September 1, 2011 Connecticut and Rhode Island Report

Not surprisingly, fishing has been far from the minds of many in the region since Hurricane Irene hit.  Scores of people are still in the dark, let alone launching boats or wetting lines.  The conversations for each of my calls this week started by asking when power was restored at their tackle shop.  Many couldn’t honestly answer how the fishing was because not a lot of anglers have been out since Irene.  It’s a clean slate out there!  With very few reports to go on, we must make our own.  And with a long weekend coming up, perhaps anglers will take a break from post-Irene cleanup and test the waters again.  It’s September now and classic fall fishing could be right around the corner; so buckle up!

Rhode Island

The waters around Newport were promptly back in business after the storm according to Pete at Saltwater Edge.  He said the water is clean and things are looking a little like fall along Ocean Drive, where birds have been working over bait and blitzing fish.  On Monday and Tuesday afternoon, pencil poppers took decent bluefish and striped bass ranging mostly 18 to 32 inches, with some larger ones mixed in.  Pete also mentioned that boats are slowly plunking back in the water, with a few on the hunt for the first signs of false albacore.  He’s heard of no more bonito locally, but is hopeful for a second push of them later this month.

Captain Ron of Breachway Bait and Tackle, which was out of power until Wednesday, said the inshore water in South County remained a little dirty.  He also shared the most positive fishing news I heard all week, with three 40-pound striped bass taken Wednesday morning around Southwest Ledge on live eels.  John at Twin Maple added some more goods on Block Island waters.  There were 25-foot waves on Sunday, yet the ferries resumed by 1 PM Monday – talk about a difference one day can make.  John noted it’s been more bass than blues around lately, and some anglers have happily switched back to fishing eels instead of diamond jigs.  Nice stripers have been caught with the former recently between the Bell and Whistle Buoy near Southwest Corner.  The only catches of sea bass and fluke I heard of this week came from the same area.

Dave at River and Riptide hasn’t been on the water since Irene, but will be soon after receiving his new NorthCoast 23-foot center console.  He plans on breaking it in over the long weekend, as he gears up for what is hopefully a strong false albacore run.  He said the Wood River was dropping quickly and should have solid trout fishing opportunities over the weekend.

Connecticut

Reports from Long Island Sound have been few and far between this week.  Many boats remain out of water and inshore conditions are still mucked up, especially near rivers. Many tackle shops across Connecticut took a hit from Irene too.  The Fish Connection, River’s End and Connecticut Outfitters all went without power until Wednesday and Captain Morgan Bait & Tackle only had half power by Wednesday afternoon.

Captain Mike from Reel Cast Charters took a ride to Watch Hill Reef on Wednesday and landed two striped bass and several eight to 12-pound blues on the surface using light-tackle spinning outfits and the fly rod.  There was a lot of baitfish skipping on the surface that appeared to be butterfish or snapper blues.

OTW contributor Captain Chris of Elser Guide Services put in a six hour recon mission on Long Island Sound on Wednesday.  He found Montauk-like blitz conditions from Middle Ground to Port Jefferson, with acres of 5- to 10-pound bluefish wreaking havoc on silversides.  Many of these blues were sporting sea lice; a sign that they are fresh visitors to the Sound.  Chris said it didn’t matter what he threw at them and added this is the type of fishing you want to introduce kids to.  Chris is hopeful that the gator-sized bluefish he was catching before Irene show up again before next weekend’s rescheduled WICC tournament.  Another positive note was that the water clarity was astronomically better out in the middle of the Sound compared to inshore along the Connecticut coast.

Blaine of Anderson Guide Services launched in the Connecticut River on Tuesday to survey the conditions in person.  He said he had never seen it so dirty; it was the color of coffee with boatloads of debris.  Blaine soon plans on scouting Montauk and the south side of Fisher’s Island for his first albies of the year.

Best Bets for the Weekend

With a long weekend ahead and pleasant weather in the forecast, hopefully many of you can get on the water in the near future.  Water conditions will continue to improve and should be fine everywhere except outflows.  Block Island waters seem the least affected by Hurricane Irene and are already back coughing up large striped bass.  Keep an eye on Watch Hill Reef, the south side of Fishers Island, and Montauk if you’re after false albacore.  Plenty of areas are offering topwater action for stripers and bluefish, especially the inshore waters around Newport or near Middle Ground in Long Island Sound.  Find the bait and you’ll find the fish!