Printer Friendly Version - A Touch of Summer Brings on More Fish—and Smiles

Tom Maffuid (right) of Madison picked a good day to catch some humpback sea bass, while Guilford’s Jacob Armour (left) found out there were large sea robins in Long Island Sound. Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan

When fish, fishers, and shellfishers act in unison, it’s a sure sign that summer is on its way. Somehow, when the sun pokes through the clouds and the wind subsides (but blows after it rains), attitudes uplift. Layers of clothes are quickly shed as the call from the sea permeates the salty air, urging coasties to splash their boats and try their hand at catching dinner.

It was Memorial Day weekend, a time when we honor the members of our armed forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice while standing proud for America. Colleges and universities began emptying as secondary schools prepared to follow. One of the first items on the agenda is to renew a fishing license, something that often gets absorbed in the daily routine and forgotten. Look around. There are more smiles on the streets, in the shops, and, definitely, on the water.

This day also marks the unofficial beginning of summer, thus bringing us back to attitudes. Now, they are mostly upbeat. People are in the groove, happy, and, when fishing, have more room to have fun. A bit later into the season, when the crowds materialize, it may be a bit different as patience wears thin, especially at the boat ramps and harbor channels. For now, though, folks will reminisce about a mild winter, last year’s catches, and the prospects for this year.

Those of us who have been wetting a line for awhile already have a clue as what this fishing season will bring. Thick schools of bait in the Sound and the tidal rivers turned on a strong striped bass bite. Currently, that morphed into an outstanding sea bass run. As the water temperatures and pH continue to approximate those of coastal Atlantic, we can expect to see and catch more fish—some of which might seem unusual.

So as we kick of this season, give a wide berth for those fishing and take a patience pill before you hit the boat ramp. It is all in the name of fun, recreation, and enjoyment. Keep smiling and make someone’s day a memorable one in the process.

This marked the second time that we’ve actually felt summer temperatures as the air hit 80 degrees. With that, fog greeted most who took in the shoreline before it burned off. Long Island Sound water temperatures continue to push from the low- to mid-50s as more migrant fish break into the Sound. Much of the wind subsided, but will certainly pick up again as the westerly winds give way.

Black sea bass continue their hard bite with the humpies coming from depths of 70 to 95 feet. They are taking bait as well as some artificials from fishers both on the drift and from anchor. Probably, the most difficulty encountered will be setting anchor, because catching these types of grouper, especially those around 12 inches, will constantly hammer your baits on the way to the bottom. However, persistence will pay off and dinner will prevail.

With the water temperature on the climb, there are more gurnards (sea robins), skates, and summer flounder (fluke) coming across the shoals and into the harbors. Filleting a sea robin and cooking it up ought to be on your to-do list this summer and, if not, release any caught unharmed. Keeper fluke are taking drift rigs tipped with squid at Six Mile Reef and Long Sand Shoal. Some are making their way into harbor channels and into the tidal rivers. Winter flounder catches are still occurring in the bays and inshore flats. It’s also time to try your hand at porgy (scup) fishing. It’s still a little too early for keeper crabs.

This past week has seen little let up in striped bass activity. Most fish caught are still schoolie-sized, big gal wanna-bes. They are onto bait, bucktails, small spoons, plugs, and soft plastics. These fish are well within voucher size and offer loads of fun on lite gear. Fish for them inshore, but if you want bigger fish, jerk some chutes or three-way live eels or menhaden out on the reefs. Faulkner’s, Charles, and The S’s are not bad for starters. Bluefish are also being caught, but nothing to get excited about yet—at least as far as sizes are concerned.

The recent rain has helped the trout streams and also the bite. Expect hatches and more strikes on dries, although streamers and nymphs will continue to produce. Largemouth bass are quite active and onto soft plastics, cranks, jigs, and buzz baits. Smallmouth action has improved. Time for craw imitations and jigs. There are loads of pickerel, perch, and crappie, as well as a decent sunfish bite. Both the lakes and farm ponds have been quite active recently.

Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.

For all things fishy including bait, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...