Connecticut Post: Eastern Sound place for large stripers

• Striped bass: Bass fishing in and around Bridgeport is "kind of at a standstill" right now, says Jimmy at Jimmy O's Bait and Tackle. Sand eels by the ton are swarming in area waters providing the needed forage for the stripers. Recently they have been left unmolested. Waders at Fort Trumbull Beach in Milford had some good nights on medium-sized using mackerel chunks. The Norwalk Island are producing decent stripers, says Rick Mola at Fisherman's World in Norwalk. The eastern Sound is the place for larger stripers. Bass up to 44 inches are been boated at the reefs off Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef, the Race, the Sluiceway, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett's Reef and Long Sand Shoal.
• Bluefish: Seekers after chopper blues are best to head out to mid-Sound and then turn either right or left and hit the throttle. The more time you travel in either direction the more likely you are to find bluefish. Chunking in deep water is producing blues in the 3-7 pound range. After dark, anglers tossing Bombers and Redfins are taking a few. Bob Jadach of Bobby Js Bait & Tackle in Milford reports that blues in the 5-to-7-pound range were very active in 6 to 8 feet of water in the mouth of the Housatonic. To the east, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Hatchett's Reef, Connecticut River from the Baldwin (I-95) Bridge to the breakwaters, Falkner Island area, the reefs off Branford are the best destinations.
• Snapper Blues: Still fairly slow, but Fairfield's South Benson Marina has a fairly steady supply as does the Housatonic River and Milford Harbor. Shiners on a gold hook are doing the best job on the baby blues.
• Fluke: Almost any area beach will produce a fluke or two with a juicy bait on the bottom. Unfortunately many are undersized, but here and there a keeper turns up. The New Haven breakwaters are still yielding nice fluke catches
• FRESHWATER: Largemouth bass: The Department of Environmental Protection reports good largemouth fishing in Lake Housatonic, Upper Moodus Reservoir, Winchester, Silver (Meriden), Wonoscopomuc, East Twin, Quonnipaug, Rogers, Bashan, Gardner, Powers, Candlewood and Cedar (6 lb bass among the catches) Lakes, and Mono, Mudge, Ball, Wood Creek, Somersville and West Hill Ponds. Bass fishing reported as fair to slow at Crystal Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Bantam Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
• Trout: Cooler weather brought the trout out of hiding, but flows in rivers and streams areas are still low. West Branch and main stem Farmington, Housatonic, Norwalk, Saugatuck (TMA), Shetucket, Fenton and. Early and late in the day are the best fishing times during the summer. Conditions in the Farmington River Farmington River remain great for fishing. Flows are clear and moderate. (written by Charles Walsh)