Fishing report: Saltwater license takes effect
By Charles Walsh
Correspondent
Updated: 07/03/2009 12:34:11 AM EDT
Plan on fishing this weekend? Not without a Connecticut Saltwater fishing license you don't. As of Wednesday, a saltwater license is required to fish in Connecticut's Long Island Sound waters. Gov. M. Jodi Rell finally signed into law the saltwater license bill that was passed by the General Assembly more than a month ago. Licenses can again be purchased online through the Department of Environmental Protection Web site. The licenses -- $10 for residents and $15 for non residents -- are also available at most town clerk offices and at many retail outlets and bait and tackle shops. DEP Environmental Conservation Police will begin checking for licenses immediately; however the DEP's initial focus will be on public education and awareness so you might get a break this weekend.
Now on to the fishing.
If, as some claim, the school of more than 200 porpoises that entered Long Island Sound is scaring off the striped bass in the Old Saybrook area (the school was spotted way to the west near King's Point, N.Y.), the local bass do not seem particularly spooked. The bass fishing in this end of the Sound remains generally good, especially at night. Maybe the stripers around here are just more courageous. As for the porpoises, the good news is that biologists say their presence may attest to the cleaner water in the Sound these days.
SALTWATER
Striped bass -- For those willing to give up some sleep, the nighttime bass bite is on in some inshore areas.
Jason Jadach of Bobby J's shop in Milford took 25 stripers up to 34 pounds fishing from the Milford beaches and the crews at Jimmy O's shop in Black Rock report some great tube and worm catches in the shallow water off Fairfield. The stripers are going for those 9-inch Slug-Go plastics and the big hand-made and locally produced pencil poppers available at bait and tackle shops. The Norwalk Islands is another linesider hot spot.
Bluefish -- Schools of smaller bluefish, rarely exceeding six pounds, are all over chasing the masses of sand eels that are remain in local waters. Cruise a boat between Westport and West Haven and at least one sighting of surface-feed blues is guaranteed. Poppers are the way to go with these fish. The larger blues are saying deeper around the Branford wrecks sites and outside the mouth of Bridgeport Harbor.
Fluke -- With the New York season reopening today, the chances of limiting out on keeper improved dramatically for those who make the crossing to Mt. Sinai. Locally, anglers can expect to take 10 or 20 shorts for every keeper fluke. The New Haven breakwater would be the place to be were they not surrounded by lobster pots.
Porgies -- Fair to slow are the words for porgy fishing. It's possible to take enough keepers to make a meal but it requires considerable time on the water. Charles Island and Penfield Reef are the areas to spend that time
By Charles Walsh
Correspondent
Updated: 07/03/2009 12:34:11 AM EDT
Plan on fishing this weekend? Not without a Connecticut Saltwater fishing license you don't. As of Wednesday, a saltwater license is required to fish in Connecticut's Long Island Sound waters. Gov. M. Jodi Rell finally signed into law the saltwater license bill that was passed by the General Assembly more than a month ago. Licenses can again be purchased online through the Department of Environmental Protection Web site. The licenses -- $10 for residents and $15 for non residents -- are also available at most town clerk offices and at many retail outlets and bait and tackle shops. DEP Environmental Conservation Police will begin checking for licenses immediately; however the DEP's initial focus will be on public education and awareness so you might get a break this weekend.
Now on to the fishing.
If, as some claim, the school of more than 200 porpoises that entered Long Island Sound is scaring off the striped bass in the Old Saybrook area (the school was spotted way to the west near King's Point, N.Y.), the local bass do not seem particularly spooked. The bass fishing in this end of the Sound remains generally good, especially at night. Maybe the stripers around here are just more courageous. As for the porpoises, the good news is that biologists say their presence may attest to the cleaner water in the Sound these days.
SALTWATER
Striped bass -- For those willing to give up some sleep, the nighttime bass bite is on in some inshore areas.
Jason Jadach of Bobby J's shop in Milford took 25 stripers up to 34 pounds fishing from the Milford beaches and the crews at Jimmy O's shop in Black Rock report some great tube and worm catches in the shallow water off Fairfield. The stripers are going for those 9-inch Slug-Go plastics and the big hand-made and locally produced pencil poppers available at bait and tackle shops. The Norwalk Islands is another linesider hot spot.
Bluefish -- Schools of smaller bluefish, rarely exceeding six pounds, are all over chasing the masses of sand eels that are remain in local waters. Cruise a boat between Westport and West Haven and at least one sighting of surface-feed blues is guaranteed. Poppers are the way to go with these fish. The larger blues are saying deeper around the Branford wrecks sites and outside the mouth of Bridgeport Harbor.
Fluke -- With the New York season reopening today, the chances of limiting out on keeper improved dramatically for those who make the crossing to Mt. Sinai. Locally, anglers can expect to take 10 or 20 shorts for every keeper fluke. The New Haven breakwater would be the place to be were they not surrounded by lobster pots.
Porgies -- Fair to slow are the words for porgy fishing. It's possible to take enough keepers to make a meal but it requires considerable time on the water. Charles Island and Penfield Reef are the areas to spend that time