On The Water Magazine CT Fishing Reports

Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: Upper Narragansett Bay is still producing large stripers, with some large bluefish mixed in. I said this wouldn’t last, but it has. If you haven’t made it there yet, go. If you have, go again. Fluke fishing is excellent throughout the region, so go while the going is good. Huge scup are in several spots, such as Watch Hill and Niantic, and are worth seeking out not only because they are a treat to catch, but because they make for a delicious presence on the dinner table. You may want to consider a bit of trout fishing - recent rains and cool nights will provide what may be the last chance before the “dog days” set in for the summer. If you are in the Danbury area, a shot at some post-spawn smallmouth bass seems like a fun day, but do it before the fish begin to scatter.

• Moving to Connecticut waters, Rennie at The Fish Connection in Preston reported that the striped bass in the Thames River have moved downriver, and are clumped up most heavily in the area from Trading Cove to the submarine base. The bunker moved down, so the bass relocated too. Fishing from shore is pretty good, particularly from any of the bridges. Topwater action is becoming more common in the evenings, making for some exciting angling. Mixed in with the stripers are some rather big bluefish, so be prepared. Rennie reported good fluke fishing, with areas around Gales Ferry, Ocean Beach, Seaflower Reef and Intrepid Rock all producing very nicely. It seems the fish are moving into shallow water. Blackfish season opens soon, and incidental catches by anglers suggest this could be an excellent season. Some very large bass, and some very large bluefish, are turning up on the east end of Fishers Island. The bass are littered with sea lice, suggesting they are newcomers from southern waters. The Race has been producing striped bass for anglers fishing diamond jigs. Inland, Rennie said that trout fishing is slowing some, but the Shetucket River is still fishing rather well. Pachaug Pond is producing some pike, and Glasgo and Long ponds are producing largemouth bass. Avery and Glasgo ponds are the places to look for calico bass, according to reports Rennie received.
• Inland a bit, Steve at Mike’s Bait & Tackle in Voluntown reports that much of the area is in a slowdown as the water warms and the trout fishing slows. However, the water is still not warm enough yet to have the largemouths turned at full power. Largemouth bass are starting to come alive though, particularly in some of the shallower ponds, where rubber worms and white mice patterns will go far to inspire some action.
• In the Waterford region, Sean at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford reports that fluke angling is good, particularly in deeper waters off Black Point; Millstone Point also is producing well. Some keeper fluke are now being taken off local beaches from shore. Isabella on Fishers Island is still a best bet if you have a boat. Bluefish and striped bass fishing is also picking up, with Bartlett Reef, The Race and Hatchett Reef all being top producers over the past week. Sean reported that for whatever reason, huge scup have moved into the Niantic River between the bridges, making for some very intense and exciting fishing. A 2-pound fish is not uncommon, and sandworms are heading out of the shop and into the river at a rapid pace.
• At the eastern end of Long Island Sound, bigger stripers and bigger bluefish are moving into nearshore areas, beaches and reefs, according Capt. Morgan at Capt. Morgan’s Bait & Tackle in Madison. Bunker are settling in the area as well, and drawing in the bigger fish. Evening “blitzes” are beginning to pop up here and there around the area. Eels are becoming the bait to fish, particularly during darkness. Bigger bass are also turning up in the rips, such as out around Falkner Island, for instance. It seems like summer truly is arriving in our waters. Capt. Morgan also reported good fluke fishing, with 30 feet of depth being a good starting point. The area south of Falkner Island has been particularly productive.
• Chris at Stratford Bait & Tackle in Stratford reported that fluke fishing has remained about the same over the past week, with good-sized fish coming from the New Haven Harbor area, and out of New York waters. Scup angling is off to a very slow start in the Stratford area, but hordes of sand eels have invaded the region, particularly in the mouth of the Housatonic River. Fish are not far away from this mess of food, and fly anglers are doing pretty well with appropriate patterns. Bigger stripers are being found in Bridgeport Harbor, and around buoys 18 and 20, where good numbers of bass in the 25- to 30-pound class are being taken regularly. Some jumbo blues are mixed in, as well. Inland, the Saugatuck Reservoir is still producing some nice trout, and an 8-pound brown came from those waters over the weekend, according the Chris.
• Eric at Westport Outfitters in Norwalk just returned from fishing the salmon fly hatch in Montana, and while he’s still dazed from some incredible trout angling, he managed to divulge some information on local fishing. Sand eels are all over the place in the Norwalk area, while bunker seem to have made a sudden exit to the east. The sand eels make for exciting angling, and epoxy-head flies (pink and green by day, black at night) produce lots of stripers, though mostly school fish. Yes, there are lots of small blues around, so just to be sure that any fly you toss into the water doesn’t stay there very long. If you really have a hankering for some fast-action, light-tackle fishing to smaller blues, then Eric suggests heading over to the Mill Pond area, where the true challenge will be to toss out an offering and not catch a bluefish.
• Inland, John at Valley Angler in Danbury said that Lake Candlewood is “smallmouth heaven” at the moment. The post-spawn fish are clumping up on the points, and for anglers seeking them out, the action is intense. Squantz Pond is still producing good numbers of good-sized walleye; fish to 5 pounds are not uncommon for anglers targeting that species. Trout fishing has slowed considerably in Candlewood, according to John, though Ball Pond is still producing lots of trout. John reported excellent conditions for fly anglers in the Housatonic River, with water levels and flows about as good as it gets, with good hatches of alderflies and light cahills providing some exciting dry-fly action. (Alan Desbonnet)
  

Rivers End Tackle: CT Fishing Reports

• STRIPED BASS- Action this week has been mixed with results dependent on bait. If you had live or fresh bait and hit Long Sand Shoal, Hatchetts, Southwest, some of the smaller local reefs or the Race it was a likely score. Sizes are running just around keeper plus or minus. Dawn or
• dusk casting at the lower Connecticut River produced scattered results. Theres bunker in the Lower River but not the numbers we saw in the latter part of last summer. Branford and west has a good body of menhaden.
• The Watch Hill Reefs haven't had a lot of action this week but Block Island has been good as has the upper reaches of Narragansett Bay.
• Bait fishers are still getting some mixed sizes of bass from the DEP Piers and Saybrook Point with fresh bunker or hickory shad.
• BLUEFISH- The lower Connecticut River still has some good plugging early and late in the day and fair bait fishing the rest of the time. Long Sand Shoal has some good sized choppers for chunkers. Southwest Reef, Plum Gut , Race and Pigeon Rip have had mixed results this week for
• blues.
• FLUKE- Generally good fluking this week when the weather permitted a good drift. We've been getting some of the best reports in a few years from Long Sand Shoal and Soundview off Old Lyme. The River has some decent fluking when the traffic allows. The south side of Fishers and off
• the RI Beaches has had some excellent reports.
• BLACKFISH- Yesterday was opening, day no reports yet.
• PORGIES- No great scores but some scup coming from Bartletts, Hatchetts and Black Point(Pat Abate)

USS Menhaden

Norwich Bulletin: CT Fishing Reports

• Stripers: Mixed reports ranging from spotty to incredible fishing have been coming in from all fronts. Most shops, particularly along the Rhode Island shoreline to Narragansett Bay are seeing increased numbers of stripers in the 30-pound range. Captain Don's in Charleston,R.I. weighed a 50.6-pounder last weekend.
• Fluke: Anglers are actually taking limits of 1 1/2-inch keepers on the south side of Fishers Island and along the Rhody Beaches where there's a 19-inch minimum length. Connecticut waters with the smaller, 18-inch limit have not been quite as hot, but as fluke continue to move inshore for the summer, they will push their way west into the Sound.
• Bluefish: It's still a little early to get excited about bluefish, but every change of the tides brings more of these fish into the region. Right now, as has been the case for the past few years, small blues ranging from one to about four pounds are mixed in with stripers, so it may be wise to do "tooth proofing" to avoid chopoffs.
• Blackfish: Season opens Friday.
• Porgies: Scup are in and will provide some excellent fishing action again this season. Hillyer's said one customer already had a 2-pounder to show for their efforts. Look for these fish to concentrate around reefs, rock piles and channel markers, though they also cruise the beaches in large schools.
• Bait: The hot squid bite, which refers to that red-hot action of a couple weeks back, when squid are super abundant and spawning, is pretty much over. But there will be pods of this prime bait around the area for the remainder of the season.
• Freshwater Trout: Fishing has slowed drastically with increases in water temperatures and drops in water flows. The recent rains helped prolong trout catching, but right now it's a matter of fishing deep in lakes and matching the hatch in streams.
• Bass: They are off the beds in most lakes, which usually brings with it a post-spawn feeding binge that makes fishing easy for a couple weeks.
• Bluegills: They are on their spawning beds throughout the region, which makes for some fun action in the shallows of area lakes using flies, ultra light tackle or standard baits such as tiny pieces of worms.

Captain Morgan, Madison, CT

• Better late than never as schools of gene-carrying striped bass paraded into Long Island Sound. Ribbons of stripes rounded Montauk graced the shores of Rhode Island, filled the passages of Fisher's and filed into the Race. Feeding was fierce as fish, no doubt, searched for protein to rebuild those post-spawning bodies. Males long and thin dwarfed plump females carrying egg-filled bellies buoyant in the saltwater.
• Fog-draped, this vast flourishing nursery of sea life was ideal cover for casting into tight spots. Eels splashed, poppers gurgled, and drags broke the silence. If there were an early sun trying to poke through, one wouldn't know it. The scene was a black, white, and gray portrait gallery void of any color–a classic image one might have gleaned from an early copy of Life magazine.
• The ebb tide flowed just enough to float clumps of seaweed mixed with eelgrass thinned from a patch of bottom not far north. Whether a popper teased with a lagging hair-trimmed O'Shaughnessy or an eel pitched toward a boulder awash the outcome was the same. Every pop was clearly heard, as was the slap of large caudal fins.
• As one striper was lured from its lair and subsequently hooked, another seemed to follow, undeterred from the commotion. Although most bass in the sound emanate from the Chesapeake some do hail from the Hudson as one tagged dorsal indicated. Between eels and lures, these linesiders appeared not to have much preference since rods bent with equality. The trip was relaxing–no fighting with chop or wind just fish. Even a little time to ponder over a saltwater fishing license, how its revenues would benefit Connecticut recreational fisheries/anglers and how reciprocity between states makes sense since tonight we fished waters bordering three states.
• 
  
• On The Water: Recent stormy blasts swept through the Sound creating turbulent conditions but overall, fishing cranked up a few more notches. This was the week for picking your window of opportunity. Notably, bass in excess of 40 inches showed their fins as they went on a feeding spree. Hooked were fresh fish in the 40-plus pound range as they made their way from The Race toward mid-Sound. Plenty of smaller-class fish have been feeding throughout the shoreline and in the tidal rivers with action heating up on a falling tide.
• Reefs and shoals are now seeing fairly steady action, however more bluefish are in the mix. Thick-shouldered, spring–run choppers have been chasing down schools of menhaden with several rivers beginning to show an increase in numbers of bait fish. As the Sound fills with more bunker and shad, look for harbors to heat up. Grimm Reefers, Tension lures, Banjos, Arrowheads, and Slashbaits are good bets while trolling Spider rigs, “chutes,” and tubes are working on offshore reefs. Live/fresh chunks, eels, and worms are doing well both on/off shore.
• Keeper fluke numbers are on the rise. Mini-doormats are now being caught along the Connecticut shoreline on Case flukes, hi-lo's, three-ways, and “hook'm” and 'rhody' rigs. Several have been caught from shore while limits have been taken in 30 to 60 feet from Hammonasset to Faulkner Island with the occasional one reeled in at The Six while trolling/jigging for stripers.
• Note: There will be no Connecticut saltwater fishing license at least for 2008. Unfortunately, time ran out and the bill died on the calendar before it could be brought to vote following a crammed legislative session. Efforts are underway to ensure passage in the future so that all funds collected remain within Connecticut's Conservation Fund and not forfeited to the federal government.

Rivers End Tackle: CT Fishing Reports

• STRIPED BASS- The bass action is shifting outside the Connecticut River. Long Sand Shoal and other local reefs are holding bass of mixed sizes. There are still some good sized bass in the mouth of the River hitting surface lures but its a low light game. Theres bunker in the lower River, not easy to find with regularity. Live and fresh chunked baits are scoring best in daylight hours.
• The Race and Plum Gut picked up again this week with live bait scoring best but with bucktailers and diamond jiggers also scoring. Southwest Reef had good action for jiggers with a mix of bass and blues.
• BLUEFISH- Theres a mix of small to medium blues at Southwest Reef and medium sizes at the Race, Gut and Pigeon Rip. Theres some schools of small blues running along the shoreline on both sides of the River. In the River theres a scattering of medium sized blues near Great Island.
• FLUKE- Its off to a pretty good start with the keeper to short ratio running about 1 in 10 locally. The Connecticut River has some fluke from the Mouth of North Cove to the Breakwater and Soundview and Long Sand Shoal have had some decent sizes but not too many limit catches. Two Tree Channel also has a bunch. Good reports are also coming from the RI South Shore and the south side of Fishers Island.
• BLACKFISH- Season closed until June 15th.
• PORGIES- Last week we reported that the season opened on 7/1, it actually opened on June 1st. No reports came in this week locally but its fair to say they're out there.

