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06/30/2016 12:00 AMShark Week comes early this year. You wouldn’t know it based on the activity being generated in Long Island Sound. There are no glaring images of those tooth-filled jaws and lifeless eyes peering through the water, nor are there spine-tingling tales of late-night swimmers being stalked. Nevertheless, conversations somehow fall back on this thrill of a week whenever people are gathered at beaches, on waterfront decks, or are sailing small vessels. Somehow, we’re not far from reliving the memories of Jaws that have been imprinted in our minds since childhood. And like all wild childhood thoughts, the epic adventures of these ancient and efficient machines run with the best of imaginations.
Peering out over the dock, one could barely make out a silhouette of the channel’s day marker. The rocks were awash, requiring a wide berth when passing and abutting this shallow channel. Regardless, small vessels use this waterway religiously, as do predatory fish. It’s a natural place for bait fish to hold up or be corralled.
After the sundown bluefish blitz and bits of remaining menhaden settled to the bottom, a fresh chunk was cast. Then, a second. About an hour passed before one of the rods briefly came to life. Fifteen minutes later, a loud clicking broke the silence as line began to melt away. The give and take lasted a good 20 minutes before the dorsal fin and jagged teeth of a five-foot sand tiger showed.
Protected, this normally docile shark was released into the dark unharmed. Today, there’s a greater appreciation of these stealthy creatures and their value to the sea thanks in part to someone’s imagination. Enjoy Shark Week and do your part to protect these beauties.
On the Water
With the earth’s axis tilted toward the sun and making for longer days, summer is officially underway. Although early mornings have been crisp, dipping into the 50s, surface temperatures in Long Island Sound gradually climbed into the high 60s, creating patchy fog, but calmer waters. For the most part, fishing conditions have been good throughout the Big Pond with a variety of species settling in and being caught.
Atlantic menhaden have been schooling in several shoreline harbors during early mornings, but are scattering in small clusters later on. Harbor bluefish have been chasing their tails and slashing through these schools during the day before picking up chunks and chopping topwater plugs at sundown. Feeding has been sporadic, but improving. Incidentally, this year’s WICC Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth will take place during the weekend of Sunday, Aug. 27.
Slab porgies are being caught on sea worms and other natural baits as they congregate on many local reefs. This time of year, the fish are sizable and have insatiable appetites. Great fun on lite gear and tasty at the table, these scrappy fighters provide fun for the entire family. From a single hook to multiple hook rigs, these setups are simple, easy to fish, and are a great way to introduce novices to saltwater fishing.
Central Sound continues to be a hotbed for black sea bass fishing. Reef hunters are working a bit harder for fish of more than four pounds, but they are out there. Unfortunately, so are numbers of smaller fish that are taking baits before they hit bottom. The best fishing is still found to be in 85- to 95-foot depths. Nevertheless, a limit of five 15-inchers make for good eating. New York waters are now open for you sea bassers looking to cross over.
Fluke fishing is picking up both in the doormat category and with shorts—more so with the small guys. Drifting three-way rigs and hi-lo’s with squid, sand eels, or spearing have been effective on the shoals, reefs, and some harbor channels. Even straight bucktails with a teaser is working on a slow and deliberate drift.
This past week, tides favored the late-night striped bass fisher. Live eels generated bites with fish in the 38-inch class and above. When the bite was on, anglers were onto multiple hookups where the inshore fishers seemed to outperform those working the reefs. Bucktails trimmed with the new trailers, soft plastics, and plugs were also productive. When drifting or trolling the reefs, scour the bottom and a run of weakfish may be intercepted. Consider the flood south of Kimberly on to Faulkner’s.
Large, tasty sea robins are still cruising the bottom, along with skate and now northern kingfish. Staging their annual encore, our sand sharks (both smooth and spiny) and sand tigers are here in time for Shark Week. Yes, it’s here and so are they and they’re already eating chunks of fish off of the bottom. All four to five feet of them!
Although rivers are quite low, it’s a good time to fish for large brown trout in deep holes and riffles using flies or conventional tackle. Large and smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, catfish, carp, perch, and sunfish are all biting. And for you blue crabbers and clammers, good catches are being made!
Event
There will be a fly fishing clinic at Captain Morgan’s on Saturday, July 9. The clinic will feature a master casting instructor who fishes worldwide and will help you improve your casting, while refining your technique. Show up at 7 a.m. with your gear or use what’s available. It’s a free event, so come and learn how to make your time on the water more productive.
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 permits, 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...
Tight Lines,
Captain Morgan
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