Connecticut and Rhode Island Fishing Report 11-3-2011

Now that most areas of Connecticut and Rhode Island have recovered from a surprisingly harsh October nor’easter, it’s time to remind ourselves that there’s still plenty of fishing to do along the coast. When the wind has allowed blackfish anglers to get back out and soak green crabs, they’re finding that the tog are biting, and they’re big – really big.

Striped bass are still biting for surf and boat fishermen, from the south beaches of Rhode Island to the reefs of the Western Sound. Although most of the fish are schoolie-sized, there are still a few late-season cows roaming the surf ready to put the perfect ending on your striper season.

Block Island still offers the opportunity for a mixed-bag of bottom fish, and anglers looking to make the run over to Montauk will be happy to hear that the striper bite is starting to regroup off the point.

 Rhode Island

More large striped bass were reported in the Rhode Island surf line over the last week. OTW contributor Steve McKenna of Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle reported catching and releasing at fish this week in the 40-pound range on a metal-lip plug. Narragansett Bay has gone mostly quiet, but there’s been plenty of bait along the beaches and in the breachways, including peanut bunker and mullet, reported Dave at River and Riptide. Dave tried out the Charlestown Breachway after the nor’easter, and though there were no takers on flies fished inside the pond, out on the jetties there were stripers from 20 to 30 inches willing to hit tins and small plugs. There have been stripers under birds from Weekapaug to Watch Hill, and with water temperatures in the upper 50s, this action should continue into November. No sign yet of sea herring or diving gannets, reported Capt. Jack from Quaker Lane.

Fishing for blackfish has been good for the boaters who have been out since the storm. Rockpiles that top out in 20 to 30 feet of water have been producing steady action with plenty of 5-pounders in the mix, according to the report from Breachway Bait and Tackle. The Clumps on the inside of Fisher’s Island are also fishing well.

The bottom fishing out at Block Island has been good for sea bass and tautog. If you’re looking to get out but don’t have a boat in the water, consider the Blackhawk’s “fill the freezer trips” to Block Island, starting this weekend,  for a mix of sea bass, porgies and tog.

Connecticut

Big news in Connecticut this week was of a monster blackfish weighed-in at Hillyers on Friday. “Togzilla” weighed 23.55 pounds and measured 33 inches long with a 24-inch girth. Ken Owen was the angler, who was fishing on the south side of Two Tree Channel in 23 feet of water.  It was just 1.5-pounds shy of the world record set in New Jersey in 1998! Rockpiles in 20 to 30 feet of water are producing good catches on green crabs. Check out the Clumps behind Fishers Island, Seaflower Reef, Pine Island and Avery Point, suggested Cheyenne at The Fish Connection. Avery Point and the entire Waterford coast are also good bets for tautog from shore.

Shore fishermen soaking chunks of bait are connecting with bluefish at the rivermouths, reported Rivers End. Long Sand Shoal and Hatchett Reef are giving up stripers into the 20-pound range on live eels, mostly at night. Down in the Western Sound, diamond jigging out at the buoys producing mostly bass and a few blues, according to Nick at Fishermans World in Norwalk. Most of the stripers have been in the 24- to 34-inch range. Live eels will tend to turn up bigger bass. Bluefish have been showing on the surface at the mouth of the Saugatuck River and should reappear to feed on the abundant bait. There’s still plenty of fishing action to be had over the next few weeks in the Western Sound, said Nick.

The blitzes of Montauk have been drawing Connecticut anglers for several weeks now, but the October nor’easter messed up the bite for a few days. Things should come back together this weekend, with plenty of bait around, however it appears that the albies have departed for good.

Last weekend’s carp fishing outing held by Connecticut Outfitters had to be postponed due to weather. In fact, the shop only had power restored as of Wednesday. Most anglers have been off the water while waiting for power to be restored and life to return to normal. With the weather looking up for the weekend, hopefully more folks will be able to get out and wet a line.

The CT DEEP completed their initial fall stocking of Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers, as well as Mount Tom Pond and Crystal Lake.  This batch included about 400 broodstock salmon ranging from three to 18-pounds.  Sometimes it’s more about ticking them off then getting them to eat.  Retrieving a brightly colored single-hook, free-swinging fly or lure in front of their face could do the trick.

Best Bets for the Weekend

It’s last call in the Rhode Island surf, but there are still a few big bass bellying up to the beach to feed on the abundant bait. Your odds for a late season bass bite improve as you move west to the Connecticut border, where a boat trip out to Fishers Island, the Race, or Long Sand Shoal with live eels can still produce a few big late-season bass.

Sunday looks like a choice day to hit the rockpiles with green crabs and enjoy the blackfishing. Pressure has been light with all the windy weather, so the bite should be fantastic. Recheck your knots and sharpen your hooks, as there are some record-sized tog out there!