DEP Marine Weekly Report #8 6/18/09

Water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) are around 60 °F.

STRIPED BASS fishing remains good during the twilight period from dusk to dawn. Fishing methods include drifting live bait (eels, bunker, hickory shad, and scup), trolling the tube and worm combination, casting big soft artificial baits, and trolling parachute jigs on wire line. Bunker (Atlantic menhaden) are
increasing in numbers throughout LIS especially in western LIS and tidal rivers. The usual striper spots include the Pawcatuck River, upper Thames River (Norwich Harbor down to Montville), the Race, Plum Gut, outer Bartlett Reef, Millstone Point, Hatchett Reef, lower Connecticut River from Hamburg Cove down to the breakwaters, Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef, New Haven Harbor (Sandy Point), Bridgeport Harbor by the power plant warm water discharge (Breezy Point/Seaside Park), Housatonic River, Saugatuck River, the Norwalk Islands and the reefs off Stamford and Greenwich.

BLUEFISH fishing has become more consistent in LIS with better fishing being reported west of New Haven. Blues have been ranging in size from 4 lbs. to the lower teens. Bluefish spots include the Race, Millstone Point (warm water outflow), Plum Gut, Milford to New Haven, Bridgeport Harbor, Norwalk Islands, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground area, and the reefs off Greenwich and Stamford.

HICKORY SHAD fishing is good in the tidal rivers.

SCUP are on the local reefs.

SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) season opened Monday, June 15th.

Reports of BLUE CRABS have been coming in from the Groton to Stonington area.