Noreast.com, Eastern CT, 7/8

• Although many anglers hit a lull in the action over the past week, there are still plenty of good fish to be caught along the eastern Connecticut shoreline.
• I spoke with Pat from Rivers End Bait and Tackle on Saturday, and he described the bite as “fair.” For folks looking for bigger bass, Pat recommended Hatchett’s Reef, Long Sand Shoal, and Plum Gut. Most of the big fish are coming on live or chunked bait. Southwest Reef, on the other hand, has seen a slow-down leading up to the weekend. There is no shortage of fluke as many anglers are limiting out in popular haunts such as Black Point and Sound View. The Connecticut River is still holding a decent mix of blues and bass, but this has become a “nighttime game,” according to Pat. Niantic River is once again playing home for hordes of schoolie stripers and the occasional 20-pounder. The area near and around Kiddie Beach has been fantastic for light tackle enthusiasts.
• Kyle at J&B Tackle reported “fair to good” action in and around Niantic. Fluking has been very strong on the south side of Fishers Island near Isabella Beach. You still need to pick through the shorts to find the keepers, but they are definitely there. There is actually a better keeper-to-short ratio in Niantic Bay, but the number of fish can’t be compared to Isabella. Most of the bigger fish in Niantic Bay are only taping out at 20-21 inches. Bassing along Bartlett Reef and Hatchett’s Reef has been very strong for the recreational crew, but not enough to sustain the charter operations. Anglers utilizing the tube and worm at Black Point have bailed fish in the 30-40-inch range consistently.
• It appears some better fish are making their way in a bit closer to shore as many decent sized fish have been landed in tight. At The Race, there is no shortage of bluefish. Anglers are pulling up “ol’ razor lips” at an alarming rate using diamond jigs and three-wayed bucktails. On the other hand, Kyle has not been incredibly excited about the striper bite in the same location. The offshore scene continues to improve by the day. The areas around 35 Fathom Edge, east to the Acid Barge, and over to Ryan’s and Jenny’s Horn have been producing a decent bluefin bite. Blue sharks, threshers, and even a couple of mako’s in the 100 to 175-pound range were caught near Ryan’s and Jenny’s during the second half of the week. The action is not incredibly hot, but good enough to garner the attention of the shark fleet.
• In Stonington, Bill from King Cove Marina and Outfitters continues to be pleased with the bite. There has been no shortage of cow bass along the rips and reefs, as evidenced by Frank Mauro’s 51-pound striper, Ken Zwarko’s 58.55-pound bass, and Pat Mauro’s 46.33-pound linesider. Fluking along Misquamicut and Isabella has been “fantastic,” according to Bill. One angler walked into the shop on Saturday morning to claim the fish were “practically jumping in the boat” at Isabella. For surfcasters, the bite has been steadily improving with anglers picking up a mix of schoolies and large bass. A live eel under dark skies has been the ticket for most.
• Watch Hill Light continues to hold a lot of quality bass up to 50 pounds, while Sandy Point and the inner and outer breakwaters have also seen their fair share of hefty bass. If you are looking for live bunker, you may need to head west to the Mystic River or the mouth of the Thames. If live-lining shad is your modus operandi, you may run into a few at the northern tip of Sandy Point as the sun breaks the horizon. The porgy bite has also improved greatly and Bill doesn’t see that changing in the immediate future.
• On the charter front, Claire from Hel-Cat II Charters checked in with an encouraging report from this past week. Another week has come and gone and the fishing has gotten better each and every day. The daily 9AM trips for blues and striped bass are producing very well on both species, and the bass fishery really improved over the last three days. Our fluke trips sailing at 4 PM on Thurs., Fri. and Sat. afternoons have, as predicted, really cut loose this week. This fishery doesn't get any better than it was this week. On a side note, the Saturday, July 14th trip (4-8PM) fluke trip has been cancelled. This is the day of the Groton, New London fireworks. We have no choice but to run the annual fireworks cruise as Thames St. closes to vehicle traffic at 6PM and does not open again until after the fireworks are over. The next Saturday 4-8PM trip is also cancelled because of a 20+ year commitment to an Alcohol Anonymous group that charters us for their annual Sober Cruise. Other than that, our schedule remains unchanged. Fish of the week award goes to Rhys Stockwell of Avon, Connecticut for a 20-pound striped bass. Rhys' free trip is on its way via snail mail.
• Captain John Groff of Benmar Charters provided the following late week report. What a difference a day makes. On Friday, the wind was blowing about 15 knots out of the west and there were big swells coming in from the Atlantic. These two elements combined to make for difficult fishing. Despite excellent efforts from our anglers, we managed only a few small bass, a bluefish and a couple of porgies. It was the worst fishing day of the season and hard to take for me because we had a great group on board! So we have asked them to schedule another day at no expense to them and hope to show them how a day on the BENMAR is supposed to go!
• On Saturday, the wind backed off to about 5 mph and the ocean swells subsided quite a bit. These small changes in the local weather translated into a much more fishable day and the group aboard took full advantage of it. They boated over 25 stripers with 4 nice keepers. They also had 4 blues, including a HUGE chopper measuring out at 35 inches, and 8 porgies the size of dinner plates. So again I say, “what a difference a day makes!”
• People often ask me “when is the fishing going to be the best?” I say the fishing is really subject to the weather on your particular day. We don't go out if the forecast is bad, but the forecasters often get it wrong.....especially the speed of the wind. Once in a while, the conditions are tough and we don't catch much. If that happens we'll make it up to you! (Roland St. Denis)

Connecticut Post

Striped bass — Bunker schools continue to show up here and there from Milford to the New York line. Sometimes there are bass under the school, sometimes not, but they are always worth a try. Tube and worm trolling is a good way to cover a lot of water in search of bass, but chunks of fresh bunker on the weighted hook remain the top bass taker. With the bunker gone, bigger fish have moved into shallow water in search of crabs and lobsters. Most of the cows are hooked at night as they cruise the shallows.

Bluefish — Time to break out the wire leaders and bite-resistant lures as the bluefish picture took an upward turn this week. Plenty of those smaller Taylor blues about with bigger choppers still hanging out in mid-sound. Poppers and swimmers are doing the trick on the blues. Waders with light tackler for fly rods should look for a fish to break, cast to where the splash happened. Often the reward is a vicious smash from a feisty, if diminutive, blue. Then get ready for a bracing fight punctuated by breathtaking acrobatic jumps (by the bluefish, not the fisherman). One small blue makes a great meal for two people. Just slather the skinned filets with mayonnaise pop them on a hot grill and in five minutes you are in dining high. And no, bluefish are not a particularly oily fish. If you want oily, eat a false albacore.

Fluke — The bite seems to have shifted north to Connecticut shore from Long Island's. Eric at Westport Outfitters recommends Middle Passage, the shoals and Sunken Island off Fairfield Western shore. Snapper blues — Not many report from the Connecticut side as yet, but some big school were spotted off Long Island's north shore, so it won't be long before they are here. Porgies — Bigger porgies are being caught off Milford and Penfield Reef. Sandworms are the top bait. Chumming is almost a must.

FRESHWATER

Trout — Good early summer trout fishing can be found in the West Branch of the Farmington River and in the Saugatuck, Salmon, Housatonic, and Naugatuck rivers. Thanks to cooler temperatures and a rainstorm on Wednesday, conditions should remain good through the weekend, although storms Thursday may roil the water in some streams.

The return of hot weather predicted for the weekend is not good news for trout fishermen. The Department of Environmental Protection recommends Blue Wing Olive flies mid-to-late afternoon and Pale Evening Duns and Sulphers after that. In the upper Housatonic, Light Cahills and tan and green Caddis are the call for early mornings and evenings. The refuge areas (posted places were cold water tributaries empty into larger rivers) in the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetuket rivers are now closed to fishing. They reopen on Sept. 1.

Largemouth bass — Good to excellent fishing is reported in lakes Housatonic, Lillinoah, Saltonstall Plymouth, Bantam and Candlewood.

Smallmouth bass — Bull's Bridge in the Cornwall area of the upper Housatonic and the Tarrifville areas of the Farmington as well as the Colebrook Reservoir and Highland and Gardner lakes, are all reporting smallmouth action. (Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post).

Captain Morgan, Madison, CT

• Great weather and low humidity kicked off our holiday weekend as one of the best days of summer greeted anglers. Full moon tides brought intense fishing to many lower tidal rivers emptying into Long Island Sound as bait concentrated during a strong ebbing tide. Bunker schools were scattered and those looking for that prime bait had to search.
• Displays of fireworks painted the sky drawing onlookers to the shoreline. Those in anchored boats resembled a disorganized drive-in movie theater until bows gave way to the current. Needless to say, fishing close to these events produced little, however, offshore reefs offered better opportunities for success.
• The eel bite picked up as stripers struck those cast by structure and hit three-way rigs drifted over reefs. Except for smaller, hungry fish feeding on the flats and near mouths of tidal rivers, the best times continue to be predawn and late-day hours. Trolling deeper offshore reefs and shoals is also producing. Pulling 'brellas, trolling daisy chains/lures, and diamond jigging is the way to go. Try a banjo eye, feathered jig, or a grim reefer.
• Bluefish from 4- to 14-plus pounds are packing the Sound and are on tails of schooling baitfish. Gulls can be seen picking the spoils swooping and following the action as anglers try to stay ahead of blitzes. Keeping a top water rig at the ready will pay off as these feeding choppers erupt without warning and shortly disappear moving out of range. Kimberly, Faulkners, and Charles are good spots as are Six Mile and Sachems Head. Look for snapper action to surge as water temps move into the mid-60s.
• Porgy/scup catches remain good with two-pounders easily being caught off Clinton, Madison, and Guilford reefs. Time to get in on scup fever and spend part of a tide hooking into this popular saltwater panfish. En route to your favorite porgy hump, drift for fluke on the front/back side of the tide for a great fishing day combo. Cinder Bottom, Long Sand Shoal, Charles, and Kimberly Reefs are close to scup grounds.
• Ideal weather/water conditions make for very good trout fishing. Flies and natural baits are working best in rivers with deep-water trolling most effective in lakes. Largemouth action has picked up with pike, pickerel, panfish, catfish, crappie, and smallies holding steady. Rig up a Case Crawl, Whacky Jack, or Lil Sweet P for serious bass strikes.

