Rivers End Tackle, Old Saybrook

• STRIPED BASS- Theres been a surprise population of school bass in the mouth of the Connecticut River. They have been along Great Island and the adjacent flats just like Spring. Chunkers have also been getting bass in the River mixed in with the blues. The Race and Plum Gut have some medium sized bass while the closer reefs have been yielding larger bass on live bait. The Rhode Island beaches have been very good from Watch Hill to Point Judith with most of the bass action after dark and some blitzes at daybreak. So far this has been one of the best starts to a fall run than we have seen in many years.
• BLUEFISH- Another bright spot. You know its good when you get more complaints about blues getting the bait or lures before the bass and quitting because of sore arms. The race and Gut have the usual, but the River and just outside has had a lot of blitzes sometimes lasting an hour or more. At times the blitzes have been under the I-95 Bridge. From shore the chunkers at the DEP piers and Saybrook Point have been getting a few blues up to the mid-teens in size.
• SNAPPERS- Theres hasn't been any let up yet as some of the snappers are 8 inches and a few longer. The best bets are still in some moving water near the Causeway and DEP piers.
• BLACKFISH- Season closed, will reopen on the 22nd.
• PORGIES-Good to very good at Hatchetts, Bartletts and Cranes. Some hot fishing near Plum Gut and Race Rock lighthouses.
• BONITO, FALSE ALBACORE - A strange season, but aren't they all when it comes to albies. There's still some decent reports from eastern RI and inconsistent fishing at Montauk. A few catches have been reported along the Waterford beaches. It seems to be that the majority of albacore are north of Point Judith. Theres also been a few odd catches on the north side of Plum Island and the Sluiceway but not very consistent at all. The Jordan Cove area has had a few albies, bonito and even a couple of Spanish mackeral.
• BLUE CRABS- Some very excellent catches from both North and South Coves on the River as well as the DEP Piers and Oyster River. Theres no let up yet, if the current weather pattern continues we should have a few more weeks of crabs.