Had enough of this Striper hunting on the river. I'm ready to hit the reefs. Heard plum gut was producing. Was thinking might head over to fishers island still early for that though. Unfortunately have family obligations this weekend Mothers Day and all. 
Partners on vacation but he'll be back next Thursday, I might come down with a case of Striper Fever. 
Partners on vacation but he'll be back next Thursday, I might come down with a case of Striper Fever. 
Why would we scrap the spring run for LIS when we can catch fish 5 minutes from home??? Will have plenty of time for LIS when the fish in my backyard are gone
Been fishing the CTR since November. Just looking for a change of scene. Can't ever wait for the salt season to get going.
Been fishing the CTR since November. Just looking for a change of scene. Can't ever wait for the salt season to get going.
First time out in the Gemma Rose today. Put in at Niantic around 2:30 a.m., hoping to find some stripers moving in a bit closer where I could get a crack at them. As usual, had the early hours all to myself. Poked around at the mouth for a while, but moved to the outflow by about 3:30. Took a bunch of eels with me. I got hammered, but by blues. Even at night, they just shredded my eels. After loosing half a dozen, I moved up to Harkness with no luck, so I threw in the towel. I was off the water by 8:00. Might go out on the Blackhawk tomorrow, as there are lots of stripers in the Race and Plum Gut. Still, it's good to catch fish on the first time out. Just couldn't believe how many blues were in there and how early they decided to bite.
Dude I was planning to launch at Pleasure Beach tomorrow at 4am,thought I was gonna sling some eels and get a couple of keepers before sunrise! 
Still gonna go but I'll save my eels for later around Two-Tree and throw plugs at the outflow. Any size to the blues? Anybody flukin',catchin' fluke in that area yet?
Still gonna go but I'll save my eels for later around Two-Tree and throw plugs at the outflow. Any size to the blues? Anybody flukin',catchin' fluke in that area yet?
I had nothing but eels and soft plastics. Usually have a few deady dicks or other metals, but hadn't broken those out yet. After loosing a bunch of eels, I switched and burned through a pack of white Zoom Flukes catching 2-3 lb. blues. I didn't fish Two Tree, as by 7:30 I was ready to head in and get some sleep. Want to go out next week, but Memorial Day Weekend will be ridiculous. Every A-hole with a cruiser will want to play "let's see how close we can pass the guy in the 14ft. boat." Overall, it was nice to get out, and I didn't get skunked! 
Dude I was planning to launch at Pleasure Beach tomorrow at 4am,thought I was gonna sling some eels and get a couple of keepers before sunrise!
Were you out there this morning Carp? Saw as guy in a yak at the outflow while heading out.
Went out this morning on the Blackhawk, hoping to pick up some stripers in the Race, as my little Gemma Rose can't venture out that far. The last few trips they had limited out by mid-morning. Weather was beautiful, too good for an early spring day with lots of guys itching to get out. Before we left, Capt. Greg warned us that the fish were in, but holding in relatively small areas, and once large numbers of boats got on top of them, the bite was done. We had the entire flood tide, and were on fish pretty quickly about 1/4-1/2 mile away from the 3 dozen closest boats. We weren't slamming them, but several keepers were coming over the rail per drift. I had a decent fish that ended up being the pool winner. However, after half a dozen drifts, every boat within sight was motoring towards us. As predicted, that was about it for the decent fishing. By about 8:30-9:00am, we were surrounded by dozens of boats. We moved, picked up a few more fish, and drew another crowd. It wasn't as busy as it gets at the height of summer, but the blues are in thick by then and less bothered by the number of boats. If you have a boat, the fishing is really good right now weekdays early am or late in the afternoon to evening. I have a coworker who has been catching steady keepers on the north side of Fisher's Island. I plan to start fishing there soon. From here on out, I try to fish weekdays and nights.
Probably won't get out again 'til after Memorial Day, as it is by far the worst weekend of the year to be on the water.
Were you out there this morning Carp? Saw as guy in a yak at the outflow while heading out.