On The Water: CT Fishing Reports

• Good fishing extends to the west and into Connecticut, where Seth at The Fish Connection in Preston said that the Thames River is still full of striped bass, though the bigger fish are coming out of the Norwich Harbor region. School bass predominate throughout the length of the river, though bigger fish are mixed in. Seth did not have any good reports of fluke in the general area of the Thames River just yet, and said that the best fluke fishing reports are coming from the south side of Fishers Island and from just off the beaches around Misquamicut. Inland, an angler can hardly go wrong. Largemouth bass coming off the spawning beds are showing more interest in lures and baits. All the major trout waters were stocked for the holiday weekend, so there is no lack of trout. The Shetucket River has been fishing well, and Amos Lake has been very productive in the evenings.
• A bit farther to the north, Charlie at Colonial Sports said that now is the time to be out on the trout streams. He did note, however, that the Yantic River is a bit on the low side, but it’s still fishing well and is full of trout. One decent rainfall will help. The Shetucket is fishing excellently, and the Salmon River is beyond a doubt the place to be. According to Charlie, the reports are that there are so many trout in the Salmon River, it is almost sinful. And if that isn’t enough, the Salmon is due for yet another stocking of trout. Hatches are a real mish-mash at the moment, according to Charlie, though the Light Cahills are predominant now on most of the local waters. Expect to see the bugs get smaller, and the fish to get pickier, as time progresses.
• Lou at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford reported a 29-pound monkfish landed by some anglers fishing for fluke on the south side of Fishers Island over the holiday weekend. I can only imagine the horrified look on the face of the fluke angler as that ugly behemoth was winched up! I suspect therapy will be in order. Catching giant monkfish aside, the fluke fishing is great on the south side of Fishers Island, with good numbers of 9-plus-pound fish being landed. The warm water discharge area near Millstone also is seeing some big fluke come to hook. Stripers are getting active on Bartlett Reef, particularly if you are tossing eels at them, and bluefish are piling into the area looking for bait to tear up and lures to devastate. For some odd reason, anglers have been catching stripers in The Race without their offerings being molested. Winter flounder continue to be caught, but it is slow going now that the water is warming quickly.
• There have been no ugly fish taken in the eastern portion of Long Island Sound, according to Capt. Morgan at Capt. Morgan’s Bait & Tackle in Madison, but there have been plenty of fluke, stripers and blues. Big fluke are turning up along the shoreline in the eastern sound, provided you find some structure such as the many local shoals dotting the coastline. Striped bass and bluefish are all over the place, and bunker, both big and small, are providing lots to feed upon. Bigger bass are hanging around the reefs already, and school bass can be taken from shore, at the river mouths and in the many coves and inlets. All the major Trout Management Areas were stocked for the weekend, and all are producing good catches of trout. The Hammonasset River in particular has been producing a good number of trout in the 7- to 8-pound range. Largemouth bass are hungry coming off the spawning beds, so this is a prime time to seek them out in any of the many local ponds and lakes.
• Farther west and inland, John at Valley Angler in Danbury has continuing good reports for Squantz Pond, which continues to give up good numbers of walleye from shore in the 6-pound range. The alewives are moving out, so don’t expect this to last much longer. Lake Candlewood is producing incredible smallmouth bass, with Finesse Minnow lures being the most enticing thing to toss at the moment. White is the preferred color, so be prepared. Largemouth bass are also active, and the action for that species is improving with time. Fishing in the Farmington River continues to be good, but is a bit slower going as the hatches are not as prolific this season, for whatever reason. The caddis hatch has been meager, and currently it is a mixed bag of species coming off the water.
• Scott at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that the fishing has been a bit slower than expected for this time of year, especially for the bigger fish. None of the regular heavy-producing areas, like Buoy 11B, have been yielding good fish. Any bigger fish in the region seem to be hanging around with the schools of bunker, so find bunker and you have a chance at a bigger fish. School bass fishing continues to be excellent, and mostly smaller bluefish have turned up in the area, keeping the action steady. Sand eels are turning up, which can get fish in the feeding mood quickly. Fluke fishing is just beginning to get going in the western end of the sound, so stay tuned.
• At Westport Outfitters in Norwalk, Chris said that the fishing is good, but rather unpredictable at the moment. The initial run of big fish has moved on, and he expects the infiltration of big fish that summer over in the area to occur in the coming week or so. In the meantime, the fluke fishing is good, though mainly in New York waters. Bluefish are prevalent, though they tend to be on the small side now. The good news is that there is lots of bait around, so when the big fish show, expect some heavy feeding to occur. As with most of the rest of the state, all the major trout waters were stocked for the holiday weekend, so there is no lack of trout in any of the major streams and rivers. The Norwalk, Saugatuck and Housatonic Rivers have all been notably productive.
• Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: My advice for the weekend is to get into upper Narragansett Bay before the water warms to the point of driving the big fish out. It will only be a matter of another week or two at best, so don’t delay. Lots of big fluke are being taken throughout Rhode Island waters, so again I say head east while the getting is good. The ratio of keepers to shorts is bound to worsen as time goes on. Bigger stripers are moving into Long Island Sound, so go hunting for them if you feel adventurous. You also may want to consider a bit of trout fishing before the water levels drop and stream temperatures rise. Conditions are excellent and the rivers are filled nearly to the brim with trout. Pick your favorite spot and head out for a bit of freshwater action. (Alan Desbonnet)

CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #7 6/13

• TROUT: Rivers & streams - Good reports for trout from Farmington, Housatonic (22" brown), Pomperaug, Aspetuck, East Aspetuck, Salmon and Willimantic Rivers, and Sandy Brook. Flows and weather should both be generally comfortable for fishing this weekend. Number of major insect hatches is also getting started.
• Farmington River water temperatures continue in the low 50's. West Branch flows are clear and fishable. Hatches include. pale evening dun from 5:00pm to dark, Tan Caddis good all day and Sulfurs mid-day and Dorothea. Crane flies are being reported after being absent from the waters for 6 years. Other successful patterns include March Brown nymphs, Gray Fox, afternoon, Blue Wing Olives, mid-late afternoon, green caddis , evening, Midges and Pale Evening Duns afternoon and early evenings.
• Housatonic River - Water temperatures are in the mid60's. Flows are clear and at very fishable level. Major insect hatches are here and will begin to provide excellent fly fishing especially when the spinners start up. Alder/Zebra Caddis are hot right now, Sulphurs , Blue Wing Olive , early morning; spinner fall in evening, Isonychia evening, just starting, Cahill , Adams, evening, March Brown and Gray Foxes are producing. Also, green caddis, early morning and evening are on the water. Midges and early stoneflies are being seen at the mouths of streams on the Housatonic River.
• Lakes & Ponds: Good reports for trout from Wononscopomuc, East Twin, Crystal (Ellington) and Highland Lakes, Beach Pond, Black Pond (Meriden) and Squantz Pond. Remember that mid June is typically good time to catch some bigger trout!
• LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as generally good. Areas to try include Crystal, Wonoscopomuc, East Twin, Highland, Pickerel, Candlewood, Bantam and Gardner Lakes, Mudge, Ball, Babcock and Burr Ponds, Lake Saltonstall and Lake Lillinonah.
• SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported at Highland Lake, Gardner Lake and Squantz Pond. Some nice catches also reported from the Housatonic and Farmington(Tarrifville area) Rivers.
• CATFISH fishing is reported to be excellent in the newly stocked catfish areas. Locations include Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Park Pond(Hartford), Mohegan Park (Norwich), Black Pond(Middlefield/Meriden) Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven), Lower Bolton Lake (Bolton), Quonnipaug Lake(Guilford), Silver Lake (Berlin/Meriden), Pattaconk Lake (Chester) and Maltby Lakes 2 & 3 (Orange/West Haven).
• NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good at Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, Pachaug Pond and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
• KOKANEE up to 15" are being caught at West Hill Pond, try 3.5 colors of lead line (20').
• WALLEYE catches reported from Lake Saltonstall, Saugatuck Reservoir & Squantz Pond (28.5").
• Connecticut River STRIPED BASS are throughout the river, both school size (16-25") fish and adults up to 57". Low water levels have reportedly slowed down the catch in some areas as the fish concentrate into the deep holes. Surface poppers will provide some exciting action under clear water conditions while trolling tube & worm and casting soft plastics work best in stained water. Some anglers have started using hickory shad for bait and are reporting some success. SHAD fishing is slowing with very few reports coming in.
• NORTHERN PIKE are reported in Wethersfield Cove, Portland Bridge, and White Oaks Cove and downstream from Hartford to Haddam (smaller fish).
• CATFISH (6-8 lbs.)are being taken throughout the river on big chunk bait. (published on Waterbury Republican).

