Fishin’ Factory 3

Andrew at Fishin’ Factory 3 told me that while most of the talk of the shop these days is about blackfish, he is also hearing from customers catching stripers, the occasional false albacore, squid, trout and salmon. The great weather over the weekend made for busy times at the shop with just about everyone with any interest in catching tog getting in on the action. Customers caught from both shore and boat with a few impressive catches in the mix. While the tournament leader still sits at 8 pounds and 10 ounces, a few customers reported catching and releasing fish to 25.5 inches. The shop’s blackfish tournament has been competitive again this year and will run right through to the end of the season. The tournament runs the full six week tog season and the heaviest fish will take the total pot at the end in the form a Fishin’ Factory III gift card. There will also be weekly prize winners each week of the season from different sponsors so keep an eye on their social media to see what’s up for grabs each week. Fish can be weighed at the shop or at Hillyer’s Bait and Tackle and you must sign up in person in Middletown to get in. Last year they had over 75 participants and at $30 a head to get in the payout should be a good one. Striper fishing has been good for the customers they heard from who are still focused on it. There is a bite in the mouth of the Connecticut River but it seems to be hot one day and lukewarm the next. There are also some fish on structure adjacent to the river mouth in both directions. Plum Gut is also holding schools of bass where they are being caught primarily on flutter spoons as well as on the surface occasionally. False albacore are still popping up here and there with most reports coming east of Black Point by anglers who are ‘on the hook’ blackfishing. There is a squid bite going in the mouth of the Thames River that some customers were taking advantage of. Trout fishing is gearing back up with recent stockings. The Salmon River was stocked before the weekend and Black Pond and Cedar Lake seem to consistently get stockings of good sized trout. The shop is currently open seven days a week.

Andrew at Fishin’ Factory 3 said most of the talk at the shop these days is about blackfish, though they are hearing of good action for stripers while other customers are in to gear up and hop aboard head boats for deep water bottom fishing. Tog fishing has been good to start the season. He said most folks he’d talked to were able to scratch up a three fish limit. For some it was easy while others had to work but enough 16- to 20-inch fish are around to keep most people happy. Andrew highlighted that the weather the last couple of seasons has made windows shorter so picking your spots and taking advantage when the wind isn’t howling is key to capitalizing on good bites when they’re happening. The shop’s blackfish tournament has been competitive again this year and runs the full six week tog season; the heaviest fish will take the total pot at the end in the form a shop gift card. There will also be weekly prize winners each week of the season from different sponsors so keep an eye on their social media to see what’s up for grabs. Fish can be weighed at the shop or at Hillyer’s Bait and Tackle and you must sign up in person in Middletown to get in. Last year they had over 75 participants and at $30 a head to get in the payout should be a good one. Andrew said that if this November is like those of the past couple of years we should expect good tog fishing whenever seas are calm enough to get to deeper water to catch them. Striped bass fishing should be steady as well, especially around the mouths of the major rivers and estuaries. He also mentioned that the state has been stocking again for the fall and lots of the local bodies of water have been refreshed with some nice trout. The Salmon and Coginchaug are popular streams and Black Pond and Cedar Lake seem to consistently get stockings of good sized trout. The shop is currently open seven days a week.