The Fishing Line 5/1/09

J.R. Warnet writing for "The Fishing Line" notes the warming weather brings better fishing in most locations. Stripers are up, flounders are down and blackfish is over. The Fishing Line TV show episodes are available online.

• CT River and the Race: Schoolies are being caught on plastics and shad bodies (look for schools of baitfish to find stripers).
• Niantic Area: Some flounder can be caught with sandworms but only if accompanied by chumming. Blackfish were being caught in Niantic harbor & by the Branford Railroad Bridge.
• Thames River mouth at dusk & night will land some schoolies using lead heads, shad bodies & bucktails. Not much flounder action. Good sized Blackfish were caught near the rocks & bridges before the season closed.
• The Housatonic is loaded with bass - mostly schoolies - caught on sandworms and clams.
• Westport: Burial Hill is productive for schoolies. Flounder is okay but look for warm water to turn it on.
• Bridgeport to Stratford: With no flounder action anglers were going for Blackfish. Try The Breakwaters off of New Haven, where many anglers limited out all week. Bass fishing is better after dark with a shift to plastics instead of bait. Try using an X-Rap or a small Wind Cheater after dusk to land that first keeper bass of the season.
• New Haven to Madison: Low schoolie catches with most caught on small plastics. Hot spots for the week include Branford Point and West Haven. Flounder numbers have decreased significantly over the past few days, but may jump back up with all this sunshine warming up the water.