Eastern Long Island Sound Fishing Report | August 12, 2014

On Friday evening the marina was full of excitement, with improved reports from near and far, and a perfect forecast, the customers of Boats Incorporated were looking to hit it hard. Late Friday afternoon the area bait and tackle shops were busy with customers loading up with supplies, looking for a hot tip and developing their game plan.

With all the preparation coming together boats started to venture outbound as the evening wore on wanting to be at the edge for first light Saturday morning, while others were looking to get a 4AM start.

The crew of Salty Dog III was made up with Captain Fred Snyder, wife Carol, Bobbette, Michael, Mitchell Clapsadle and I would leave shortly after 6AM Saturday, what was scheduled to be a shark / cod combo outing. After traveling a short distance south east of Block Island we would set in with a plan to chum heavy with both mackerel and bunker, about an hour and half into the wait the first blue shark was brought to the boat by Fred, and after a quick release, Mitchell set up on a second blue shark that had a decent run screaming past the bow of the boat, giving hope that it was the right bite. The slick was maintained, and the crew was encouraged by the action thus far, as Mitchell was the first to notice a fin circling the third float. Knowing we had another shark in the slick the excitement level was raised once again. Michael was next up and was preparing the belt and harness, about five minutes after the fin sighting, float two disappeared into the deep, and within seconds a mako launched about 10 feet out of the water, Captain Fred set the hook, hard, handing the rod off to Michael. Carol and Bobbette rapidly cleared the other rods while Fred and Mitchell prepared the flying gaff. After about 30 minutes Michael had the fish boat side, where Fred set the flying gaff, after another 5 minutes or so, Mitchell would tail rope his first fish for the end game! The mako took a butterflied mackerel on a 10/0 mustad hook. The cod portion of our trip would not happen as dive boats were set up on both wrecks we visited on the way in.

The marina was busy on our return with the day boats filleting their catches including scup, sea bass, fluke, blues and a few bass.

Sunday morning Dave Warwick headed far southeast on a day trip setting in short of the canyon where him and his crew would score 12 mahi. All in all 9 boats ventured off shore, from our marina with all boats returning with something for their efforts, to include yellows, albacore, Mahi and a wahoo Kurt Knudsen landed in the tails.

Sunday afternoon once again the guys fishing inside would put a nice catch together including a nice catch of fluke by George Morgan and family!

Looking ahead to next weekend the 26th annual ”One Tide Challenge”, at Boats Incorporated will be held. Crews are being put together with some local talent, and some “ringers” are being called into increase the odds, one of the best day tournaments around. David Sheridan and I had a good conversation on strategies and understand the weather will contribute on what a 25 Parker can do against a 33 Grady. With Block Island being so hot, it’s hard not to consider, while other may head west out of Niantic Bay putting bait together in the Connecticut River, hitting the local humps and bumps, I for one don’t believe in over running the fish, Saturdays Mako case in point, decisions, decisions.

Tight Lines

Captain Tom Clapsadle Jr.