There are some signs that the inconsistent striper bite is starting to even out as we head toward the new moon. There have been some very big bass caught, but most anglers have been having a tough time finding numbers of fish until late this week. Sea bass fishing is excellent, and fluke fishing has continued to improve with some very big keepers reported in Connecticut waters.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Big bass have been moving through the Western Sound in waves, feeding on the big schools of bunker in the area. As waters warm, expect to find more fish out on the deeper ledges than inshore along the Norwalk Islands, at buoys 11B, 28B and just south of little passage. Fluke fishing has picked up on the reefs of Stratford and Milford.
Farther east in the central Sound, bass fishing has been inconsistent. TJ Karbowski of Rock and Roll Charters in Clinton reported that he’s been able to find success but it’s taking a little more work lately to find the fish. Some bigger bass have been caught on the Clinton/Westbrook reefs but it’s been difficult to decipher a consistent pattern. TJ has also been taking advantage of the bottom fishing on slower tides, adding some great black sea bass, fluke and scup catches to his clients’ mixed bags.
Fluke fishing has picked up and provided a spark in the eastern sound, where good fish are being reported from Two-Tree Channel, Niantic Bay and Harkness. The mouth of the Connecticut River has had the first reports this week of some decent fluke from shore side as well as boat. Long Sand Shoal has also had the first reports of the season. The Mattituck area has some good numbers of fluke under the schools of sand eels. Anglers making the trek to Montauk and the south side of Fishers have also been rewarded for their efforts with some quality fish.
On the phone with Rivers End in Old Saybrook I was told that I could pretty much reprint last week’s report because things haven’t changed too much. There is still a ton of bunker, some bass and plenty of blues in the lower Connecticut River and some good stripers upriver near Essex. The fish are hitting topwater plugs and soft-plastic lures, mostly around the dawn and dusk hours. There have also been bass on Long Sand Shoal, Bartletts, the Sluiceway and Plum Gut. They’re not killing them but picking away mostly with live bunker, which is in good supply. Watch Hill is still enjoying a decent squid run with bass in pursuit, but like most spots it’s not consistent.
Andrew, at Fishin’ Factory III in Middletown, reported that the striper fishing is finally getting a little more consistent after several weeks of up-and-down fishing. Bass from 36 to 40 inches are schooling up on Long Sand Shoal and out at Plum Gut. Andrew has been out bottom fishing and reported excellent black sea bass fishing on the deep rockpiles, with the biggest sea bass schooling up and coming in groups. He’s also been prospecting for fluke and found some good-sized fish in deeper water off Black Point.
Fishing Forecast
If the bass bite breaks open this weekend on the new moon tides, you’ll want to be there, but it makes sense to have a backup plan. Sea bass fishing is excellent and fluking has been improving by the week, so pack some bottom-fishing gear and bucktail jigs and plan to enjoy the weekend with a combo trip.