just went nuts,” Chris said. The boat limited out on fluke to 7 pounds in a very short period of time.
  
• Diane at Duffy’s B&T also weighed in some very nice fish this week. The trip of the week was an early Father’s Day outing with Buddy Cook and his son’s John and Ricky. The trio teamed up for a 46, 38.2 and 34.3-pound striper, with dad fittingly catching the biggest fish. Charlie Parker landed a nice 30.4-pound striper fishing fresh chunks off Manhasset. Vinny from Manning Imports fished with his buddy Kevin for his bachelor party and landed 16 bass to 27 pounds. The fluke fishing was also very good, with Joe Arena limiting out with fish to 4.3 pounds.
  
• Captain John Marino from American Sportfishing Charters reported a week of tough fishing for those anglers targeting bass during the day. “The bite wasn’t kicking in at all until the sun went down,” John said. Rich King and his buddy Donnie still managed to catch some nice bass to 25 pounds while fishing with Captain John. John Packes and friends, Christian , Mack, and Melissa sat through a tough five hours of no fish until the sun dropped, then the group enjoyed a frenzied 1 ½ hour bite to save the night.
  
• Lloyd, Frank and Frank Sr. drifted live bunker and on the second drift all hell broke loose, three fish up smacking and crashing and one 25-pound fish in the boat. A few more drifts resulted in a few more fish before the bite shut down after the sun came up.
• Jeff Syzmanski and his dad Norman fished with Jeff’s father in-law, Mr. Reese. The group fished along with the bunker schools and landed fish in the 30-inch range.
• After the sun got up the bass bite shut down and the group finished the day fluking with 80 year old Mr. Reese landing 2 keepers. (by Craig Koproski, Noreast.com).

Noreast.com Eastern Connecticut

Week of June 11-June 17:

• Our good friend “Q” from Rivers End Tackle was nice enough to once again provide a very detailed report for the waters in and around Old Saybrook. “The key to successful fishing these days is the use of fresh bait. What separates the men from the boys is finding the bait and using it at the proper times and right locations,” proclaimed “Q”. The bass fishing has been fairly good around most of the reefs and shoals. “Bartlett’s Reef, Long Sand Shoal, and Southwest Reef have all produced a decent pick of bass. “A lot of the fish that were staging at the mouth of the river over the last couple of months appear to be moving out into the Sound and taking up residence along the aforementioned reefs and shoals.” “Q” continued,
• “The mouth of the Connecticut River is still holding bass, but not nearly the amount we were seeing a couple of weeks ago. The internet and discussion boards have really made this area a very busy place, which hurts the bite. Regardless, anglers willing to wet the lines at night or before sunup are still having moderate success. The bluefish have been making a stronger and stronger presence at the mouth as well. Once the sun comes up, it won’t be hard to find them,” stated “Q”. I can concur with “Q’s” report as Kevin Mucha and I hit the lower Connecticut on Father’s Day to score fish to 36 inches, but the bite has certainly died down over the last couple of weeks.
• “As compared to the last few years, this may be the best fluking season we’ve seen in a while – which doesn’t say much about the current fishery. Long Sand Shoal, the mouth of the Connecticut, Misquamicut, and the south side of Fisher’s Island have all been productive, but you still need to weed through the shorts to find your table fare.”
• On Friday, I spoke with Evan from J&B Tackle in Niantic who provided a quick recap of the local bite. The offshore bite has been non-existent. He is hoping the action will pick up soon. Although anglers are catching their fair share of bass and blues at The Race, the bite did slow a bit leading into the weekend. Evan feels this week’s “bad tide” may be a factor in the slowdown. To the dismay of some striped bass anglers, the bluefish are everywhere ranging from small to large choppers all along the Niantic shoreline. Also, the fluking in Niantic Bay has been pretty good for those who enjoy matching wits with the flatties. Lastly, J&B Tackle will be carrying green crabs for the reopening of the blackfish season. The water is still cool enough where we may have a few weeks of good “toggin.”
• Hillyers Bait and Tackle reported several nice catches over the last couple of days. On Friday, Captain Joe Wysocki of Osprey Charters managed to put one of his clients on a 52-inch, 47.5-pound cow. Location and presentation were not yet known. On Monday, a local weighed in a 45-inch, 35-pound bass that was caught near Millstone on a green tube. Art Sylvestri had a lot of success near Black Point with the fluke. The big fish of the day tipped the scales at 8 pounds.
• Blackfish season is now open and the folks at Hillyers are anticipating a great season considering all of the accidental catches over the last two weeks. The bluefish really haven’t made a strong presence in Niantic, with the exception of those caught near the Millstone outflow and The Race. Fluking has been particularly strong at Black Point, Millstone, and Isabella. Also, the harbor is providing a great porgy bite. Local anglers have pulled 13-14-inch (or bigger) scup over the gunwales while fishing Black Rock and White Rock.
• The Thames River continues to hold a decent pick of striped bass, but the numbers appear to be thinning out as the fish make their way into the Sound. There have been a few occasions over the last week when a couple of lucky anglers scored 40-plus-inch fish, but the frequency of these types of landings has diminished. Just outside of the Thames, local anglers are periodically running into medium-sized bass near Two Tree Island. If you are lucky enough to run into some live bunker, livelining these fish near Bartlett’s may score you a trophy.
• In Stonington, the schoolie bite continues to improve. My buddy Dave Collins and I fished Sandy Point in Stonington on Thursday and found the inner bar stacked with pint-sized bass. Most of these fish are in the 20-24-inch range, but there are some bigger fish to be had. The amount of bait in this part of the state is astounding. There were several occasions throughout the morning where the fish finder was completely “blacked out.” The key here is to stay on the outside of those bait schools and fish bait or work the tube and worm along the bottom. Stonington Harbor is also holding a fair share of bait, but the bite has been very sporadic on the western side of Sandy Point.
• On the charter front, Claire from Hel-Cat II provided the following information on Sunday night. It’s been an excellent week of fishing. Blues were extremely cooperative and good size to boot. There were some striped bass mixed in, but to be honest, we were pretty much avoiding the bass areas because of extreme current velocities that made it all but impossible to fish - except for short windows of time. The areas we were fishing avoided most of those problems. Our 4 PM to 8PM fluke trips started this past week and the fishing was generally good to very good, with fluke to 24" being taken. No changes in the schedule for some time to come, as we are sailing daily at 9 AM, back in at 3 PM and then the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening trips set sail at 4 PM, returning at 8 PM. (by Roland St. Denis, Noreast.com)

