Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that high surf and massive amounts of rain have dirtied things up in the sound, although there have been some encouraging reports coming in since Wednesday. It seems like the false albacore are starting to show back up, with a few reports from the Eastern Sound and around Fishers. There are still peanut bunker, silversides, and juvenile butterfish throughout the Eastern Sound, so the albie fishing should fire right back up as we clean up. There is no shortage of mixed class striped bass on the tail of all that bait, so finding some light tackle action shouldn’t be a problem. There are still plenty of big bunker schools around that are fueling some blitzes of bigger fish. Big bass are also being taken on GT eels, big topwater plugs, and big spoons. Bluefish of all sizes are also still plentiful, with blitzes of big fish throughout the Sound, and great snapper action in the tributaries. Scup fishing is as strong as ever, and there’s enough keeper sea bass around to keep things interesting.
Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing reported that they lost a few trips due to Hurricane Lee, but the trips pre and post have been as strong as ever. They had several private charters this week, and were able to fill the boat with porgies, sea bass, bluefish, and even a few cod. The full boat porgy trips this week were also successful, with no shortage of fish for the coolers. They added one more After Work Special this Friday, so be sure to check their website for availability for that trip, the private charters, or any of the full boat trips this fall!
When I checked in with captain Mike Roy, at Reel Cast Charters, he told me that things were good before the storm, with a big push of topwater schoolie to slot class bass, along with some gator bluefish. Soft plastics have been working great when the bluefish aren’t around, and when they are, Mike has been turning to the Shimano Current Sniper Jig. There have been albies scattered all over the area, but the consistency from day to day isn’t there, they seem to still be moving around quite a bit. Black sea bass fishing has been good and is providing another nice option on these fall trips. Things are shaping up nicely for the fall run, and Mike still has a few dates available, so be sure to reach out soon.
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Dan, at Daniels Bait, Tackle & Charters in New London told me that Eastern Sound anglers are reporting semi-consistent fishing for false albacore and bonito over the past few days, as the water has cleaned up a bit. Epoxy jigs in green and pink have been getting the job done, along with the usual soft plastics. Striped bass anglers are still finding big bass on the reefs and rips, with live bait being the best bet, while shore bound anglers are cashing in around dusk on live eels and big plugs. Sea bass and fluke are making some late season appearances on soft plastics and jigs fished in 40 to 60 feet of water, and big bluefish are still hitting diamond jigs in the same depth range. Shore anglers are still scoring great scup catches, and that should continue for a few more weeks.
Captain Chris, at Elser Guide Service told me that the albie action has actually been much improved and consistent in his neck of the woods, ever since the storm blew through. They had albies in several different locations across the Western Sound earlier this week. Pink 1-ounce Exo Jigs has been the hot ticket! The fish are feeding on 2- to 3-inch peanut bunker, but they can still be finicky at times. Big striped bass are still here and very catchable on the troll, while bluefish are still hanging out on pretty much every piece of structure and/or rip line. Despite some more wind this weekend, things are shaping up nicely for another great fall run!
Max, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reported that the fall run has really picked up in the area with the arrival of false albacore. Big schools of albies have moved into the Western Sound and seem to have taken up residence. The Middleground area has been good, along with Port Jeff and Smithtown Bay. Striped bass fishing has picked up inshore with school to slot sized fish chasing and sometimes blitzing on the abundant peanut bunker that is in the area. There are fish in and around the islands, with some nice topwater action around dawn and dusk. There have also been quite a few cocktail sized bluefish mixed in, which has helped to keep things interesting. There has still been some decent fluke in the area, feeding on the peanut bunker in both shallow and deeper water. If you’re looking for sea bass, Max suggests targeting deeper wrecks, 60 feet or deeper, to avoid all the shorts. Every rockpile is still covered in scup, and the majority of them are very large.
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Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Connecticut anglers are also seeing some improvement in water quality, which in turn, has fired up some better false albacore action. The Eastern Sound is seeing spotty false albacore pods, but enough to make it worthwhile, while the Western Sound is seeing a strong push and big numbers. The giant schools of small bait continue to grow, so these blitzes should get easier to find as more fish settle in. There is no shortage of mixed sized striped bass to play with, whether you’re out east, west, or any points in between. Topwater blitzes are becoming more common, while the bigger fish are still prevalent on the reefs; so, you should be able to find them one way or the other. Big bluefish are also still around in good numbers, with the best reports coming from The Race/Plum Gut area to the east, and on the deepwater reefs in the Western Sound. Fluke fishing has ticked down, as that season comes to an end, but the sea bassing has picked up and the scup fishing remains as reliable as ever. The tidal estuaries are as clean as they’ve been all year and are producing strong blue crab and snapper bluefish catches.