The Fisherman Magazine Weekend Video Forecast 5/6/2021 - New England
In this week’s Web Fishing Forecast, New England editor Dave Anderson has news about bluefish arriving in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Their arrival seems to have coincided with an influx of squid that will, almost certainly, fire up the striper action in all three states this week. The best striper fishing is still in western Connecticut if you’re looking for size—but great catches can be made in Narragansett Bay and the estuaries of Cape Cod. Fluking has been tough this week, weather has been a factor, the best action for flatties is over on the NY side of Long Island Sound. Blackfish action is on the rise in Rhody and Massachusetts, look for some really nice togs to show up this week in both states, don’t forget that CT’s tog season is closed right now.
One thing you cant stop or even slow down is the passage of time and time is definitely moving at a good clip right now. April is a nice time to be alive and out fishing, but May is when things get serious. Here it is May 2nd as I write this and things are getting serious in a hurry. Large stripers are on the move now, exiting the Hudson after the spawn and heading east with the feedbag strapped on. Fish in the 20- to 30-pound class have been pretty common for the chunkers and guys trolling spoons, umbrellas and Mojos. There are big schools of bunker out there and the fish are hanging around those bait schools. Schoolies and slot fish can be found throughout most of the state, nearly every tidal estuary and river mouth has bass right now. Soft plastic swimbaits have been the most popular artificials and sandworms on a circle hook has been the best option for the bait dunkers. Fluke opens this week and the general consensus is that making the crossing into New York waters is going to represent your best opportunity to hook up with an early flattie. Porgies are starting to filter into Greenport Harbor and Peconic Bay as well, so you can top off the fluke cooler with some porgies while you are out there, if you so desire. Trout fishing throughout the state remains red hot with great catches still being reported from nearly every stocked water in the state. Hit up the DEEP website for information on which areas have been stocked most recently and also where exotic and broodstock species have been stocked.
In other news, this will be the last week for me writing the Connecticut Coast Report, now that Im back at the helm of the New England Edition as the Managing Editor, I need my Sunday time to edit the entirety of the reports section so I will pass my report into the capable hands of local angler, and all around good guy, Aaron Swanson. If you just cant get enough of my report writing skills you can still get your fix by reading the Surf Report which will begin again next week. Its been a great run and Ive made a lot of great friends through the writing and compilation of these reports, but time is invaluable and I just dont have the Sunday hours to spare. It has been an honor to keep you all up to date on the local fishing for the last 12 years or has it been 13?
Max over at Fishermans World said the bass bite to the west is really starting to fire up now. The sizes are all over the map from little schoolies to big ones over 30 pounds. Most of the fish are b...
Max over at Fishermans World said the bass bite to the west is really starting to fire up now. The sizes are all over the map from little schoolies to big ones over 30 pounds. Most of the fish are being caught on the troll (spoons, Mojos and umbrellas) or throwing chunks, but there are tons of bunker out there so a big spook or metal lip will probably get crushed as well. Back in Norwalk, the bass bite has been awesome as well with a good mix of fish between 18 and 36 inches. The local bass are up in the shallows; check in the harbor, the mouths of tidal estuaries and all around the islands. Max said the water temps hit 52 degrees one day last week and the fish were starting to take topwaters. If youre looking for fluke, your best bet is to take a ride across the Sound to Smithtown Bay or Port Jeff and fish the sand flats there. There have been a few accidental fluke caught from the beaches too though, on worms intended for stripers. Sea bass doesnt open until May 19th, but a few guys were reporting catching them during the last few days of tog season, so they should be in heavy by the time the season opens. Guys fishing the Saugatuck Reservoir have been doing really well, browns and rainbows in the 4- to 5-pound class have been a regular occurrence; largemouth and smallmouth bass have been crushing a variety of artificial baits and walleye catches have been good in the northern sections of the reservoir as well. More
The word from Bobby Js was blackfish season was coming to a close, right as it was getting goodas usual. The bass bite in the Housy remains strong in the lower river and there are migratory fish r...