On The Water

• According to Tommy at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown, fishing is the “same old, same old” relative to last week. Of course, that bodes really well for anglers because the jumbo striped bass are still raising havoc on bunker in upper Narragansett Bay. According to Tommy, stripers up to 50 pounds are being taken on a fairly regular basis. Find the bunker, and the jumbo bass are down below them. Small bluefish are all over the place providing action in the bay as well, desired or not. Fluke are still coming in good numbers, though the south shore is the best place to be. Thirty to forty feet of water is prime depth, with live mummichogs or whole squid attracting the keepers. There are lots of shorts mixed in, but keepers are there.
• The Block Island area is producing good fluke catches, but dogfish have moved in and have become a major pain. Scup are also doing well, and Tommy has been getting reports of very large specimens coming from Beavertail, the Point Judith Lighthouse and the Center Wall. Reports from freshwaters are dwindling as the weather heats up.
• Around Newport, things are about the same as last week, according to reports Earl has been receiving at the Saltwater Edge. The focal point for most anglers in the region is upper Narragansett Bay, where big stripers are keeping anglers quite busy. Earl also has reports that Brenton Reef is beginning to come alive with some decent catches of stripers. That’s good news, and with all the focus on the upper bay it is bound to be a bit less busy.
• At Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett, Mary said that the biggest striped bass reports have come from around the docks in Galilee, with clam bellies the most productive and enticing of baits. Fluke are mainly in deeper waters, and shore fishermen have been mainly taking shorts so far. Mary has reports that the East Wall is producing some very nice catches of scup, and school bass and smaller bluefish are in that same area. Charter trips from the shop are doing very well for striped bass out at Block Island, with a few 50-pounders and numerous 30- to 40-pounders being taken.
• Ronnie at Breachway Bait & Tackle in Charlestown has reports of striped bass to 50 pounds now being taken off the beaches in the area, though mainly at night and with eels. Bluefish, mostly small but with a few bigger ones mixed in, are also becoming common along the beaches. Fluke fishing is excellent, according to Ronnie; just find some structure in the 30- to 40-foot depth and you will most likely bring home dinner. There are few reports of scup to date.
• A bit farther west in Charlestown, Capt. Don at Capt. Don’s Bait & Tackle has reports of good-sized striped bass over 20 pounds being taken in the breachway. You’ll increase your chances by using eels under the cover of darkness. Fluke fishing remains good to excellent from reports Captain Don is getting in, with squid and mummichogs producing the best. Southwest Ledge has some excellent reports coming in as well. Huge scup are reported all around the region, and sea bass reports are just beginning to come in from the Block Island area, according to Capt. Don.
• Out on Block Island, John at Twin Maples Bait & Tackle reports that fishing is now clicking into full swing. Sand eels are abundant, and one lucky fly-angler landed a 48-inch striped bass on a 3-inch sand eel pattern in the Coast Guard Channel. Fishing from shore just about anywhere on the island is good, even during the day, with flies and plugs producing the best. Big plugs attract big fish, so keep that in mind. For better or worse, small bluefish invaded the island a day or two ago. Fluke fishing has been good, mainly in water about 60 feet deep, according to reports coming off the west side of the island. John is getting reports of lots of shorts.
• At The Fish Connection in Preston, Cheyenne is getting word that the bunker, and therefore the bass, have moved down into the area of the mouth of the Thames River. Bluefish, some large, are mixed in with the stripers. The stripers are focused on the bunker, almost exclusively, so be prepared to be snubbed if you get too far from menhaden or its imitation.
  
• The Race is producing very well, particularly to diamond jigs, as might be expected. Fluke are being found in about 50 feet of water, at least along the Misquamicut Beach area of Rhode Island. Scup fishing is beginning to pick up, according to Cheyenne, and freshwater fishing is slowing down with the warmer weather.
• Lou at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford is getting excellent reports of striped bass fishing throughout the area. Big striped bass have moved in, and Bartlett Reef has been quite productive and is a good choice. Sixteen-year old Ryan Proulx landed a 51-pound striper at Bartlett on a live eel at night this past weekend. Reports coming into the shop are still indicating that the Niantic River is hot for large scup and large blackfish, mostly between the bridges. High Rock and Low Rock are also producing some nice scup. Fluke angling is picking up, but small bluefish in the area are making it difficult to get bait down, according to Lou.
  
• Black Point is one of the best-producing areas at the moment. Isabella Beach on the south side of Fishers Island is red hot, according to reports Lou has been getting. Whole squid seems to be the ticket to large fluke out there. Along the beaches, striped bass are showing up regularly now, and trolling a tube-and-worm will pay dividends off of Ocean Beach and other likely spots. No reports of sea bass just yet.
• Bigger fluke are moving closer to shore, according to reports Capt. Morgan is getting at Capt. Morgan’s Bait & Tackle in Madison. Focus on tidal river mouths and you should not be disappointed. Blackfish are coming in close now, too, but use soft baits. A crab may get you a fish, but a soft bait will get you several. Fish to 10 pounds are being taken close to shore on soft bait. Blues and stripers are around, mainly where the bunker are located. Find bunker and you will be taking some fish in the 40- to 50-inch range.
  
• Falkner, Goose and Charles islands are all producing good catches of scup, according to reports coming into the shop. Inland, fishing is slowing some with the warming waters, but anglers who are well seasoned and patient are still taking fish.
  
• The Hammonasset River still has plenty of fish, but they are indeed a bit trying to catch. Capt. Morgan also reports that clamming in the region is very good, and that blue crabs are just beginning to show up in the river mouths now in pretty good numbers.
• At Westport Outfitters in Norwalk, Patrick said that the sand eels are still all over the marine district, and are showing no signs of easing up. The fish, of course, are keyed in on this species, and fishing decent imitations is a must. Green or olive-hued Clousers and other imitations are producing very well, but those imitations that most closely resemble the real thing (a darker shade of olive green) are producing the best. Reports indicate that anything deviating much from a sand eel is not producing very well. I guess that means you should stock up on dark green sand eel imitations. According to reports, Old Mill is really hot for the sand eel “hatch.” While sand eels are also prevalent all along the shore from Penfield Reef to Westport Harbor, there are many small bluefish in those waters. Dawn and dusk will provide some relief and a better shot at some bass, according to reports Patrick has received.
• Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: I keep saying that it won’t last, but it just keeps going on, so this week I’ll say, “There’s no hurry to get to upper Narragansett Bay to take some jumbo bass, because they will be there forever.” Believe that and you deserve to miss out! Do Narragansett Bay one more time. Consider Block Island while the fishing is just getting into full swing and the tourist season isn’t quite. Grab a fly rod or other light-tackle setup and go out to the Norwalk/Westport region to fish the sand eel phenomenon. And bring a pile of darker-colored sand eel imitations. If you want to be challenged, go trout fishing. Plenty of fish, few anglers, and we really are not into the “dog days” yet, so the fishing is bound to still be pretty darn good. (by Alan Desbonnet, org pub. On The Water).

