Start the season off with a spring slam that can be caught on one rig.
April first is one of my favorite days of the year, not only is it the unofficial beginning of spring (as far as the New England saltwater angler is concerned), it’s also opening day for winter flounder and blackfish in Connecticut. As long as the weather cooperates, the odds are high that I will be out in my kayak that day, trying to hook into that early spring Long Island Sound trifecta, winter flounder, tautog and striped bass. It’s a feat to pull it all off in one day, but when the stars align, and it all comes together, it’s a satisfying way to kick off the saltwater season.
At this time of year, my kayak is one of the most important parts of pulling this off. It allows me to reach deep channel edges that would be impossible to reach from shore and it allows me to get way back into sun-warmed backwaters where my Steiger Craft can’t go. As with most things related to fishing, finding the right spots makes up a major part of the battle. I focus heavily on shallow bridges at this time of year, these spots typically feature good current on both tides, plenty of structure and depth variation and they funnel in bait sources that all three of these species are likely to be looking for.
Spring Ambush
If you picture any bridge that spans tidal water, you’re probably also picturing how the funneling effects of the bridge tend to dig out deep channels and – in some cases – large, deep holes on one or both sides of the bridge. These channels provide cover for any one of these fish to lie in ambush, where food sources like grass shrimp, seaworms, small baitfish and other forage types are likely to be swept through. Ambush areas are productive at all times of the year, for a wide range of species, but in cold water and after a long winter, ambush zones become key in finding actively feeding fish.
Perhaps because early season bait sources are limited, as the underwater world wakes up from winter, I find that ‘matching the hatch’ is more important at this time than it is any other time during the saltwater season. One approach I use with good success is a page right out of the largemouth bass playbook: the drop shot rig. This rig utilizes a hook fished above a weight, allowing you to suspend a finesse presentation a measured amount above the bottom while the weight provides input, keeping you in contact with the bottom while your lure swims above. It’s different than a three-way rig or using a fishfinder rig because the hook is fixed ‘inline’ on the leader in between the weight at the bottom and the barrel swivel at the top. This rig allows you finesse-fish small baits through these ambush areas, some of my favorites are Gulp baits like their sandworms, minnows and shrimp, also FishBites Fight Club Fight’n Shrimp are a good choice. Any one of the three species – flounder, tog or stripers – will eat these baits, but the sandworm has the best record for hooking all three.
And, for the record, a live sandworm might be the best bait of all and will fish just fine on a drop shot rig.
Slam Setups
For the rig I keep it very simple, I will pull off 6 or 8 feet of 15- to 20-pound fluoro and begin by positioning the hook on the leader, 8 to 12 inches above the weight, which can be tied on or attached using a loop. The hook is a Gamakatsu 1/0 baitholder, tie this into the leader using a Palomar knot and use the shorter tag end to attach the weight. That 8- to 12-inch lead between the hook and the weight will ensure that your bait stays in the strike zone while you tend bottom with the weight.
| COLD KAYAK SAFETY |
| The entire month of April features cold water and taking an unexpected dip is not going to be a fun time and at worst, it could be a life-threatening ordeal. Make sure you have necessary safety items like a flag, life vest, VHF radio and cell phone. Also, make sure to tell someone where you will be fishing and when you expect to be home. Lastly, it’s best not to fish alone at this time of year, fishing with a buddy will make the trip more enjoyable and could save your life in the event of an emergency. |
Use just enough lead to maintain bottom contact, I find I’m using 1/2 to 1-1/2 ounces, most of the time. If you go too heavy, you’ll snag a lot more often and you’ll reduce the sensitivity you need to fish with finesse. Your presentation should be s-l-o-w, literally stitching the rig along, just a few inches at a time, giving any lethargic fish that might be eyeballing your bait plenty of time to strike without having to expend too much energy. If you picture what’s going on, your bait is held more or less stationary at leader length above the bottom, and being swum along at that height while the sinker inches along below it.
When drop-shotting in the salt, I like to use a medium-light spinning outfit spooled with 10-pound Power Pro Super Slick. My combo of choice is a 7-foot St. Croix Triumph (TBR70MLF) paired up with a 2500 size, Penn Battle DX. I also recommend using bright colored braid because you have to watch your line when drop-shotting and a brighter color makes it easier to see the slight hits you often get when using finesse presentations. I like to use a long leader to keep that bright-colored braid as far as possible from the business end of my rig; a minimum of 6 feet of 15- to 20-pound Seaguar (blue label) fluorocarbon leader will do the trick.
How & Where
Kayak position is as important to your success as anything else, I will usually anchor up and start casting to all the areas where I think a fish might be. During the early spring, with colder temps, the fish usually won’t move around too much and it’s often most important that you basically – hit the fish on the head – in order to get a bite, so be thorough and try to set yourself up in areas where you have several casting options to cover before moving.
Areas such as the Niantic River, Bluff Point and the Mystic River are all likely spots in southeast Connecticut that I can target all three of these species during this time of year. These are all areas that have shallow mudflats in close proximity to deeper channels. And you don’t have to just hit the areas I mentioned, nearly any tidal backwater along the shores of Long Island Sound is worth a look, you can use nautical maps or Google Earth to identify deep channel edges and other types of structural ambush areas where you can slide in with a kayak and put some fish on the boat.
Focused Fishing
| FROM A BOAT? |
| As I said in my intro, the kayak is the perfect vessel for notching this spring slam, but you absolutely can get it done from a boat, you’ll just need to stay out of the skinny water. The same rigs, tactics and thought processes will put you on the fish, you just might have to be a little more creative when positioning in some of these remote backwater ambush zones. |
Keeping an eye on weather patterns and tides is a key factor in determining where I will fish when in the kayak. I prefer a northerly wind accompanied by an ebb tide. This makes anchoring the kayak on a channel edge much easier. I use a pulley system – also known as an anchor trolley – on my kayak that allows me to strategically position the anchor rope at the bow or stern. The trolley makes for easier positioning in various weather and tide conditions, you want to ‘cleat’ the anchor in the stern of the kayak so your bow is facing the direction of the tide and position yourself so that you have ample target areas within casting range.
During this early part of the season, catching fish in saltwater – of any species – can be a challenge. But if you downsize you offerings and match the hatch with baits that several species will hit, you can really increase your odds. And, for those of you that try it, you’ll see that notching all three in one day is a special challenge all its own that might turn a cold early spring day into a fishing trip you’ll never forget. The “Southern New England April Kayak Slam” might be something you want to strive for this season!