The word from Bobby Js was blackfish season was coming to a close, right as it was getting goodas usual. The bass bite in the Housy remains strong in the lower river and there are migratory fish running the beaches. Winter flounder catches are barley registering on the scale, but if you want to catch some, hit Milford Harbor and chum, chum, chum. More
Greg over at New England Dive said the trout bite is still going strong at recently-stocked spots like the Quinnipiac River in Cheshire. Power Bait has been working really well, to the point that they...
Greg over at New England Dive said the trout bite is still going strong at recently-stocked spots like the Quinnipiac River in Cheshire. Power Bait has been working really well, to the point that they were out of stock on the most popular flavor, garlic. Well, they have the garlic back in stock and the fish are biting well, stop in and get what you need! In the lower portions of the Quinnipiac River schoolie action has been hot, white Zoom Flukes on light jigheads have been the bait of the week. More
Captain Morgan sent his report over in an email on Sunday morning, The north winds doth blow - and that they did before flipping to the west. Gusty as could be, they hardly dampened the spirit of sh...
Captain Morgan sent his report over in an email on Sunday morning, The north winds doth blow - and that they did before flipping to the west. Gusty as could be, they hardly dampened the spirit of shore casters looking to take advantage of the striped bass bite thats been going on in local waters and bringing many happy casters into the shop. Soaked clothes and salt encrusted glasses did not deter the diehards as their inline circle hooks loaded with bait found life at the other end. Still with mostly under slot limit fish caught, the recreational fisher scored repeatedly especially, on incoming tides. Small jigs, soft plastic swimmers and spoons also did the trick. Most fish caught were either below or above the slot but nevertheless, the action did see a few braggers. The migration continues! Weakfish started to roll, along with some scup, dogfish and sea robins while black backs were few and far between as far as winter flatties go. Keep an eye open for menhaden and hickories they are around and may signal the presence of larger stripers as well. Spring tog season is closed, summer flounder (fluke) opens May 4th and much excitement surrounds the opening, Connecticut anglers need to wait until May 19th for black sea bass and blue crabbing season is now open too. Inland anglers are still hooking good numbers of trout including some bragger breeders. American shad anglers are scoring well in the Connecticut and Salmon Rivers, willow leafs being the best for hookups but darts are working too. The first of a series of Saltwater Fly Fishing Clinics is scheduled to kick off on Saturday, May 8th from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your casting will improve at the hands of a certified world-class master fly fishing instructor (perhaps more than one pro) and the event will be held at one of our local and productive Long Island Sound flats. Learn time tested techniques and even have an opportunity to hook up with a striped bass in the process. A food break is included in the $225 package - even a Mothers Day rose for the moms. For more details or to register call the shop. We have been open since day one of the COVID-19 pandemic to support the fishing community and will continue to do so 7 days - dont forget your mask. Due to the volume of calls, leave a message and pertinent ones will be returned as soon as possible. Pay us a visit and you will see why we say, We dont make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better. Good fishing, stay safe and see you throughout the 2021 season. More
Capt. TJ Karbowski of Rock and Roll Charters said they are currently taking reservations for the 2021 season and are psyched to get back on the water. They will begin their season on May 22nd fishing ...
Capt. TJ Karbowski of Rock and Roll Charters said they are currently taking reservations for the 2021 season and are psyched to get back on the water. They will begin their season on May 22nd fishing for stripers and sea bass. Remember Capt. TJ and crew love to get kids into the sport of fishing and they are really good at what they do. Its a family friendly boat with a heated cabin for those raw spring days and air conditioning too for those days when it gets too hot. Its hard to beat all thatgive them a call to reserve your trip today! The boat sails from Cedar Island Marina in Clinton, CT. More
The crew at Black Hall Outfitters sent in a report this week via email to say, The weather is getting nice and so is the fishing! We are hearing reports of a hot blackfish bite in the western Sound,...
