Printer Friendly Version - Effect of Fishery Management on LIS

Elated Jeremy Bober of Guilford, with his over-the-slot-limit buster striped bass, was caught on a bucktail and successfully released after experiencing the thrill of victory. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Lady Jahleesa Jill Thornhill of New Haven christened Steve Leete’s boat with the first catch and release weakfish of the season. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Elias Ratchman of Madison caught this 25.5” walleye on a Rap minnow after float-planing into the back country and fishing Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Invariably, when marine fishers band together for a salty talk, adopted regulations creep into the conversation - sometimes quite emphatically. Even though the health of an entire fish stock is considered (sometimes just regionally), when making management decisions, there are always those who comment with regards to their specific area. At first glance, some say those regulations do not seem to size up with the fish caught.

Either there is a struggle for fishers to catch minimum size fish when lengths are increased, or numbers go through the roof when reduced. However, when that is the case, many do not realize that in order to get a clearer picture, stock assessments that consider abundance, measure fishing activity, and evaluate biological aspects of the ecosystem take into consideration the health of an entire fish stock, or, at the minimum, the health of a regional stock.

Stock assessments that are developed are, in part, compiled from many different data sources - commercial fishermen, dealers, recreational fishers, and research scientists. The data that is collected assists in determining sustainable harvest levels for each fish stock. Assessments range from simple to complex methods, depending on fish availability and catch rates, to adequately isolate what is happening to a population.

Resulting assessments provide detailed information on fish size and age, reproductive success, and total population. They also show what catch will be in balance with the stock’s ability to reproduce and replace that catch in subsequent years. Getting the most up-to-date accurate data and advice to fishery managers is key to developing management plans.

As we move into the future and develop new and improved methods of fishery stock management, some data may lag behind, while others are more current because of real-time protocols. Nevertheless, to find notable examples of how stock assessments, management decisions, and fishery regulations have affected Long Island Sound, one just has to look at the striped bass, weakfish, black sea bass, scup, and even bluefish and tautog fisheries, for example, over the past few years. In these cases, at least from a fisher’s point of view, improvements in stock health has or is currently improving. Others, like fluke (summer flounder) are being monitored very carefully. Meanwhile, habitats, ecosystems, and overall water quality have been steadily improving, thus encouraging sustainable and healthy life cycles.

High pressure and a surface trough that was in place saw sun, heat, and humidity but was replaced by a cold front that approached from the west. That broke the heat spell that blanketed the region and eventually made room for another high pressure system that remained in place. Stretches of 90-degree temperatures mildly dipped into the mid-to high 80s before rebounding back into the 90s. Periods of mixed sun, thunderstorms, and early morning fog became expected, while end-of-day tables turned into calm waters and glowing sunsets.

Striped bass continue to attack diamond jigs once the deeper pockets are located, generally to the calmer edge of a rip. Three-waying live eels, bucktails, and trolling spoons, or dropping flutter spoons in waters that will emphasize the flutter action. Try a topwater plug, cast a swimmer, or dunk a chunk of bait. Atlantic menhaden schools have been on the move and, at times, were thickly schooled. Live-lining a bunker or tossing out a head have been effective, as well as a seaworm worked in near-shore waters.

Slicing through the rips along the shoreline, feeding in lower tidal rivers, and searching bays, small weakfish are making an impressive seasonal showing. Compared to their depleted status and high mortality in recent years, signs of juveniles and young adults is encouraging, and, hopefully, bodes well for their future outlook. As a reminder, there is a 16” minimum length and one fish per day per angler limit.

Bluefish are being caught, but schools that normally have breached the coastal waters and entered the Sound are lagging in numbers. Those hooked have been on chunk or live baits, jigs, and spoons. Any seen breaking the surface are taking topwater or slow sinking plugs, which adds another element of excitement to the strike. Snappers are showing up and being caught a little more regularly, but definitely not crowd-pleasing yet. The fish that are pleasing anglers are porgies. Offshore, they can be in the 15-16” range - near-shore smaller. Squid, seaworms, and scented strips are the three baits catching the most. In addition to scup, a few spot croakers have been caught. According to LIS catch surveys, approximately 4.3% are these croakers. The other reefers showing off their ability to tear into a diversified menu are black sea bass. Although squid is the primary bait of choice, being the aggressive and diversified feeders they are, open them up to a variety of forage, including mollusks and crustaceans.

In another week or so, on Friday, Aug. 2, fluke (summer flounder) minimum size will increase to 19.5”. The creel limit remains the same at three, as does the 17” minimum size for Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing. Ratio of shorts to keepers is out of whack, as both shore casters and boat drifters come up short more often than not. Hookups have been okay on rigs, jigs, and squid, but if fishing from shore, double check on the location, since some fishers give up keepers not realizing they are fishing an enhanced location. When fluking, small boaters should fish the upper tidal rivers on their way out to the Sound.

Menhaden that have been schooling up on the Atlantic side of Long Island have been a boon to any sharks feeding along that coast. Some of those bunker have made it into the Sound and spread out. They are an important food source sought out by our local sharks, as well as any whites. Chunks of them and/or mackerel are baits that will generate hookups with sandbars, sand tigers, dogfish, and skate when fished on the bottom. Try some soft natural baits for northern kingfish, sea robins, and other bottom feeders as well. Blue crabs should also be included on any crabber’s menu. Meanwhile, the hot tuna bite has gotten a lot of attention, along with weather fronts and temperature breaks. On the way out, cast for some mahi mahi when spotting the slightest bit of flotsam.

A mixed flurry of catches is keeping our inland anglers busy on many of the lakes, ponds, and rivers. Even though air and water temperatures have varied, barometric pressures deviated from the norm, as major fronts passed through and water clarity vacillated, fish from bass to trout and any nameable species found in Connecticut waters are being caught. Live bait, artificials (including flies), and scented baits continue to be productive at any given time.

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 the latest gear, flies/fly fishing, rods/reels, clam/crabbing supplies, fishing trips, licenses/permits, and much more, 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 and Authorized Penn Premium Dealer, where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.