Fluctuating temperatures have stripers in a tizzy
By BOB SAMPSON
This year has definitely been an odd one, similar to last year in that we made a quantum leap from fickle, cold nights to sunny days punctuated by rain storms to a blast furnace of heat. The constant changes in water temperature and barometric pressure has in some cases confused the fish a tad.
Over the past week, we’ve heard reports that in the shallow waters off the mouth of the Connecticut River and most recently the Pawcatuck River and Little Narragansett Bay, striped bass that were abundant, even visible against the sandy bottom, were spooky and very uncooperative.
Captains “Q” Kresser of River’s End Tackle in Saybrook and Eric Covino of Playing Hookie Charters both reported over the weekend of seeing dozens, if not hundreds, of lethargic stripers that were flat out turned off.
In both cases, fish could be seen suspended in the water as if in a stupor. They were not chasing bait as they should be this time of year, despite there being bait around. The bass only half-heartedly followed and swiped at lures as they passed by their noses, with only a small percentage of fish actually striking the soft plastics and other lures that were cast to them.
The reason?
Damned if I know.
I witnessed this same behavior in the lower Connecticut River myself over the weekend, but not with the large numbers of uncooperative bass Covino and Kresser reported.
These spooky, uncooperative stripers were observed in shallow waters, in both cases mixed with some bluefish that weighed up to 10 pounds.
“Q” has been talking about hard-to-catch, visible bass in the lower Connecticut River for more than a week now.
Metabolic needs dictate these fish have to eat sometime, especially as water temps increase. Either they are doing it at night just sporadically so some anglers are catching while others are not.
This is a situation that is particularly odd for the first weeks of June, when fishing for striped bass should be easy everywhere.
The fact is, there are other places in the region where the bass fishing has been great.
The Race, Watch Hill Reef Complex and other shoreline reefs that are holding squid have been producing some big stripers. Stripers up to 30 pounds or more, along with scattered bluefish, are being caught on a regular basis in the Thames River to Norwich Harbor, where they are feeding on adult menhaden.
Ron at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown, R.I., has been catching stripers up to 40 pounds over the past week on live eels or bunker he’s getting from a local fish trap.
One possible explanation for some of this localized odd behavior could be some form of thermal shock that is related to the recent and rapid increase in water temperature, particularly in shoal areas, throughout the region.
Covino said when he dropped his boat in at the protected bay between the docks at Barn Island State Launch on Tuesday, his temperature gauge read 90.
Stripers in these rapidly warming shoal areas have tails and could easily swim to deeper cooler places, so why don’t they?
A couple of feet down in a deeper channel where the sunlight does not strike the bottom and release its energy into the mud, turning it into a “heating pad of sorts,” things will be some what cooler and more comfortable.
Maybe these hard to catch fish have found an abundant but physically tiny food source. Captain “Q” speculated that it may be grass shrimp in the Connecticut River.
The point is, if you are looking for stripers, fish deeper, cooler places until this hot spell passes. The fish are on the move, in good numbers and there are some big ones out there to be hooked.
By BOB SAMPSON
This year has definitely been an odd one, similar to last year in that we made a quantum leap from fickle, cold nights to sunny days punctuated by rain storms to a blast furnace of heat. The constant changes in water temperature and barometric pressure has in some cases confused the fish a tad.
Over the past week, we’ve heard reports that in the shallow waters off the mouth of the Connecticut River and most recently the Pawcatuck River and Little Narragansett Bay, striped bass that were abundant, even visible against the sandy bottom, were spooky and very uncooperative.
Captains “Q” Kresser of River’s End Tackle in Saybrook and Eric Covino of Playing Hookie Charters both reported over the weekend of seeing dozens, if not hundreds, of lethargic stripers that were flat out turned off.
In both cases, fish could be seen suspended in the water as if in a stupor. They were not chasing bait as they should be this time of year, despite there being bait around. The bass only half-heartedly followed and swiped at lures as they passed by their noses, with only a small percentage of fish actually striking the soft plastics and other lures that were cast to them.
The reason?
Damned if I know.
I witnessed this same behavior in the lower Connecticut River myself over the weekend, but not with the large numbers of uncooperative bass Covino and Kresser reported.
These spooky, uncooperative stripers were observed in shallow waters, in both cases mixed with some bluefish that weighed up to 10 pounds.
“Q” has been talking about hard-to-catch, visible bass in the lower Connecticut River for more than a week now.
Metabolic needs dictate these fish have to eat sometime, especially as water temps increase. Either they are doing it at night just sporadically so some anglers are catching while others are not.
This is a situation that is particularly odd for the first weeks of June, when fishing for striped bass should be easy everywhere.
The fact is, there are other places in the region where the bass fishing has been great.
The Race, Watch Hill Reef Complex and other shoreline reefs that are holding squid have been producing some big stripers. Stripers up to 30 pounds or more, along with scattered bluefish, are being caught on a regular basis in the Thames River to Norwich Harbor, where they are feeding on adult menhaden.
Ron at Breachway Tackle in Charlestown, R.I., has been catching stripers up to 40 pounds over the past week on live eels or bunker he’s getting from a local fish trap.
One possible explanation for some of this localized odd behavior could be some form of thermal shock that is related to the recent and rapid increase in water temperature, particularly in shoal areas, throughout the region.
Covino said when he dropped his boat in at the protected bay between the docks at Barn Island State Launch on Tuesday, his temperature gauge read 90.
Stripers in these rapidly warming shoal areas have tails and could easily swim to deeper cooler places, so why don’t they?
A couple of feet down in a deeper channel where the sunlight does not strike the bottom and release its energy into the mud, turning it into a “heating pad of sorts,” things will be some what cooler and more comfortable.
Maybe these hard to catch fish have found an abundant but physically tiny food source. Captain “Q” speculated that it may be grass shrimp in the Connecticut River.
The point is, if you are looking for stripers, fish deeper, cooler places until this hot spell passes. The fish are on the move, in good numbers and there are some big ones out there to be hooked.