Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt Stone at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook reports that the striped bass have been on the move and eating well when the tide/time/weather are right. There have been tons of transient fish on the shallow flats and some of the local reefs, and they could be there one day and gone the next. It seems to be relatively tide dependent, with outgoing tides producing the best. The fish are mostly in the 20- to 35-inch range, but some bigger fish continue to filter in daily. When they’re chewing, they have been responding to the Slug-go, 9.5-inch Gravity Tackle eel, X-Walk, 24/7 Mullys, Berkely Nessies and bucktails. Some bluefish reports are starting to surface, but they have been scattered, while freshwater anglers are reporting good trout action throughout the state.
Captain Ben Burdine of Apex Angling told me that despite the colder-than-average water temperatures, the western Long Island Sound striper fishing has been firing on all cylinders. Even the XL-class striped bass have started to show up and are pretty widespread from Greenwich to Stratford, and just about everywhere in between. Fish are being hooked on large topwater plugs, soft plastic lures, and flutter spoons. Guys trolling the usual offerings are also doing well. Large gulls and cormorants have been providing a heads up to where bigger bait is present, often resulting in topwater feeding scenarios. Book a trip with Capt. Ben or get out there with your fishing partner ASAP, as May often provides the best opportunity at catching the biggest striped bass of the season or, better yet, your lifetime!
Heather from the Black Hawk in Niantic provided the following early season report: “We’ve had some up and downs with the porgy fishing since we started. Last weekend was no exception. Friday was a tough day on the scup grounds, as we had a pick of fish on each spot, but it never materialized as we expected. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful spring day on the water, and everyone went home with some fish for dinner. Saturday and Sunday, though, were totally different! Both days were a ‘one drop stop’ as we produced limits for some, and everyone caught for the entire trip. It was a great feeling to get back to what we are accustomed to and it should only get better from here! We also had a solid showing of short fluke that were all released, but a good sign that all the species are waking up from the cold winter! Friday’s squid trip wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but we’re looking forward to better trips in the coming days. Stay tuned and we’ll post more trips soon! We’re still booking charters, with only a few spots left for the end of May and early June. Summer dates are also filling fast, so be sure to email the office to get your date on the calendar soon.”
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Captain Joe Diorio at Diorio Guide Service reported: “Its hammer time people! The stripers are in and they are big. This is probably the best early season run I’ve seen in 15 years. The best thing is they are absolutely crushing topwater. We have been throwing the big stuff lately. The 8.5-inch Skipper and the 9-inch Doc have been working best for us. We have been fishing shallow water ranging from 5 to 15 ft. I can only assume that the fishing will continue to get better as the water temperature rises and more bait and fish move in. We could be in for an incredible season! We have dates available, but if you’re looking to get in on the action, contact us now as dates are filling up rapidly.”
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Tyler at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that local action is on the upswing and will only get better for the next month or more. Striper fishing is the best game in town right now and it’s not even close as fish are spread out everywhere from inshore harbors and bays out to deep water structure. The freshest fish in the region are likely to be found on the deep water reefs like 11B, Can 13 and the OB Buoy. These schools of fish seem to be on the move as they’ll be around an area in the morning and gone in the afternoon or vice versa. Tyler said that trolling mojos, umbrella rigs and bunker spoons is the best way to locate bass once you see something promising on sonar. Many of these fish are of high quality, in the 40-inch class. Another encouraging sign along the deep-water reefs is the amount of bait present. They are seeing and hearing reports of bunker, mackerel, squid, spearing and rain bait. Tyler said that he expects fishing in the area to become more consistent with the arrival of the new moon, as there are still good reports of fish coming from the west. If you’re looking to fish from shore, there are plenty of bass in tight as well. Shore anglers reported catching on both bait and plugs this week. The Housatonic also continues to fish well, especially at night. On the fluke front, no one had caught one at the time of our discussion, but if you’re looking for a local fluke he suggested trying shallow, in 15 feet of water or less with small bucktails or spearing. The best bet for fluke now, and for a couple of weeks, will be heading to the North Shore along Eaton’s Neck or in Smithtown Bay. The same can be said for early scup, where fishing in 30 to 50 feet around Lloyd’s Neck with lots of clam chum is the best bet.
Anthony Charnetski at Game On Lures reported: “The striped bass bite has been red hot! Lice-covered fish have infested the area appearing in large numbers, including some sizable fish. Basically, every stretch of the shoreline and offshore reefs have been holding fish, and they have been on the chew. A ton of herring are still floating around, however, some adult bunker have entered the mix, which is great to see. Fingers crossed that the bunker keep moving in and we start seeing good numbers of them again. Topwaters, weightless plastics, and spoons have all been working great. The 6″ X-Walk in Bone has been getting some big bites with the warmer weather rolling in. The freshwater bass bite also continues to be hot. There are fish in all stages of the spawn right now but basically everything is shallow, making it a fun time to get out for both high numbers and the potential for big ones.”
Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters said the spring fishing really cranked up since the last moon and should get even better with the coming cycle. They are seeing an increase in larger fish, mostly in the 20-pound-plus range. There is no shortage of bait in the area as they are seeing masses of river herring and even some bunker around. They have some openings over the next couple of weeks, but Captain Mike and his team are already booking prime dates for the season. It’s never too early to lock in yours, so give him a call to book a spot now.
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Connecticut Fishing Forecast
While whispers of other species were intertwined with reports from tackle shops this week, the main thread was undoubtedly talk of striped bass. Linesiders have made their presence known from Norwalk to New London, in one way or another. While numbers aren’t necessarily proportional in both locales, they are reportedly the main focus for the bulk of anglers plying Long Island Sound and its tributaries. In the western Sound, pushes of fresh fish are meeting up with resident bass that are also on the move.
In the central Sound, the area around the Connecticut River is seeing an influx of quality fish. The lower Connecticut River is about as good as it gets for early May, while the upper stretches are starting to see more bass around the herring runs, especially for anglers dunking sandworms. The upper stretches of the CT River have also seen a better push of American shad this week, and they are starting to garner a lot of attention. East of the river, most of the striper activity is still confined to the larger rivers in Niantic and New London but that should change in the next week or two.
Both the scup and summer flounder fisheries opened last week, but early reports are quiet. Anglers traveling to the Long Island side though have been finding good catches of both species. Reports of squid to the east in Rhode Island are promising and indicate that fluke should be hot on their tails. It’s a great time of year with no shortage of choices of species to target. Get out and get in on the spring fever while it lasts.