Printer Friendly Version - June Fishing Brings Challenges and Quality Catches

A four-pounder will definitely liven up any conversation, as was the case when Sarah Giuliano of Berlin brought in her 18-inch 4.43-pound porgy. The state record is 21 inches, 5.3 pounds, set in 2019. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

June is the month with variable temperatures, fluctuating seas, and changing weather patterns. It is also the month when migrating fish species move into the Sound with increased gusto. We see a mix of spawners and smaller classes of fish that infiltrate the main body of water, the estuaries and, in some cases, far up the tidal rivers.

In the case of striped bass, fish up to 35- to 40 pounds are showing up in numbers, more so than in the past few years. For this class of fish, early success has been found in shallow, nearshore waters less than 10 feet and when fishing with live eels, jig heads rigged with large-scented curly tails, or bucktails and trailers. Pre-dawn on the flood tide has been working in the lower tidal rivers and bays. There have also been plenty of schoolies and decent catches of slot limit linesiders where soft baits like sea worms, clams, and squid are performing well, along with artificials like top waters and sinking flies. When trolling or drifting, check out the nearshore reefs and shoals, especially by the rip lines, drop-offs, and areas where baitfish may be congregating and these predators have expanded. Braid with 50- to 60-pound leader is a good bet and inline circle hooks with bait are a must.

Early summer bluefish are on schools of menhaden that have made it into the harbors, bays, and rivers. Some of these schools have spread out in the Sound, attracted some birds, and created a mini blitz, but not quite like the frenzies of the past—at least, not just yet. Sizes for June remain mixed, although it has been the long and thin choppers that have made an unusually early showing. Hookups are fast and runs are powerful with an occasional tail-walking exhibition. Wire leaders are recommended. Plugs, spoons, and jigs are a given.

Sea trout (weakfish) are yet another fish that have sparked attention as more of them are showing up and being caught intentionally or otherwise. They often run with the striped bass and bluefish and can be part of a multiple hookup when, for example, trolling umbrella rigs in depths that The Race offers.

As more lines hit the water, June will invariably prove to be a active fishing month with a mix of older, heavier-class marine fish being caught and a swath of smaller ones from recent spawns. Having an assortment of tackle available and a light/medium and medium/heavy rod can cover a cross section of fish that one might run up against. So, be ready, fish hard, and enjoy your time on the water. Above all, be safe doing it!

Prior to the weekend, a slow cold front moved in with rain and thunderstorms developing as a low-pressure system tracked over the area. Weak high pressure returned then another low for the weekend with a lingering weak low pressure for the early part of the week. Meanwhile, Long Island Sound seas fluctuated from calm to unsettled, accompanied by water temperatures ranging in the low- to mid 60s.

Fishing activity continues to improve as the month and June’s Full Hatching Moon marches on. From the Sound into the estuaries, the bite on several species has been good. Striped bass, for one, are being caught within and on either side of the slot limit, regardless of whether you’re fishing the estuaries, bays, or are out on the reefs. Some of these linesiders have made the turn into the Sound, while others are from our holdover stock. Plugs, soft plastics, bucktails, jigs, live eels, and other baits (live or frozen) have been successful. Time of day and tide are key as most of the quality catches, as opposed to numbers, have occurred during low light or hazy conditions and moon tides.

Bluefish catches remain above average when it comes to choppers in double digits. Menhaden schools are bringing in these long, thin racers that need beefing up and the amount of bunker available can easily fill them out in short order. Major tidal rivers have been seeing good action, while the normal three- to five-pound harbor blues have been chasing plugs, spoons, and bait near shore. How long the run of racers will continue is up for debate, but with the warm water temps and the influx of bunker, optimists are giving a thumbs up. As far as weakfish are concerned, they are still making headway and are being caught while drifting and trolling mid-Sound and casting near shore by harbors and bays.

No surprise that black sea bass are on a feeding spree and Connecticut waters are giving up shorts, keepers, and nice humpbacks for those fishing the Sound’s hotspots. Squid remains the go-to bait, backed up by hi-lo rigs and jigs when fishing the reefs, humps, and other bottom structure. New York waters open on Thursday, June 23, so stay on this side of the mid-Sound state line until then. Porgy (scup) are gaining traction as dinner plate-sized spawners move in from offshore waters. Fishing from shore has netted smaller versions, but a few rod benders have caught a few porgy pounders off-guard. Squid, sea worms, and clams have been quite productive. Hit the reefs for the jumbos. In addition, anglers are hooking up with sea robins, some of which have been making it to the table, although other folks have not taken that step yet.

Summer flounder (fluke) enthusiasts are seeing varying catches of shorts to minimats, depending on depths. Water temps have been around the mid- to low 60s, giving these fluke cause to adjust. Nevertheless, they are following their normal routes when coming into the Sound, taking them anywhere from 100 feet to the nearshore channels. Expect the ratio of shorts to keepers to be high, so keep a net at the ready for the nice one that makes the grade. Sooner or later, that bucktail and squid or special rig drifting the bottom will pay off.

June is generally a good month for blackbacks, but so far, catches of these filled-out winter flounder have been wanting. That is not the case with several of the other bottom fish like sea robins, dogfish, and clear nose skate that have been feeding on the bottom. Heading into the estuaries, hard shell blue crabs have been showing up from five- to five and ½ inches point to point. It will not be long before the molt and jimmies begin to test your net.

Farther inland, lakes, ponds, and rivers continue to yield good catches typical for the spawn and post-spawn season. River flows and levels have fluctuated with the rain, so rig up accordingly. Both of the popular basses have been quite aggressive, pickerel are testing tackle, black crappie are tightly grouped, and sunfish are active, along with catfish and carp. A good time for worms, artificials, scented baits, and flies.

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 fishing trips,swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days at 21 Boston Post Road in 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.

There are plenty of Atlantic menhaden to feed the young as well as net them for fishing. The difference in catching is the strong drive to sustain a family of osprey versus the cost of today’s fuel for fishers. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan