On The Water (Alan Desbonnet)

1. Out in the Rhode Island area, the fluke fishing is still hot and staying hot. The greatest concentration of fluke, which is providing lots of keeper-sized fish, is off to the east of Point Judith according to Thom at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. As has been the case right along, the best fishing and bigger fish are to be taken in deeper waters in the 40- to 60-foot range with squid and spearing. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown reported lots of 6- and 7-pounders being weighed in, with a couple in the 11-pound class as well. Mary at Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett reported that the hot spots right now are off the east and center walls at Point Judith, and toward the Five Cottages in about 60 feet of water.
2. Fluking out on Block Island appears to be slowing just a bit, with a considerable increase in the number of smaller fish taken recently. Twin Maples Tackle on the island reported small squid starting to show up in the harbor, a sign that a run of good fluke hot on the heels of the squid could be expected in the coming week.
3. As it was for last week, it is for this week – bluefish are king! These toothy predators are just about everywhere, in the bays, along the shore, in the shallows, and in the depths. While many of the fish are in the 3- to 5-pound range, there are numerous fish being taken in the 10-pound range, with occasional bigger ones.
4. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown noted that many fisherman intent on catching other species are calling the blues a major “pain” in the gear! That said, lots of light-tackle enthusiasts and kids especially are having a bonanza in the breachways on snappers according to Mary at Maridee’s Bait & Tackle. The folks at Saltwater Edge in Newport reported good angling with fly rods and lighter gear from shore after dark, with lots of honest 10- to 12-pound blues being landed.
5. Out on Block Island, a greater number of bigger blues are being taken on both bait and hardware from boats in slightly deeper water off the beaches. This is not to say that blues can’t be had casting off the beaches, it’s just that larger fish are lurking just a bit farther offshore. School bass are abundant, and becoming more abundant in the shallow water areas while the bigger bass are pretty much to be had only after dark and/or in deeper waters. Of course, live eels after dark continue to be the top producer of slammer bass. Twin Maples Tackle on Block Island reported a 46-pounder caught on a live eel at night from the beach off the southwest point of the island.
6. The Saltwater Edge, just to buck the after-dark trend, is reporting great striper fishing just at dark in the Newport region with small surface plugs and flies or poppers. While the fish technically fall into the “school bass” category, many fish are actually keeper-sized. Apparently mullet have shown up in the area, drawing in larger fish that are feeding heavily just at and after dark.
7. Continuing the “not after dark only” trend, the fishing from shore from Black Rock to Dorys Cove on Block Island, early and late (and yes, into the dark) has been sizzling. Beach anglers tossing needlefish plugs are taking lots of very nice bass. Breachway Tackle and Maridee both reported that school bass are hitting well at both day and dusk, with a marked increased in surface action.
8. Bonito continue to be sporadic throughout Rhode Island Sound, with no reported concentrations of fish hanging around anywhere in particular. Saltwater Edge reported that the schools that had been frequenting the Newport and Westport areas have broken up for the time being, perhaps due to the high-pressure system that has settled over the area.
9. Twin Maples Tackle on Block Island reported several weakfish in the 9-pound range taken on the north end of the island. The weakfish were taken incidentally while targeting bluefish, but this is the first time in several years that this species has been reported as more than a “freak” catch in some out of the way spot. Good news, perhaps.
10. Moving west into Watch Hill and eastern Long Island Sound, the fluke fishing remains good, with excellent catches still coming in from the beaches off Misquamicut and off the south side of Fishers Island, mainly in water 40 to 60 feet deep.
11. Cheryl at Shaffer’s Marina in Mystic weighed in a 7.5-pounder taken near Gates Island on the south side of Fishers Island while Richard at Hillyer’s reported a 12-pounder taken near Black Point in Niantic. Bluefish are everywhere, but that’s no surprise by now. While there is a preponderance of smaller blues in the 3- to 5-pound range, Cheryl at Shaffer’s noted that anglers are landing blues up to 12 pounds pretty regularly off the “clumps” on the north side of Fishers Island.
12. Both Hillyer’s and the Fish Connection report intense angling for bluefish in the river mouths, shallow coves and along the beaches, mainly for harbor blues and snapper blues.
    Striper fishing is good, though mainly early and late, and of course after dark with eels. School bass are quite active on the reefs off Watch Hill, with early and late being best times, better still if the tide is moving briskly.
    
