DEP Marine Weekly Report #5 5/20/09

Water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) are in the low 50’s °F.

STRIPED BASS fishing remains good to excellent with fish up in the 50 inch range being reported! The western part of LIS is loaded with bunker and of course big cow bass are right behind. Local reefs have been producing with anglers using live bait and the tube and worm combo. Other striper spots include the Pawcatuck River, upper Thames River (Norwich Harbor down to Montville), lower Connecticut River from Hamburg Cove down to the breakwaters, New Haven Harbor (Sandy Point), Bridgeport Harbor by the power plant warm water discharge (Breezy Point/Seaside Park), Housatonic River, Saugatuck River and the Norwalk Islands.

BLUEFISH are in pretty thick in western LIS but are also in Plum Gut, and the Race. Most blues are in the 4-6 lbs. range.

HICKORY SHAD are also in the tidal rivers mixed in with school stripers.