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• Despite some afternoon fronts continually pushing through, the local fishing scene continues to be red hot. Sand Eels are spraying out of the water everywhere along our shorelines and even out in mid-Sound! This is prime time for fly fisherman as they can imitate these small baits best! Use 3-4” epoxy sand eel imitations as well as chartreuse/white clousers, these have been producing the hottest action for us lately. Areas from Penfield Reef down the coast to the 5 Mile River are seeing decent size bass and blues in very shallow water.
  
• The larger blues that invaded us earlier have been replaced in some areas by more late July like football size blues in the 3-6lb range. Now is a great time for the wade fisherman to hit the water for sure. The bass are averaging around 22” with some up to 32” being taken on occasion. The Bluefish that are running in the 3-6 lb. range are a blast on light tackle and put up a great fight on fly rod as well.
• The rips and deeper areas off of the Norwalk Islands are hit or miss as we still have migrating fish coming through our waters and you have to be at the right place at the right time! Most anglers agree that we are 3-4 weeks behind the typical migrations of the past so there are plenty more fish that will be moving through. We have had reports of Bass up to 30 lbs. taken on live and chunked bunker near Bridgeport, Norwalk and Greenwich as well as the usual run of fish coming through the Hempstead area. We had a report on 6.13.07 of a 35lb cow taken near Rye on Tuesday. Since the bunker are not schooled up locally here in Norwalk, if you find a school, stick with it and adjust your tactics while drifting to stay on them.
• Chunking and live lining are your best chances at a large striper right now. Fish should start settling into our local area for the summer and we will see more consistent action in the coming weeks. Tube and Worm trolling will also pick up once the fish settle in. Fluke fishing has been much more productive than last year and we have reports of huge porgies being taken on the rock piles. Time to get the kids out fishing for some fast action on these eager bottom feeders.

Porgy season off to good start out east - Connecticut Fishing Reports

Porgy season opened with a bang on eastern Long Island this week as anglers loaded up off Shoreham, Robins Island and the north end of Shinnecock Canal. "Porgies to three pounds are tight to the beach," said Stan Hentschel at Rocky Point Fishing Shop. "They're hitting hard and fast on worms and clams. Try 17 feet of water between Miller Place and Mattituck."

Captain Morgan Connecticut Fishing Reports

• That “second” full moon of May known as the blue moon kicked off a feeding spree as stripers consumed mouthfuls of wetland related hatches swept away by ebbing tides. Congregating at tidal river entrances and draining estuary creeks scattered throughout wetlands, bass tore into worm hatches and lure/fly imitations. Anglers fortunate enough to take advantage of this rare occurrence had periods of intense fishing.
• Although water temperatures along the shoreline remain in 59- to 60-degree range, linesiders continue to pour into the Sound. There has been a marked increase in keeper to release ratios with more 28-inch-plus fish being caught from shore. Varieties of live, chunk, and frozen baits are prompting strikes with several new and innovative lures gaining in popularity.
• Trollers are connecting at The Six and Southwest while drifters are scoring at Cornfield, Charles, Faulkner's, and scattered reefs from Sachems Head to East Haven. Bass from 25 to 30 pounds are now discovering food sources on these reefs and are making the rounds. Schools of harbor blues have been driving bunker in tight, however recent stormy nights have neutralized some attempts to gather bait. Overall, there has been an increase of menhaden in the rivers indicating another strong year if a long-overdue hurricane season doesn't scatter them. Unfortunately, there are no niños/niñas to minimize the chances of that happening.
• Connecticut anglers are beginning to catch more keeper fluke while drifting The Shoal, Cinder Bottom, Mud Bottom, and The Trough. More fish in the 22- to 24-inch range are being caught close to shore and in channels during flood tide. Hook'm rigs, Doormat fluke rigs, and Case Flukes are a must. Porgy/scup season is now open after a lackluster start due primarily to stormy weather. The unchanged Connecticut daily regs per angler remain at 25 fish, 101/2-inch minimum size limit.
• Hatchery trucks rolled out recently for another trout stocking bringing many anglers to Connecticut waters. Water levels were low and in need of rain causing fish to seek out deep holes. However, fishermen were determined to hook into those elusive breeders while others were content with smaller, more cooperative fish. (by Captain Morgan on TheDay.com)

TheDay: Connecticut Fishing Reports

• Fluke fishing last week was good for some, said Red at Bob's Rod & Tackle, but for others they caught only shorts due to the higher size limits in Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York.
• Biggest fish brought into the shop was a fine 14.7-pounder, presumably caught off Isabella. Find some bunkers in the Thames and you might find stripers to 42 inches under them, or you can snag some bait, keep it alive and run it someplace else in the river to live line it for bass. Mixed in with the stripers are 3 to 4-pound bluefish, just big enough to be pests when trying to fish live bait for bigger game.
• No porgies are around just yet but lots of people are buying diamond jigs for bass and blues in The Race.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat reported a great hit of bass on Memorial Day with fish to 25 pounds taken. The day before they had an increase in bluefish as well as some bass mixed in. Brad summed up week saying the fishing has consistency and a steady buildup as well. They will sail on daily trips starting on June 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will also go fluke fishing in the evening starting on June 14, sailing from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday until Aug. 18.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut headed over to The Race on Sunday for seven bass from the low 20s to the low 30-pound range somewhere around Valiant Shoal with live bunker weighted down to get it to bottom in tides that weren't running very fast at the time. Some of his neighbors are catching small bass from the Rhode Island beaches in the morning after the surf finally cleared up from Monday's storm.
• Capt. Don's in Charlestown is selling a 3 1/4-ounce lure called the Grim Reefer that is fooling fluke in 20 to 40 feet of water off Quonny when bounced slowly up and down along the bottom after it's been dressed with a strip of squid. On Wednesday people along the rip-rap at Quonny Breachway caught the first porgies of the season.
• Don at King Cove Outfitters took time swapping fishing stories with retired commercial fishermen Capt. Joe Renderio of Stonington, to tell me he's seen steady fluke catches from the backside of Fishers from South Beach to Isabella. They are sand eels in Little Narragansett Bay drawing bass to about 35 inches around the tip of Sandy Point and the lower part of the Pawcatuck River. No one has brought in any sea bass yet, not even one caught by accident while drifting for fluke east of Watch Hill.
• Cheryl at Shaffers Marina offered the view that 40 to 60 feet of water on the backside of Fishers Island was best for fluke since last report. Blues are around in that depth, grabbing the fluke baits from time to time. You can plug up schoolie stripers in the Mystic River on small poppers or plastic baits. Others landed larger bass at Valiant Shoal trolling lures on wire line when the tide wasn't running that hard.
• Over at the Fish Connection in Preston, Joe Balint told me all the rain from the Monday storm washed the bunkers that were up in Norwich Harbor down around Trading Cove where some bass to 25 pounds were chasing them around. Mixed in were some large blues of the size normally not seen in the river until much later in the season. John Robbins landed the first fluke of the season in the river, a 22-incher caught on a sandworm meant for schoolie bass across from Montville.
• Schoolie bass are along the beaches or just offshore from Millstone down to Ocean Beach along with a chance now for a keeper fluke. Capt. Jack Balint saw a big school of blues off the golf course on Fishers Island on Wednesday along with seeing people catching bass in The Race on diamond jigs during his charters.
• Please keep in mind conservation officers are out checking the minimum length for fluke. You must observe the legal limits when in other state's waters regardless of where the fish will eventually be landed. In New York, it's 19.8 inches; in Connecticut, 18 inches and in Rhode Island, 19 inches, confusing to be sure but it's the law of the land.
• Stephanie Cramer had an active week, fishing one evening before the Monday storm in the North Rip of Block Island with Captain Al Anderson. They arrived to find the rip roaring, birds working over bait and the place alive with bass. Their total on a Capt. Murphy squid fly was 28 stripers to 37 inches. On Saturday, Steph fished with Capt. Anderson again, this time in the Point Judith Salt Pond for 48 stripers to 26 inches and one bluefish, all released. Her third trip was to the upper Thames where she landed five small bass, wading along the shore and casting with her fly rod.
• Capt. Joey Devine of the Mijoy sent in his first e-mail of the year saying the first two weeks of the season saw some very good fishing and also some very slow trips. They landed a couple stripers over 30 pounds along with others between 28 and 42 inches plus blues “that looked more like the kind you see in the fall.”
• Hillyers Tackle said all the local charter boats had good bass trips in The Race plus blues on some days. Blackfish are around and that season will open in state waters on June 15. One fellow dropped a diamond jig for bass and to his surprise had a blackfish take it instead. Bill Kohl landed a 35-pound bass at Bartletts on an eel and Paul Fagan came in with a 42-inch striper he fooled with a tube and worm, the latter fish landed a week ago.
• River's End Tackle in Old Saybrook was busy putting in more bait for the coming weekend but took a short time to say the striper fishing in the lower river is getting slower and slower after a spring peak about two weeks back. However, the bass were replaced somewhat by blues, anywhere from 2 to 3-pounders to a few that weighed 8 to 10 pounds, roaming the lower Connecticut River, hitting poppers at times or chunk bait on the bottom. (by Tim Coleman orginally published on TheDay.com).

Huntington Herald: Connecticut Fishing Reports

• Rising water temps and the bright rays of the sun have the Stripers moving to deeper waters during the daytime and feeding in the shallows of bays, beaches, harbors and inlets during the early morning and nighttime hours.
• For many fishermen, this time of year breeds frustration. The increased water temperatures bring with it more of the quote end quote "Less desirable" species of fish to our local waters.
• Anglers who covet Striped Bass and Fluke, which are considered by many as the top two prized species of our waters will have to deal with more frequent encounters with the likes of Dogfish, Skates, Sea Robins and multiple species of crabs.
• Bluefish are also a big fan of the warmer waters and each day thousands and thousands of these toothy bait-destroying creatures are pouring in to Long Island Sound and its surrounding tributaries.
• The Housatonic River is still producing Striped Bass from the Dam to the Mouth. Stripers from 18 to 40 inches have been hitting Sandworms, Bunker Chunks, Poppers and Shad Bodies. One unconfirmed report of a 52-inch Striped Bass being caught at Sullivan's Island has yet to be authenticated but a fish that size is definitely possible and by all accounts would have to weigh over 45 pounds.
• Dan Grady of Derby joined a group of his friends Sunday at the Derby Dam and caught a handful of schoolie Stripers on Sandworms and one surprise rainbow trout that also took a sandworm.
• The beaches of Milford, Fairfield, West Haven and Stratford continue to provide plenty of action. Surfcasters are experiencing all the action they can handle with Stripers, Bluefish, Fluke and the occasional weakfish mixed in.
• Captain Jim Sinclair of Housatonic Sport fishing continued to hammer Keeper size Bass in 40-60 feet water off Charles Island this week.
• These fish ranging from 30-40 inches on the average have been taking fresh Bunker Chunks and have been especially fond of the heads.
• Large schools of Menhaden, Sand eels, silversides and small Hickory shad have been reported from Penfield Reef in Fairfield to New Haven Harbor.
• With this much bait locally, anglers need to be observant and "match the hatch". Presenting a bait or lure similar in appearance and size to what the targeted species is actively feeding on will greatly increase your chances for success.
• Fluke fishing has remained strong.
• On the Long Island side, Mt Sinai, Mattituck and Port Jefferson are all giving up their fair share of keepers.
• Locally things seemed to have slowed a bit with just a handful of keepers being brought over the rails in and around New Haven Harbor.
• Some unconfirmed reports of keeper sized Scup and Sea Bass up to 5-pounds have made their way to local tackle shops. These fish seem to be holding in deeper water and becoming more active as the spawning migration of squid in the sound increases.
• For those Anglers who prefer the sweet water, Trout fishing throughout the state continues to be outstanding.
• Locally The Farm Mill and The Naugatuck River continue to produce decent size stocked fish in great numbers.
• For those who are willing to travel for their catches, the Upper Housatonic River and the Farmington River have continued to produce trophy size Browns and Rainbows with many fish over 20 inches. Good reports of Small Mouth Bass and Pike being landed are also coming out of these same bodies of water.
• Squantz Pond, Lake Housatonic and the Saugatuck Reservoir are all great places to target Trout, Small Mouth Bass and the illusive Walleye. (by Leon Sylvester orginally published by Huntington Herald)

