Norwich Bulletin: CT Fishing Reports

• Stripers: Mixed reports ranging from spotty to incredible fishing have been coming in from all fronts. Most shops, particularly along the Rhode Island shoreline to Narragansett Bay are seeing increased numbers of stripers in the 30-pound range. Captain Don's in Charleston,R.I. weighed a 50.6-pounder last weekend.
• Fluke: Anglers are actually taking limits of 1 1/2-inch keepers on the south side of Fishers Island and along the Rhody Beaches where there's a 19-inch minimum length. Connecticut waters with the smaller, 18-inch limit have not been quite as hot, but as fluke continue to move inshore for the summer, they will push their way west into the Sound.
• Bluefish: It's still a little early to get excited about bluefish, but every change of the tides brings more of these fish into the region. Right now, as has been the case for the past few years, small blues ranging from one to about four pounds are mixed in with stripers, so it may be wise to do "tooth proofing" to avoid chopoffs.
• Blackfish: Season opens Friday.
• Porgies: Scup are in and will provide some excellent fishing action again this season. Hillyer's said one customer already had a 2-pounder to show for their efforts. Look for these fish to concentrate around reefs, rock piles and channel markers, though they also cruise the beaches in large schools.
• Bait: The hot squid bite, which refers to that red-hot action of a couple weeks back, when squid are super abundant and spawning, is pretty much over. But there will be pods of this prime bait around the area for the remainder of the season.
• Freshwater Trout: Fishing has slowed drastically with increases in water temperatures and drops in water flows. The recent rains helped prolong trout catching, but right now it's a matter of fishing deep in lakes and matching the hatch in streams.
• Bass: They are off the beds in most lakes, which usually brings with it a post-spawn feeding binge that makes fishing easy for a couple weeks.
• Bluegills: They are on their spawning beds throughout the region, which makes for some fun action in the shallows of area lakes using flies, ultra light tackle or standard baits such as tiny pieces of worms.