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A Few Popular Fishing Activities to Consider as Fall Approaches

There is a special place set aside for traditions that pass the test of time. In the world of saltwater fishing, we have family and friend get-togethers that are passed down year after year and generation after generation. Sometimes, they are in the form of tournaments or fish contests. Other times, they are New England clambakes held at beaches.

However, the popular traditions that we are talking about here are the ones that have been taught by grandfather to son or grandmother to daughter and everyone in between, right on down the line to future generations. Those young fishers that stay the course eventually taste the runs of powerful striped bass, speedy false albacore, the fight of bluefish tuna, or the likes of bonefish, tarpon, or permit in a warm-water country. In all reality, though, the saltwater primer all starts with one or all of these popular fisheries.

Back in the day, when limits on bluefish were not even a thought, a bamboo pole rigged with bobbers and hooks was the basic gear used to catch snapper blues. The bait was typically shiners caught at the beach using a seine. An old bucket that held a few basic miscellaneous items, like a small knife, spare hooks, and floats, was a necessity. However, its primary use was to hold the snappers that were caught for the finger-licking good meal—breaded and fried, of course. Those were the days when beaches, harbors, and tidal rivers were lined as soon as word got out that the snappers were running. For some, this was the start of it all.

The seines used ranged in size, but the method of dragging them through the water was rather simple. One seiner was stationed at the shallow end, while the other circled the seine back toward the shallow end before both seiners tilted the bottom upward before landing. One never knew what secrets the catch held, but for the most success, seine when the tide is moving! Whether seining for food, bait, or fun, there is no doubt that this has been one of the popular recreational activities for all beachgoers, including onlookers.

Before long, a young fisher was further introduced to scup, commonly referred to as porgy. These scrappy saltwater panfish are aggressive feeders that hang around rock piles, reefs, and humps that can be caught from shore or boat. As the tide nears near high, they will gather to feed on a variety of baits like sea worms, clams, and squid. Since these fish school and are active feeders, catching them is rather easy and will usually hold the attention of even the most impatient youngster. From young juveniles to fish over 4 pounds, these favorites can put up quite a fuss on light gear, often hooking the fisher as well as the fish.

Sooner or later, youngsters are given a small net to scoop up green crabs commonly found side-crawling or partially buried in the sandy sea bottom. They are also taught to break up some mussels, tie them to a string, and crab for them in the rocks. Within a few years, they are introduced to the popular blue claw crab, possibly first at a restaurant, or perhaps directly through the use of a trap, scoop net, or hand line in one of the many picturesque estuaries. From here on in, interest usually grows and, soon, catching blue crabs becomes a seasonal calendar event. This is another summertime activity that generally starts at an early age, is often a family event, and continues through the generations.

So, there you have it. Each one of these summer activities is water and tide driven. A quick look at a tide chart will give you the best times to go and a glance at a nautical chart will often pinpoint prime locations. There is plenty of summer left to have fun, catch food, and teach a youngster a bit about the outdoors.

On the Water

An offshore low-pressure system tracked north to Maine and Canada, followed by a weak high pressure that built prior to the weekend. It continued before pushing off the New England coast as a frontal boundary moved slowly northward into the weekend, accompanied by a series of low-pressure centers. Long Island Sound seas rose to 2 feet, but mostly remained around a foot, while water temperatures fluctuated in and around the mid-70s and skies were fairly clear with a mix of sun and clouds. Overall, weather was uneventful, although more rain is still needed.

For the month of August, the dog days have fallen short. There have been more cooler mornings that not only moved bait schools around, but also kept the daytime striper bite closer to shore. Some of those have occurred in the late afternoon and even with topwater lures. Yes, it’s true that dusk and dawn have traditionally been the best times nearshore or out on the reefs in deeper water during the day. However, this year has seen some peculiar events. Stripers are taking various lures, live eels, menhaden, jigs, T/W’s, and various other baits. Smaller tidal rivers continue to attract schoolies and a few slot-limit fish, while larger ones can yield linesiders over the slot. The prospects look good for a fall run.

If you have a favorite lure, bring out the wire leader during the day since chopper blues will put a hurting on it or most likely bite through your mono leader. Lures, chunks, spoons, and jigs have been pulling in double-digit blues, even when surface action has been minimal. There are a mix of fish being caught down to harbor blues, including runs of snappers that have grown. Harbor points and reefs have been productive. Weakfish remain in play, but expect only single catches for the most part. However, fluke catches have improved in the Sound—bigger and deeper. While it’s still early in the game, those few crisp mornings brought an initial sighting of a small school of albies along tuna alley. Time to gear up!

Scup fever is evident along jetties, reefs, and humps. Fishers have been catching scup during the recent late-afternoon tides on mostly squid and sea worms. Sizes have varied, but of late, more younger ones are being hooked from shore than the slabs. Black sea bass catches remain steady. However, as with scup, nearshore is producing more young ones. Go to the deep reefs for humpbacks from 3 to 4 pounds using squid and rigs or jigs. Summer ‘togs close on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Increased catches of dogfish, sea robins, skate, and northern kingfish are occurring. Soaking chunks is attracting the periodic sand shark during the day, but the nighttime bite has been better.

Lack of meaningful rain has stressed trout rivers and streams, but lakes and ponds are providing better fishing opportunities, even when low. Therefore, the best bet for consistent action would be from the basses, pickerel, perch, crappie, and panfish. Look toward the key tidal rivers for channel catfish, carp, and bowfin.

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.

Tight Lines,

Captain Morgan

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