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08/14/2013 10:00 AMThe weather finally broke enough to tackle the reefs of Long Island Sound in a small boat. Still, there was enough chop and salt spray left over to require deployment of slickers. Earlier striper expeditions yielded some annoying bluefish action, but as the days progressed, the sizes of these choppers increased.
Because the majority of previous outings were striped bass oriented, we now had to re-focus. Birds became our friends and we went to great lengths to join their company. Sunrise coincided with flood tide, so the decision was made to start fishing farther east and follow the tide west.
We were not certain as to whether the first school encountered was the same as the last, but sizes of blues caught could have come from the same mold. At times, action was furious—going from casting fly rod to spinner. Then all of a sudden, the water was calm with barely a slick visible left from the feeding frenzy. Many minutes passed before another blitz was seen in the distance. Often the run to it was for naught, but there were times when these voracious blues re-surfaced right by the boat.
It’s time to register at Captain Morgan’s for the annual Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth and the shop’s “piggyback” contest. The grand prize is $25,000!
On the Water
One of the best weekends of the summer followed a week of unsettled weather. Humidity broke, winds calmed, and blue skies prevailed as air temperatures ranged from 76 to 82 degrees—a good break from the thunderous, rainy, foggy, and blustery days that had dampened vacationers earlier on. Long Island Sound temps dipped to 73 degrees and, although we are into mid-August, our fishery didn’t act it.
There was more bunker in the harbors, numerous blue crabs spread across most tidal rivers, and fish, overall, were quite active. Both the new moon and tides had much to do with that, however, there were fish to catch and less oxygen depleted waters as in other years. Bluefish to 15 pounds have been caught, mostly on bait and along the reefs, with numerous top water catches on poppers, flies, and slow-sinking lures. Jigging the bottom brought up the bigger fish and spoons managed to attract a mix. Chumming did sweeten the take for those anchored or fishing from shore.
Striped bass catches perked up from last week with more mid-size fish taking menhaden, eels, mackerel, and jigs. Catches favored the cooler offshore reefs, but a few more shore catches were made—more during the dark hours especially near harbors that drew schools of baitfish.
Porgy and scup (Southwest, Kimberly, Charles) landings have spiked both along the immediate shoreline and on the reefs. Successful baits have varied and, in light of the extended shortage of sandworms and seaworms, “porgy bangers” are finding that alternative baits are just as effective when fished appropriately, even with bycatches. Catches of small sharks to five feet in length have delighted many a young angler.
As the 2013 split season for blackfish and tautog approaches its close (the last day is Aug. 31 and it reopens on Oct. 10) a few more ’togs have been caught in under 10 feet. The shallows also continue to produce sea robins, skate, eels along the tidal rivers, and snappers in the harbors. Fluke catches fluctuated, with activity varying with the tide and location. Choppy seas cut down on the action, but as the weekend developed, so did catches of six- to nine pounds. Long Sand Shoal, Six Mile, and Hammonasset were the spots to try.
NOTE: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24 and 25 are the dates for the WICC and Captain Morgan’s bluefish contest. Registrations are now being accepted.
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.
Tight Lines,
Captain Morgan
captainmorgan.fish@sbcglobal.net
captainmorgan-fish.blogspot.com