Fisherman's World

• Striped Bass fishing continues to be good in our local area but it is starting to become to be a night time activity (Daybreak, dusk, and rainy days). With the exception of tube and worm fishing which you could do day or night but rememeber most of those fish are small with a few keepers. There have been fish caught on tube and worming in the Westport- Norwalk area. Largest fish this week that we know about is a 41incher caught in the Westport area. Remember the water is getting warm, and for large fish chunk on 80 -100ft of water. For example North-East of buoy 11B, and the west side of 28C, the reef's between Green's Ledge and 28C in deep water. But there are still plenty of bass in 20-50ft of water. Mackeral have been working some days. 3-waying worms at the OB Bouy is also a good spot to chunk fish on the out-going tide ,30-40ft of water. Casting slugos, poppers, swimmers, and other soft plastic, Norwalk
• Islands, fish up to 12 lb 30 inches. Drift with the boat and cast close to shore for blues and bass. Note: large bluefish 20lb 2oz on July 1st by Richard Epstein fishing with his brother Neil. Haven't seen a 20lb blue in the area in 20 years. We hope this is a good sign for the summer and fall. (WICC bluefish tournament) Anybody looking for large blues try the Norwalk harbor. By chunking you will catch bass and blues.
• Fresh bunker is key to bass and blues. They are mixing and can show up at anytime, watch for birds, in the Norwalk, Mid-sound, and between Norwalk and Smithtown Bay.
• Fluke fishing remains consistant. Note to remember: fluke do not bite well, if at all, wind against tide. It is not good to fluke fish with an outgoing tide or vice versa. It is best to fish on nice days not windy days. The best baits have been fresh squid strips in combination with spearing. Also fresh bunker strips, in 20 to 40ft of water. The best spots have been from Cockenoe island to Shefield island on the 30-35ft mark. Also northport and the golf course are still producing fish 6 1/2 lbs this week and 32A off of Stamford has been producing large fish.

Rivers End Tackle, Old Saybrook

• STRIPED BASS- Its on the upswing this week with the bite in the Race and Plum Gut picking up, however the night bite is strongly favored. Locally the reefs from Cornfield to Bartletts have been giving up some larger bass on live bait- bunker, porgies or hickory shad. The bunker have been moving east, New Haven to Westbrook have had very sparse schools of bunker for the past few weeks. The Connecticut River and Niantic have also been tough spots to get bait with the Thames being better. It seems that the usual population of menhaden the we've seen the last few seasons have shifted to the east. If you're set on daytime fishing its time for the tube and worm or fresh bunker. They're betting a few bass from the DEP Piers and Saybrook Point on bait.
• BLUEFISH- The Race, Plum Gut and Pigeon Rip have made a comeback this week for some daytime jigging for medium sized blues. The mouth of the Connecticut River has some mixed sizes including some monsters, mostly on bait for both boat and shorebound anglers. Theres a fair amount of sandeels around this year with smaller blues chasing them near the mouth of the River. Bait seiners have got some 2-3" snappers this week.
• FLUKE- Reports have been generally good all over thats overally generalized but a true assessment. Now its better in some spots than others, the RI Beaches from the Misquamicut and east to Matunuck have been very good with limits and doormats being common. There have also been some very good reports from the southeast waters off Fishers Island. Closer to home Long Sand Shoal, Soundview and the Millstone/Waterford have been good.
• BLACKFISH- Not too many reports this week, its still worth a try at Hatchetts and Black Point if you can get through the porgies.
• PORGIES- Still on the upswing as the schools get thicker. Hatchetts, Hens and Chickens and Bartletts have good populations. Some are being caught from shore at Harkness and Niantic.
• BLUE CRABS- Its been an early and good start to the season. Good sized crabs have been caught in both the Oyster and Connecticut Rivers. (Pat Abate, Rivers End Tackle)

CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #10 7/5

• TROUT: Rivers & streams - Good early summer trout fishing reported from the West Branch Farmington, Farmington, Willimantic, Pomperaug, Salmon, Saugatuck Fenton, Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers and Salmon Brook. Conditions for trout fishing should remain good through the weekend due to the very mild temperatures of the last week plus the much needed boost to stream flows provided by Wednesday night’s rains. However, temperatures less conducive to trout fishing are expected to return next week.
• Farmington River water temperatures are in the mid to high 50’s °F. West Branch flows should remain clear and fishable, currently about 260 cfs at Riverton. The Still River is currently providing an additional 45 cfs. Anglers can expect a temporary release of an additional 50 cfs from the Goodwin Dam (Hogback) for about 7 hours during the day on Friday (7/6). Releases are expect to be at 250-260 cfs for the weekend. There should be plenty of trout in the upper reaches, the West Branch (from Hogback to the upper boundary of the TMA) was stocked with a total of 2,500 brown trout (800 brooks, 1,300 browns and 50 tiger trout) last Thursday (6/28). Hatches/patterns include: Isonychia (#10-12, evening), Blue Wing Olives (#18-26, mid-late afternoon), Vitreus (#14-16; Pale Evening Dun), Sulphurs duns (#16-20, afternoon to early evening for spinners), Caddis (tan #16-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-28, morning) and Hoppers (#10-16).
  
• Housatonic River – Morning water temperatures have moderated, dipping to about 67 °F (in the TMA) after reaching the lower 70’s °F earlier in the week. The river is clear and very fishable, flows have improved a bit due to Wednesday night’s rains, currently 350 cfs at Falls Village and 460 cfs at Gaylordsville. Insect hatches include Alder Caddis (#10-12, afternoon-evening near overhangs), Green/Brown Drakes (#8-12), Sulphurs (#14-16, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#18-26, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#10-12 evening), Light Cahill (#12-14, evening), and tan & green caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening).
  
• Lakes & Ponds – Good trout catches reported from Lake Saltonstall, Colebrook Reservoir, Crystal Lake (Ellington), East Twin Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Wononscopomuc Lake, Highland Lake, Beach Pond, the Maltby lakes and West Hill Pond.
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as good to excellent. Areas to try include Lake Housatonic, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Saltonstall, Plymouth, Bantam, Highland, Quonnipaug, Wononscopomuc, Amos, Billings and Candlwood Lakes, Upper & Lower Moodus Reservoir, the Maltby Lakes, and Ball, Mono, Mudge, Ashland, Batterson Park and Stillwater Ponds.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported at Colebrook Reservoir, Highland Lake, Gardner Lake and Candlewood Lake. Some good river smallie action reported from the Housatonic (Bull’s Bridge to Cornwall area), Shetucket (Salt Rock area), and Farmington (Tariffville area) Rivers.
• NORTHERN PIKE catches reported from Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Bantam Lake (good), Winchester Lake, Pachaug Pond and Ashland Pond.
• KOKANEE are providing some great action at West Hill Pond with many 12-16” fish being caught (trolling beads with corn between 25-30 feet).
• Connecticut River – Although STRIPED BASS are still being taken in the upper river, the majority of the activity is in the lower portion. NORTHERN PIKE catches are reported from many of the coves throughout the river. BLACK CRAPPIE also continue to provide excellent action in the coves.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS are being caught north of Hartford, especially near the confluence of the Farmington River.
• CATFISH (including a 11.4 lb channel catfish) are being taken by bottom bouncing frozen herring & shad (works very well) and cut/chunk bait.
  
• STRIPED BASS fishing for school stripers and HICKORY SHAD is good, especially in the lower Connecticut River (by the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier is very consistent). Other spots include the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Sandy Point in New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor jetties, Housatonic River including Milford Point, the Devon area up to the Derby Dam, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), and Norwalk Harbor including around the islands. Cow stripers continue to be good on the local reefs at the usual spots such as the reefs off Watch Hill, the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor-Charles Island area, Bridgeport Harbor, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, and the Norwalk Islands. Live-lining bunker or hickory shad is the ticket for success.
• BLUEFISH fishing is good throughout LIS. The usual spots include fishing spots include the Race (most consistent spot), Plum Gut, the major reefs and rip areas in LIS, and the tidal rivers and harbors. Smaller bluefish are in the lower Connecticut River.
• SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing remains good at Sandy Point in the Stonington area, lower Mystic River over to Latimer Point, Twotree Island Channel, Black Point, Long Sand Shoal, New Haven Harbor off the breakwaters, Charles Island to Stratford Point, outer Bridgeport Harbor, and off the Norwalk Islands.
• SCUP and TAUTOG fishing is good to excellent on the local reefs.
• WEAKFISH reports are still coming in from the Black Point area, New Haven Harbor to Charles Island –Milford area and off the Norwalk Islands.

Norwich Bulletin

• Freshwater: No one reported any particularly unique or large fish. Bass action is the typical summer time dusk-through-dawn bite, often with a short period of action around midday. Walleyes are most active under low-light conditions, with one neighbor reporting his brother caught an 1 1/2-pounder one night a couple of weeks ago from Gardner Lake. Walleyes that are pushing 20 inches or more are now present in Coventry Lake, Beach Pond and Mashapaug Lake.
• Striped bass: They are literally being caught along the entire coast at the moment with some real monsters in the 40- to 60-pound range being reported between Madison and Newport, R.I. Most of the larger fish have dropped out of salt ponds and the upper portions of coastal rivers, with the Thames River being an exception.
• Bluefish: Action continues to build as inshore waters heat up for the summer. No one was talking about any specific monsters lately, but all the shops from Newport to River's End on the Connecticut River are hearing about large schools of small bluefish with the occasional bona fide 10-pound plus chopper in the mix.
• Fluke: On Sunday I had the pleasure of finally fluke fishing with a fellow outdoor writer, Keith Reynolds, that Fisherman Magazine readers will know. We made a huge circle around Fishers Island into Waterford, then hit various spots from there to the Mystic River, where he keeps his boat. We caught fish every place we made a drift, but didn't kill them anywhere in particular.
• Scup/porgies: This year is starting off with excellent catches of jumbo porgies coming in from many areas. Most of the people we talked to this week were reporting fluke and striper numbers.
• Bait: There are still reports of menhaden, but in smaller numbers in the lower Connecticut River and the Thames River, with Narragansett Bay still holding the largest concentration of this primary food source for top end predators.
• Crabs: On Monday I saw my first crab while peering off a dock in the Mystic River. I was tempted to jump in and grab the darn thing, but it might have been a tad short.

The Day New London

• Hot weather is threatening to have the fish, especially stripers and fluke, scurrying for deeper, colder waters, and the fishing, both freshwater and saltwater, into the summer doldrums. In no way does that mean there are not plenty of fish to be caught.
• It is just that the tactics for hooking them require a bit more imagination. Live lining bunker, bottom fishing with baited jigs in deep water and iincreased flyfishing and spinning at night fishing are all good ways to do an end run around hot weather blahs. A good blast of cooler air could liven things up, however.
• SALTWATER: Striped bass — If the number of large bass being weighed in at regional tackle stores is any indication, the stripers did not get the hot weather memo. The BH (Bridgeport Harbor) Buoy and buoy's 18 and 20 have been yielding some pretty impressive fish, mostly on chunks. Again, chunking from jetties and from boats is the top choice when pursuing large linesiders.
  
• Gulf Beach and Charles Island are still, if not hot, warm.
• West Haven sandbar has coughed up some decent catches.
  
• In the Westport/Norwalk area, good bass fishing can be had at the spot where the Mill Pond empties into the Sound. Where there's bunker the bass are likely to be there, too.
• Bluefish — It is not that the blue fishing is slow exactly. It's just small. Blues in the 4- to 6-pound range are all over and a lot of fun as they smash small surface poppers and plastic baits. Larger blues are feeding on top on bunker schools flats off the coastal audubon center in milford and in milford point have had a stead pick of lively on.
• Fluke — It's getting to be a broken record, but if it's keeper fluke you are looking for, a trip to Long Island's north shore is still the place to go. One trip Wednesday produced a limit of keepers to six pounds in and around buoy 13. There were more released small fish that keepers but patience pays off.
• Porgies— The porgies season is just getting under way rolling with some good catches off Milford and off the golf course in Westport. Chumming is a must.
• FRESHWATER: Trout— Anglers are reporting good trout fishing in rivers and streams with a brisk flow of clear water, says the Department of Environmental Protection. So far the heat wave has not put the fish into hiding.
  
