Fishing report
Updated: 09/03/2009 11:00:39 PM EDT
If you thought the sudden turn to colder weather would turn on the fishing like a kitchen spigot, well, not quite, my friend. There are still plenty of fish to be caught, but the fall run is still a few weeks away. Judging by the average size of the bluefish weighed in for the WICC contest, the big choppers still have not shown up, choosing instead to remain in the harbors and inlets on Long Island's north shore. Nine-pound blues were the contest average. A full report on the contest will appear in Sunday's fishing column. The good news is the bunker schools have moved into some key harbors like Milford, which have been begging for them all summer. Will the big fish follow? Only Neptune knows. SALTWATER
Striped bass -- Nighttime and dawn fishers throwing large swimming lures are doing OK -- not great -- on bass at Penfield and Southport Harbor. The occasional schoolie can be picked up on tube and work rigs almost anywhere along the shore.
Bluefish -- The once ubiquitous 2-pounders that were everywhere last week seem to have dissipated some. Black Rock harbor is holding a few fish around a pound on the Fayerweather Island side and the kick of bunker that arrived in Milford Harbor Thursday morning had brought a few blues of the same size chasing them. Early risers throwing poppers off the gun club in Stratford have hooked into some large bluefish.
Porgies -- Porgie fishing is excellent with fish close to and exceeding 2 pounds coming over the side at
Can 12 and back of Charles Island. To the west, Sunken Island has yielded some fat specimens, including the 2.65-pound fish Bob Cahill caught and weighed in at Jimmy O's in Black Rock. (He gave the fish to Jimmy, who had it for supper.)
Snapper blues -- The baby choppers are in for the most part and over 4 inches with some larger ones in the mix. Fairfield beaches, the inside of Fayerweather Island and the Milford Town dock are great places to take the kids. Saturday, Sept. 12, is the date for the kid's snapper fishing derby in Milford. Details are available at Bobby J's on New Haven Avenue.
Bonito and false albacore -- We are still hearing reports of copious greenies off Rhode Island, but Long Island Sound sightings remain few.
FRESHWATER
Trout -- The Inland Fisheries Division of the Department of Environmental Protection announced that 5,500 trout were stocked for Labor Day weekend. The upper Housatonic River Trout Management Area and the upper West Branch Farmington River (from just above the TMA to the Goodwin Dam) each received 1,000 large brown trout weighing close to a pound. The other 3,500 trout are 10-12 inch browns that were stocked into the upper West Branch Farmington River, the lower Farmington River TMA, Mill River TMA in Fairfield, Saugatuck River TMA, Mianus River TMA, Mill River in Hamden's Sleeping Giant TMA, and the Wharton Brook Pond Trout Park.
Largemouth bass -- Fishing for largemouth is fair to good with reports from Candlewood Lake, Lake Saltonstall, Lake Wononskopomuc, and Lake Lillinonah. Gorton Pond has seen catches up to 5 pounds.
Smallmouth bass -- When water flow rates cooperate, the smallie fishing is very good. Candlewood Lake has lots of smallmouth in the 3- to 4-pound range. In other locations, you have to work harder with fish holding deeper. Lake Housatonic and the Housatonic River are excellent if the water is moving well.
-- CHARLES WALSH
Updated: 09/03/2009 11:00:39 PM EDT
If you thought the sudden turn to colder weather would turn on the fishing like a kitchen spigot, well, not quite, my friend. There are still plenty of fish to be caught, but the fall run is still a few weeks away. Judging by the average size of the bluefish weighed in for the WICC contest, the big choppers still have not shown up, choosing instead to remain in the harbors and inlets on Long Island's north shore. Nine-pound blues were the contest average. A full report on the contest will appear in Sunday's fishing column. The good news is the bunker schools have moved into some key harbors like Milford, which have been begging for them all summer. Will the big fish follow? Only Neptune knows. SALTWATER
Striped bass -- Nighttime and dawn fishers throwing large swimming lures are doing OK -- not great -- on bass at Penfield and Southport Harbor. The occasional schoolie can be picked up on tube and work rigs almost anywhere along the shore.
Bluefish -- The once ubiquitous 2-pounders that were everywhere last week seem to have dissipated some. Black Rock harbor is holding a few fish around a pound on the Fayerweather Island side and the kick of bunker that arrived in Milford Harbor Thursday morning had brought a few blues of the same size chasing them. Early risers throwing poppers off the gun club in Stratford have hooked into some large bluefish.
Porgies -- Porgie fishing is excellent with fish close to and exceeding 2 pounds coming over the side at
Can 12 and back of Charles Island. To the west, Sunken Island has yielded some fat specimens, including the 2.65-pound fish Bob Cahill caught and weighed in at Jimmy O's in Black Rock. (He gave the fish to Jimmy, who had it for supper.)
Snapper blues -- The baby choppers are in for the most part and over 4 inches with some larger ones in the mix. Fairfield beaches, the inside of Fayerweather Island and the Milford Town dock are great places to take the kids. Saturday, Sept. 12, is the date for the kid's snapper fishing derby in Milford. Details are available at Bobby J's on New Haven Avenue.
Bonito and false albacore -- We are still hearing reports of copious greenies off Rhode Island, but Long Island Sound sightings remain few.
FRESHWATER
Trout -- The Inland Fisheries Division of the Department of Environmental Protection announced that 5,500 trout were stocked for Labor Day weekend. The upper Housatonic River Trout Management Area and the upper West Branch Farmington River (from just above the TMA to the Goodwin Dam) each received 1,000 large brown trout weighing close to a pound. The other 3,500 trout are 10-12 inch browns that were stocked into the upper West Branch Farmington River, the lower Farmington River TMA, Mill River TMA in Fairfield, Saugatuck River TMA, Mianus River TMA, Mill River in Hamden's Sleeping Giant TMA, and the Wharton Brook Pond Trout Park.
Largemouth bass -- Fishing for largemouth is fair to good with reports from Candlewood Lake, Lake Saltonstall, Lake Wononskopomuc, and Lake Lillinonah. Gorton Pond has seen catches up to 5 pounds.
Smallmouth bass -- When water flow rates cooperate, the smallie fishing is very good. Candlewood Lake has lots of smallmouth in the 3- to 4-pound range. In other locations, you have to work harder with fish holding deeper. Lake Housatonic and the Housatonic River are excellent if the water is moving well.
-- CHARLES WALSH