Norwich Bulletin: Connecticut Fishing Reports

• Bait: June is a transition month between spring and summer, a time when both fresh and saltwater fishing is excellent. Menhaden are still in the Thames River with a school just north of the harbor most of the time. They are reportedly very abundant in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island and bunker are being reported off the Millstone Point Outflow and a few in the lower Connecticut River.
• Striped bass: Joe Balint of the Fish Connection reports there are some big stripers in the 25- to 30-pound range being caught on live menhaden (bunker) in the upper river around Norwich. These fish are feeding heavily on the menhaden that moved into the river a few weeks ago.
• Bluefish: Shops are reporting big choppers in the mix very frequently. Millstone Power Plant Outflow and the Thames have both produced 10-pound or better choppers.
• Fluke: Fishing for fluke continues to be most productive along Rhode Island's south shore beaches from Point Judith to the Pink House. Balint reported mixed success on fluke along the south side of Fishers Island and one of his customers caught a 22-incher from the Thames earlier in the week.
• Trout: Recent rains have served to cool water temps and increase stream flows, which will prolong trout fishing in area lakes and streams. Mohegan Park and the Shetucket River were both stocked for Memorial Day, so both places as well as the Yantic River are worth fishing.
• Bass: It looks like the bass are pretty well done spawning in most area lakes as evidenced by an increase in reports of larger fish being caught over the last few days.
• Pike: Fish to 37 or 38 inches have been reported over the last week from Ashland Lake and Hopeville Pond. Sadly, a resident at Pachaug Pond continues to see dead pike, fish that he's seen killed intentionally by the tournament bass fishermen who hammer this lake every weekend.
• Panfish: White perch have been reported from the spots along Route 2A on Poquetanuck Cove in Preston, which means they are probably also available in the Shetucket River between Greenville Dam and Norwich Harbor.

Rivers End Tackle: CT Fishing Reports

• STRIPED BASS- The bass are still at the mouth of the Connecticut River with fewer numbers and larger sizes. Theres a good chance to score a 20 pound plus bass on a lure if you're willing to be early and persistent. Theres some bunker in the River but they're not as thick as they were two weeks ago. The piers in the River are still giving up schoolies and a few keepers, worms are getting the schoolies and chunks of fresh bunker or hickory shad are getting larger bass.
• The action in the Race and Gut have been fair with the best action going to the trollers. The Sluiceway on the ebb has given up a few larger bass.
• The Thames River has a good batch of bunker and is holding good sized bass.
• Theres a lot of small schoolies along the the RI South Shore.
• BLUEFISH- They're in the River pretty good mostly along Great Island and hitting surface lures.The Race and Gut have fair action and most spots you're trying for fluke.
• FLOUNDER- The season is closed for the year.
• FLUKE- Decent reports are coming from Fishers Island, Misquamicut and Greenport with no one must go spot. They are spread out now with no migratory concentration. Given a choice for action heading west towards Fishers Island and on to RI seems to be getting the best results. Theres been some action at Long Sand Shoal and off Soundview. (Pat Abate)

Norwich Bulletin

• Striped bass: The Race has turned on big time with reports filtering in from anglers and tackle shops of 20- to 40-pounders being grubbed up from the depths on three-way rigs, rigged baits or Diamond Jigs. All the region's major rivers are producing stripers up as far as any herring are running as well as in their lower reaches.
• Bluefish: Fish below five or six pounds are filtering in from offshore. LIttle non-spawners show first with the larger breeders showing in increasing abundance throughout the summer and into the fall.
• Weakfish: This species is a rarity in this part of the Sound, but they are targeted and caught from Guilford and Madison to the west in the Sound, in the Peconic Bay area of Long Island and Narragansett Bay, R.I., at this time of year.
• Fluke: All reports indicate the fluke fishing is pretty good all along the Rhody beaches from Point Judith to the Pink House, along the south side of Fishers Island and off Long Island.
• Scup/Porgies: The season opens Friday, but to date they haven't shown up in any abundance.
• Blackfish: Season opens June 15, a tad too late for any real good spring fishing conditions, but they can be caught around mussel beds and deep water reefs throughout the summer.
• Bait: There are still menhaden in the Thames, off the Millstone Point discharge, thick in Narragansett Bay and scattered in-between. Squid are abundant along the coast and attracting some bigger bass in the deep water areas.
• Freshwater Bass: They are still on their spawning beds in deep cool water lakes and off the beds in the shallow weedy spots throughout the region.
• Trout: Pete Butterfield of Boondocks said green caddis flies are hatching on the Farmington and Housatonic Rivers. This means local rivers are producing this hatch as well.
• Panfish: Bluegills have moved into shoal areas where post-spawn largemouth bass have vacated the shallows. Mohegan Park, Trout Park and area trout fishing spots were stocked for the Memorial Day weekend. This is the last stocking until temps cool back down in the fall.