Went out this morning on the Blackhawk, hoping to pick up some stripers in the Race, as my little Gemma Rose can't venture out that far. The last few trips they had limited out by mid-morning. Weather was beautiful, too good for an early spring day with lots of guys itching to get out. Before we left, Capt. Greg warned us that the fish were in, but holding in relatively small areas, and once large numbers of boats got on top of them, the bite was done. We had the entire flood tide, and were on fish pretty quickly about 1/4-1/2 mile away from the 3 dozen closest boats. We weren't slamming them, but several keepers were coming over the rail per drift. I had a decent fish that ended up being the pool winner. However, after half a dozen drifts, every boat within sight was motoring towards us. As predicted, that was about it for the decent fishing. By about 8:30-9:00am, we were surrounded by dozens of boats. We moved, picked up a few more fish, and drew another crowd. It wasn't as busy as it gets at the height of summer, but the blues are in thick by then and less bothered by the number of boats. If you have a boat, the fishing is really good right now weekdays early am or late in the afternoon to evening. I have a coworker who has been catching steady keepers on the north side of Fisher's Island. I plan to start fishing there soon. From here on out, I try to fish weekdays and nights.
Probably won't get out again 'til after Memorial Day, as it is by far the worst weekend of the year to be on the water.
Yeah I was out there. Picked up a few small blues early at the outflow. Tried drifting an eel around Two-Tree,no luck. Later I dropped back did some jigging for fluke again no dice. By late morning there were a lot of boats drifting fluke,didn't see many fish boated. The ones I did see come aboard looked short to me.Called it a day around 11:00.
Fish are starting to work in closer to shore. Went out of Niantic last night at 6:30, fished 'til 10:00, landing a few schoolies and blues on tube and worm and Zoom Flukes. It was foggy, so I stayed in Niantic Bay and Jordan's Cove. I had hoped to fish further east, but with larger boats heading out through Two Tree channel, I decided to stay out of the way. Didn't need to get run over or swamped at night in the fog. There were a lot of tailor blues at the top of Niantic Bay, and I was having fun catching them on a light setup. Pulled the boat out, slept in my truck 'til 3:30, and went back out at 4:00 a.m. With favorable tides and no wind, I had hoped to fish inside of Bartlett's and Two Tree Island this morning, but once again, fog made that a risky call. The water was calm, and I have GPS, but you just can't account for other idiots. Instead, I ran up to Black Point, where I landed the nice striper below. The bait is in, and the fish have to be settling in to Bartlett's, Two Tree, Harkness and up in the Stonington area. Can't wait to fish again Monday and Wednesday!
Thanks for the report RNA. Can't decide where I wanna fish tomorrow. Dying to try to get out around WatchHill but got myself in a little predicament the last time out there. Planning on early and being off the water by the time all the yahoos sleep off their hangovers and decide that it's a nice day for boating. Nice fish!
Been out a couple of times since this post. Keeper bass still elude me. Haven't been to the Barn yet though. Gonna stay away from Millstone for awhile I think. Can't seem to tear myself away from the blues over there. Just too much fun! Last time out (last Wednesday) they were up for over 2 hours straight early,just me and another guy on them,still have a bruise under my bicep from putting the hooks to too many fish,got a fish every first,second or third cast,talk about working up an appetite! Biggest to 26". Say what you will but I think I like catchin' blues. Headin' East on Wednesday if the weather cooperates,looks like it's gonna.
Wow. Did I get skunked! Thought today would be perfect, as the tide was starting to go out 3:30am at Niantic Bridge, and not a whisper of wind. I messed around a bit during slack tide at Black Point, dragging a few eels over some piles off the tip. As the sun was rising, I made my way over to Two Tree. The tide was also starting to flow out, but after some poking around TT and inside of Bartlett's, I decided to fish farther east. I ran all the way to the Clumps in my little boat. A buddy has been fishing the ebb there for a few weeks, catching lots of fish in the low 30's, but said it was starting to die out. I thought what the hell. Should have listened! They were barren. By the time I got back over to Harkness and the Bartlett's area, the tide was dying. I need a bigger boat to hit the spots the bass are holding now! To add to the atmosphere, every jackass with a '70s cruiser and loaded down with six people was making his way out. Decided to call it quits.
It was downhill from here.
It was downhill from here.