Norwich Bulletin

• Striped bass: Jack Balint of the Fish Connection in Preston and Don Michaud of King Cove Tackle in Stonington both agreed the fishing on the reefs and south side of Fishers Island has been running hot and cold. Good one tide, poor the next. Captain Don's in Charleston, R.I., said the beaches and tide ponds have been producing well. Balint reports there are still good numbers of 30- to 40-inch stripers in the upper Thames River chasing menhaden. Chris Allard of Norwich christened a new Ugly stick on a 32-incher Monday in Norwich Harbor.
• Bluefish: Loads of smaller bluefish have invaded most of the coast, providing action, sometimes when it's not wanted, for instance when fluke rigs get inadvertently chopped by these little line cutters. Most of these fish are typical 1- to 3-pounders, but everywhere from Narragansett Bay to Niantic Bay and the lower Connecticut River, there are reports of 10- to 15-pounders in the mix.
• Fluke: Fishing remains good and improving as these fish begin to push into Long Island Sound to feed for the summer.
• Scup/porgies: Season is open and the porgies appeared along the coast right on cue. They are pretty much a gimme for anyone fishing with sand worms, pieces of squid or clam on small hooks around reefs, rock piles and channel markers.
• Crabs: The early indicators in the form of small "dead, bloated and floating" blue crabs in the Thames River during late May evidently did not signify total winter/early spring die-off of our local blue crab population. At least some, mostly small ones survived, according to reports from Captain Morgan's in Madison, River's End in Saybrook and the Fish Connection in Preston.
• Freshwater: The best fishing will take place around dawn and dusk, often with short flurries of activity between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for some reason, probably the metabolic need to eat. Pike action has increased with summer time temperatures. Covino caught and released a 39-inch, 14-pound pike from Pachaug Pond last week. There have been reports of walleyes into the 20-inch range from Coventry Lake, Beach Pond and Mashapaug Lake, but Gardner Lake is quiet. (author ?, org pub Norwich Bulletin)

Norwich Bulletin

• Striped bass: Jack Balint of the Fish Connection in Preston and Don Michaud of King Cove Tackle in Stonington both agreed the fishing on the reefs and south side of Fishers Island has been running hot and cold. Good one tide, poor the next. Captain Don's in Charleston, R.I., said the beaches and tide ponds have been producing well. Balint reports there are still good numbers of 30- to 40-inch stripers in the upper Thames River chasing menhaden. Chris Allard of Norwich christened a new Ugly stick on a 32-incher Monday in Norwich Harbor.
• Bluefish: Loads of smaller bluefish have invaded most of the coast, providing action, sometimes when it's not wanted, for instance when fluke rigs get inadvertently chopped by these little line cutters. Most of these fish are typical 1- to 3-pounders, but everywhere from Narragansett Bay to Niantic Bay and the lower Connecticut River, there are reports of 10- to 15-pounders in the mix.
• Fluke: Fishing remains good and improving as these fish begin to push into Long Island Sound to feed for the summer.
• Scup/porgies: Season is open and the porgies appeared along the coast right on cue. They are pretty much a gimme for anyone fishing with sand worms, pieces of squid or clam on small hooks around reefs, rock piles and channel markers.
• Crabs: The early indicators in the form of small "dead, bloated and floating" blue crabs in the Thames River during late May evidently did not signify total winter/early spring die-off of our local blue crab population. At least some, mostly small ones survived, according to reports from Captain Morgan's in Madison, River's End in Saybrook and the Fish Connection in Preston.
• Freshwater The best fishing will take place around dawn and dusk, often with short flurries of activity between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for some reason, probably the metabolic need to eat. Pike action has increased with summer time temperatures. Covino caught and released a 39-inch, 14-pound pike from Pachaug Pond last week. There have been reports of walleyes into the 20-inch range from Coventry Lake, Beach Pond and Mashapaug Lake, but Gardner Lake is quiet. (Bob Samspon Norwich Bulletin).

CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #8 6/20

• TROUT: Rivers & streams - With cool mornings and moderate flows, late June trout fishing should be good in many areas.
• Farmington River water temperatures continue in the mid 50's °F (about 54 'F in New Hartford). West Branch flows remain clear and fishable, about 280 cfs at Riverton. Anglers can expect releases from the Goodwin Dam (Hogback) of an additional 100 cfs for the weekend from Friday afternoon (3 pm, 6/22) to Sunday morning (8 am, 6/24). Hatches include Vitreus (a.k.a. pale evening dun) #14, from 5:00 pm to dark, Tan Caddis (#16-18, good all day), Sulfurs (Invaria #16 hatches mid-day and Dorothea #18-20) and Potomantis (sz10-12). Other successful patterns continue to include March Brown nymphs (#12-14), Gray Fox (#14,afternoon), Blue Wing Olives (#18-24, mid-late afternoon), green caddis (#22-26, evening), Midges(#22-32) and Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings).
• Housatonic River - Morning water temperatures rose to near 70 °F in the past week, but have moderated to about 67 °F (in the TMA) due to the recent trout-friendly cool mornings and pleasant days that are forecast to last through the weekend. The river is clear and very fish able, as flows continue to drop, currently 420 cfs at Falls Village and 500 cfs at Gaylordsville. Current hatches/patterns are Alder/Zebra Caddis (all day and evening), and evenings for Light Cahills, Caddis (tan, brown, green/olive,black), Sulfurs, Olives and a few Golden Stones. Try nymphing in the mornings when temperatures are cooler and better for the trout.
• Anglers are reminded that the thermal refuge areas on the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers are now closed to fishing and will reopen on September 1. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths of posted tributaries to these rivers.
• Lakes & Ponds “ Trout fishing is variable, with good reports from Crystal Lake, West Hill Pond and Stillwater Pond (several 6 lb browns reported). Mixed reports from Highland Lake (several 3-4 lb trout among the catches) and Squantz Pond. Lake McDonough and Lake Wononscopomuc (although some catches in the 3-4 lb ranger reported) have been slow for trout recently.
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is variable, with good reports from Candlewood Lake, Ball Pond, Billings Lake, Wononscopomuc Lake, Cedar Lake, Babcock Pond, Mono Pond and Pattagansett Lake. Mixed reports from East Twin Lake, Lakes Housatonic (fair action, all smallfish), Lillinonah and Zoar, Bantam Lake (although a 7.5 lb bass reported among the catches) and Moodus Reservoir (catches include a 7.1 lb bass). Bass fishing reported to be slow at Dog Pond and Tyler Lake.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported at Candlewood Lake (good), Gardner Lake (some action, mostly smaller fish), Squantz Pond (mixed reports, but smallie fishing is starting to pick up). Some good river smallmouth action reported from the Housatonic River, also some catches reported from the Farmington (Tarrifville area).
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good at Bantam Lake, Quaddick Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow and Winchester Lake.
• CATFISH fishing should be good in the newly stocked catfish areas, try Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Park Pond (Hartford), Mohegan Park (Norwich), Black Pond (Middlefield/Meriden) Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven), Lower Bolton Lake (Bolton), Quonnipaug Lake (Guilford), Silver Lake (Berlin/Meriden), Pattaconk Lake (Chester) and Maltby Lakes 2 & 3 (Orange/West Haven).
• KOKANEE action at West Hill Pond is slow but steady, with some fish up to 15 inches reported.
• WALLEYE “ Limited reports for walleye this week. Squantz Pond reported to be slow (although a 8 lb walleye was among the catches) and some catches also reported from Mashapaug Lake.
• Connecticut River Fishing for a number of species is good on the river.
• STRIPED BASS remain in the river up through Windsor/Enfield with some nice catches reported (41", 29 lb beauty caught near Wethersfield Cove, and a 35" striper from Windsor). Best action in the lower river.
• NORTHERN PIKE action is reported to be very good including numerous 10-12 lb pike catches in and near Salmon River Cove).
• CALICO BASS action is picking in some of the coves.
• Lots of CATFISH are keeping anglers busy (the standard chunk bait is working great).
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is excellent, especially in the Salmon River Cove area where a 6.7lb largemouth and several 5 lb bass were caught (and released) last weekend.
• MARINE FISHING REPORT: Water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) currently is in the lower 60's °F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions: www.ndbc.noaa.gov.
• STRIPED BASS fishing for school stripers in the tidal rivers continues to be good. Fishing spots include the usual places: Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Hamburg Cove and around Calves Island in the Connecticut River including the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier down to Great Island and to the east breakwater, Sandy Point in New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor jetties, Housatonic River including Milford Point, the Devon area up to the Derby Dam, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), and Norwalk Harbor including around the islands. Cow stripers are also in the rivers and on the local reefs including the reefs off Watch Hill, the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor-Charles Island area, Bridgeport Harbor, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, and the Norwalk Islands.
• BLUEFISH fishing is good throughout LIS with fish ranging in size from harbor blues (2-4 lbs) up to choppers weighing in the lower teens. Bluefish fishing spots include the Race, Plum Gut, the major reefs and rip areas in LIS, and the tidal rivers and harbors.
• SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing has improved on the Connecticut side with some big doormats being reported. Fluke spots include Sandy Point in the Stonington area, lower Mystic River over to Latimer Point, Two tree Island Channel, Black Point, Long Sand Shoal, New Haven Harbor off the breakwaters, Charles Island to Stratford Point, outer Bridgeport Harbor, and off the Norwalk Islands.
• SCUP and TAUTOG fishing is good to excellent on the local reefs.
• HICKORY SHAD are in the lower tidal rivers but fishing is sporadic. (DEP Fishing Report as Published in Waterbury Republican).

