On The Water

• Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: The bonito seem to be showing up everywhere, so I suggest heading out to try your hand at one of these speedsters before they get pounded too hard and before little tunnys show up. Rhode Island’s south shore, particularly the breachways, sound like they are turning on for the season and will be worth a visit. Give Block Island some consideration as well; the big bass are being very cooperative out there. Eastern Long Island Sound is also stocked up with every species imaginable at the moment, including the best run of blue crabs in a long time – get out there with a rod and a net and some bait! If a bit of solitude is you desire, I suggest giving the Wood River a try, tossing ants, beetles and tan deer-hair grasshopper patterns.
• Connecticut: Allen at Shaffer’s Marina in Mystic reported that although fluke fishing will be drawing to a close in another couple of weeks, there are still good catches to be had locally and farther away. Fluke anglers are doing well at the mouth of the Mystic River, at Ram Island and at the tip of Enders Island. If you have the capability and the time to travel, Misquamicut has been excellent for good catches of keeper fluke. Striper fishing is still good, although the best catches are coming from tube-and-worm rigs in deeper areas. Bonito have been reported near Fishers Island but not at the river mouth or other nearby areas. Reports of big to giant scup are still coming into the shop, and families are taking the youngsters fishing for snapper blues, which are now swarming in the river.
• Bigger bluefish are pretty regular now in the Thames River, with fish to 12 pounds not uncommon. Captain Jack Balint at The Fish Connection reports that the large bunker holding in the river are keeping the big chompers well fed and active. Buoy-27 and Norwich Harbor are good spots to try, offering good access to these larger fish. Striped bass to 45 inches are also reported to be traveling with the schools of bunker, but you must get down beneath the blues to find the bass. Three-ways and big bucktails are producing some large bass and blues in the water between Great Gull Island and Race Point, with Great Gull being the better producer. Strong tides have made it difficult to get deep, but that will wane as the weekend approaches. School bass have been providing lots of topwater action as they feed on an overabundance of very small bait at Watch Hill. The action is hectic and often frustrating, according to Captain Balint, because the fish are so focused on such tiny bait. Similar activity can be found along the south side of Fishers Island. Reports say bonito are showing up off Watch Hill and along the south shore Rhode Island beaches, and some have begun to appear around Bluff Point, Ocean Beach and Harkness Memorial State Park beach. Big scup are being taken all over the place, and fluke are still coming to hook without much effort. Seaflower Reef continues to be pretty good for fluke, though the southeast corner of Fishers Island is the most consistent spot overall.
• At Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford, Shane reports that although the fluke are still biting, they seem to be going ever deeper. You should plan on starting at 75 feet and prepare to go 100 feet in some areas. Those who succeed in getting their bait good and deep are rewarded with fluke to 25 inches. Shane reports that Isabella Beach on Fishers Island, Misquamicut and Black Point are all producing good catches. Peruvian smelt continues to be the favored bait at Hillyer’s. Striped bass are holding court early and late, and especially during the wee hours of darkness. Anglers tossing eels during these times at Bartlett or Hatchetts Reef are being justly rewarded. During the day, striper action is happening mainly on tube-and-worm and umbrella rigs. Bluefish are found all over, but Valiant Rock at dawn is a best bet for tangling with some larger specimens; there, 10- to 12-pounders abound. Bell 6 in Niantic Bay is producing some large scup, though good scup angling is reported from all locations. Shane has been getting some confirmed reports of bonito at Pleasure Beach.
• Captain Morgan at Captain Morgan’s Bait & Tackle in Madison only had the time to give me some highlights for the week. Large bunker have moved into the area, attracting large bluefish and larger striped bass. The bluefish are harassing the bunker, making the fishing good when you find a school of bunker. A few waves of bonito have been reported moving through the area, but none have been hanging around very long. Captain Morgan reports tons of bait in the area, so the bonito ought to settle in soon. Fluke fishing is still going strong, and the big scup that were coming into the shop earlier are only getting larger.
• Chris at Stratford Bait & Tackle in Stratford reports that bluefish are becoming pretty thick in the region, with a mix of sizes up to 8 pounds being the most common, though some are larger. Striped bass fishing has slowed considerably during daylight hours, and big fish are only being taken at night. Diamond jigs bounced around the Norwalk Islands are producing good catches of bluefish as well as the occasional larger striper. Fluke fishing is slowing in the area, according to what Chris is hearing, but scup fishing is getting better and snapper blues are now everywhere, providing lots of fun for the younger crowd of anglers. Inland, reports say largemouth bass fishing has improved, and those fishing the weed edges at dusk and dawn with plastic baits, Jitterbugs and other traditional topwater lures have found success.
• In the Norwalk region, Chris at Westport Outfitters reports that his charter trips are seeing non-stop action to striped bass. Although most of the fish are schoolies, they are peppered with the occasional larger fish in the 30-plus-inch range. Tube-and-worm rigs are the most productive method by day, and live eels at night are most productive overall. Bluefish are providing pretty intense topwater action, according to Chris, with a deluge of baby bunker providing the focal point for the action. Chris reports lots of snapper blues in the area, which provide great action for the kids, and larger stripers and big bluefish are beginning to target this bait as well. A few bonito sightings from the Port Jefferson and Norwalk Harbor areas have come into the shop, but nothing consistent yet.