• The Farmington above the trout management area should have good to excellent fishing for the holiday weekend.
• Lake Candlewood and Bunnell's Pond in Beardsley Park have been yielding nice fish. Water temps in the Housatonic are near 70. Streamer flies are doing the most damage both mornings and evenings. Watch out for storms that will roil the waters.
• Largemouth bass — A number of lakes and ponds are reporting improved largemouth fishing this week. Lakes Lillinonah, Zoar and Bantam are doing well.
  Smallmouth bass Squantz Pond and the upper Housatonic have tons of these aggressive hitters. Try them on a fly rod with almost any brightly colored concoction in your box.
• Calico bass — Silver and Highland Lakes are producing some of the fish, as are some of the upstate laves and reservoirs. by Charles Walsh, pub Connectict Post)

(Tim Coleman, TheDay)

Noreast.com, Western Sound 7/1

• Western sound anglers fought through some tough tides and weather this week, but we still saw some very nice fish as a result of their efforts. Captain Chris from the Island Current Fleet reported an exceptional night of fishing on Thursday evening. “The whole week was decent, but Thursday it busted wide open with almost 20 keepers and a 30-pound striper taking the pool,” Chris said. Steve Henry and his group from Poughkeepsie had a ball jigging up some quality bluefish at the mouth of Hempstead Harbor earlier in the week. Father Mike and his group also did well on the bluefish, then switched over to fluke and landed some very nice fish off Peacock Point. John Cekack also had his party out for bluefish and fluke with everyone bringing some fillets home for the table! The porgy bite started slow this week, but things really heated up going into the full moon. Center Island has been producing some very nice scup. Captain Chris still has some room for the Flukemania Smackdown coming up, so don’t forget to give him a call. You can also book the Island Current Fleet for your own private charter, just call Captain Chris for details.
• John from Glen Cove Sports reported a huge influx of school bass and bluefish that range from 1 to 10 pounds, which anglers are having a ball catching on light tackle right off the local beaches. It also seems like the fluke have invaded the local points, and they have been taking everything from bucktails to bunker chunks! The porgy bite has also picked up a little, but the fish seem to be scattered with all the bluefish around. Charlie (a shop regular) fished clams off Pryibil Beach and landed a “mess” of porgies to 16 inches. Fred D. also did well fishing Pryibil, landing 3 fluke to 21 inches on squid and spearing. Louis Dillard hit the trifecta with a bucktail, landing a 3.12-pound fluke, 8 bluefish and a 20-pound striper! Rick Rydzewsik and his son Joseph (age 12) fished squid and spearing off Oak Neck and landed a bunch of shorts, a 3.25-pound fluke and a 5.11-pound fluke! Mike Mandorno drifted chunks in mid Sound after marking some fish, and landed 4 bass to 20 pounds. James Frazier chunked up a beautiful 28.2-pound striper while fishing the north side of Morgan’s Beach. Joseph Niemczyk and his son Kamil chunked up Kamil’s first bass ever, it just happened to be a 43.2-pound fish! Most of the bigger fish have been showing up at dusk and dawn, especially going into the full moon. Don’t forget to stop in and see John for everything you need for the Flukemania Tournament that is right around the corner.
• Captain Tim from the Northstar II reported on some erratic porgy fishing this week. “With all the bass and bluefish around, the porgies seem to be holding up further to the east,” Tim said. Bayville and Oyster Bay are still holding some quality fish, but Tim has also been hitting Eaton’s Neck and Lloyd’s. The bass and bluefish have been cooperating with Captain Tim; it’s the weather that’s been giving him a bad time! If you’re looking for some great western sound action, just hop aboard the Northstar II and enjoy!
• John at Jack’s B&T weighed in the biggest fish of the week on Thursday, it was a beefy 42-pound striper landed by Bobby McMurray off Hempstead Harbor on a fresh bunker chunk. Joe Perelli also did very well this week when a 35-pound bass inhaled his chunk off Execution. There are plenty of bass and bluefish stacked up off Hart’s Island, Execution and Hempstead Harbor. “The bite started two weeks late this year and now we are starting to see things really bust open,” John said. The porgies still have a stronghold on Bayville and Oyster Bay, with a few fish starting to show up off Matinecock and 32A. The fluke bite is very good right now, but it’s been a little tough to catch your limit. “We are seeing plenty of last year’s keepers being thrown back with this new limit,” John said. John has all the bait and tackle you need to catch the monster fluke that will win the Flukemania Tournament, so stop in and see him so you don’t get shut out!
• Captain Joe from Moontide Charters enjoyed a great day of fluking on Friday off Matinecock. “We had six keepers to 22 inches with a bunch of short fish,” Joe said. This was his first fluke trip of the year and Joe was very encouraged by the flurry of activity they saw. The bass and bluefish are still holding outside of Hempstead Harbor and the bunker are finally starting to get nervous in the morning and evening. There was also a good bite off Hen’s and Chicken’s outside Larchmont, which was producing some very nice fish. Captain Joe is available the weekend of the Flukemania Tournament, so give him a call to fish the tourney on a great boat with a great captain!
• John Knight from Hudson Park B&T was happy to report that the bass bite continues in the western sound! “We had some great action going into the moon, with plenty of bass and some alligator blues starting to show up,” John said. The back of Manhasset has been producing some very nice fish on artificials, especially at dawn and dusk. The porgy bite slowed considerably, coincidentally as soon as the bigger bluefish started making an appearance. The fluke bite is hit or miss right now, with some anglers doing very well off the points, then returning the next day with nothing to show for their efforts. Stop in and see John to find out where that winning fluke for the Flukemania Tournament will be caught. If anyone knows it’s John!
• Captain Steve from the Molly Roze was happy to report that he had the best week of striper fishing this season! “The bite just got red hot on Tuesday, and stayed hot for the entire week,” Steve said. The best fishing was off Mamaroneck, Hempstead and Matinecock. There are also plenty of bluefish of all shapes and sizes in the mix, which can make for some interesting nights. The porgies have been holding off Oak Neck and Bayville, with fish to 16 inches not uncommon. The fluke fishing has been very good, especially off Peacock Point, Matinecock and Hempstead. “The fluke fishing would be unreal if we still had last year’s limits,” Steve said. Steve is available for the Flukemania Tournament, so give him a call to book the tournament winning Molly Roze!
• Captain John Marino from American Sportfishing Charters was out hammering away at the bass again this week. John was in the middle of a trip so he gave me a quick rundown for the week. There are plenty of quality fish holding under the bunker schools. If you don’t see any action in 15 minutes, pick up and move. Live-lining with the schools has been producing the bigger fish. If you are looking for more action, tie on a popper or swimming plug toss it toward any point, rip or piece of structure and hold on to your pants! (Craig Koproski)

Noreast.com, Western, CT 7/1

• It seems like the reports for the week are starting to sound like a broken record, where the same news keeps coming in over and over and over again. But it is hard not to shout from the rafters, especially since this is probably one of the best bass fishing seasons of recent memory. In essence, everybody is catching stripers, and blues, and fluke, and porgies, and anything else that is inclined to jump on the hook, and this week has been no different.
• Chris Fulton of Stratford B&T in Stratford has echoed the same sentiments about the state of the fishing season and to prove his point explained how he weighed in the fish of the week at 2:30 a.m. (yes, that is pretty early in the morning) when Keith Covotos came calling with a 54-inch, 42.8-pound bass that he took on a bunker chunk at the BH Buoy. At first, Covotos thought he had his first 50-pounder ever, but while the fish had the length to support the weight, it just did not have the girth, not to mention an empty stomach. Milton Santos was on the troll in the Connecticut River with a tube and worm where he promptly hooked a 21.04-pound striper, while Ed Goodwin resorted to dragging bunker spoons in 40 feet of water at Middle Ground where he caught a 41 and 31-inch bass. Kevin Cornell resorted to the conventional chunking method at Buoy 18 where he used bunker to catch three stripers to 20 pounds. Bob Coyole picked up a 20-pound bass in New Haven Harbor where he was fishing with bunker chunks. And then added several bluefish to the mix, along with a 3-pound fluke.
• With all that is going on with bass and blues, anglers should not forget to register for Nor'east.com's Flukemania Smackdown Tournament taking place on July 14 and 15. There is $20,000 in guaranteed cash prizes and the entry fee is $25 per angler. There is a $500 bonus to the first place winner to the angler that is a Noreast.com Club member. The winner will be decided by heaviest weight of one fluke measuring 20 inches or longer. For more information, call the hotline at 1-866-610-2246.
• At Bobby J's in Milford, Jason Jadach had good news about the fluking in the area and said that the mouth of the Housatonic River is producing well. Pat Devine had a nice day there and caught seven keepers to 7 pounds using squid on a small bucktail, while Carl Schneider also fished the mouth of the river for 10 keeper fluke to 5 pounds using the same bait. Joe Gilbert joined the growing crowd for five keeper fluke to 5 pounds using squid and killies on a 1-ounce bucktail. Al Day also did well at the river with three keepers to 3.5 pounds, also using squid and killies on a 1-ounce jig.
• Brian Karchman of Ted's Bait in Bridgeport did not have much action on the saltwater side but did talk about the excellent largemouth bass fishing that is taking place at Lake Mohegan. Frank Garfano cashed in on that news and worked buzz baits for a 4.90 and a 5.10-pound largemouth bass.
• At Westport Outfitters in Norwalk, Eric Johnson said the near shore fishing continues to provide fly and light tackle enthusiasts with good action for schoolie bass and small bluefish. Anglers are catching fish up to 22 pounds using bunker chunks with areas up and inside the mouth of the Saugatuck River on the incoming tide producing nicely. A 34-inch bass was taken there by Nick Randme. Sand eels are still the main food source for shallow water stripers and bluefish and there are plenty of adult bunker in Norwalk Harbor, with a few fish pushing them around at daybreak and at dusk. There are some very large, 25-30-pound bass taking chunks in the vicinity of Can 2.
• At Fisherman's World in Norwalk, Nick Massaro had a mixed bag of results with good shore reports as he spoke of Jason Bernstein catching a 22-pound bass at Calf Pasture Beach on a bunker chunk, while Nick Randamere nailed a 15-pound striper at the mouth of the Saugatuck River, and Dave Redford took bass to 40 inches with bunker chunks at Fairfield Beach. Scott Martin cleaned up on the fluke at Norwalk Island where he used a squid and bucktail combination to catch 14 fish to 24 inches, while Kevin Valachi made the trip to West Atlantis and was rewarded with a 60-pound bigeye tuna while drifting chunks at night.
• Armen Borgus of Hiller's Hunting and Fishing in Norwalk said that the bass action is still solid around the islands and that 2.5-pound porgies and blackfish to 7 pounds are being taken on the shoals. Mark Hiller traveled a little further south to the Cows where he floated some chunked bunker for a 30 and a 35-pound striper.
• At Sportsman's Den in Cos Cob, Mike Noyes said that the fluke fishing is really picking up at Todds Point and Hen and Chickens with fish to 4 pounds the norm. Squid strips and spearing are the ticket to get these flatties to rise and take the bait. Andy Lyons left the fluke alone to pursue stripers and caught a 36-inch bass on a pencil popper while fishing at Matinecock Point. He also landed several bluefish to 10 pounds. John Windus, along with the father and son team of Jay and Austin DeStanik, fished mid Sound with pencil poppers where they caught 30 bluefish between them.
• Vincent Mirizio of Fish Tales in Stamford had a few good reports, starting with Louie Marroquin catching two blackfish, both 19 inches at the Hopson Street Pier using clam strips. Phil Vincoli was fishing in 40 feet of water in Stamford Harbor with bunker heads and caught a 36.1-pound bass, while Henry Alexandre hit Dolphin Cove for a 30.5-inch striper that inhaled a clam strip. Jason Monet had a big day trolling tube and worm at Rye and caught four bass to 28 inches and four bluefish to 25 inches. Francisco Ordonez took a 38.5-inch striper with a bunker chunk at Cobblestone Reef, while Kenny Byxby and Gene Barry teamed up for five bass and four bluefish that they caught at Porgy Reef using bunker chunks. (Rob Caluori).

