Printer Friendly Version - Retention Limit of Shortfin Mako is Zero

While trolling an umbrella rig with dad Kevin, Kyle Braza of Westbrook caught and released this 46.5-inch striped bass after hand-lining this whopper to the boat when fishing reel used malfunctioned. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

John Carpino of Madison and his 52-pound, caught-and-released striped bass hooked on a small piece of bunker after his gill net scored only a couple. Carpino and his fishing buddy Nick Smedick caught and released 10 bass over 38 inches while chunking in under 10 feet with the two baits. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Nick Smedick of Old Saybook caught and released this nice over-the-slot striped bass on a piece of bunker during a productive night of fishing with friend John Carpino. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

A recent release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) Fisheries states that, “No shortfin mako sharks may be landed or retained in any U.S. Atlantic highly migratory species fishery until further notice.” This is a final rule that establishes a shortfin mako shark limit of zero in the commercial and recreational Atlantic Highly Migratory Species fisheries. It is consistent with the management measure adopted in 2021 by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendation. If ICCAT provides for U.S. harvest in the future, NOAA Fisheries could increase the shortfin mako shark retention limit based on regulatory criteria and the amount of retention allowed by ICCAT. Until that happens, the retention limit will remain zero.

Shortfin mako sharks are highly migratory and large predatory sharks whose habitat is open water. They grow to 12 feet and weigh at least 1,200 pounds with top speeds of 45 miles per hour—the fastest shark and one of the fastest fish in the water. Their leaping and jumping ability out of the water, especially when hunting, is a well-known trait. Like true tunas, great white sharks, and other fishes, they have a specialized blood vessel structure (countercurrent exchanger) that allows them to maintain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water. This unique adaptation is advantageous when hunting in cooler water, allowing them to move smarter and quicker.

Shortfin makos are at the top of the pelagic food chain; have a varied appetite, including bony fishes like large tunas, squid, other sharks, small marine mammals, and sea turtles; and have no known natural predators. Because of their popularity, their numbers have greatly diminished due to their meat and fin demand. Additionally, longline fishing gear targeted at other species are taking a toll.

Although there are several shark species that frequent Long Island Sound, shortfin makos are not one of them. In fact, for the most part, species of sharks that can be found in the Sound (sand tigers, sandbar sharks, the occasional great white, the spiny, and smooth dogfish) are rather docile and would rather scurry away than intentionally interact with a person. For an FYI, there has not been a serious brush with a shark in the Sound in nearly a century, most likely due to water temperature, salinity, and opportunity. There has also not been a recorded seal attack. Nevertheless, it is always good to err on the side of caution considering the amount of baitfish around and the warming water temperatures.

Dual cold fronts approached mid-week and passed over the region prior to the weekend. High pressure set in for the first half of the weekend, followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms, before settling into more of a summer dry mode. Seas generally moderated to around a foot as southerly winds brought warmer air and Long Island Sound water temperatures held to the low 70s.

Large schools of Atlantic menhaden remained concentrated near shore, but extended to mid-Sound, where bluefish activity created some feeding frenzies that heightened bird activity just above the surface. Sizes of blues varied with more talk of some larger ones finning around the bays, at times seeming to totally ignore some of those bunker. Harbor blues, though, are taking chunk baits, spoons, and sinking poppers.

Striped bass may have taken a breather in some locations, but the inshore bite remains fairly steady and aggressive as slot limit linesiders (and well above) are on to baits like live eels and bunker, top waters, swim shads, and tubes. Reefs and shoals are generating hits with diamond jigs, umbrella rigs, and drifting bucktails with trailers. As water temps remain in the low 70s and water quality is good, stripers continued to be hooked in the tidal rivers, bays and inlets, especially during our recent full moon phase. Fish have been caught just before or after slack tide and an hour to an hour-and-a-half on either side of the flip.

Sea trout (weakfish) remain a viable option and are being caught both nearshore and farther out. The numbers hooked are not high, but regular catches are being made drifting bucktails and squid or trolling tubes or spearing. Summer flounder (fluke) catches remain variable as shorts continue to outnumber keepers that when caught, have been in the mid-to-high single digits, at least in the Sound. It has been bucktails with squid and drift rigs with teasers that have been the producers—some offshore and others in the harbor channels and lower tidal rivers.

The Sound’s bottom fishery is hot! Black sea bass in around 90-foot structured depths have been good for humpbacks when using either baited rigs or jigs. The numbers are impressive and the fleet of vessels participating in their catch is growing on both sides of the divide. Porgy (scup) fever is now contagious as more fishers are out catching these saltwater scrappers from shore and vessels. Most rock piles and humps are holding these popular fish. Catching them on squid, clams, sea worms, or even scented baits is rather simple when using rigs or single hook setups.

Dogfish are getting bigger, clear nose skate are sizable, striped sea robins are impressive, and northern kingfish are increasingly being caught, mostly all on chunk baits or sea worms. As the waters warm, look for increased catches of sand sharks. Blue crabs are showing more and more in the estuaries as jimmies sport point-to-points in excess of six inches while they fill out their shells. Scooping, hand-lining, and trapping are all in play, but be sure traps are Connecticut legal.

Because such an active saltwater fishery is upon us, more inland anglers are fishing the shores of the Sound or buddying up on a vessel. However, inland waters are actually quite productive, even the trout waters that are more of a challenge to due warming temps, decreased flows, and levels. Seeking out cooler river water, riffles, and deeper holes is key. Lakes and ponds, though, are flaunting largemouth and smallmouth catches, aggressive summer pickerel, loads of perch, and sunfish and stacks of black crappie. Catfish are biting in the key tidal rivers along with the occasional bowfin and northern pike.

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 fly fishing, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days 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.