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• Our local inshore fishing is ON FIRE! Fly and light tackle fisherman are having one of their better seasons in a while with many of our outflows and estuaries providing numerous schoolie bass and keeper bass as well with some concentrations of bluefish in certain areas. The bait of choice: Sand Eels and lots of them. Sand eel patterns and small clousers are getting the job done but later in the evening popper action is producing adrenaline pumping surface strikes. Spin fisherman are getting action using 4" FinS with 3/8 oz. jig heads, Yozuri Crystal minnows, Gulp imitation sand eels and 3-5 inch storm shad, Tsunami soft plastics and the new Rebel plugs.
• For some locations…try targeting areas like Penfield Reef, Burial Hill Beach, Old Mill and Calf Pasture Beach, as we have had surface feeding frenzies for several nights in a row now. Tide does not seem to be playing a part with the abundance of bait in the area. While wading, the water should be clear enough to see the bait cruising the flats, if its there, stick around, if it is not, keep walking, you are bound to see it sooner than later. Do not forget about the Southport Beach area as well.
• For those seeking larger stripers we can recommend using bunker either chunked fresh or live lined in areas like Hempstead, Cold Spring Harbor, Greenwich around Captain's Island, Outside the Norwalk Islands, Bridgeport and also Stratford Shoal. You asked for it, we delivered!! We will now be carrying FRESH BUNKER for those that want it, so stop on down!!
  
• Large migratory fish are still on the move with the late starting season that is underway. Many fish being taken are coated with sea lice iundicating fresh fish are moving in daily. Use fish finder rigs and 8/0 circle hooks for chunking bunker (use the heads first), and we prefer 3-waying live bunker with the same 8/0 Gamagatsu circle hooks. If bluefish are around, we carry our own custom made "Striper Sniper" live line wire rigs that will allow you to hook up with either a blue or a bass without getting cut off. The Sevalon wire blends in nicely with our tinted water and is ultra strong at 60 pound test.

Stamford Advocate

The striped bass season is shaping up as the best we have seen in years and Long Island Sound is loaded with big hungry stripers looking for an easy meal. There are so many bass around that I guess it is proof positive that all of the restrictive conservations efforts in recent years have worked.

Last week there were so many 40-plus inch stripers caught in local waters it boggles the mind:

1. Mike Curtin caught the largest striper reported last week, a 45-inch bass that weighed 29 pounds. He was fishing in Stamford waters and was using bunker chunks for bait.
2. Close behind was Joe Horvath who caught a 44-inch, 29 1/2-pounder. He also caught the fish in Stamford waters using bunker chunks.
3. Angelo Riccardelli sent an e-mail about a 43-inch striper he caught from the pier at Calf Pasture Beach. This was the first keeper bass he ever caught. He said the fish didn't put up much of a fight and that it took him only a couple of minutes to land the fish. Angelo was using frozen mackerel.
4. An angler known as "Jaque" caught a 42-inch striped bass while fishing off Dolphin Cove. He was using a live bunker for bait.
5. Gary Feighery and Carlo Colonello had a great day fishing in Stamford waters. Gary caught five linesiders including a 43-inch, 28-pounder and Carlo also caught five bass, the largest a 39-incher that weighed 21 pounds.
6. Pete Miller reeled in a 42-inch striped bass while fishing off Shippan Point. The fish weighed 26-pounds and was taken on bunker chunks. Fishing with Pete was his brother, Chris, who landed a 38-inch, 18 1/2-pound striper on a bunker chunk.