Noreast.com, Eastern CT, 7/1

• Fishing over the first half of the week was slow for most anglers as a sharp cold front passed through the region which was immediately followed by a heat wave. When we experience fluctuating patterns like this, it is common to experience a slow bite. All we need now is to settle into a consistent pattern of weather and the bite will most assuredly improve. Judging from some of the late week reports, it appears we are on the cusp of a rebound in the action.
• In Old Saybrook, Pat from River’s End Tackle declared the action slow, but was hopeful of a strong bite leading up to Independence Day. “Bassing has been slow for most of our customers. Some folks are still picking up some good sized fish drifting chunks at the mouth of the Connecticut River, but the numbers continue to dwindle. There appears to be existing pods of bunker in this location, so not all of the bass have decided to leave the area yet.
• “There are some big bluefish around and a few are tipping the scales at 15-plus-pounds. Anglers are catching a lot of striped bass dragging the tube and worm near the mouth, but most fish are small. Southwest Reef, a hot-spot for many over the past couple of weeks, even saw the bite slow leading into the weekend. There were a couple of anglers who scored a half dozen bass in the 30-pound class later in the week, but overall it’s been sporadic at best.” On the fluking front, Pat described the action as “democratic” – meaning everyone is getting their fair share, but nothing extreme.
• Pat offered his personal theory on the bite as related to the full moon. “The trend over the past year has been that the fishing is slow on the front side of the full moon and better action on the back side, so we’re expecting improvement by the holiday.”
• “Trusty Lou” from Hillyers Bait and Tackle also described the first half of the week as slow, but the action improved leading into the weekend. On Friday, a customer arrived at the shop sporting two fat bass that tipped the scales at 36 and 26 pounds. Both fish were caught at Bartlett Reef drifting eels before sun up. On Thursday, a local charter nabbed two 30-pound bass at The Race near Valiant Rock. Black Point continues to hold a nice pick of 30-34-inch striped bass, with some larger fish mixed in, while Millstone has become a gathering spot for 3-4-pound blues and schoolie bass. Hatchet’s Reef, just south of the red can at the drop-off has been a great location to chunk bunker for big bass. There are loads of huge porgies between the bridges in Waterford that have measured out at an amazing 17 inches.
• On the fluke front, many customers are reporting a better keeper-to-short ratio. It appears these anglers are utilizing bigger baits to discourage the smaller flatties from taking their offerings. Sarah’s Ledge has been hot, the red can near Goshen Reef, and the Ruins are all highly productive.
• In Stonington, Bill from King Cove Marina and Outfitters said there was no shortage of fish in the eastern-most part of the state. On Friday, near Watch Hill Reef, Kevin McCarthy, the owner of King Cove, ran into hordes of feeding bass and had a ball catching a nice mix of bass from 25 inches to the high 30-inch range. The fish were apparently feeding on sand eels.
• On Friday, a 25-pound bass was weighed in by a customer who was fishing the same area as Kevin. Stonington Harbor is still loaded with a nice mix of small to large bass and medium sized choppers. The inner and outer breakwalls have been a fairly popular spot to chunk up some bass. Sandy Point continues to hold a motherload of sand eels, which has garnered the attention of the bass and blues.
• Fluking has been very good along Misquamicut and Isabella. During the second half of the week, there were numerous fluke caught exceeding the 20-inch range. Bill explained the anglers “in the know” are doing very nicely with keeper fish, so he knows there is still a nice pick of flounder for the taking. If Misquamicut or Isabella is slow - which is highly doubtful unless you experience a terrible drift or poor weather - try giving Latimer Reef a shot and you won’t be disappointed. (Roland St. Denis)

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• Inshore we continue to have much success with the Sand Eels still in abundance but we do say that they are on the decline, so get out there while the getting is good before this bait disperses and our resident fish move to deeper waters and we have to break out the sinking lines. Sunday night we guided “Nat” from Maine on the flats and young Patrick got him into a bunch of blues and bass including a keeper striper off of Westport on a small sand eel epoxy fly hand tied by our own Pete Viviano, Jr. Good fun on the 8wts!
• Bunker schools were definitely in abundance in the Norwalk/Westport area over the weekend and early into the week. Continue to try and drift with these schools hopefully to find bass underneath. These fish still have yet to see the type of pressure that is typical at this time of year. Looking back to our reports from last year during this same time period, we already had juvenile snappers being pounded on. Although one of our scouts did see some small schools of snappers across over in LI last week, they have yet to show themselves on this side yet. At this time last year, the resident stripers had also begun to stack up on some of our local reefs, ideal for trolling tubes. We have yet to see this occur as of yet either, but get them trolling rigs ready and don’t forget about our seasonal pre rigged trolling combos with lead core.
• Saturday’s charters did well locally with stripers up to 30 inches on light tackle using Crystal Minnows and Rebel Jumpin’ Minnows. With the fireworks on deck for Tuesday we did not fish but were back at it on Wednesday. Despite what the fish probably thought was the end of the world on Tuesday night, Captain Chris managed a fat 37 inch fish on chunks outside of the Islands and then ventured back out for Fluke Wednesday afternoon. The fluke bite has definitely moved across the sound to our side. Try Middle Passage, the shoals, as well as around Sunken Island in Fairfield. No need to run across at this point, so save the fuel money and come on down to stock up on some hard baits and leaders since Mr. Bluefish is definitely making his presence more known recently.

TheDay - It's The Season For Fluke

• Large porgies can be caught right from shore between the Niantic bridges plus around various navigational markers in Niantic Bay. Hickory shad move in and out of the river along with a school of bunkers that arrive one day then disappear for the next two or three tides.No big bass were weighed in the last few days, said Richard at Hillyers Tackle, but he did see fluke on the scales, including a real doormat of 13.14 pounds caught by Krista Rokicki of Hebron off Misquamicut on a rig consisting of two bucktail jigs each sweetened with a strip of squid.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut took his wife out for a day of successful fluke drifting on Sunday at various spots off Weekapaug and Charlestown. The next day he used live bunker on the Watch Hill reefs for three stripers from 15 to 25 pounds plus two blues. In the morning he fished a 30-foot section of gill net to get bait in a local river. While waiting for bunkers to hit the net, he and his partner cast snag hooks to pass the time. Besides adding a few bunker to the live well, Al's friend managed to snag a 10-pound bluefish with the snagger.
• Capt. Don's in Charlestown said medium and large scup are on most any rockpile between Watch Hill Passage and Fresh Pond Rocks. Tautog season reopens in Rhode Island waters Saturday. If you arrive off Quonny Breachway at first light you might be able to catch hickory shad with a small lure and light rod then use then for striper bait off the rocks east of the breachway or maybe the outer reef at Charlestown.
• Surf anglers, some of them from Connecticut, caught small blues and schoolies between the Fire District Beach and Blue Shutters at sunrise on some mornings, very little on others.
• Capt. Al Anderson has yet to make an offshore trip for sharks, saying the weather has been keen against such plans ever time he's been scheduled to go. The water off to the east is very, very cold, even for sharking. It's been much better from 30 fathoms south of Block Island over to the Butterfish Hole.
• Bass charters to the North Rip and southeast corner of Block Island produced over 100 bass total tagged and released along with bluefish; all caught trolling small tubes on umbrella rigs meant to imitate all the sand eels in the water. On the Saturday evening trip they found the North Rip solid with bass the whole four hours, seeing lots of surface breaks and ending up with 28 stripers caught both casting and trolling.
• Fluking has been good and steady, said Don at King Cove Outfitters in Stonington. He rated the south side of Fishers as better than running to Rhode Island, saying the latter spot has a much higher ratio of short to keepers as of this report. Striper fishing was productive for the steadies on the Watch Hill reefs, trolling parachutes jigs on wire line or weighting a whole, live bunker and drifting it near the bottom in many of the deeper holes between the reefs.
• Joe Gilbert went out for fluke and returned on two consecutive trips with keeper fluke along with three nice sea bass per outing. Small blues and schoolie stripers can be caught at sunrise from shore from Stonington Point over to East Beach. The catching though is up and down, fair one day, very little the next time.
• Capt. Allen Fee was minding the store at Shaffer's Marina when I called. He and his wife fished off the Pink House on Tuesday, settling for three keeper fluke but lots of shorts. Porgy numbers are good to excellent for both rental boats and slip customers at many of the rocky humps from outside the Monastery to the Napatree Point bell. Striper numbers were down the last couple days from previous weeks said Allen.
• Bob's Rod & Tackle advised all readers in small boats to try for keeper fluke on either side of the Thames River before running down to Rhode Island. Bunkers are in the Thames, keeping bluefish in the river along with some keeper bass. Find the bunkers and the fish will likely not be far away. Blackfish were caught on crabs and worms around the rocky haunts on either side of the Thames River mouth.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat is like clock work with his e-mail on the fishing since last report. The daily bluefish trips have been “excellent” and the bass numbers “not too shabby either.” The afternoon fluke outings produced both sizes and numbers past what they expected said Brad, one of the trips so good they came close to limiting out on keepers. Biggest fluke of the week was 8 pounds with quite a few close to that and the biggest striper of the week, 17 pounds caught by Eric Westerly of Brewerton, N.Y.
• Capt. Jack Balint took time wrestling with some boat gremlins to tell me the bass numbers dropped down from what they were. The best catching was three-waying with 1-1/4 to 1-1/2-ounce bucktails. He recommended Seaflower or the east end of Fisher Island in 40 to 60 feet of water for fluke this coming weekend. Blackfish were landed off Junk Island and the school of bunkers in the Thames continues to hold bass to 40 inches and some big blues as far at times upriver as Norwich. The fishery is attracting a following said Jack, adding they are selling dozens of snag hooks per day in his tackle store.
• Capt. Kerry Douton at J&B Tackle said their charter boat is catching lots of blues in The Race and bass at times though they did have to deal with some slow periods due to very weak tides. You should be able to locate keeper fluke from the entrance of Niantic Bay over to Two Tree channel. Sharking is good right now off Montauk with lots of blue sharks though very few makos at this time.
• Canyon fishing is slow to sporadic, many holding back until firmer news comes in due to the high price of fuel needed to make the long run. A few bluefin were sighted on shark drifts off Montauk but nothing yet to plan a day around. (by Tim Coleman, org. published by the Day)

The Fishing Line

• Striper fishing has improved throughout the Sound with most of the popular reefs and shoals becoming productive, while anglers also have good catches both on bait and a variety of artificials fishing from shore.
  
