Connecticut Fishing Report 6-19-14

Anglers across the Northeast are reporting great catches one day, followed by sub-par results the next. On the positive side, the inconsistency has seemed to lessen a bit each week and while the tough days may be slow, the good days have been excellent. This past week saw some very heavy bass caught by anglers across the entire state. Fluke fishing has also continued to improve just about everywhere, and plenty of doormats have been reported in Connecticut.

Connecticut Fishing Report

Inconsistent has also been the word of the month for the guys at Rivers End in Old Saybrook in regards to the bass fishing reports from the area. Good bass fishing has been reported from anglers on the boat, kayak and shore this week, but trying to find a pattern of consistent fishing has been difficult. The most “consistent” action, and I use that term loosely, remains on the flats of the Connecticut River where anglers are still experiencing good topwater action around the dawn and dusk hours. The reefs of the central and eastern sound are holding some keeper fish, with bigger loads of fish residing from Clinton to Branford. A few bigger bass were taken at Long Sand Shoal and Bartlett’s, but just as quick as they showed up they moved out the next day. Fluke fishing has picked up and provided a spark in the eastern sound, where good fish are being reported from Two-Tree Channel, Niantic Bay and Harkness. Anglers making the trek to Montauk and the south side of Fishers have also been rewarded for their efforts with some quality fish.

Andrew, at Fishin’ Factory III in Middletown, also reported that the best bet for stripers this week has been on the flats in the mouth of the Connecticut River. Keeper bass to 30 pounds have been taken on topwater plugs, and while low light outgoing tides have been best, there have been plenty of days where conditions were right but the fish weren’t showing. The fish are feeding on exiting river herring and bunker and have been ambushing the bait in very shallow water, which makes a quiet, stealthy approach crucial. The abundance of bait has brought slammer bluefish up to 15 pounds into the river and they have proven to be easier to locate than the bass. Andrew reports that the reefs have been very streaky, with Bartlett’s holding the most bass, while Plum Gut and The Race have started to pick up after a very slow start. Andrew made a fluke trip last Thursday and was rewarded with keeper fish to 24 inches at two-tree channel; which has been a top producer, along with Niantic Bay and the south side of Fishers. Scup have started to show on most of the eastern sound reefs but reports are low, mainly due to a lack of effort thus far.

It’s a bit of a different story in the western sound, where thick and widespread schools of bunker have kept plenty of hefty bass in the area. Mike Roy, of Reel Cast Charters, continues to cash in on the good bite in his home waters of Milford, where he had multiple bass to 25 pounds on eels and bucktails Sunday night. On Monday and Tuesday night Mike worked the outside of the bunker schools with livelined baits and found plenty of bass from 20 to 32 pounds.

As the water warms, the fish may thin out in the western sound but they have certainly not done so yet. At Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, Rick has seen quite a few hefty bass come through the shop this week, including a beautiful 51 inch bass taken on a fresh bunker chunk around the Norwalk Islands. Bunker remains very thick in the area and anglers livelining and dunking chunks around the schools have had 40 pound fish with consistency around the islands, at buoys 11B, 28B and just south of little passage. A good diamond jig bite continues to go on at 11B and 28C, and has accounted for bass to 35 pounds. Fluke fishing has picked up out west with keepers up to 6 pounds reported around Buoy 26, and the reefs of Stratford and Milford. In freshwater news, anglers fishing the Saugatuck Reservoir have reported great catches of walleye and brown trout on live shiners, and a good topwater smallmouth bite at dusk.

Best Bets for the Weekend

As the waters warm and the moon stage starts to approach new, the odds of finding a trophy bass in Connecticut will only increase. The fluke have also seemed to have settled into their summer patterns and will provide a great angling opportunity up and down the coast this weekend.