TheDay

• Fluke, one of the summer fishing staples, especially for folks that don't like to climb out of bed in the early morning to catch bass, are around in fair to good numbers, and best of all there were reports of keeper-sized fish caught closer to home, good news for those in smaller boats or those on a budget with today's high fuel prices.
• Bob's Rod & Tackle in Quaker Hill told me people are now landing some legal fluke in Connecticut waters though the ratio of shorts to keepers in still about four-to-one. If you find a school of bunker in the lower Thames you just might find blues to 10 pounds or bass to 36 inches under them.
• Allen Fee at Shaffers Boat Livery reported long-time slip customers Bob and Shelly Bellrose had five keeper fluke on their trip over the long weekend, drifting between Ellis Reef and White Rock, Prior to the holiday, all the better fishing was centered on the backside of Fishers Island or a run down to Rhode Island, east of Watch Hill. The people catching around Fishers are drifting in anywhere from 35-50 feet from South Beach to Isabella.
• One of the marina's charter boats came back from Sugar Reef with 8 bass to 30-plus pounds and two blues, those all caught with squid and lead core line. Allen also said they sold diamond jigs for striper fishing around Valiant Shoal on the first part of the flood tide and the Middle Race on the ebb. The fishing platform on the Mason's Island Bridge is finished, ready for school bass in the early morning or snapper blues later on.
• Porgy season opens in state waters on June 1 but to date there hasn't been any of the tasty, silver panfish.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut said he and his wife enjoyed good fluke fishing off the Rhode Island beaches on Monday, landing quite a few keepers, fishing from 8 a.m. until noon. He spied some bunkers in the Pawcatuck, some of them flipping on the top of the water at noon instead of the usual time to see them, around sunrise.
• Capt. Al Anderson said he had a good evening trip to the North Rip at Block Island on Wednesday, landing quite a few smaller bass to 31 inches, trolling or stemming the rip in shallow water in closer to Sandy Point. On other trips last week they caught between 15 and 30 bass per trip in the lower parts of the Point Judith Salt Pond, trolling small umbrella rigs or flies. Also included during the day were 2-3-pound bluefish and a couple fluke that took the flies as well the smaller stripers.
• Moving over to King Cove Outfitters, I spoke with Bill who said the fluking along the Rhode Island beaches has been good, judging from what he saw on the docks during the long weekend. They are nice-sized bass to be caught on the Watch Hill Reefs on wire and squid lures or squid fished from an anchored boat with lead core line. The light tackle boats found schoolies in the rips, willing to hit lures early or late in the day.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat is back with us, sending in an e-mail stating they are now on their weekend trips for bass and bluefish after a winter chasing cod. Fishing last week saw a mix of bass and blues that hit during the right part of the tide. Over Memorial Day, the combination of slower tides and lots of boats made for some lower numbers. Big fish of the week was a 17-pound striper by Kevin Dudley of Hartford.
• Capt. Howard Beers, retired charter captain, was minding the shop at Hillyer's Tackle. He said the striper fishing in The Race and local reefs was very good, probably at a spring peak. Some of the people coming back from New York waters had a good day of fluking, others said they had a harder time landing any fish over the 19.8-inch minimum size now in affect over at Montauk and Greenport.
• Capt. Kerry Douton at J&B observed it's beginning to look more and more like summer. Their charter boat had excellent trips to The Race for bass along with a few blues. Kerry advised all not to consider this fishing the norm. Stripers will move through on their annual migration, leaving it tougher to find bass out there in July than it is now.
• He called fluking fair to good, not outstanding, as people must concentrate on bigger fish with the new size limits. To date nobody has gone sharking; the only offshore reports at all were some dockside rumors about a few bluefin tuna landed way down in Hudson Canyon.
• Mark at River's End in Old Saybrook closed out our report with news of small and medium bass caught casting in the lower Connecticut River early in the morning and later in the day. Daytime fishing is poor. Along with the stripers are blues that are chopping up a lot of the plastic lures so popular with today's fishermen.
• You might land one of the first few fluke now in the lower river or maybe a few out on the Sand Shoal. Pat Abate, owner of the store, chose to go to Greenport instead of staying in state waters, catching keeper summer flounder and also a couple of sea bass. (Tim Coleman).
  

On The Water Magazine

• Good fishing extends to the west and into Connecticut, where Seth at The Fish Connection in Preston said that the Thames River is still full of striped bass, though the bigger fish are coming out of the Norwich Harbor region. School bass predominate throughout the length of the river, though bigger fish are mixed in. Seth did not have any good reports of fluke in the general area of the Thames River just yet, and said that the best fluke fishing reports are coming from the south side of Fishers Island and from just off the beaches around Misquamicut. Inland, an angler can hardly go wrong. Largemouth bass coming off the spawning beds are showing more interest in lures and baits. All the major trout waters were stocked for the holiday weekend, so there is no lack of trout. The Shetucket River has been fishing well, and Amos Lake has been very productive in the evenings.
• A bit farther to the north, Charlie at Colonial Sports said that now is the time to be out on the trout streams. He did note, however, that the Yantic River is a bit on the low side, but it’s still fishing well and is full of trout. One decent rainfall will help. The Shetucket is fishing excellently, and the Salmon River is beyond a doubt the place to be. According to Charlie, the reports are that there are so many trout in the Salmon River, it is almost sinful. And if that isn’t enough, the Salmon is due for yet another stocking of trout. Hatches are a real mish-mash at the moment, according to Charlie, though the Light Cahills are predominant now on most of the local waters. Expect to see the bugs get smaller, and the fish to get pickier, as time progresses.
• Lou at Hillyer’s Bait & Tackle in Waterford reported a 29-pound monkfish landed by some anglers fishing for fluke on the south side of Fishers Island over the holiday weekend. I can only imagine the horrified look on the face of the fluke angler as that ugly behemoth was winched up! I suspect therapy will be in order. Catching giant monkfish aside, the fluke fishing is great on the south side of Fishers Island, with good numbers of 9-plus-pound fish being landed. The warm water discharge area near Millstone also is seeing some big fluke come to hook. Stripers are getting active on Bartlett Reef, particularly if you are tossing eels at them, and bluefish are piling into the area looking for bait to tear up and lures to devastate. For some odd reason, anglers have been catching stripers in The Race without their offerings being molested. Winter flounder continue to be caught, but it is slow going now that the water is warming quickly.
• There have been no ugly fish taken in the eastern portion of Long Island Sound, according to Capt. Morgan at Capt. Morgan’s Bait & Tackle in Madison, but there have been plenty of fluke, stripers and blues. Big fluke are turning up along the shoreline in the eastern sound, provided you find some structure such as the many local shoals dotting the coastline. Striped bass and bluefish are all over the place, and bunker, both big and small, are providing lots to feed upon. Bigger bass are hanging around the reefs already, and school bass can be taken from shore, at the river mouths and in the many coves and inlets. All the major Trout Management Areas were stocked for the weekend, and all are producing good catches of trout. The Hammonasset River in particular has been producing a good number of trout in the 7- to 8-pound range. Largemouth bass are hungry coming off the spawning beds, so this is a prime time to seek them out in any of the many local ponds and lakes.
• Farther west and inland, John at Valley Angler in Danbury has continuing good reports for Squantz Pond, which continues to give up good numbers of walleye from shore in the 6-pound range. The alewives are moving out, so don’t expect this to last much longer. Lake Candlewood is producing incredible smallmouth bass, with Finesse Minnow lures being the most enticing thing to toss at the moment. White is the preferred color, so be prepared. Largemouth bass are also active, and the action for that species is improving with time. Fishing in the Farmington River continues to be good, but is a bit slower going as the hatches are not as prolific this season, for whatever reason. The caddis hatch has been meager, and currently it is a mixed bag of species coming off the water.
• Scott at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that the fishing has been a bit slower than expected for this time of year, especially for the bigger fish. None of the regular heavy-producing areas, like Buoy 11B, have been yielding good fish. Any bigger fish in the region seem to be hanging around with the schools of bunker, so find bunker and you have a chance at a bigger fish. School bass fishing continues to be excellent, and mostly smaller bluefish have turned up in the area, keeping the action steady. Sand eels are turning up, which can get fish in the feeding mood quickly. Fluke fishing is just beginning to get going in the western end of the sound, so stay tuned.
• At Westport Outfitters in Norwalk, Chris said that the fishing is good, but rather unpredictable at the moment. The initial run of big fish has moved on, and he expects the infiltration of big fish that summer over in the area to occur in the coming week or so. In the meantime, the fluke fishing is good, though mainly in New York waters. Bluefish are prevalent, though they tend to be on the small side now. The good news is that there is lots of bait around, so when the big fish show, expect some heavy feeding to occur. As with most of the rest of the state, all the major trout waters were stocked for the holiday weekend, so there is no lack of trout in any of the major streams and rivers. The Norwalk, Saugatuck and Housatonic Rivers have all been notably productive.

Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island: My advice for the weekend is to head east and get into upper Narragansett Bay before the water warms to the point of driving the big fish out. It will only be a matter of another week or two at best, so don’t delay. Lots of big fluke are being taken throughout Rhode Island waters, so again I say head east while the getting is good. The ratio of keepers to shorts is bound to worsen as time goes on. Bigger stripers are moving into Long Island Sound, so go hunting for them if you feel adventurous. You also may want to consider a bit of trout fishing before the water levels drop and stream temperatures rise. Conditions are excellent and the rivers are filled nearly to the brim with trout. Pick your favorite spot and head out for a bit of freshwater action. (by Alan Desbonnet)

ConnPost.com Fisherman need to adjust as temps climb

• For some, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the fishing season on Long Island Sound. In-shore anglers, the kind who don chest waders to ply the shallow water off the beaches, sandbars and backwater estuaries for striped bass with spinning gear and fly rods, have been at it for two months. But from now on as increasing water temperatures drive the bass into deeper, cooler waters, boaters will dominate the fishing scene on the Sound. Watch out for the wake! So this is probably as good a time as any to cast an eye on the health of the fish stocks in New England waters.
• STRIPED BASS — Despite the large number of undersized striper area fishers see, the striper population in Long Island Sound and all along the East Coast is considered healthy, writes Blinkoff. Thanks to tight management, the vast over fishing of the past has not been repeated, and efforts to open commercial fishing in federal "exclusive economic zone or EEZ, have so far fizzled. In Connecticut, (also Massachusetts and Rhode Island) stripers must be longer than 28 inches to be kept and there is a two-fish limit for each angler.
• BLUEFISH — Again, smaller specimens of this razor-toothed recreational fish (4 to 6 pounds) dominate local catches. But biologists say the bluefish stocks, which dropped in the early 1990s, are rebuilding and should reach a healthy size in 2008. Connecticut maintains a 10 -fish per angler limit no matter what the size (even if they are tiny "snappers")
• FLUKE — Called fluke for their odd looks, and summer flounder for the preference for warmer water, these flatsfish became what Blinkoff describes as "the poster child" for the need for strict governmental management of a fish stock considered depleted. While fluke populations are rebuilding, it has been a slow process. In Connecticut minimum length for a fluke stayed at 18 inches with a limit of 5 fish per angler. In addition the season was shortened to April30 through September 5 to reduce pressure of spawning fish.
• WINTER FLOUNDER — While the stocks of winter flounder in Southern New England remain depressingly low (although some areas like Norwalk seem to hold fair numbers), the stocks north of Cape Cod are in great shape. Biologists don't think the southern stocks of these flatfish will be back to pre-1995 population until at least 2018. In Connecticut angler can take 10 winter flounder per outing (a limit that many think is too high), but they have to be more than 12 inches from tail to nose. The season extends only from April 28 to May 30, so better hurry.
• PORGY — Called scup from Rhode Island north, porgies are one of the most important recreational catches, once accounting for the vast majority of fishing trips. At the moment scientists know little about the health of their stocks. While fish-counting trolls in Long Island Sound yield huge numbers of baby porgy, only a small percentage reach adulthood. It is hoped stocks will be fully rebuilt by 2010. In Connecticut and Rhone Island porgy must be a minimum of 10.5 inches with a daily limit of 15 fish per angler. Limit for party boats are much higher (60 fish per angler). Season open June 1 to Oct. 1.
• BLACKFISH — Faced with low and declining stocks of blackfish, a bottom-dwelling fish prized for it quality on a plate, the Atlantic State Marine Fisheries Commission has ordered states to cut their mortality rate by 28 percent. Connecticut has a strict four -fish limit with a 14-inch minimum length, but look for tighter regulations later this year or next.
• WEAKFISH — Another species at a very low-level of abundance, the outlook for this sleek beauty is not good. Overfishing is not to blame for this sad situation, however. Biologists think natural mortality from lack of forage may be the cause. In Connecticut and Massachusetts angler can take 10 weakfish of 16 inches of larger.
• AMERICAN SHAD — A large-scale study of shad stocks is underway with results expected by the end of this year. Meanwhile, shad numbers are far below peak years. The fabled run in the Connecticut River are today mere shadows of their past glory. Now that we have delivered the bad news about Long Island Sound fish stocks, here where to some of the above-mentioned fish.

Westport Outfitters (Norwalk) Fishing Report

• Memorial Day brought with it some fantastic weather and the fishing was pretty decent as well despite hoards of boats out on the water. To that point, like you, our schedules are extremely busy, but we would cash in two weekend days in a heart beat for one good day during the week to get out. This holds true especially around the islands when on the weekends the boat traffic can be pretty thick. Although the fish will not get scared and swim away, they will shut down feeding when these types of conditions exist, so if you can, (and we know it’s difficult), attempt getting out before work and/or after for a sunset excursion. Using the same techniques and tactics you would apply on the weekends, you could greatly increase your catch ratio solely due to the absence of heavy boat traffic.
• The week began a bit slow but by Wednesday the action did heat up. Across the way in LI seemed to slow down a bit after reports previously of some cows being caught over near Hempstead. The fool moon upon us will most likley move these fish out shortrly. The bunker is still in thick with a heavier concentration to our East. If you can afford the gas, making a journey to some of the deeper holes out towards Middle Ground, south of Penfield and outside the mouth of the Housatonic are your best bets for larger fish. We had reports of some 40+ inch fish taken in and amongst all these areas early in the week.
• Our scouts from shore reported Sand Eeels in abundance off of Compo and the Mill Pond all week with plenty of schoolie action on light tackle and flies with fish up to 30 inches. A green or pink hue epoxy sand eel imitation is your best bet or the new go to soft plastic Berkely Gulp. Before the harbor erupted over the weekend with boat traffic, we sent two boats out on Friday. One stayed close with the fly rods and the other ventured into deeper water. The inshore crew ruled the day with numerous fish in the high 20s all on flies inside of Copps Rocks, Wilson Cove and outside of our favorite little lagoon. One larger fish just shy of 30 inches was taken in deeper water.
• Reports and shop sightings between Compo and the Mill have Sand Eeels EVERYWHERE!! Our trusty shore scout Matt armed with his fly rod has been fishing these areas all week in the A.M. with consistent fish in the 30 inch range on multiple sand eel patterns. Sunday we sent another boat out with two newbies and they were not disappointed. After drifting some worms with solid action inside of the islands, they were surprised to hook into a 19 inch Fluke on artificial baits.
• Reports just in this A.M. from another one of our shore scouts Bill said plenty of fish to be had on soft plastics around the vicinity of Burial Hill beach on the incoming tide. After stopping by Compo at first light, the Sand Eels he reports were in so think they were reminiscent of bunker schools.
• I myself was out on the beach first thing Thursday A.M. prepping two new fly fisherman for thier first excursion this wekend and while practicing, viewed pods of small baitfish and sand eels getting pushed up onto Calf Pasture Beach. Too bad we only had 5 WTs with no hooks :)!