• Using 10-pound test line, Terry McPartland managed to boat a 37-inch striper. The fish, which weighed 21 pounds, was caught just off Sheffield Island. Terry was using bunker chunks for bait.
• There were also a lot of striped bass taken last week that we have no reports of the length but we know how much some of the fish weighed and some were heavy enough to be in the 40-plus inch range.
• The heaviest linesider reported was a 43-pounder caught by Jason Vlicky. He caught that fish and several others weighing around 30 pounds while fishing under schools of bunker in 40 feet of water around Rye, Mamaroneck and Hempstead. He was using snagged bunker for bait.
• Also fishing under bunker schools were Mike Palmer and Jeff Aricola. While live-lining a bunker off Rye they caught and released several stripers weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Frank DiPietro fished a couple of times. On one outing he caught 12 stripers including a cow that weighed 37 pounds. Those fish were caught with an umbrella rig trolled in the mid-Sound. On his second outing he fished around Captains Island where he boated seven stripers and 15 blues. Most of the fish were released unharmed.
• Also doing well trolling off Captains Island was Alex Vlahakis. Using an umbrella rig he caught several stripers including a 31-pounder.
• Adam Lutski caught several bass weighing between 20 and 30 pounds while fishing in Hempstead Harbor. All were taken on chunks of bunker.
• Phil Vincoli was out fishing a couple of time. On one outing he caught and released eight bass weighing up to 25 pounds and on his second trip he did even better, catching and releasing 20 fish also weighing up to 25 pounds. All were taken off Stamford on bunker chunks.
• Yung Chang caught a 30-pound, 14-ounce striped bass in Stamford waters. Yung was using a chunk of fresh bunker.
• Guy Esposito reported he landed a 27-pound striper while fishing from shore at IBM. The fish was taken using a mackerel head for bait.
• Capt. Mike Black of My Love Charters trolled for fish in Cold Spring Harbor with success. He caught one striper and 13 bluefish using an umbrella rig. He brought the striper, at least part of the striper, to Pete's Place to be weighed. All he had was the head of the striper and that measured 15 inches and weighed 10 pounds. There must be a pretty good story behind that catch.
• Vinny at Fish Tales Bait and Tackle reported Capt. Hocht and Jason Monet trolled the waters from Rye Beach to Hempstead Harbor where they caught 18 stripers to 24 pounds and some bluefish including one that tipped the scales at 18 pounds.
• John at Rudy's Tackle Barn reported Matt Casamassimma boated a 36-pound, 14-ounce striper while working the waters off Hempstead. He was also using bunker chunks.
• John also reported that Sean Brady caught a 35-pound linesider while drifting a fresh bunker off Playland.
• Ned Bojadzic caught a 20-pound linesider while fishing at Cove Island Park. It was taken on a bunker chunk.
• There were also some smaller striped bass taken.
• Magic Pincer boated a 34-inch linesider off Greenwich while John Califano and Rick Kulis fished around the Stamford "cows" and caught three bass including one that weighed 15 pounds. All three used bunker chunks.
• Jonathan Boisfeuillet and Jan Darula teamed up to catch and release 10 linesiders while fishing in Stamford waters. Their largest weighed 26 pounds and was taken on bunker chunks.
• Kevin at Sportsman's Den said Harry Leigh caught a 21-pound striped while fishing in Cos Cob Harbor. It was taken on a live bunker.
• Sportsman's Den fly fishing expert Sean Kelly caught and released several stripers while fishing around Greenwich. He was using a cinder worm fly.
• Joseph Stanley, 14, of Dover Plains, NY, found the fishing good in Byram Harbor where he caught and released six 20-inch striped bass he caught using poppers.
• Some anglers fished for other species of fish. Anthony Stevens, his dad and uncle, fished on the party boat Helen H and caught their limit of porgies using sandworms and clams. Their largest was 18 inches and weighed 2 1/2-pounds.
• Adam Weather caught a pair of 20-inch bluefish while fishing from the shore at Cove Island. They were taken on mackerel chunks.
• Tommy Flynn went to Kensico Reservoir where he trolled stick baits. He reeled in six brown trout and five lake trout. He also caught one smallmouth bass. His largest fish was a 26-inch brown trout that weighed 6 1/2 pounds.
• Fishing a little closer to home was productive for Kevin Miller. While working the Bathtub Pool on the Mianus River he caught six brown trout. All measured about 12 inches and were taken on dry flies. (Martin Armstrong, Stamford Advocate).

Captain Morgan, Connecticut Fishing Reports

• Recent stormy blasts swept through the Sound creating turbulent conditions but overall, fishing cranked up a few more notches. This was the week for picking your window of opportunity. Notably, bass in excess of 40 inches showed their fins as they went on a feeding spree. Hooked were fresh fish in the 40-plus pound range as they made their way from The Race toward mid-Sound. Plenty of smaller-class fish have been feeding throughout the shoreline and in the tidal rivers with action heating up on a falling tide.
• Reefs and shoals are now seeing fairly steady action, however more bluefish are in the mix. Thick-shouldered, spring–run choppers have been chasing down schools of menhaden with several rivers beginning to show an increase in numbers of bait fish. As the Sound fills with more bunker and shad, look for harbors to heat up. Grimm Reefers, Tension lures, Banjos, Arrowheads, and Slashbaits are good bets while trolling Spider rigs, “chutes,” and tubes are working on offshore reefs. Live/fresh chunks, eels, and worms are doing well both on/off shore.
• Keeper fluke numbers are on the rise. Mini-doormats are now being caught along the Connecticut shoreline on Case flukes, hi-lo's, three-ways, and “hook'm” and 'rhody' rigs. Several have been caught from shore while limits have been taken in 30 to 60 feet from Hammonasset to Faulkner Island with the occasional one reeled in at The Six while trolling/jigging for stripers.
• Long Island Sound fishing is in full swing so, for all things fishy swing by Captain Morgan's (203-245-8665) open seven days located on 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. (Captain Morgan, Shore Publishing).