The crew at Black Hall Outfitters sent in a report this week via email to say, The weather is getting nice and so is the fishing! We are hearing reports of a hot blackfish bite in the western Sound, with the New Haven break walls being the best spot. Asylum jigz with crabs are the hot rig! Along with the blackfish, the western Sound is chock full of schoolies. All beaches and rivers are loaded with migratory and holdover fish. Sandworms and swimbaits on jigheads remain the best baits to use. Winter flounder fishing is spotty, with some anglers doing well in tidal rivers with sandworms. In the freshwater scene, trout fishing is consistent with DEEP stocking lakes and rivers every day! The Salmon River and Farmington River have been the top choice for anglers looking for better quality and size of the fish. For the spin fisherman, PowerWorms, Rapalas and inline spinners are your best bet. For the fly fisherman, the fish are starting to look up; BWO, caddis, and some midge hatches lately, use those dries! Bass fishing is at its peak right now. The fish are starting to transition up with the warm temps, and they are hungry. Evan Kamoen fished a tournament on Bantam Lake on Saturday, placing 3rd bagging his fish on jerkbaits and hair jigs. Candlewood and Lillinonoah have also been hot, with the hair jigs and jerkbaits bite as well. The CT river is also heating up, with multiple anglers doing well on pike, catfish and bass. Reminder-Black Hall Outfitters is open now and will have our grand opening on May 1st with seminars from charter captains and giveaways! More
Capt. Mike Roy of Reel Cast Charters said that he has continued to focus on the river bite and finding good results on schoolie and slot bass. Water temps have not changed over the past week, remainin...
Capt. Mike Roy of Reel Cast Charters said that he has continued to focus on the river bite and finding good results on schoolie and slot bass. Water temps have not changed over the past week, remaining right around the 50-degree mark. He said the best bait has been the 7-inch Slug-Go. They have seen some herring getting pushed on the surface right at sunrise this week and with some warmer weather we should see more bass pushing into the river and an increase in action overall. He has some openings on the calendar in May, call now to reserve one! More
The guys over at Rivers End said schoolies and keepers are pretty common in the lower river now. Soft plastics on light heads have been the most popular baits, but small topwaters are taking fish now ...
The guys over at Rivers End said schoolies and keepers are pretty common in the lower river now. Soft plastics on light heads have been the most popular baits, but small topwaters are taking fish now too and SP Minnows after dark are catchin some fish also. The blackfish season closed with a bang. Theres been a lot of excitement surrounding the May 4th fluke opener. Guys have been in the shop stocking up on bucktails, Gulp, leader material and other flukey things. Most anglers head over to the New York side at this time of year. It seems like everyone already has fuel in the tank and is ready to go. Theres also been a growing excitement surrounding the sea bass season which doesnt open for two weeksits been great to see so many people getting into bottom fishing. Theres been a lot of interest in shad fishing on the CT River and white perch catches continue to impress as well. Trout fishing remains very good all over. More
Andrew at Fishin Factory 3 said that they opened the dam up in Holyoke and it has blown out the rivera term he uses to describe the water being high murky, muddy and gross. This hasnt really hur...
Andrew at Fishin Factory 3 said that they opened the dam up in Holyoke and it has blown out the rivera term he uses to describe the water being high murky, muddy and gross. This hasnt really hurt the striper bite for those using worms, but anyone throwing artificials will have a hard time for a few days until the water clears up. The other fishery that has been adversely affected by the blow out is American shad; its going to be a few days before they become reliable again. Spring blackfish season ended strong as usual, but theyre off-limits now until July 1. He said anyone looking to hook an early season fluke should find a school of squid before dropping a jig. He suggested the best places to find them are usually, the mouth of the Thames, Millstone and the south side of Fishers. Squid have already shown up in good numbers in Rhode Island, so theyre either already in Connecticut waters or will be very soon. There was also a report of porgies in Greenport Harbor if youre up for the ride. More
I checked in with Capt. Mike on the Tartan II and he said that they just put the boat back in the water after their annual Coast Guard survey, which went very well. They will be painting and getting t...
I checked in with Capt. Mike on the Tartan II and he said that they just put the boat back in the water after their annual Coast Guard survey, which went very well. They will be painting and getting their gear prepper for the next couple weeks and then they will run their first trips of the 2021 season over Memorial Day weekend. Call now to reserve your spot! More
Heather from the Black Hawk office reports that we've finally started the 2021 fishing season with two porgy trips this weekend. Saturday's opening day trip was good, despite the strong wind, and thos...
Heather from the Black Hawk office reports that we've finally started the 2021 fishing season with two porgy trips this weekend. Saturday's opening day trip was good, despite the strong wind, and those who stayed at the rail were rewarded with good numbers of porgies. We're looking forward to more great trips in the coming weeks. Squid trips will be posted soon, as well as more porgy trips. Be sure to sign up as soon as you see them posted, as we know they'll fill up fast! Just like last year, tickets will be available to purchase on our website on Monday evenings at 8 p.m. We will post tickets for our trips one week at a time, approximately two weeks ahead of time. All trips will be by reservation only, so be sure to grab your tickets early! We are currently booking dates for private charters, but theyre filling quickly, so be sure to email Heather to get your date before it's sold out. Private charters are a great, affordable way to get out with your family, friends, or business! More
I heard from Kyle at J&B Tackle this week as he had to, unfortunately, postpone the second used tackle sale of the season to February 20 due to the weather. With COVID restrictions, they plan to c...
I heard from Kyle at J&B Tackle this week as he had to, unfortunately, postpone the second used tackle sale of the season to February 20 due to the weather. With COVID restrictions, they plan to continue this popular event but it is held outside so the weather needs to be just right. He did say that this year's Castafaris annual Offshore Fishing Seminar Series has gone virtual this year. The store is open 6 days a week, closed Wednesdays, and social distancing requirements (masks, etc.) must be followed. More
Over at Hillyers Tackle winter flounder catches have still been few and far between, the guys that are putting a limit together are putting in a lot of time and chumming. There are schoolie bass aro...
Over at Hillyers Tackle winter flounder catches have still been few and far between, the guys that are putting a limit together are putting in a lot of time and chumming. There are schoolie bass around Millstone and elsewhere in the river and Bay. These stripers are on the smaller side, so use single hooks and appropriate tackle, they can be a lot of fun and provide a great gateway for introducing children to the sport. Millstone is also a good place to look for an early season fluke. Blackfishing never really caught fire locally. Freshwater guys continue to do well on local trout. More
Captain Bob of the Sunbeam Fleet reports that he has finished up the porgy and half-day bluefish trips for the season. There were decent results on porgy and are still loads of big blues to end the se...
Captain Bob of the Sunbeam Fleet reports that he has finished up the porgy and half-day bluefish trips for the season. There were decent results on porgy and are still loads of big blues to end the season. They have moved onto blackfish every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7am. The season has started off excellent with lots of blackfish around as well as a few sea bass. Trips are filling up fast so do not hesitate to book. More
Karen over at AW Marina said blackfish are now all over the place, but they are off limits until July. Now is their spawning time and we need to leave them alone so they can go make babies. There are ...
Karen over at AW Marina said blackfish are now all over the place, but they are off limits until July. Now is their spawning time and we need to leave them alone so they can go make babies. There are schoolie bass all over the Thames and outside the river as well. Seaworms and blood worms have been the most popular baits. There have been reports of squid in Rhode Island now and a growing interest in fluking around the shop as the May 4th opener draws closer. Porgy action has not lit up locally yet, but there have been reports from Peconic Bay, head to New York if porgies are your target of choice. More
