This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/07/2018 11:00 PMPick any compass heading and the wind blew from that direction. It then bounced from one quadrant to another as the day progressed, laying out obstacles to overcome. Some of these conditions caused fishers to relent. However, a few dedicated groups still gave it the good ol’ American try by taking advantage of Daylight Saving Time.
The die-hards who waited for this time of year with great anticipation were not going to be disheartened. Along the Rhode Island coast, schools of striped bass herded mullet into feeding formation, while flocks of gannets dove through the water’s crowded surface. With their dorsal fins visible, striped bass fed in knee-deep water with their numbers too high to count. Powerful caudal fins turned them on a dime as more and more joined the foray.
The time was ripe for southern New England rock hounds to hit the surf. If it was too rough for the boats to make the run, the option was on the table for surf casters. Although the water temperatures are still on the warm side for this time of year at 59 degrees, some marinas have already been prepping vessels for the colder months ahead.
Meanwhile, the Connecticut shoreline was mimicking our neighbor’s fall run to the north. Similarly, many of the bays and tidal rivers were exploding with similar results. The strong class from a few years back has grown and the outcome is obvious: more young stripers.
Undaunted by almost anything that Mother Nature can throw at them, fishers are temporarily putting aside their fall chores. By selecting a few good lures and favorite rod setups, and then checking to verify that the live eels made it through the night, a typical fall run fisher will make his or her way to the action. The waves will break and spray will cover a foul-weather, gear-covered body; perhaps this year feeling a bit warmer. Soon, stories of larger fish intercepted from their journey south will be headlined and all will be good for the few whose dreams have been fulfilled. The tide might be better after dark or best in the pre-dawn hours, but rest assured, there will be fish caught this fall—and plenty of them!
On the Water
We are into November and the weather continues to flip-flop. The month’s first somewhat sunny day hit the mid-60s and Long Island Sound water temperatures registered at 59. Windy days are following us into the month with rain never far off. Despite this unusual weather pattern, blackfish (tautog) fishers were determined to work around it and welcomed the few good days to descend upon more local inshore reefs. Catches are up and small fish still abundant, although a few more double-digit blackfish are being caught. Crabs, jigs, and rigs work.
Striped bass have been feeding incessantly on a variety of live baits, jigs, and soft plastics in many of the bays and tidal rivers. Most catches have been schoolie size, whereas larger fish have been caught more often during low light conditions. On some tides where the bait was locked in, these schoolies have been quite thick. On good days, inshore reefs like Long Sand Shoal, Southwest, Charles, sections around Faulkner’s Island, and Brown’s have shown a marked increase in activity where a live eel was king. While fishing the tidal rivers, take advantage of the hickory shad and white perch.
Black sea bass in the four-pound range have been scattered and caught in depths as shallow as 35- to 40 feet. Plenty of juveniles are still around grabbing baits and redefining what it means to be a nuisance to fishers looking for freezer food. Their appetite for consuming different foods seems to have no bounds. Throughout October and into November, wind has been the key factor in getting out, holding ground, and hooking up. The season is not over by a long shot for this popular grouper, although scup fishers may see catches gradually fall off as they begin to point south.
Bluefish are still biting, but it won’t be long before they also begin to head south. The best shot at catching these choppers is along the reefs and rip lines dotting the Sound. There are still bunker schools attracting them, however, timing could easily put a fisher on a blitz for some good lightweight top water action. Bonito and albies continue to break the surface and then dive deep. One day, they were all over the top. The next day, not a fin to be seen. Fast retrieving metals, soft plastics, and epoxies have been productive and will continue to be so until water temps cool. Since the bait has been concentrated along the shoreline, the inshore reefs and rips are the areas to hunt for these speedsters.
This past week saw good trout fishing in newly stocked rivers with moderate action in lakes and ponds, although flows are once again on the rise. Trout parks and the Trout Management Areas saw increased activity in between breaks in the weather and on wet, mild days. There were more broodstock Atlantic salmon caught in the Shetucket, but fishers worked for them. The Naugy was a bit more popular with seemingly less effort per catch, while stocked lakes saw less action primarily due to the weather. Bass catches are better, catfish are biting, carp are easing up, pike should be feeding, fish walleye in the shallows, while the crappie, perch, and other panfish are better in some locations than others.
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 crabbing supplies, 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