Connecticut Fishing Report

Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that things are still steadily feeling more fall like, with more birds and more blitzing fish on small bait. There are still plenty of big bunker schools around that are fueling some blitzes of bigger fish. The big fish are feeding in small windows that appear to be mostly tidal and time of day dependent, while the smaller fish can be found feeding and blitzing all day long. There are peanut bunker, silversides, and juvenile butterfish throughout the Eastern Sound fueling this school bass blitzes, and they soon will be fueling false albacore/bonito blitzes. The big change this week is that fluke and sea bass reports have improved across CT, much like Rhode Island. Scup fishing is as strong as ever, so there’s plenty of bottom fishing to hold down the fort until the full fall blitzes take off. 

 

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Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing reported that things remain on repeat, with another strong week of late-summer fishing. Bottom fishing was excellent, with limits of porgies filling the coolers, and some nice sea bass as well. They’re bass and blue trips continue to have huge blues coming over the rails, often times being chased by hungry seals! As you may have seen in their Facebook video, the Blackhawk is having a sunset cruise/seal watch on Saturday, September 2. All proceeds from this trip will go to help the efforts in Hawaii after the devastating wildfires. Please join on this trip if you can! Their September trips are posted on our website, so grab your tickets soon for some excellent fall fishing.  

When I checked in with captain Mike Roy, at Reel Cast Charters, he told me that the summer striped bass fishing has remained consistent, and it remains a good time to go out and catch a cow. They are still targeting big stripers with live bait on the reefs, before they start to transition to fall run fishing. There are still a lot of brown sharks in the area, and even some reports of threshers being caught relatively close to home, so you truly never know what you’re going to hook into out there. Mike is seeing big schools of juvenile butterfish on the reefs, and the bluefish tend to be right on their tail. Mike has also seen a big improvement in the black sea bass fishing, which has helped fill the coolers for clients. Captain Mike and his crew still have openings for summer and fall fishing, so give them a call to book a spot asap!

 

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Dan, at Daniels Bait Tackle & Charters in New London is reporting prime summer fishing along the Thames corridor. Boat anglers drifting for stripers with bucktails, or live eels are scoring great catches in the area, and there are still plenty of bluefish around that will eat just about any type of jig. Limits of stripers and bluefish, along with a good showing of scup and sea bass are coming back on all the local charter trips. Shorebound anglers are finding school bass by day on sandworms, and large bass after dark on eels and plugs. Shorebound scup anglers also have no shortage of action, with plenty of keepers from the local rocks and piers. Fishing will only continue to improve as the incoming tides cool down, so take advantage of some of the best fishing eastern CT has to offer.  

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Captain Chris, at Elser Guide Service lost a few trips this week due to the high winds and seas, but the fishing has been going strong whenever he’s made it out there. The mid-sound rips and reefs between New Haven and Norwalk are producing well, with bass to 30-pounds and big bluefish on the tube, and on jigs. A few Spanish Mackerel have shown up sporadically, but they haven’t gotten to a point where they can be easily targeted yet. Each trip has seen more small bass and bluefish surface feeding on small bait, so we shouldn’t be too far away from fall blitzes of bass, blues, and the hardtails! 

Joe, at Diorio Guide Service, has continued to find a nice mix of stripers, bluefish, and tuna this week. Striped bass and bluefish action has been great, whether it’s fishing locally around New London or out around Block Island. The rocky points and reefs are holding loads of bait, and thus are holding plenty of stripers. Most of the bass are coming on live eels or the Joe Baggs Patriot Fish, but they are also starting to get some better fish rising on topwater plugs. The tuna grounds have also been fruitful with plenty of bluefin and yellowfin on streaker jigs and occasionally on topwater. It’s shaping up to be a killer fall run once again and Joe still has some dates available. Be sure to reach out before it’s too late.  

Tyler, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reported that summer patterns persisted on, and the bluefish are making a big time showing just in time for the bluefish tournament this weekend. There are big schools of big bluefish on just about every piece of structure in the area. Dropping a diamond jig on any of the common pieces of deep structure should get you a double-digit class gator. If you’re looking for striped bass, fishing chunks in deeper water at night is the name of the game, although live-lining a fresh bunker during the day is producing, if you can get away from the bluefish. Boats heading out at night are finding bass to 35 pounds and bluefish to 16 pounds or so. Bottom fishing is in late August form, with big scup stealing the show, steady sea bassing despite a lot of small fish, and enough local fluke to keep anglers interested.  

Connecticut Fishing Forecast

The big striped bass remain in their summer patterns across Connecticut, while large schools of smaller bass can be found blitzing on the small bait in the area. Loads of small bait have moved into the Sound, so finding blitzing bass and bluefish is easy, while the false albacore and bonito should be right around the corner. The bunker schools can be found around the river mouths, so the nearby reefs tend to be a safe bet for big bass on live baits, GT Eels, or the occasional topwater plug. Bluefish are still being found consistently out east, while the central/western sound is alive with gator bluefish, just in time for this weekend’s bluefish tournament! For the first time in a while the fluke fishing seems to be improving, along with the sea bass, although you still have to pick through plenty of shorts with both species. Scup action is red hot, and don’t forget about summer tautog, which provides another strong bottom fishing option this month. Blue crab reports have improved in the estuaries and will continue to do so as the water cleans up. Flows are starting to clean up in the TMAs, while the lakes and ponds continue to produce a nice mix of bass and panfish.