• Tidal rivers are now seeing more schools of baitfish, so are good light action spots. Larger migratory stripers are starting to show up in a number of areas, as well as fluke and bluefish.
• Porgie season opened up June 1st and blackfish (tautog) season on June 15th, while the winter flounder season is now closed.
• For the largest fish, western CT shops are still sending boaters westward to New York around Hempstead, Cold Spring Harbor and Captain's Island in Portchester for stripers and Pt Jefferson / Mt Sinai for fluke.
  
• Eastern CT anglers can also shoot over to RI from the Watch Hill Reef to Pt Judith and Montauk where the striper and fluke fishing has been very good.
  
• Remember, if you fish NY waters for fluke that the state law is 19 1/2 inches, not 18 as in CT.

Captain Morgan, Madison

• Hooded sweatshirts and slickers were pulled from lockers to greet this early chilled windy morning. Bouncing along the shoreline in search of pods of bait was the chore at hand—and this day it was a chore. Spot after spot revealed little or no activity—echoes void on the screen as though it red-lined.
• Wind blew from the northwest, driving bait from most unprotected rivers or forcing it too far north. When a couple of blips appeared, fighting an uncontrollable drift just to haul a few pieces amounting to less than a quarter tote made for a long few hours of night fishing. Certainly, this was to be a momentary glitch in the routine and hopefully, a temporary one.
• The next couple of nights produced similar results—bunker popping up here and there, but nothing amounting to much. As the waters settled from recent stormy conditions, more fish appeared in the rivers and then, without warning, menhaden exploded driven by feeding fish below. Hauling gave way to a live-lining foray intended for some hungry cow at the bottom of the pile.
• These fish were big—in the 30- to 40-pound range—and eager to take free-swimming bait. It was dark, cold, and noisy as massive tails slapped the water, bait fleeing in all directions. All fish were released except the rat of the pack destined for the table. Baitfish strewn about, the cockpit looked like the deck of a trawler before it had been picked. Some bait for the next trip (and the next rip), a hardy wash down, everything stowed and almost everything was back to normal—whatever that is. Different—but a good trip, nevertheless.
• Fishing Reports:
• Crisp mornings set off this weekend from hot humid weather just a few days ago, but wind was a factor. Pre-dawn summer temps were in mid- to high 40s reaching mid-70s at day's end. Now that the Sound is calming down, more bait schools are showing up but aren't staying put for any length of time before popping up elsewhere. Bunker has been spotty but plentiful enough in the Sound to draw bluefish and keep stripers content. Once temperatures rise, menhaden schools will thicken.
• Striped bass fishing has been excellent with most local reefs holding fish. Six Mile has been good for trolling while Hatchett's, Cornfield Point, Southwest, Faulkner's, Brown's, and the Beacon have been attracting drifters. Pre-dawn has been striper time with many cows succumbing to live bait, chutes, and T/W's while the shoreline and tidal rivers have seen steady daytime schoolie action.
• Birds are working the surface more often as schools of blues blitz. Explosive action can be found at the turn of the tide when rip lines develop and baitfish are flushed and become disoriented. Chunks are readily being taken down below while top-water plugs are being chopped and hooks straightened. Light action rods are providing exciting action near sluiceways, along tidal flats, and in rivers.
• Fluking is really picking up along the Connecticut coast with a few trophy fish being caught near tidal inlets, back bays, and coves. By the time Nor'East's Flukemania rolls around on July 14 and 15, fishing ought to be prime. Register at Captain Morgan's for the shop contest and Flukemania's shot at the $10,000 first-place prize for the biggest fluke caught.
• Scup is in full swing as more porgy anglers are setting up on reefs. Two-pound fish are taking soft baits and exceeding minimum size limits of 10 1/2 inches is not difficult. Most popular inshore reefs are now active with hungry porgies that are even taking to drift rigs. Head for Faulkner's and other local spots for some good action. Although not as consistent, tautogs from 8 to 10 pounds are being boated. Jetty fish, however, are biting with catches in the four- to six-pound range. Several near-shore reefs are also producing good catches.
• Easy flows are making trout fishing the rivers quite manageable both for fly and spin anglers. Note that the Shetucket, Housey, and Naugatuck thermal refuge areas are closed until Sept. 1, 2007. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths. Largemouth bass fishing is varied with Quonnipaug, Cedar, Pattagansett, and Moodus being good spots to try. Try the Shetucket and Gardner for smallies and the newly stocked lakes/ponds for channel cats. (Captain Morgan, Guilford Courier).

On The Water Magazine

• Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: A great way to hedge your bets this time of year is to plan a combo trip. A great example of this is off the south shore of Rhode Island, where you can drift for doormat fluke up to 8 pounds, and when the sun gets close to the horizon, switch over to trolling or baiting-up stripers up to 40 pounds. From shore, try casting plugs for bluefish by day, throwing live eels or needlefish plugs after dark. If you are heading offshore to look for bluefin tuna, be prepared to do some sharking before you head in if there’s no sign of tuna in the water or on the radio.
  
• Warming waters are slowly changing the fishing scene, but for the most part the fishing remains excellent in Rhode Island waters. According to the report from Saltwater Edge in Newport, Narragansett Bay is warming up, and that means some of those big bass that have been sticking around feeding on pogies in Upper Narragansett Bay for the past few weeks are sliding out into deeper water. This could mean a pick up in the nighttime surf fishing around Newport and Narragansett in the coming week if you’re targeting areas near deeper water, and it should mean more big bass on the reefs off Newport. Beavertail, Brenton Reef and off Sakonnet Point area already reported to be coming alive with some decent bass. Target deeper waters and concentrate your fishing between sunset and sunrise for best results.
• According to On The Water Insider Thom Pelletier at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown, fluke fishing is good around Newport and Jamestown, but it’s excellent along the south shore. Good numbers of 4- to 6-pound fluke were reported off Matunuck and inside the center wall at Point Judith. Fluke are mainly in deeper waters, think 40 feet or deeper, and shore fishermen have been mainly taking shorts so far. Fluke rigs with squid strips are the preferred method for most. Dogfish have become an annoyance, especially for fluke fishermen working around Block Island. The Point Judith Lighthouse and the Center Wall also have lots of eating-size scup holding tight to structure.
• Thom had a few reports of good freshwater fishing. Windy afternoons on the ocean and an increase in fishing time for out-of-school anglers means that the ponds and lakes are seeing some interest from bass masters. Fishing is still good, but may get tougher with steamy daytime temperatures and summertime sun warming waters very quickly.
• Mostly schoolie bass and small bluefish at Black Point in Narragansett, said Mary at Maridee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett. Some bigger bass have been reported from the Narrow River, and using bucktails with squid or pork rind and targeting deeper water has been a successful technique to find bigger bass lately.
• In Charlestown, Capt. Don at Capt. Don’s Bait & Tackle has reports of good-sized striped bass being taken from the breachways at night by anglers fishing the top of the tide, mostly with natural bait such as live eels, bunker, or chunked bait. Bluefish, mostly small but with a few bigger ones mixed in, are also common along the beaches. Boat fishermen are catching bass by trolling tube-and-worm rigs along lobster pot lines, which typically mark rocky drop-offs. Fluke fishing remains good to excellent according to the reports Captain Don is hearing, with squid and mummichogs producing over hard bottom in 40 to 45 feet of water.
• Striper fishing out on Block Island is fantastic by all reports, with bass in the 40-pound range hitting on the beaches and taking needlefish plugs, live eels and chunked squid. John at Twin Maples Bait & Tackle reported that sand eels are abundant, and the Coast Guard Channel has been a great location for light-tackle and fly-anglers to go after bass from 26 to 40 inches using sand eel imitators. The southeast corner of the island seems to be producing the biggest bass, from Old Harbor Point to Black Rock Point. If you head out to Southwest Ledge to fish for stripers, be sure that you are within the 3-mile limit. According to Captain Don, the environmental police have been flagging boats fishing for stripers out at the Submarine Area and the western portion of Southwest Ledge. It is illegal to target striped bass in these federal waters.
• Sharking south of Block Island offers the surest offshore action right now for “blue dogs” and the occasional thresher or mako. You only need to go out as far as the Mud Hole for sharks, and there have been reports of bluefin tuna there as well. Jennie’s Horn and Ryan’s Horn have produced sharks and bluefin in the past week.
• From The Fish Connection in Preston comes word that bunker, bass and bluefish are thick around the mouth of the Thames River. Live-lining bunker or soaking chunks below the bluefish is a good bet for stripers. The Race is loaded with stripers hitting diamond jigs, but there are a lot of sub-legal fish for every plus-28-incher. Black Point has given up 30- to 34-inch stripers before sunset, Bartlett Reef has some big bass, and the Millstone discharge has bass and some big blues, which have been spotted chasing hickory shad in the early morning.
• Lou at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford said that fluke can be found in about 50 feet of water along the Misquamicut Beach area of Rhode Island, which is where Krista Rokicki caught a 13.4-pounder. Nice fluke, Krista! Isabella Beach on the south side of Fishers Island is red hot for fluke. Scup are thick among the rocks, and some of them are in the 15- to 18-inch range.
• Captain Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle in Madison reported more inshore action on blackfish from rock jetties. Sea worms may make better bait right now, but with all the scup around you’re better off using green crabs. Blues and stripers are around, mainly where the bunker are located. Find bunker and you could find stripers in the 40- to 50-inch range. Live bunker make the best bait, but live hickory shad will take trophies as well.
• Farther west in the Sound, sand eels are the main bait that is dominating the fishing scene. The stripers are keyed on the sand eels, providing the best action for light-tackle and fly-fishing anglers who can imitate the green-hued eels. From Fishermen’s World in Norwalk came a report of larger stripers in the 20- to 25-pound range being taken on live bunker and chunked bait outside of the Norwalk Islands. (Kevin Blinkoff, On The Water).

Norwich Bulletin

• Striped bass: The word is from Captain Bob Veach of Right Hook Fishing Charters, who books out of the Fish Connection and co-owner and charter Captain Jack Balint: "You've got to be on the fish -- but it can be real good." Eric Covino of Playing Hookie Charters said they have been averaging 15 to 25 fish per trip with three to five keepers.
• Fluke: Captain Don Cameron of Captain Don's in Charleston, R.I., Fish Connection, Shaffer's and everyone else we've talked to this week indicate that the fluke fishing is as good inside Long Island Sound as it is along the Rhode Island Beaches and Fishers Island.
• Bluefish: As the heat of summer takes over, bluefishing will only improve. There are big numbers of bluefish in along the northern Rhode Island shoreline and fish of all sizes being caught in local waters and around Fishers Island.
• Scup/porgies: Most fishermen are targeting fluke, stripers or bluefish, but anyone who has trouble finding and catching fluke for the dinner table can head to a nearby reef, rock pile or channel marker and catch porgies, some jumbo fish of more than a pound.
• Blue crabs: Last week Balint said a customer reported catching a few keeper crabs from the Thames River and this week Pat Abate of River's Edn in Old Saybrook said the lower Connecticut River and Oyster River are both producing fair numbers of keeper crabs.
• Freshwater Trout: After a week of hot, sizzling weather, trout fishing will drop down another notch as warm waters will literally par-boil any trout that can't find cool waters in which to hide for the remainder of the summer.
• Bass: Bass are now in their summertime feeding patterns, which means excellent fishing during the approach of storms with that drop in barometric pressure, temperature and reduction in light.
• Pike: Pike follows the same scenario as largemouths this time of year. When it rains and the pressure drops, these fish come out to play. During hot, bluebird summer days they can be tough.
• Walleye: There have been a few fish caught at Gardner Lake recently during the night bite and fish into the low 20-inch range reported from Beach Pond and Coventry Lake. (org published by Norwich Bulletin)

Rivers End Tackle Old Saybrook

• STRIPED BASS- This was the week for bass fishing to slow up a bit. Theres been some good sized bass in the lower Connecticut River but not a lot of them. Its slow fishing but chunkers and live bait fishermen have got a few bass up to 40 pounds over the past week. It seems like a new batch of bunkers have seeped in over the the last 2 days. Niantic has few bunkers but some hickory shad. The Thames River has a load of bunker and some jumbo bass to go along with them. Schoolies are running along
• the Old Lyme- Old Saybrook Shoreline succumbing to tube and worm during daylight and casters getting a few during low light. In general its time to switch to summer mode with the best daytime action being
• live/fresh bait or tube and worm. The Race has been slow the last few days with nights better than days. I suspect that will improve on the downside of this moon.
• BLUEFISH- Theres some blues in the lower River running from 2 to 15 pounds with the latter being rare but reported this week. Fresh chunk bait has been the best producer for both shore and boat fishing. Jigging has produced some good results at Plum Gut and Pigeon Rip, mostly on the flood tide.
• FLUKE- Fluking seems very democratic, with some fluke being spread out fairly evenly. The only place the numbers seem larger is along the RI South Shore. Theres been a good pick of fluke at soundview and a bit better off Millstone. The 80' plus waters off Waterford and Old Lyme are producing fewer but better sized fluke. The official keeper / short index for this week is 1 in 10.
• BLACKFISH- Some good catches were reported in the shallower waters of Hatchetts, Bartletts and Cranes Reefs.
• PORGIES- They're getting better this week as more reports are coming in from anglers trolling tube and worm and getting live bait. The best reefs to try are Hatchetts and Southwest. (by Pat Abate, Rivers End Tackle).

Rivers End Tackle Fishing Report

• STRIPED BASS- Some good sized bass have settled in on the local reefs. Big bass are hitting large live baits on Hatchetts, Bartletts, Cornfield and Long Sand Shoal. Bunker has been the bait of choice with some catches on hickory shad and porgies. The bunker have been spotty in the Connecticut River and most of the local estuaries. The usual drifts in the Race have been producing with moderate sucess.
• Southwest and Six Mile Reefs have had bass for bait drifters and trollers. School to medium sized bass have been hitting on the surface at the mouth of the River a few evenings this week. Tube and worm trolling has been effective with mostly schoolies along the Old Lyme to Waterford run.
• Shore fishing has tapered off at the DEP Piers with best results coming at dark with bait. Hammonassett State Park has had schoolies on the beach most evenings. Theres been schoolies along the Old Lyme beaches at or near dark hours. Reports from the RI beaches has a pick at the breachways.
• BLUEFISH- theres mixed sizes of blues at the Mouth of the Connecticut River from one to three feet long but theres no concentration of them. Pluggers are getting a few most mornings and evenings along Great Island, chunkers are getting more consistent results. Long Sand Shoal has had some big choppers for chunkers. The Race and Gut have a fair run of blues hitting diamond jigs.
• FLUKE- Reports are pretty even with medium sized fluke with an odd doormat coming in from Greenport, Montauk and Fishers Island. The numbers are not so great with the fish spread out fairly evenly. There have been some limit catches this week from Black Point and The Millstone area. The Soundview area has been producing less than limits.
• BLACKFISH- A few good catches were heard of at Hatchetts and Black Point.
• PORGIES- Reports got a lot better this week at Hatchetts, Bartletts and Cornfield. (Pat Abate, Rivers End Bait & Tackle, Old Saybrook)

CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #9 6/27

• TROUT
• Rivers & streams – Anglers are reporting very good fishing. The water is very clear with excellent flows and water temperatures remain cool despite the recent heat wave. The conditions don’t get any better than they are right now. At this time of the year bait fisherman are finding corn/mealworm combination to be very productive. Expect rainbows to be in the faster water.
• Farmington River is 54°F with 304cfs of clear flows. Isonychia (#10-12, evening), Blue Wing Olives (#18-26, mid-late afternoon), Sulphurs duns, (#16-20, afternoon to early evening for spinners), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-28, morning), Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings) are successful patterns. Try bottom-bouncing nymphs in the riffles. Good to excellent fishing can be expected in the Farmington River above the TMA for the upcoming holiday weekend.
• Housatonic River – Water temperatures near 70°F with 375cfs of clear, low flows. Some predicted thunderstorms for later in the week may impact temperature and clarity. Insect hatches include: Alder/Zebra Caddis (#10-12, afternoon-evening near overhangs), Green/Brown Drakes (#8-12), Sulphurs (#14-18, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#18-26, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#10-12 evening), Light Cahill (#12- 14, evening), and Tan & green caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening). Midges and stoneflies are located at the mouths of streams. Streamers (morning & evening) are catching some large fish. Golden stonefly (#6-10) nymphs hatch at first light and adults egg-lay after dark.
• Lakes & Ponds – Many of our lakes are still producing good trout fishing. Lake McDonough, East Twin, Highland, Crystal (Ellington), Alexander, Candlewood, Wononscopomuc and Amos Lakes, Beardsley Park, Stratton Brook Park, Chatfield Hollow, West Hill and Black Ponds are all reporting good catches of trout.
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing has improved this week with a number of lakes reporting good to very good fishing, including a 6lb 4oz fish from Crystal Lake in Ellington. Other lakes reporting good to very good catches include: Lakes McDonough, Lillinonah, Zoar, Saltonstall and Housatonic, Moodus Reservoir, Amos, Candlewood, Highland, Maltby, Wononscopomuc, Bashan, Tyler, Beseck, Bantam, Waramaug, Billings, Indian, Cedar and Rogers Lakes, Mono, Ashland, Dog, Manitook, Ball, Glasgo, Mudge and Pachaug Ponds.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Lakes Lillinonah, Housatonic and McDonough, Highland, Candlewood and Bashan Lakes, Squantz Pond, Housatonic (lots of fish), Naugatuck and Farmington (Tarrifville area) Rivers.
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good at Bantam, Winchester, Hopeville and Ashland Lakes and Pachaug Pond. Good
• WALLEYE fishing being reported at Lake Saltonstall, Squantz Pond, Saugatuck Reservoir and Saugatuck River.
• KOKANEE SALMON are being caught at West Hill Pond at 35-40’ of water.
• CALICO BASS fishing has picked up in Silver (Berlin) and Highland Lakes, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir and Dog Pond.
• Connecticut River – some STRIPED BASS up to 29 lbs are still in the upper river. Most of the fish have moved out. Fish are being caught on sand worms and using chunk bait. The main effort is at the mouth of the river where anglers are using plastics and poppers for bigger fish.
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is good and catches are reported in Haddam Meadows area. Good numbers of SMALLMOUTH BASS are being caught in the upper portion of the river near the mouth of the Farmington River. CATFISH are consistently being taken on frozen herring & cut/chunk bait.
• STRIPED BASS fishing for school-size stripers and HICKORY SHAD (especially in the lower Connecticut River) in the tidal rivers continues to be good. Fishing spots include the usual places: Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Hamburg Cove and around Calves Island in the Connecticut River including the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier down to Great Island and to the east breakwater, Sandy Point in New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor jetties, Housatonic River including Milford Point, the Devon area up to the Derby Dam, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), and Norwalk Harbor including around the islands. Cow stripers are on the local reefs at the usual spots: the reefs off Watch Hill, the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Milford Harbor-Charles Island area, Bridgeport Harbor, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, and the Norwalk Islands.
• BLUEFISH fishing is good throughout LIS with fish ranging in size from about 2 to 14 lbs. Bluefish fishing spots include the Race (most consistent spot), Plum Gut, the major reefs and rip areas in LIS, and the tidal rivers and harbors.
• SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing remains good at Sandy Point in the Stonington area, lower Mystic River over to Latimer Point, Twotree Island Channel, Black Point, Long Sand Shoal, New Haven Harbor off the breakwaters, Charles Island to Stratford Point, outer Bridgeport Harbor, and off the Norwalk Islands.
• SCUP and TAUTOG fishing is good to excellent on the local reefs.
• WEAKFISH rumors have been reported off Black Point and New Haven Harbor to Charles Island – Milford area.

Stripers, Blues, Fluke, Scup - They're All Here!

• Lockers and bait wells secured, the last line slipped from the dock cleat. This was going to be a two-tide day and knowing that, the menu was varied. All hands were busy on deck rigging rods and terminal gear–something normally done in advance–but this was a last minute “grin and grab” trip.
• From pre-dawn to well after sunset, tides hit just right. Flood in the early morning and evening and ebb in the middle making for a multi-specie trip. Nets were cast upon departing, partially filled, and then hauled, carefully separating the menhaden from the mesh.
• A half a tote of fresh bunker and a short bucket of eels covered the bass and blues with some well-worn plugs for top water action should that occur. Squid was on board for a little mid-day porgy and fluke action–sea bass if the “hump” was right–and a few sandworms should trolling a tube fancy someone.
• Heading straight for a not-to-distant reef to live line bunker was the plan. Straight to the bottom the first one went before the nervous darting action began. Then it surged toward the top in an effort to escape the vacuum of a “cow” bass. Too late as the rod dipped to the water line and below. The hook was set once, twice, three times and the fight was on. “Fish on” and now both rods were in play.
• Within an hour, bluefish surfaced and the bass bite suddenly stopped. A massive feeding frenzy was underway as bunker broke the surface fleeing from the jaws of charging blues. Muscles strained while scales flew and mouthfuls of partially digested fish were coughed up. There was a flurry of activity during which blues fought each other for any lure cast in their direction.
• Battle worn anglers looked at each almost afraid to ask “What's next?” Before anything else was said, bluefish outfits were exchanged for fluke'n gear. Not much action at the top of the tide but after a little scup action, a few keeper fluke were put in the box when the tide flipped.
• As daylight melted, we thought eels were going to be the ticket. It turned out that more bass were attracted to bucktails and porgy's. Although a few linesiders took snakes, most were returned to the holding tank. On the way in though, several smaller stripers took a liking to a T/W in shallow water especially, when doused with scent. And that's the way it was, this late spring fishing trip.
• On the Water
• A great Father's Day weekend, except for short end of the day thunderstorms, saw fishermen out on the grounds. Even after brief bouts with the weather, schools of bluefish blitzed the surface as the tide began to flood. Cool weather morphed into a very comfortable day before yielding to tropical conditions. It was definitely a day to be on the water.
• Striped bass was the word as anglers hit the FLW trail looking for a pair of slot limit, keep-alive fish to capture the $10,000 purse plus any contingency bonuses. Fishing was hot as more than 50 percent of teams weighed in 863 pounds, 10 ounces of fish. Team For Net (Michael Monteforte) nailed first place with 36 pounds, 9 ounces, Team Porgy Pine (David Roessler) captured second with 34 pounds, 11 ounces, and High Hook (John Tarutis) took third with 33 pounds, 12 ounces. Last year's Connecticut winner, Team Tara Ann (Paul Santa Barbara) came in 12th (26 pounds, 14 ounces) and Team Keephers last year's overall FLW champions (Matthew Fleisher) logged 16th (24 pounds, 12 ounces).
• Late spring striper fishing has been excellent throughout the Sound especially since 40-inch-plus fish entered. Tony Prifitera of Guilford caught his 42-inch linesider trolling an umbrella rig at Six Mile Reef at the beginning of the flood. Most popular reefs and shoals have been productive while anglers fishing from shore also had good catches both on bait and a variety of artificials. Tidal rivers remain good light action spots many of which are now seeing more schools of baitfish.
• Twelve to fourteen pound Blues are taking chunks and jigs at Southwest, Kimberly and Faulkners with bass firing up in the early AM and later in the evening. Charles Reef is showing a mix while Goose/Duck Islands and Kelsey breakwater has had some tog action. Large porgies are showing up around Faulkners, Charles and Southwest. Good catches of fluke have been occurring in thirty feet of water or less during both tides while snappers along with blue crabs have shown in the tidal creeks. There have been great tides for the Madison/Guilford clammers hindered only by some heavy downpours. (Captain Morgan, Shore Publishing).

The Advocate - Fishing As summer takes off, fishing heats up in area waters

• As I write this column the official meteorological start of summer is just two hours away. But don't tell Connecticut anglers. Fishing in Long Island Sound has been so hot and the water so filled with hungry fish that it's felt like summer for weeks.
• The biggest fish caught last week was a striped bass that measured a huge 52 inches. Richie at Rudy's Tackle Barn reported that Nimo Cambareri caught the 46-pound cow while fishing off Captains Island.
• The next largest fish was boated by Derek Donofrio, who caught a 4-foot sandshark while fishing off Tod's Point. The large bottom feeder grabbed a bunker chunk.
• Also doing well at Captains Island last week was Frank Depietro, who caught a nice 36-pounder on a chunk of bunker.
• Shore fishermen are also doing well in Westport. Nick at Fisherman's World reported Mike Bach caught a 45-inch, 32.12-pound linesider while fishing at Compo Beach. The huge bass was taken on a live bunker. Bach also caught a very large trout recently. While fishing at the Saugatuck Reservoir he landed an 11.5-pound Seeforellen brown trout. He was using a Krocodile lure.
• While trolling off Captains Island Brian DeRosso caught a couple of stripers with the largest weighing 23.4 pounds. DeRosso was trolling a spoon.
• Mike Noyes at Sportsman's Den said his customers are doing very well in local waters. Matt Igoe brought in a 43-inch linesider that he caught while fishing in Greenwich waters. The big fish weighed 38 pounds and was taken on a live bunker.
• Robert Fong boated a 41.66-pound striper while trolling the mid-Sound off Greenwich. He was trolling a green bunker spoon.
• Gary Feighery fishes almost every day . . . and he catches fish every day. Last week he caught and released lots of striped bass while fishing the waters between Stamford and Greenwich. His largest fish measured 43 inches and weighed 28 pounds.
• Dr. Francisco Montano, Francisco Alcon and Manuel Portas spent a quality day fishing off Greenwich. They boated six stripers measuring between 31 and 40 inches. All were taken on bunker chunks.
• Dale Denio caught a 31-pound striper in the mid-Sound. No other details were available.
• Paul Mocciola used a bunker chunk to catch a big bass off Bell Island. The fish tipped the scales at 30 pounds.
• Mark and Austin Sichling found a school of hungry stripers at Greens Ledge and they caught several linesiders weighing between 20-23 pounds.
• George Scala cruised to the New York side of the Sound where he caught and released 10 striped bass. The fish were caught east of Matinecock, L.I. Scala was using bunker chunks for bait.
• Sam Hayes and Sam Arciola did well fishing in Bridgeport Harbor. Arciola landed a striper that weighed 33.2 pounds while Hayes reeled in a 26.2 pound striper. All were taken on bunker chunks.
• Pat Bruno Jr., 7, showed his father, Pat Sr., the proper way to fish for striped bass. Pat Jr. landed a 33-inch, 17-pound linesider from the shore at IBM in Stamford. The savvy young angler was using clams for bait.
• Pat Bruno Jr. should get to know Julia and Jonathan Miller. Julia and Jonathan are 7-year old twins and they are also expert anglers. While their father, Pete, took notes, they caught four stripers measuring up to 31 inches. They were fishing at Wilson Point in Norwalk and using bunker chunks for bait.
• Perhaps Pat Jr. and the Miller twins should get to know Natalie Kulis. Natalie, 5, is also an expert angler. She recently caught a 36-inch, 18-pound striper while fishing with her dad, Keith, and her Uncle Ricky. There were drifting bunker chunks at the Stamford breakwater.
• Phyllis and John Crimmins had a couple of good outings last week. On their first trip they caught six stripers while fishing at the Stamford Cows. Then on Saturday they took out Melinda Menhaden and Andrew Dillinger. Birthday boy Andrew caught the largest striper of the day, a 41-inch bass that weighed 28 pounds. When all was said and done they had six keeper stripers. All of the fish were taken on bunker.
• Ted Lionetti caught a 37-inch bass while fishing at the Stamford breakwater. That fish weighed 171Ú2 pounds and was taken on a piece of bunker.
• Freddie Bonilla landed a 30-inch linesider while fishing from Shippan Point. He was also using bunker chunks.
• Cummings Beach was also a good place to fish last week. Using bunker for bait, Roberto Pagan caught a 28-inch bluefish and a 36-inch striper.
• Paul McFarland caught a pair of 28-inch stripers while fishing off Cummings Beach. They were taken on bunker chunks.
• Vinny at Fish Tales Bait and Tackle said Philip Vincoli has been busy fishing his secret spot off Stamford. Vincoli consistently catches some nice stripers there and last week he landed a 36-pound, 10-ounce linesider while live lining a bunker.
• Henry Alexandre caught a 31-inch striper while fishing from the shore at Dolphin Cove. He used clams for bait.
• Capt. Jason Monet had a great fishing trip last week. While trolling a tube and worm combo he caught four stripers measuring up to 28 inches and four bluefish weighing up to 10 pounds. He was trolling off Stamford.
• Francisco Ordonez found success while fishing at Cobblestone Reef. Using fresh bunker for bait, he caught and released a couple of linesiders. He kept one fish that measured 381Ú2 inches.
• The team of anglers known as FranknWayne had a good day fishing off Greenwich. Frank Wasco and Wayne Sorbo boated six stripers weighing up to 25-pounds using bunker for bait.
• Louie Marroquin caught a pair of blackfish while fishing from the shore at the end of Hobson Street in the Shippan section of Stamford. The fish measured 171Ú2 and 19 inches. Marroquin was using Asian crabs for bait.
• Joe Pease cruised over to Oyster Bay for some bottom fishing. Using squid and spearing for bait he boated five keeper fluke. (Martin Armstrong, Stamford Advocate).

Connecticut Post Fishing Report

• QUICK CASTS — Phil Grabowski of Stratford caught a 29-inch, 9.5-inch walleye fishing a Rapala swimmer in Lake Saltonstall last week. John Allen of Ansonia took a catfish of 20 inches on a lure, and Dolores Bonisch of Milford caught a 24-inch, 5.4-pound walleye using night crawlers.
• -The DEP reminds anglers that the thermal refuge areas on the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers are now closed to fishing and will reopen on Sept. 1. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths of posted tributaries to these rivers.
• FRESHWATER REPORT Trout: Water temperatures are still low enough to provide good fishing in many areas, including the Housatonic and Farmington rivers. Largemouth bass fishing is variable. Some good reports came from Candlewood Lake, Ball Pond, Billings Lake, Wononscopomuc Lake, Cedar Lake, Babcock Pond, Mono Pond and Pattagansett Lake. Mixed reports from East Twin Lake, Lakes Housatonic (fair action, all small fish), Lillinonah and Zoar, Bantam Lake (although a 7.5-pound bass reported among the catches)
• Smallmouth bass action was reported good at Candlewood Lake, Gardner Lake (some action, mostly smaller fish), Mashapaug Lake, Squantz Pond (mixed reports, but smallie fishing is starting to pick up). Some good river smallmouth action reported from the Housatonic River, also some catches reported from the Farmington in the Tarrifville area.
• Northern pike fishing is reported to be good at Pachaug Pond. Other places to try for pike include Bantam Lake, Quaddick Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow and Winchester Lake. Catfish fishing should be good in the newly stocked catfish areas.
• Try Bunnell's Pond in Bridgeport, Black Pond in Middlefield/Meriden, Lake Wintergreen in Hamden, Quonnipaug Lake in Guilford, and Maltby Lakes 2 and 3 in Orange/West Haven.
• Walleye fishing in Squantz Pond reported to be slow (although an eight-pound walleye was caught there). (by Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post).

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• The near shore fishing continues to provide fly and light tackle enthusiasts with good action for schoolie bass and small bluefish. We have had reports from shore anglers catching fish up to 22 lbs. as well using bunker chunks. Areas up and inside the mouth of the Saugatuck River on the incoming tide have produced some very nice fish all weekend including a 34 inch keeper bass by local angler Nick Randmer on Monday.
  
