Printer Friendly Version - Stretching Out This Year’s Fishing Season

Fall brings the blazing speed of false albacore that strip line in a blur as these speedsters chase rainbaits through the rips and thrill fishers who hook up. Photo illustration courtesy of Captain Morgan

There are many reasons why fishers are doing their level best to stretch out this year’s fishing season. It could be that the experiences of last year are still so fresh that they are not looking forward to sliding into the unknown again—an abyss of sorts, if you will.

Weather events of this summer season have impacted their time on, in, or near the water, so that they feel short-changed. It could also be because families and friends had limited time or none at all to spend with each other, let alone with the difficulty in traveling.

However, the best reason to stretch out the season is because pre-fall and fall fishing has gotten out to a really good start. Today, word travels so fast and photos capturing those epic moments are very convincing. In fact, they’re so convincing that beginning the ritual of the annual winterizing of vessels is a remote thought, especially since 80-degree days remain a reality.

We currently are witnessing a slow rollover in seasons to be followed by the ending of Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, Nov. 7. Between now and then, storms aside, there is plenty of fishing left ahead to reel in that fish of a lifetime or record a few more memorable days. Officially, the Atlantic hurricane season comes to an end on Tuesday, Nov. 30 and, the way water temperatures are trending (the average high for Long Island Sound for September is 75 degrees, October is 64 degrees, and November is 53 degrees), along with about six days of rain per month, we can conceivably skip by with only a brush or two.

Yes, that means more fishing days, right up until the last day of blackfish (tautog) season on Sunday, Nov. 28. False albacore (albies) has definitely got the attention of many fishers who impatiently wait for this time of year. “Have rod will travel” is their motto. Striped bass are beginning to bulk up on omega 3 and all the available protein they can muster as fishers begin to follow the striper coast run. Bluefish, although in short supply, are somewhere in the mix, and now Spanish mackerel have joined the feeding parade, along with ongoing sea trout (weakfish) runs. For those into the bottom fishery, it is reacting to the coming of the fall frenzy, too.

While folks are still taking their daily swim and beachgoers are pulling as many days as possible treading sand, fishers are stretching out their season seemingly with a little less attention being paid to the clock or calendar. One thing is for certain: There is plenty of available forage to feed the fishery. Many fishers are in the game and those returning, or even beginning, will have experiences to tell and most likely a photo or two to share. Have a great fall and even greater fishing!

The short stretch of fall air temperatures gave a brief relief from the heat before a couple of beach days livened up the shoreline. Meanwhile, Long Island Sound water temps remained around 73 degrees as seas and wind struggled with typical weather patterns. Unlike the past few weeks, September weather and any tropical storms and disturbances, including major rain events, stayed well offshore or completely skipped the immediate shoreline. That was a relief to fishers who were anxious to delve into the ongoing fall activity and seemingly willing to stretch out their season.

Speedsters are taking over the conversation as more albies are being pursued, hooked up, and released. From the most eastern part of the Sound and beyond to its most western parts, these blazing fast swimmers are melting line as they race through the rips chasing rain baits and, in the process, taking epoxies, both hard lures and flies. For the most part, water temps are ideal and the forage is plentiful. Shore casters ought to keep an eye on the rips, although most catches are being made offshore.

There has been an uptick in the striped bass activity during the new moon and full Harvest Moon phases. That action has continued with slot limit fish recently working the shoreline or close by. Surfcasters take note! There are plenty of menhaden (including peanuts) around to satisfy those hungry linesiders that certainly sense fall. Live eels remain a hot bait, along with jigs and chunks. Check out the popular nearshore reefs and the bays and channels during an incoming tide. When using inline circle hooks, do not set them, but rather, remove any slack line and continue to reel.

The same technique holds true for bluefish. However, because of their speed and them attacking their prey straight on, as many speedy fish do, they have a tendency to be gut-hooked if one isn’t careful. One would be more apt to run into this situation when chunking for stripers using inline circles as opposed to J-hooks typically used on blues.

With all of the bunker around, many fishers are surprised about not encountering sustained blitzes. Timing is everything. Nevertheless, those catching the right tide do have opportunities to fish those intermittent blitzes that have been occurring along rip lines and some stretches of beach. Of course, the reduction in the number of bluefish is playing a role in any reduced activity. Still, shiny spoons, top-water plugs, and diamond jigs should be at hand, especially in view of the recent bite. Snapper blues are still around and weakfish continue their fine year.

Porgy (scup) fever is high and fishing for them is rivaling some of their better years. Sizes are mixed, but slabs are being reeled in from the shore, as well as on the nearshore reefs and humps. Sea worms and scented artificials, along with small jigs and other baits, are all working to put fish in the cooler. Their season is far from over. Black sea bass activity hasn’t wavered as catches of smaller fish continue, keepers outpace quality ones, and quality knuckleheads are preferring depths more than 75 feet. End of the season summer flounder (fluke) catches are similar. Shorts are still outnumbering keepers, but getting bigger, while minimats are being caught sporadically.

On the other hand, other bottom fish like dogfish, sand sharks, skate, northern kingfish, and sea robins are quite plentiful and easily caught. These bottom feeders will be around until the water temps drop, but until then, they will be eating whatever the bottom gives up.

Inland waterways are still trying to work their levels down, while anglers are wishing for easier flows and looking forward to the fall stocking. Some of the native brookie streams are worth checking out, as are the previously well-stocked rivers and trout parks. Although many of the lakes and ponds are choked with vegetation, the pads provide good cover and are holding fish. Casting for bass, pickerel, perch, and panfish is paying off.

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 reels, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Masks required inside. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.

Leave it to Blake Karsmarski of Madison to land and release this fine example of a clear nose skate, estimated to be 10 pounds, on squid while fishing the waters of Guilford harbor. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan