Connecticut Outfitters - Bait Fish Report

Bunker in the Bays! Most runs of the anadromous fish seem to have ended on the rivers. We observed spawned out shad ("racers") in the Rainbow Reservoir above the dam. Holyoke lifted three shad yesterday. The Connecticut River is currently running at about 5,000 cfs , which is not usual for July. But what is unusual for July is the still relatively low water temperatures.

• Bunker seems to be the hot bait for stripers and blues again this year. Bunker, or menhaden, are filter feeders which eat phytoplankton. They will be found in warmer water feeding on the tiny green food. Watch and listen for them in the early morning hours at the mouth of rivers and in bays and coves, where the water temps may be a little warmer than the surrounding waters.
  
• Another helpful resource to finding where the bunker are is the venerable osprey. This ocean going raptor will find baitfish wherever they are, from a bird's eye view. If you see a few of these beautiful birds of prey circling and diving into the water, you can be fairly certain they are onto some baitfish, and that is frequently the bunker we are looking for.
• Bunker can be snagged or netted with the proper license. Fish with bunker live lined or three-wayed, with a circle or treble hook pushed through the bony bridge between the eyes. When the bunker starts acting nervous, get ready!