Printer Friendly Version - Speedsters and Bass Are Turning On

Mario Darosa of Madison caught and released this fine striped bass while topwater plugging a mile offshore aboard his kayak. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Tying on a piece of metal that weighed anywhere from three-eights to three-quarters of an ounce on to a 10-pound test line was common practice when fishing for Atlantic bonito or false albacore back in the day. A leader was incidental and the word fluorocarbon raised eyebrows. If the 10-pound test needed reinforcement, we just spider-hitched the first two feet before tying on a lure.

That was then. Times have certainly changed with the advent of technology and advancements in marketing where fishers are concerned. Today, we fish for these speedsters with invisible leaders for fish that are now leader shy. Fishing rods are lighter, stronger, and cast better. Reels have smoother drags, are faster, and handle better. And with the development of braided line, they have more capacity.

The one thing that has not changed is the fish. They are just as fast, feed the same way, and are about as elusive as they’ve ever been. However, in the past couple of years, the supposedly finicky feeders have surprised many by unexpectedly taking two-ounce poppers, swimmers, and odd-styled jigs.

When on the surface zipping through rips and feeding on rainbaits, they taunt fishers into trying to outrun them. Never happens! Fly fishers can double haul, but most often, they are overmatched. Often bewildered, fishers may be working a small epoxy fly one moment and then, the next moment, easily drop a jig 60- to- 70 feet down and hook up. And when not working a rip, an albie can easily be running a reef full of lobster pots, causing angst for any fisher in pursuit.

Fall has a way of ratcheting up the fish and the fishers. From the onset, fish are noticeably larger, hungrier, and release their pent-up energy in flurries of feeding frenzies that excites the best of those doing the chasing. Lately, there certainly has been enough bait in the water for all species to feed on and the water temperatures are such that fish are not too focused on jumping on to the highway heading south. If your fishing got a little behind this season, for whatever the reason, now is the time to catch up!

A step down in air temperatures to the 50s boosted fishing activity and was a sudden reminder that fall is around the corner. For now, Long Island Sound water temps remain in the low 70s with the help of a couple of pop-up, 80-degree, summer-like days. Periods of gusty winds and higher than normal seas reminded us that we are still in peak hurricane season, so keep an eye on those mooring lines.

The Sound continues to see large schools of Atlantic menhaden as they seem to stretch into the harbors and up into lower tidal rivers. Putting weather issues aside, the striped bass bite remains encouraging as schoolie action continued to mount and large fish took advantage of pre-dawn, dusk, and late-evening feeding periods, especially during the recent full Harvest Moon. Together with the schoolies were harbor blues mixed in the batch. During these periods, bunker schools were being worked at a furious pace, along with hickories, as fishers on the spot got a real workout. Boost catches with live eels, chunks, bucktails, and jigs while throwing topwaters in low light.

The only way to get into some larger bass was to move from the river (in this case, the Connecticut River) to an out-of-the-way reef like Hatchett’s. Similar activity took place in other tidal rivers, but not to that extent, unless the bunker were corralled by bluefish. Offshore reefs are also showing an increase in activity now that the water temps are slowly dropping. As for snapper blue action, it continues to pick up with sizes of the fish increasing to six- to eight inches.

Bonito fishers are exercising their fly rod skills by hooking into the bones anywhere from Block Island to much of Long Island Sound. Signs of albies are now appearing more readily with these favorite speedsters being hooked in central Sound waters by Faulkner’s Island. Metals and epoxies are working, along with some softies.

Porgy (scup) fever is percolating! Most reefs and rock piles are stacked with fall-size fish. Even sea bass chasers are hooking into 15-inch slabs when fishing in more than 100 feet, looking for that five-pounder; there are plenty of smaller ones in close. The weakfish bite remains good as fishers trolling or drifting for bass or blues keep picking them up. Summer flounder (fluke) continue to chase the snappers while taking drift and squid rigs as flukers try for a season-ending doormat. The last day for that is Monday, Sept. 30. Other bottom fish like sea robins, kingfish, and sand sharks have all been feeding, while blue crabbing remains quite good.

Blackfish (tautog) season opens in one month and, on Saturday, Oct. 12, the 31st annual Veterans Memorial Blackfish Tournament begins. As usual, there will be prizes for the winning fish, a Calcutta, a raffle, a really cool T-shirt, and a fantastic buffet put on by Guilford’s newly remodeled VFW. Tickets are $40 and now available at the shop and the VFW. For details, call 203-245-8665.

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 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...

In anticipation of the albie run, Susan Estabrook (right) of Newport, Rhode Island shores up her fly fishing casting skills in Guilford waters under the guidance of renowned fisher and instructor Michael Elsden (left). Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan