Noreast.com, Western, CT 7/22

• The reason the sport of fishing is so great is because anglers get to experience so much diversity in the species of fish pursued, as well as the many different opportunities the season brings to catch them. A perfect example is how western Connecticut anglers have transitioned from chasing monster size striped bass to now enjoying the huge influx of fluke that have invaded the local waters. Adding to the thrill is the growing population of marauding bluefish, which are just inhaling everything in sight, daring anglers to hang on for dear life.
• At Jimmy O’s in Stratford, Jimmy Orefice was raving about the fantastic fluke action taking place in his area. “There are tons of fluke here now,” Orefice said. “They are all over Fairfield and Southport Beach, with just as many throwbacks as there are keepers.” Eric Monk and Jay Castro found some of those keepers as they limited out at Fairfield Beach on fluke to 21 inches, using a bucktail tipped with squid as their bait of choice. Scott Gibbons caught five fluke to 21 inches with a squid and bucktail combination at Jennings Beach, while Jay Christie and Joe Palmer took their limit of flatties to 22 inches at Fairfield Beach, using squid and killies. Joey Cuban limited out on fluke at Southport Beach, while Travis Herman enjoyed non-stop bluefish action at Fairfield Beach, where he used pencil poppers on the surface. Joe Bercuzzi fished Stratford Harbor with live eels and took a 30-pound bass, and Joe Rodriguez tried a change of pace at Penfield Reef, where he fished the rocks with sandworms for his limit of blackfish to 5 pounds.
• Bobby Jadach of Bobby J’s in Milford said that a variety of fish are ready for the taking with porgies taking up residence at Charles Island and Middle Ground, while fluke can be had at Can 9 and between the first and second wall of West Haven Harbor, and bluefish are all over New Haven and Black Rock Harbors. Jason Jadach ignored all of those fish and demonstrated that striped bass are still present as he ventured over to Can 18 where he used bunker chunks to nail a 17-pound striper.
• At Ted’s Bait in Bridgeport, Bryan Karchman was all about the blues, blues and more blues as he cried the blues about the bluefish being everywhere. Alex Auer added to the bluefish saga by taking a 9-pound chopper as close as the South Benson Marina, with the fish devouring a bunker chunk before being landed. Dave Toth and Phil Stein combined 13 striped bass that they caught at Can 18. The smallest fish was 34 inches and the two keepers they took weighed 30 pounds apiece. Tracy Crosby tried the freshwater route and fished the Saugatuck Reservoir with a live shiner on the bottom where he promptly caught a trophy 9-pound walleye.
• Nick Massaro of Fisherman’s World in Norwalk had a nice mix of news with anglers getting a little bit of everything, along with a nice milestone for a novice to the sport. Ted Zakar had his stepdaughter, 20-year-old Daniella Echyarria, out fishing Buoy 18 with him, where she caught her first fish ever, an 18-pound striped bass that gulped down a bunker chunk. Welcome to fishing and I am sure she is hooked now. Jim Christianson caught a 27-pound bass at Buoy 28C on a bunker chunk, while Eric Christie reeled in a 44-inch, 35-pound bass that was caught in Stratford Harbor on a bunker chunk. Dave McKee found the fluke at Copps Island and promptly landed five flatties to 23 inches using squid strips, while Jason Valicky caught the fluke of the week, a 10-pound fish, which was taken on a squid strip. Jimmy Roach rounded out the array of fish caught by engaging in non-stop action with bluefish to 12 pounds. The fish were caught using jigs in Norwalk Harbor.
• At Westport Outfitters in Norwalk, Eric Johnson said the buzz about Mill Pond dissipated without any real evidence that the fish had moved to deeper water and was supported by Patrick and Pete Viviano who still were taking bass at first light up to 30 inches. Sand eels are definitely dispersing with some but the silversides are right behind them, so don’t give up on the inshore seen just yet. Bill Sullivan and family was out fishing and caught blues to 14 pounds on tubes, as well as a few stripers, just shy of keeper length. All the fish were taken around the Norwalk Islands.
  
• The fluke bite continues to be strong off of Copps Rocks, outside of the islands on the traditional rigs tipped with sand eels or sandworms. Captain Chris ventured east, fishing the mouth of the Housatonic Rover with more keeper bass on chunks than he could count, which were caught in only eight feet of water. The pier is hot, producing a few large bass up to 34 inches on mackerel chunks and fresh bunker, with some taken on the higher tides, and the snappers continue to infiltrate the local waters.
• Mike Noyes of Sportsman’s Den in Cos Cob had some excitement take place in his area with 15-year-old Jared Sabanski getting the scare of his young angling life when he tangled with a 3-foot brown shark. Sabanski was fishing a live bunker when the brown grabbed hold and took the youngster for a ride. The shark broke water several times, sailing three feet into the air before crashing back down to the surface. The fish was ultimately reeled to the boat, leaving Sabanski with his first fishing tale that he can tell for a lifetime. In calmer events, J.P. Bowgin caught a 23-pound bass from shore at Todds Point while fishing with a bunker chunk, while Austin DeStanik continues to do well from Captains Island where he caught a 21-pound striper on a bunker chunk.
• At Pete’s Place in Stamford, Pete Miller told of Gene Barry and Dam Ambruso catching four big bass in Stamford Harbor. The duo reeled in a 36, 38, 39 and a 44-inch striper, which were caught on bunker chunks. Rich Dombrowksi also fished bunker chunks in Stamford Harbor where he caught five bass to 38 inches and 12 bluefish to 8 pounds. Ed Mellet, Wynn Mellet and John Crimmons combined for three bass while fishing Stamford Harbor.
• The Mellets were visiting from South Carolina and Wynn caught his first bass ever, a 30-pound fish. Michelle Syr represented the ladies well with a 32-pound bass caught with a bunker chunk in Stamford Harbor, while Joe Horvath proved why he is a sharpie at this sport with 12 bass that were caught at the Cows using bunker. (Rob Caluori)