• Rhode Island: The fluke are moving into deeper water as temperatures continue to rise throughout Narragansett Bay and along the south shore of Rhode Island, reports Neil at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. Even though fluke catches are a bit sporadic in the lower bay, anglers dropping their bait into 50 or more feet of water along the south shore are still doing pretty well. As an added bonus, the dogfish seem to have thinned out some, providing a bit of respite. If you get in the vicinity of the Charlestown Breachway, Neil has been getting reports of lots of bonito at the mouth, as well as a good number of very large bluefish. Around Narragansett Bay, things have quieted considerably, with the waters south of Beavertail Point providing the most consistent fishing, especially for striped bass. Early, late and nighttime will provide the best action to larger fish, though school bass and bluefish are available throughout the day. Neil reported an upswing in the largemouth bass action inland, and anglers are seeing considerable action on local ponds when fishing shiners.
• From East Greenwich Harbor to Davisville, the bluefish are on the surface chowing down on baby bunker, according to the reports Rob at Wildwood Outfitters in Wakefield is hearing. The action is becoming more consistent by the day, and although most catches are rather small, they’re being punctuated with an occasional slammer blue in the 10- to 12-pound range. Fluke action is still pretty good in the lower bay, with reports of good action along Dutch Island in 70 to 90 feet of water. The occasional sea bass along the same stretch of shoreline is an added bonus for many anglers. For striped bass, reports say that the south shore is the place to be. Better yet, head out to Block Island to target the big bass being sighted on a very regular basis. Bonito are showing up at both the East and Center walls, but they are not terribly consistent yet. Inland, Rob has been hearing good reports for largemouth bass in Wordens Pond, when fished late in the day with topwater lures; early morning is the next-best option. While the heat has slowed the trout fishing a bit, reports of good evening action in the Wood River are providing some relief. Rob has heard that terrestrials late in the day are stimulating the fish for a bit of evening feeding.
• In the Newport area, striped bass angling is improving on a day-by-day basis, according to reports coming into The Saltwater Edge. Steve reports tons of bait showing up throughout the region, drawing in lots of school bass and bluefish that provide excellent light-tackle sport. The occasional larger fish is being taken under the cover of darkness, or early or late in the day. Eel pattern flies are proving productive after dark. Reports point to Brenton Point and the Cliff Walk as the best places to fish in Newport, though good bonito action has also enticed anglers to the East and West Wall. There is a ton of inch-long baby bunker in the area, so expect these speedsters to appear with greater frequently in the coming week.
• Mary at Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett also reports improved striped bass fishing in the past week, with a big influx of school bass throughout the area. Big bass are still around, but the lucky anglers have been catching them early, late or after dark. A 36-inch striper was landed just the other day at the mouth of the Narrow River, where action has been steady and improving. Black Point is producing good numbers of blackfish, and both the East Wall and Pier 5 are providing great scup fishing. Anglers are reporting fluke a bit farther out, and although 60 feet is the best starting depth, you should be prepared to go deeper. A boat is pretty much required for fluke these days, as Mary is hearing that shore-based catches of fluke are dwindling rapidly. Pier 5 and the East Wall both remain premiere locations to take keeper fluke.
• Reports for fluke coming into Breachway Bait & Tackle in Charlestown agree that 60 feet is a good starting depth. Keeper-sized fish are still coming in, and the action is better overall due to the diminishing dogfish problem. Ronnie reports that bonito have stacked up in the mouth of the Charleston Breachway, providing good angling opportunities. Bluefish and school bass are also part of the mix, with the big blues concentrated around the mouth because of all the baby bunker there. Smaller blues are being found throughout the Breachway, and school bass provide some lively activity at the start of the incoming tide when they begin feeding. Blackfish are also stacked up at the mouth of the Breachway, offering an additional option if you’re waiting for the bonito to circle in for the next feeding bout. Ronnie has also received numerous reports of mahi-mahi just off the beach along the Charlestown area, though they are all juveniles.
• Captain Don at Captain Don’s Bait & Tackle in Charlestown was pretty busy, but he did have time to note that the fishing is amazing all around. Quonny Breachway is loaded with stripers and bluefish, although they’re mostly smaller fish. Youngster Ian Snow, however, managed to land a 28-pound striped bass at slack low tide under bright sun in Quonny Pond, proving that big ones are still around. Ian took his catch on a handmade “skimmer” sold at the shop, although hottest method for striped bass at the moment is the tube-and-worm rig. These are proving to be almost “fail-proof,” no matter where they are fished. Bonito have appeared in good numbers and are now venturing into the Breachway. Monster scup still abound, and fluke are still providing plenty of action along the beaches by boat.
• The bonito have now made a consistent showing at Block Island, with the Coast Guard Channel being the spot to seek out these speedsters. Because they’re new to the area and haven’t already seen every fly and lure on the island, they are still willing to play. Striped bass fishing is holding up nicely, according to John at Twin Maples, with needlefish plugs being a top producer day or night, and late day and night are the best options. By boat, Black Rock and the southwest corner of the island are most productive for larger fish, and trolling a tube is the rig of choice. John suggests adding a small dead eel to the last hook to make the action hotter still – but hold tight to your rod! Be sure to hook the eel behind the eyes for the best action and longevity. A run of larger fluke also came into the island late last week, and anglers are starting off this week with good catches of larger fluke in all the traditional spots along the island. (Alan Desbonnet)