• Sand eels are still the main food source for shallow water stripers and bluefish and there are plenty of adult bunker in Norwalk Harbor with a few fish pushing them around at day break and at dusk. Fly fishers should try chartreuse/white clousers, epoxy sand eel imitations and olive/white deceiver patterns while fishing the shallows. We have just taken in some sweet new sand eel patterns hand tied by the one and only NJ native Peter Viviano, so be sure to come down and see what they have been hitting.(be sure to read Pete’s contributed article at the end of this report).
• Although the word is surely out about the spectacular fishing at the Mill Pond, despite large crowds on the weekends, it continues to fish quite well during the week after the crowds disperse. In fact, one of our scouts this week got spooked by a 40+ inch fish hunting the shallows at night which caused him nearly to jump out of his waders. The GULP sand eels that have been producing all month have just gotten better with an even more life like CAMO color that we just brought in. We prefer to fish these on a 3/8th oz. jig head with a very slow but jerky retrieve…hold on!!! Spin fisherman are doing well with small Yozuri Crystal minnows and the small Stillwater poppers. Now is a good time to consider using wire tippets and/or bite guard as bluefish are around in a variety of sizes from 12-30 inches. If you've got a lot of patience you still have a shot at a cow live lining and chunking outside the Norwalk Islands and around the deeper rip lines.
• We have received reports of some very large 25-30lb fish on chunks off of Stratford in the vicinity of "Can 2" if you are willing to make the run. There are still fish migrating but the water is warming up fast with 90 degree temps these past 2 days. The larger fish that migrate from the Chesapeake area should have all the reasons to stick around the Norwalk/Westport area with the abundance of bait that has been present, let’s just hope it sticks around. Need some action for the kids? Drop some Porgy rigs and some Westport Outfitter’s sandworms on our local rock piles and you will be sure to get that bend in the rod to put a smile on their faces.
• Across the pond in LI, one of our captains had nearly 20 bass up to 20 pounds fishing around the outskirts of the power plant in the shallows Tuesday afternoon. The crew also ran into some sleeping blue fish in the 15-16lb class that believe or not were running away from plugs and sub-surface lures (now that’s a first). We have been saying it now for a month, but now is the time to get out.
• If chunking and live lining is your fancy, we now have some of the freshest bait around including bunker (don’t forget the custom live lining rigs we make here). If all else fails, try flat lining some chunks which was responsible for several fish in the 20 lb class over the weekend. We have yet to see the fish really settle into the reefs, so we have put the T&W rigs at the back of the bag for now. However at the time of this report our scouts Matt and Steve had bagged a 41 inch fish inside of the islands using this technique (see homepage or below "Fish On" photo). The fish are here, so throw the kitchen sink if that is your method; the percentages are surely on your side.
• The inland lakes like Candlewood, Lillinonah and Zoar are fishing well for very large smallmouth bass using spinner baits and deep diving crank baits. Fly fisherman can get in on the action using large clousers with rabbit fur strips and also fly rod poppers just before dark. Largemouth fishing is going well also near points in the lakes. Pike have settled into their summer patterns and are holding in deeper water in Lake Lillinonah. Try 3 waying large suckers or pond shiners for the pike that are suspended in water up to 50 feet deep. Trout fishing is slow in most areas due to low flows, but the Farmington is always a good bet in the heat of the summer as the cold water flowing through the bottom of the dam keeps this fishery active all year long. If you are headed up that way, be sure to bring the gear!!

Projo Fishing: HotBytes

Outside, on Long Island Sound, large bass have settled in on the reefs, reports Pat Abate of Rivers End Tackle in Old Saybrook, Conn. "Big bass are hitting large live baits on Hatchetts, Bartletts, Cornfield and Long Sand Shoal. Bunker has been the bait of choice with some catches on hickory shad and porgies. The usual drifts in The Race have been producing with moderate sucess. Southwest and Six Mile Reefs have had bass for bait drifters and trollers." (Tom Meade, Providence Journal)

Connecticut Post - Fishing report

• Just how good the fishing is this week depends on who you ask. Some bait-and-tackle shop owners are bubbling with enthusiasm while others say things have slowed. When this happens the best thing anglers can do is venture out to find out for themselves.
• One observer on the positive side is Eric at Westport Outfitters, who declared in his usually reliable fishing report: "Our local inshore fishing is ON FIRE! Fly and light tackle fisherman are having one of their better seasons in a while with many of our outflows and estuaries providing numerous schoolie bass and keeper bass as well with some concentrations of bluefish in certain areas." An unusually high number of dogfish catches are being reported. This toothless shark rarely grows larger than four feet long but can put up a mighty fight on light tackle.
• Striped bass — Fishers throwing bunker chunks from jetties and from boats are doing well, taking many keepers from Gulf Beach and in the waters behind Milford's Charles Island. Jason at Bobby J's in Milford reports that one customer took 10 keeper bass (28 inches and longer) in two trips. The mouth of the Housatonic has slowed markedly for both bass and blues, but a couple of dedicated fly fishers reported take near-record sized sea robins while wading the sandbars in front of the Audubon Coastal Center this week. Bridgeport anglers are finding the striper fishing running hot and cold. One night a trip will yield lots of big fish the next nothing.
• Bluefish — Blue fishing seems to have died, at least temporarily, in the Bridgeport area. Anglers looking to hook up with small- to-medium-sized choppers should try walking out on Pennfield Reef where the blues are energetically chasing rubber shad, surface poppers and almost any hunk of hair and feathers in the fly box. For boasters cruising off Burial Hill Beach in Westport has been successful.
• Fluke — New York waters off Long Island's north shore are still the best bet for fluke.
• Weakfish — Very few reports of weakfish. What catches there are come mostly from New Haven Harbor.
• Trout — Trout fishing slowed this week as water temperatures began to rise, but there are still lots of stocked fish in the usual rivers, ponds and lakes. The upper Housatonic is reported to be low and warm. The best action comes before dark. Adler hatches are slowing down, but Cahills are plentiful at dark. (by Charles Walsh, Connecticut Post). 6/22

TheDay.com - Locals Joining The 50-plus Fraternity

• We have some big bass in our waters, said Matt at Hillyers Tackle. Since last report they weighed in 40-pounders and a 51 caught by a 16-year-old angler on an eel at Bartletts Reef. Matt joked the young man might now spend the next several years trying to better that outstanding catch.
• The Race is full of blues on some days making it harder to catch a daytime striper there. Blackfish were caught, but Matt expects that fishing to wane in the next few weeks as the summer heats up and fish move to colder water. Porgies are moving into the rock piles in the bay, especially the bell buoy at the bay entrance.
• Fluking reports were up and down, the most consistent fishing going to the steadies who put in 4-5 hours per tide, often finding good action for 45 minutes of that time. Shore anglers landed some keeper bass between the bridges at night when the boat traffic was down and a few blackfish from the shore.
• Our largest bass of the week came in Tuesday said Bill at King Cove Outfitters. Bill Gardiner of Mystic put a 56.4-pounder on the scale, location and method unknown. In the early morning the light tackle boats are finding sand eels between Sandy and Stonington Points, catching smaller stripers and blues feeding on them on fly and spin tackle.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut got a reliable report about two 50s landed in one trip by the same angler on live bait from the Watch Hill Reefs since last fishing report. Bunkers are proving much tougher to find now, pushed around the tidal rivers by school of smaller blues. He made a trip by himself on Wednesday, fishing the reefs in pea-soup fog for eight stripers, all “smaller” fish by live bait standards.
• Capt. Don's Tackle in Charlestown weighed in 35-40-plus pound bass during the weekend and week, most caught on large, live bait. Small blues and schoolie bass can be caught from the Quonny Breachway and nearby sand beaches at sunrise and after dark on small plugs and lead heads.
• Capt. Jim Beardsley took out a trio of 80-year-old fishermen off Quonny who landed 17 keeper fluke plus shorts, all on live mummies. Scup are around the breachway rip-rap, hitting best on small pieces of worms when the tide isn't running hard or slack water.
• Capt. Al Anderson found the north rip of Block Island full of bass and sand eels on his Monday trip. They landed about 60 stripers (10 keepers) trolling parachute jigs on small, graphite trolling rods. Boats trolling umbrella rigs totaled many more blues than stripers.
• Offshore, most of the blue sharks and some threshers were caught at 40 fathoms or beyond. The water off to the east is still very cold for most type of offshore trolling or even sharking.
• Cheryl at Shaffer's Marina said they weighed in a 45-pound striper on Sunday morning, location not known. Shore anglers are buying eels to fish after dark from the Fishers Island beaches.
• Over the weekend the better fluke catches were made by people on the water from 5-10 a.m., those generally going east of the carousel at Misquamicut in 50-70 feet of water. After that it seemed like the chances for landing only throwbacks increased by a wide margin. Among the better fish were doormats of 7 and 8.4 pounds by Steve Shred Nicki and a 6.8-pounder caught by Juana Brown, both from Preston.
• When the boat traffic is light, you might find keeper fluke around Gates Island and the mouth of the Mystic River, the latter spot on a weekday was where Ned from Brewer's Yacht Yard had two keepers on his last trip.
• Bob's Rod & Tackle said locals are out trying for blackfish along the Thames but getting on small ones since the season reopened on June 15. Live or chunked bunker is still the best way to land a nicer bass or bluefish along the river. Anglers on a budget found keeper fluke off Groton Long Point and Sarah's Ledge, saving money by not running all the way down to Charlestown, R.I.
• Over at the Fish Connection, Joe Balint heard about some 20-25-pound stripers caught in Norwich Harbor from under bunker schools and smaller bass down the river. Scattered fluke were caught inside the Thames as far up as the Montville boat ramp. The shoreline from Ocean Beach over to Groton Long Point has keeper fluke and throwbacks. Some locals cane back from the south side of Fishers Island saying they caught only sand sharks and skates.
• Crabbing has started up; best catch to date were 30 blue claws landed in traps during the day in Poquetanuck Cove. Porgies are moving into the rocky humps just outside the light at the mouth of the Thames.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat called it an excellent week of fishing with blues cooperating and nice sizes to boot. Big fish of the week though was a 15.8-pound striper caught by Alan Arken of Granby, beating out some of the larger blues. The evening fluke trips were good to very good with biggest around 24 inches.
• Capt. Kerry Douton over at J&B said their charter boat is getting lots of blues on some of the trips, not so many on others. If you want keeper fluke closer to home, look around the entrance to Niantic Bay over to New London.
• The Star Island Shark Tournament was won by a 300-plus-pound thresher, and Jeff Ross, a Connecticut resident, took the prize for biggest blue shark. Overall sharking is ongoing but to date the only bluefin reports were from outside on the edge on the continental shelf.
• Bunkers were very, very hard to find for striper bait said Mark at River's End. On Sunday six people set small gill nets in the lower Connecticut River but only two bunkers were caught in all combined. Lots of little blues were chasing bait on top at the river mouth on Tuesday. Casters caught schoolie bass along the river edges but almost all were at sunrise or very late in the day.
• The first smaller blue crabs were caught in nearby creeks. Porgy catches are slowly rising at Hatchetts and some keeper fluke are off the Old Lyme beaches along with lots of shorts with today's new higher minimum sizes. (Tim Coleman, The Day).