New London, The Day: CT Fishing Reports

• WE HAD A GOOD TWO days of striper fishing, said Al Golinski of Misquamicut. On Sunday and Monday, using live and dead bunker on the Watch Hill Reefs, he and his fishing partner landed 27 bass between 15 and 25 pounds. He also said, since last report, two divers speared bass over 50 pounds on the reefs and a third that size was taken with rod and reel.
• Al also had a good report of 20 bass to 34 inches caught with topwater plugs on the reefs and the south side of Fishers Island, by people chartering Capt. Ben DeMario of Westerly, one of the area's light tackle guides.
• Bill at King Cove Outfitters in Stonington said he saw fluke to 12 pounds caught earlier in the week off Misquamicut before the northeast wind kept many small boaters off the water. Bass action on the reefs has been pretty good, weather permitting, with the biggest around 25 to 30 pounds.
• Capt. Allen Fee at Shaffers Marina said most people got out on Sunday, after the bad weather the day before. They fished mostly off the Rhode Island beaches for fluke, catching some nice ones but using lots of lead in the heavy tides. Schoolie bass and some early blues are in the Mystic River, ready to take a popping plug or chop up a small plastic lure. On days it was too rough to head down beyond Watch Hill for fluke, people landed shorts and some keepers around buoy 7 and the north end of Ram Island.
• The keeper bass of the week were caught on chunks of mackerel fished on lead core line on charter trips out to the Middle Clump. There are a few large porgies in the catches, those caught on fluke rigs.
• “We are selling lots of snag and live-lining rigs,” said Red at Bob's Rod & Tackle for all the bunkers in the Thames River. Find a school of bait, snag one and let it swim and you might get a bass from 36 to 45 inches or bluefish to 8 pounds. Shore anglers are catching some of these fish at places like Horton's Cove, Montville boat ramp and Fort Shantok. The northeast wind curtailed a lot of fluke trips for the smaller boats. Some porgies are on the rocky humps outside the river mouth but not in summer numbers just yet.
• Capt. Jack Balint at the Fish Connection saw bursts of bass activity on the Watch Hill Reefs and also periods when the fishing went slack altogether. A school of small blues was chasing sand eels from the castle on the east end of Fishers down to Schooner Reef along with a moderate number of bass to 22 pounds trolled up with the red tube and sandworm combo.
• People are scoring on blues and some bass in the Race trolling umbrellas at the shoal during the slack and bucktailing when current increases. Schools of bunker are moving around the Thames from Gales Ferry to Norwich. Jack cautioned people heading to New York waters for fluke that Conservation Officers are checking very closely for legal sizes at 19.8 inches and also all safety equipment aboard.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat sent in his regular report stating they are now sailing daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fishing was picky on Saturday, very good on Sunday and in the “wow” category on Monday. That trip they had bluefish to 15 pounds. Starting Thursday, they will run fluke trips from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
• Stephanie Cramer also sent in her weekly e-mail saying she caught small bass in the upper Thames on fly and spinning tackle “in between wind and rain.” Steph had another letter from the American Littoral Society about a tagged striper she caught in the river on May 22. The bass had been landed by her on March 23, also in the Thames; caught twice by the same angler.
• Capt. Howard Beers at Hillyer's Tackle was pleased to tell us about a party boat milestone of sorts. On a fluke trip to Gardiner's Bay, Capt. Bob Wadsworth of the Sunbeam netted a muskrat swimming by the boat about three-quarters of a mile from the nearest land. To my knowledge this may be the first muskrat ever caught from a party boat. Congrats to Capt. Bob on a job well done.
• Next on our list is Capt. Joey Devine of the Mijoy who wrote they are now getting more blues than previous weeks, mostly on bait, a few on jigs plus a sprinkling of keeper stripers. They will start daily sailing on Saturday, two trips per day at 6 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.
• Capt. Kyle Douton was minding the store at J&B when I called, stopping long enough to say he's been out on their charter boat in the morning, catching lots of blues and a lesser number of bass than last week, all the blues making it harder to catch a striper. All the fish were spitting up small porgies when they hit the deck.
• Small boaters had keeper fluke around Two Tree Channel and the north end of Ram Island, maybe hugging a lee shore in the northeast wind. Trollers using the tube and worm had bass to 36inches between Hatchetts and Black Points. Offshore reports were a matter of rumors as few boats have made it out during the week.
• Mark at River's End reported shore anglers chunking up school bass at Saybrook Point and also talking about small numbers of weakfish that moved into the lower Connecticut River since last week. You might also find a few fluke along the river's main channel or the Old Lyme beaches. Diamond jigging and bucktailing produced blues and some bass in Plum Gut.
• We close the column with a situation that offshore anglers might want to comment on. Many of us get our marine weather over marine weather radios that broadcast 24/7. In our area the strongest signal comes from Brookhaven Laboratory in Upton, NY. That town is located in the 631 area code.
• For some reason they only now transmit the offshore weather, Hudson Canyon to the Great South Channel out to 1000 fathoms, every half hour and again on the hour. This contrasts with inshore weather continually given throughout the half hour. Making offshore fishermen and boaters wait 29 minutes between forecasts at this time of year seems short-sighted when many area boaters will head out for shark and tuna, some on overnight trips to the 100-fathom edge.
• If you would like to see this policy changed call 631-924-0227 and ask for Mr. Gary Conte to make your feelings known. (by Tim Coleman)