13. Shaffer’s, Fish Connection and Hillyer’s are all hearing regular reports from anglers having good fishing for stripers on the reefs. Bartletts Reef in the Niantic/Waterford region is also producing nice catches of striped bass, mainly school bass, according to Joe at the Fish Connection. Bonito are still not consistent in this area, though Cheryl had reliable reports of a school of these speedsters just off of Napatree Point this past Saturday. Joe at the Fish Connection reported bonito sightings off of Avery Point and Ocean Beach earlier in the week, but no reports yet in the Niantic area.
14. Farther west in Long Island Sound, “mum’s the word” with one of the larger tournaments of the season getting into full swing. Capt. Morgan’s, Stratford Bait & Tackle and Fisherman’s World all report excellent bluefishing, with many big blues being landed from boat and shore. While anglers are readily talking about good catches of good-sized bluefish, they are being quite tight lipped about where and how they came about the catch according to Chris at Stratford Bait & Tackle. It will have to suffice to say, at least for this week, that there is excellent fishing for bluefish to be had in the western end of the Sound.
    Fluke fishing is still very good, with bigger fish being taken more regularly, continuing the trend from last week.
    
15. Chris at Stratford Bait & Tackle says the fluke fishing has improved, mainly because everyone is focused in on the big tournament and not targeting fluke. He attributes an increased number of big fluke being taken per angler simply because there are less anglers out there fishing for them. If Chris is correct, that trend may expire next week when the tournament is over and people begin to think about fluke once again.
16. Stripers appear to be slowing down in the far western Sound as water temperature peak for the season. Big fish can still be found, but only at night in deeper water and with something irresistible like live eels. School bass can be had during daylight hours, but dawn and dusk prevail as the prime time to seek stripers, even the smaller ones.
17. The bonito have not yet moved fully into the western Sound. Nick at Fisherman’s World had reports of some bonito off Edens Neck, but it was evidently short lived. Capt. Morgan’s reported a few bonito in the Clinton area, but nothing further west while Chris at Stratford Bait & Tackle said he has not had any reliable reports of bonito in the area to date.
18. Out in the Rhode Island area, the fluke fishing is still hot and staying hot. The greatest concentration of fluke, which is providing lots of keeper-sized fish, is off to the east of Point Judith according to Thom at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. As has been the case right along, the best fishing and bigger fish are to be taken in deeper waters in the 40- to 60-foot range with squid and spearing. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown reported lots of 6- and 7-pounders being weighed in, with a couple in the 11-pound class as well. Mary at Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett reported that the hot spots right now are off the east and center walls at Point Judith, and toward the Five Cottages in about 60 feet of water.
19. Fluking out on Block Island appears to be slowing just a bit, with a considerable increase in the number of smaller fish taken recently. Twin Maples Tackle on the island reported small squid starting to show up in the harbor, a sign that a run of good fluke hot on the heels of the squid could be expected in the coming week.

Rhode Island:

1. Out in the Rhode Island area, the fluke fishing is still hot and staying hot. The greatest concentration of fluke, which is providing lots of keeper-sized fish, is off to the east of Point Judith according to Thom at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. As has been the case right along, the best fishing and bigger fish are to be taken in deeper waters in the 40- to 60-foot range with squid and spearing. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown reported lots of 6- and 7-pounders being weighed in, with a couple in the 11-pound class as well. Mary at Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett reported that the hot spots right now are off the east and center walls at Point Judith, and toward the Five Cottages in about 60 feet of water.
2. Fluking out on Block Island appears to be slowing just a bit, with a considerable increase in the number of smaller fish taken recently. Twin Maples Tackle on the island reported small squid starting to show up in the harbor, a sign that a run of good fluke hot on the heels of the squid could be expected in the coming week.
3. Out in the Rhode Island area, the fluke fishing is still hot and staying hot. The greatest concentration of fluke, which is providing lots of keeper-sized fish, is off to the east of Point Judith according to Thom at Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. As has been the case right along, the best fishing and bigger fish are to be taken in deeper waters in the 40- to 60-foot range with squid and spearing. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown reported lots of 6- and 7-pounders being weighed in, with a couple in the 11-pound class as well. Mary at Maridee Bait & Tackle in Narragansett reported that the hot spots right now are off the east and center walls at Point Judith, and toward the Five Cottages in about 60 feet of water.
4. Fluking out on Block Island appears to be slowing just a bit, with a considerable increase in the number of smaller fish taken recently. Twin Maples Tackle on the island reported small squid starting to show up in the harbor, a sign that a run of good fluke hot on the heels of the squid could be expected in the coming week.
5. As it was for last week, it is for this week – bluefish are king! These toothy predators are just about everywhere, in the bays, along the shore, in the shallows, and in the depths. While many of the fish are in the 3- to 5-pound range, there are numerous fish being taken in the 10-pound range, with occasional bigger ones.
6. Colby at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown noted that many fisherman intent on catching other species are calling the blues a major “pain” in the gear! That said, lots of light-tackle enthusiasts and kids especially are having a bonanza in the breachways on snappers according to Mary at Maridee’s Bait & Tackle. The folks at Saltwater Edge in Newport reported good angling with fly rods and lighter gear from shore after dark, with lots of honest 10- to 12-pound blues being landed.
7. Out on Block Island, a greater number of bigger blues are being taken on both bait and hardware from boats in slightly deeper water off the beaches. This is not to say that blues can’t be had casting off the beaches, it’s just that larger fish are lurking just a bit farther offshore. School bass are abundant, and becoming more abundant in the shallow water areas while the bigger bass are pretty much to be had only after dark and/or in deeper waters. Of course, live eels after dark continue to be the top producer of slammer bass. Twin Maples Tackle on Block Island reported a 46-pounder caught on a live eel at night from the beach off the southwest point of the island.
8. The Saltwater Edge, just to buck the after-dark trend, is reporting great striper fishing just at dark in the Newport region with small surface plugs and flies or poppers. While the fish technically fall into the “school bass” category, many fish are actually keeper-sized. Apparently mullet have shown up in the area, drawing in larger fish that are feeding heavily just at and after dark.
9. Continuing the “not after dark only” trend, the fishing from shore from Black Rock to Dorys Cove on Block Island, early and late (and yes, into the dark) has been sizzling. Beach anglers tossing needlefish plugs are taking lots of very nice bass. Breachway Tackle and Maridee both reported that school bass are hitting well at both day and dusk, with a marked increased in surface action.
10. Bonito continue to be sporadic throughout Rhode Island Sound, with no reported concentrations of fish hanging around anywhere in particular. Saltwater Edge reported that the schools that had been frequenting the Newport and Westport areas have broken up for the time being, perhaps due to the high-pressure system that has settled over the area.
11. Twin Maples Tackle on Block Island reported several weakfish in the 9-pound range taken on the north end of the island. The weakfish were taken incidentally while targeting bluefish, but this is the first time in several years that this species has been reported as more than a “freak” catch in some out of the way spot. Good news, perhaps.:

Best Bets for Connecticut and Rhode Island

• With the preponderance of large bunker in the river mouths and shallows in the western end of Long Island Sound, big fish will be close and in reach of shore-bound anglers. Given we are supposed to see a bit of unsettled weather over the weekend, which ought to get the fish jazzed up for a feeding frenzy or two, I would bet on good fishing to good fish in that area from shore. It may be a bit busy, but it may be the ticket to some incredible fishin
• My second choice, given that everyone will be swarming about the western portion of Long Island Sound chasing large blues and stripers, would be to target fluke in some of the traditionally good spots like the 28C and 11B buoys, Green Ledge and Middle Ground. It may be a great weekend to target some hot fluke fishing while a majority of anglers are ignoring this species. If going west is too far, go east to deeper water around the walls at Point Judith and pick up on the excellent fluke fishing there.