This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
10/04/2017 12:00 AMEuthynnus alletteratus, false albacore, little tunny, or whatever else these speedsters are called, they command immediate attention whenever mentioned. The most common member of the tuna family, they are packed with raw energy. Neglected in the upper region of their range, they are mostly ignored by New Englanders as a food source, and perhaps rightfully so since their nutritional value is zilch and the flavor is very fishy to say the least. Commercially, though, they are used for bait to catch pelagics like sharks and marlin. However, down in the Caribbean and farther south to Brazil, one may find them sold canned, smoked, fresh, and a variety of other ways.
So what is their appeal? In the fishing community, it’s everything! They are elusive, for one. They travel in large schools and, with speeds up to 40 miles per hour, chasing them is like attempting to track down a lightning bolt before it disappears. Even the gulls need to fly high in order to keep them in their field of view and, even then, keeping up with these sight feeders is a chore.
When the bite is on, the attraction can be equated to a magnet and steel. Fishers are drawn in, often times to be led on a never-ending chase; the smarter ones stay put. Whether casting a lure or fly, it must lead the school and the retrieve needs to be super fast. The hookup and subsequent long runs are equally jolting. They don’t call these fish “knuckle busters” for nothing.
Fall is albie time. So get your 9/10 weight or 10- to 12-pound class caster rigged and ready to go and then head out to the rip where the action is. If you’re lucky, these torpedo-shaped speedsters will still be there. If not, the hunt begins for another one of their feeding grounds. They are carnivorous and look for schools of small baitfish like anchovies, sardines, and even herring.
On the Water
North winds, high seas, and a drop in air temperatures pushed September out, making way for a more gentle October entrance. Long Island Sound inshore water temps remained in the low 70s, while winds shifted from the east to the west and southwest, giving fishers more opportunities to fish calmer waters—and they certainly did.
The albie bite maintained its intensity, creating many opportunities for multiple hookups and bolting runs. Recently, that level of activity favored the eastern Sound (even Hammonasset Beach), where these speedsters repeatedly challenged anglers, while frustrating others. However, catches were made farther west near Stratford Shoal and Green’s Ledge. Flies, soft plastics, hard lures, and epoxies triggered most strikes. Keep an eye open for high diving bird activity and blitzes.
Striped bass answered the dinner bell with a lot more enthusiasm this past week. Although many catches have been of the schoolie class, those numbers are high. Whether using live eels, soft plastics, chunk baits, or top water poppers, lower tidal rivers and many beaches have been productive. The traditional night bite has been good. However, surprising to many anglers, the daytime bottom ebb has also been successful. Hammonasset, Faulkner’s, Charles Reef, and Sachem’s Head area have been notable.
Bluefish are feeding with a lot more tenacity, but are still bouncing in and out of the harbors and beaches. There are plenty of Atlantic menhaden schools; some thick, others more scattered. Overall, though, chasing the birds or chumming the rips has paid off. Diamond jigging the water column with bait or a tube attached is always a good idea. These choppers are on the move, range from 8- to 15 pounds, and are more apt to be found along the rip lines during a flood tide than in open water. A bonus would be hooking into a weakfish or albie.
Porgies are into their season. October is always a good month for them and most reefs are producing decent size fish. However, schools of smaller fish are often chasing down the bait, leaving one with the 10-inch variety. Larger hooks, baits, and moving to a deeper reef should help improve catch quality. Check out Southwest, Kimberly, and Charles reefs, as well as the Faulkner’s area including Goose Island. Deeper waters are giving up quality black sea bass throughout most of the Sound. A bit of searching may be necessary, but once drifting over or anchoring on the sweet spot, the effort will pay off with some four- to five-pound humpbacks. Look to fish in depths of 65 feet or deeper.
Many lower tidal rivers are seeing improved hickory shad runs mixed in with the schoolie bass. Fun to catch and even tasty when smoked once boned, these northern tarpon imitators are great fun on light tackle. Keeping some simple blue crab gear handy is also a good idea considering the number of blue crab catches recently being made. Set your sights on the banks, pilings, and creek outflows.
Large and smallmouth fishing has been good with decent catches at all of the key lakes with some bucket mouths landed in some popular local farm ponds. Pickerel are smashing baits, pike have been so-so (although shrewd anglers can pull them from the cover), cats and carp are onto bottom chunk and stink baits, walleye catches have improved, panfish (including perch) are hot, and black crappie have turned on. Trout stocking is still stalled, so check out the key rivers, Trout Management Areas, and native brookie streams. Terrestrials, nymphs, and streamers have been doing it for the fly guys.
Blackfish Tourney
Registrations for the 29th annual Eddie Beauvais Blackfish Tournament are still underway. The tournament runs from Saturday, Oct. 14 through Saturday, Oct. 21 and will culminate with a fantastic VFW banquet at Fireman’s Field in Guilford, with the venue donated by its commission. There will be cash awards, trophies, great raffle prizes, a cool T-shirt, super food dishes, and a keg all for $40. You can’t beat it!
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 fly fishing, 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
captainmorgan.fish@sbcglobal.net
captainmorgan-fish.blogspot.com
twitter @captmorgan_usa