Printer Friendly Version - More Fly Fishers are Hitting the Sound

Saltwater fly fishing is popular, relaxing and, at the same time, challenging. Here, this group is taught how to improve skills by certified instructors like John Bilotta (fourth from the left). Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan

Ask anyone who casts a fly on the saltwater flats or in our tidal rivers and you will be told that this has been an outstanding year. The numbers of small- to intermediate-sized striped bass have been solid—a much different story from the mature female stock whose numbers have been declining. With this more recent inshore activity, the expectation would be higher than the average hookups.

This is true for most fishers who are accustomed to the ways of New England fly fishing and whose experience in casting a line is above average. To others, though, their proficiency in identifying a likely spot to place a fly and then actually casting and delivering their fly to it is sorely lacking—or least needs improvement. The old saying, “You can’t get there from here,” can be easily applied to fly fishing.

If you can’t position your deceiver in such a manner as to fool a fish into reacting as though it were food, then who is deceived? You or the fish? An effective cast will get you “there from here,” but an ineffective one will leave you second guessing. Without the ability to achieve distance, accuracy, and a delicate presentation, the odds of attracting a fish’s attention—be it a striped bass, bluefish, or false albacore—are already stacked up against you.

Setting aside a balanced outfit and an assortment of flies, casting ability is the one crucial element in fly fishing that a fisher needs to refine in order to regularly catch fish. It is that simple. Whether in a boat or wading the flats, neither a single fish or schooling ones should be distracted. Nothing will do that more than a sloppy cast that splashes or whips through the water. Remember, anything that detracts from a straight, targeted cast will frustrate the fisher and, most likely, scare the fish that’s sought.

Days in the 85- to 90-degree range took us through the Fourth and into the following week, raising Long Island Sound water temperatures even more. Early morning saw low visibility as patchy fog dotted the shoreline and the gusty winds relented to light southerly breezes, leaving a definite summer feel to the week.

There were more scattered schools of menhaden breaking the surface as harbor blues fed and gulls dove for leftover bits. Catches increased along the shoreline and the offshore reefs, but hardly to any great extent. For the moment, most of the larger bluefish activity appears to be outside the Sound from the south shore of Long Island to Block Island. In the Sound, though, weakfish in excess of 25 inches are being caught more regularly as they run west from The Race.

Striped bass action eased a bit as schoolies sought cooler water temperatures during the day with the best activity occurring around daybreak and dusk. Scented artificials, jigs, various surface and subsurface lures, and bait are working with some of the best catches coming from live eels. Offshore, linesiders have been showing off 36- to 40-inch stripes and are being caught with jigs, jerking wire, ‘brellas, and typical bait offerings.

There is still plenty of black sea bass action ahead before the season peaks. As water temperatures warm, many of the larger fish are heading for deeper, cooler water. Those fish are being caught in 90- to 100-foot depths, although some are still hanging around 80- to 85 feet. Fishers continue to catch numbers of throwbacks in shallower water, so it is best to head out.

Porgy (scup) fishing has really turned on in the Sound. The in-and-out shortages of sea worms has hardly hampered fishing for them as alternate baits are turning out to be good substitutes. Most reefs and humps are producing quality fish, while shore fishing from jetties, piers, and wharves are also bringing in dinner plate-size porgies. Almost guaranteed, large sea robins have been aggressively attacking your bait, even taking flashy spoons. Fillet and cook one up. You will be surprised how tasty they are. While bottom fishing, expect to run into sand sharks in the four-foot range, especially when chunking.

Although fluke catches have been requiring work and shorts are outnumbering keepers, there are some fish in the 8- to 10-pound range being caught in the Sound. Deep water, large baits, a good presentation, and patience will be required since the season has only been fair. For some large jimmies, seven inches and better, head to the tidal rivers now that the water temps took a hike. Bait, scoop, hand line, or legal trap will produce blue crabs, but be aware that five inches is the minimum point-to-point length and please throw back your eggers. As an aside, blackfish (tautog) season is open to a daily limit of two at 16 inches.

The recent heat wave slowed the bass bite and the best shot at a large or smallmouth would be dawn or dusk. Harder work for trout, but persistence wins out. There is more channel cat action with the recent 10.600 stocking, medium-size crappie are hitting, there is better pike fishing, pickerel are definitely quite aggressive, walleye are better than OK, sizable yellow perch are being caught, and sunfish are hot. Keep an eye open for any lakes or ponds with algae bloom and report them to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection’s Inland Division.

Register now for Captain Morgan’s Day on the Flats with certified Fly Fisher International instructors and be entered in a free drawing to win a private lesson. Three individual winners will be selected at day’s end. The day to register for this Saturday, July 20 event will be Friday, July 19. The cost if $225 includes lunch and a beverage. To register, call 203-245-8665 or visit the shop at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison.

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. Starting on Sunday, Sept. 1, and pending new 2020 regulations, the shop will no longer weigh striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in excess of 40 inches (head tip to tail tip), but will still accept on-the-water catch-and-release photos.

For all things fishy including licenses, 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...

Rising water temperatures brought on the blue crabs and brought out the crabbers like John Cooney and friend Joe Lanouette, both of North Haven. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan