Labor Day weekend celebrates the unofficial end to the summer season. For many, the last blast at a get-together before all those fall activities start to play out means a time to raft up at popular gunk holes or islands that dot the nautical charts before anyone else knows it.

Fishers, though, have a different take on the change of the seasons. With the kicking back of the clock an hour, less daylight, and a drop in water temperatures, there is sudden attention brought to a run of fish that includes sea mammals and reptiles. That run begins in northern New England and typically ends in the mid-Atlantic, but can go farther south for some species.

What is interesting is that fishers are an intricate part of that run. More specifically, they will follow species (mainly striped bass) from one state’s body of water to the next, all the way down the Atlantic coast to the Chesapeake, where the Striper Coast is generally said to end. During this trek, big bass will be caught and released as they feed from one reef to the next and follow the bait migration.

Some will camp out in specially rigged dune buggies, old converted woodies, or campers, fishing the coast until schools of fish move on. As latitudes change, bluefish, coastal sharks, drum, albies, bonito, and Spanish mackerel will be caught before hopscotching to the next spot. Nevertheless, following the striper coast has been a tradition for years. All one needs is time.

If time is not a factor and one has a 40-footer or better at their disposal, then continuing the journey south is a fun trip. Bouncing in and out of the Intracoastal to fish for popular species until reaching the southern tip of Florida, continuing through the Keys, and maybe making the turn into the Gulf and following its coast can be a surefire experience.

When one follows the fish, adventures always seem to follow. Whether fishing September waters of Long Island Sound or being adventurous by heading south to open waters or hidden outcrops, this is the time of year when trailing schools of migrating fish is on the minds of serious fishers. It is also the time for some of the best fishing and memorable hookups.

On the Water

The high-pressure system that was off the coast of New England moved out and was replaced by two passing cold fronts prior to the long Labor Day weekend. Much needed rain was again only spotty as another high-pressure system slid in for the weekend. Seas occasionally swelled to about 2 feet early on, but mostly remained calm at around a foot or less as Long Island Sound water temperatures held between 76 to 78 degrees. Note that the meteorological autumn began on Sept. 1, and astronomical autumn begins on Friday, Sept. 23.

Thick schools of Atlantic menhaden continue to fill the Sound, its harbors, bays, and lower tidal rivers. Visual bluefish blitzes remain low key and variable, although they continue to hammer plugs, spoons, jigs, and bait. Although many fish hooked remain under 10 pounds, choppers in the low teens are putting a hurting on tackle and providing energetic fights as fishers battle their seemingly never-ending stamina. Snapper blues are growing and are also giving a tussle on light gear as they snap on poppers, small spoons, and shiners.

As the fall season for striped bass approaches and water temperatures begin to slide, linesiders that have been feeding are starting to become more active. It will take a bit longer for the bite to really turn on, but those striper enthusiasts can feel the beginnings of a turnaround. For now, the new moon bite that recently occurred did provide some good action for those using live eels, bunker, jigs, and tubes. There were certainly throwbacks, but there were also slot limit fish caught that were in the bulking-up mode, as well as stripers over 40 inches. The wait is ongoing for a meaningful arrival of false albacore, although there have been a mix of feeding bonito and Spanish mackerel around.

Along with the bass and blues, weakies have been taking mostly jigs, small baits, and squid with most catches 16 inches and better coming offshore between Six Mile Reef and Faulkner Island. Fishing low and deep enough with a bucktail jig has produced keeper-size fluke, while shallower depths have had hits from more shorts. Fluke catches in general are picking up in the Sound. Most of the reefs and rock piles throughout the Sound continue to have a mix of porgy sizes eagerly taking squid, clams, and seaworms. At the same time, the black sea bass bite remains good as juveniles to mature humpbacks spread out and are being caught at varying depths. Again, the deeper the bottom structure, the better.

There are more northern kingfish being caught near shore, along with large sea robins chasing jigs and spoons, skate taking squid, and good size dogfish and sand sharks taking chunks. In addition, there are more southern fish appearing such as drum, cobia, gray triggerfish, and pufferfish. Blue crabbing in the estuaries is gaining steam as jimmies are getting bigger and becoming more active.

Inland rivers remain low and need better flows and deeper pools, especially for trout. Most lakes and ponds are doing better as their fisheries are providing good recreational fishing opportunities for most of the summer species, while the key tidal rivers are delivering channel catfish, bowfin, and other species to the active angler.

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 clam supplies, 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

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