Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook was happy to report that he spent some time on the water this week and was able to find a late season push of local false albacore. It has been quiet on the albie front lately, but it seems like we’re getting one last October push, similar to what we saw in LIS last season. Striped bass can still be found blitzing on peanut bunker all over the area, so there is no shortage of light tackle action, even if the albies don’t cooperate. Tautog fishing has been decent, but the more well-known spots have been hit hard, and the catch still tends to be dominated by shorts. As the water continues to drop, the fishing pressure should decrease, along with the number of small fish in the area. It also appears that targeting cleaner water has helped anglers find keeper fish, as some of the water has gotten cloudy with the recent rains.
Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing reports that they saw mixed results this week, with generally good bottom fishing, however a bit slower than they have seen most of the year. The bluefish and striped bass tips continue to be successful, with plenty of big bluefish and a nice mix of bass. They have a few more of these trips planned, so be sure to check the schedule before it’s too late. The combo blackfish/bottom fishing trips have seen the best results, with blackfish to 12-pounds and a full boat limit of blackfish on some trips. They will continue to fish daily when the weather allows, and there are also a few private charters available, so check in with the office asap!
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Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters reports that fall run is still going strong. They have added some blackfish trips to their slate, and they have been able to find limits on most trips through a variety of weather conditions. While the blackfishing has been consistent, the striper fishing has been phenomenal. His clients are seeing excellent striper action, with fish of all sizes blitzing on peanut bunker. Some big fish are still coming on live baits, but it is getting much easier to get fish to commit to artificial offerings. Bluefish are still mixed in as well, with many of them eclipsing the 10-pound mark. Mike still has a few openings for the fall run, be sure to reach out to him soon to plan a trip!
Captain Chris, at Elser Guide Service saw some strong action early this week, with plenty of bass and bluefish chowing down on the loads of peanut bunker across the Western Sound. On most days, fish can be found blitzing offshore and right up along the beaches. It’s certainly nice to see bass of all sizes blitzing in the area, as well as some of the biggest bluefish Chris has seen in years. The recent winds may move things around a bit for the weekend, but it shouldn’t affect the overall bite. There’s still plenty of time left!
Fisherman’s World in Norwalk continues to sell crabs as quick as they come in, with local anglers reporting success in both shallow and deep water. The deeper structure seems to be holding less shorts, but there seems to be plenty of keepers on just about all the hard bottom. Scup remain easy to find, including some fish up to 16-inches being reported this week. Light tackle anglers haven’t been reporting many local false albacore, but there is still plenty out them out past Middleground and along the north shore of Long Island. The massive amount of peanut bunker in the area persists, and there are more than enough gator bluefish fresh on their tail. These fish can often be seen pushing bait up towards the beaches and are eclipsing 15-pounds at times. The striped bass fishing has been similar, with many keeper and over-slot fish keyed in on those same schools of peanuts. The deep-water striped bass bite is also starting to pick back up, especially for anglers dropping Diamond Jigs around 11B and 28C. Freshwater anglers are still reporting good catches of largemouth at the Reservoir, and we should start hearing of some better trout catches due to the recent drop in water temperature.
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Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Peak fall fishing remains upon us in southern New England, with steady sea bass and scup, along with improving tautog fishing for the groundfishermen. Striped bass of all sizes are being caught with regularity at just about every hot spot in our range, and there have been enough false albacore hanging around to keep things interesting.
Connecticut anglers also have no shortage of striped bass to play with. Schoolie blitzes are reported all over the state, and some big fish can be found on the usual reefs and rips, and throughout the range of the tidal rivers. If you find the bunker (adult or peanuts) you will undoubtedly find some hungry bass and a few large bluefish close behind. A late push of false albacore seems to be upon us this week, so make sure you have your albie gear handy, even if you’re not expecting to see them. The tautog fishing has been steady for most anglers, and while shorts seem to be dominating the catch, the deeper/lesser-fished areas are putting up plenty of keepers. Sea bass and scup are helping to fill the coolers, with the former showing up on the deeper structure, and the latter being abundant everywhere.