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).