September 21, 2026 - 10:31:49
Spoke with Colin at Fishin’ Factory 3 in Middletown who made us aware of the stocking of trout in the Farmington River September 4. One customer has been fishing there and declared the action very good. Another patron reported doing well with largemouth bass and small pike on a Chatterbait at Beseck Lake in Middlefield, and a third showed Colin an image of a channel catfish estimated to weigh between 8 and 10 pounds he caught at Butternut Park Pond (Rowan’s Pond), a Community Fishing Water in Middletown. Catfishing in the Connecticut River at Harbor Park in Middletown, Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, and Wethersfield Cove remains excellent as well.
September 21, 2026 - 10:31:34
Andrew at Fishin’ Factory 3 said it up until the most recent big blow, the buzz at the shop has been about false albacore. Customers reported one of the better early season albie bites in recent memory with fish spread out from just about the mouth of the Connecticut River all the way east to Watch Hill. He said that what happens following this blow is anybody’s best guess but both he and his clientele are hoping the funny fish stick around into blackfish season. Speaking of blackfish they were tightening up the shop as we spoke with a fresh batch of Magic Tail tog jigs. He said the shop will be all stocked with jigs, rigs, rods reels and crabs for when the season starts on October 10th. He was also excited to share that the shop will run their fall blackfish tournament again this year. 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. The shop is open seven days a week for the season.
September 14, 2026 - 10:21:00
Spoke with Colin at Fishin’ Factory 3 in Middletown who has been selling loads of shiners to anglers targeting largemouth bass in local ponds and lakes. A few fellows pursuing crappies in coves along the Connecticut River have also been doing well using minnows as well as tiny jigs. A week ago, they were fishing at night, but last week they switched to daytime. Colin also relayed a report from a couple of fishermen who have been catching catfish on shiners at Cedar Lake in Chester. Trouters are “definitely getting anxious” and looking forward to fall trout stockings.
September 14, 2026 - 10:20:43
Andrew at Fishin’ Factory 3 said it was albies, albies, albies, at the shop this week with a few reports of good fluke fishing mixed in. False albacore fishing in the sound heated up this week with customers reporting action from Watch Hill west to nearly the Connecticut River. Others saw albies around the south side of Fisher’s Island and The Race and he said once they are in the sound they can be just about anywhere in a day. The shop was selling tons of tins, epoxy jigs and gear as hardtail fanatics were looking to get in on the action. There is so much bait around locally, Andrew said he hopes the funny fish stick around for a while. Other customers who were less concerned with running and gunning reported a surprising late season fluke bite. Reports came from in the sound, the Rhode Island beaches Block Island and Montauk. The mouth of the river and its tributaries picked up this week as blue crabs and snappers seemed to be more abundant, or easier to catch. The shop is open seven days a week for the season.
September 08, 2026 - 16:11:01
Colin at Fishin’ Factory 3 in Middletown told us about one gentleman who revealed he has been doing well with largemouth bass on phony frogs at Higganum Reservoir and Bashan Lake. Other bass anglers reported generally good fishing for largies in most area ponds and lakes. Excellent catfishing continues in the Connecticut River at Harbor Park in Middletown and Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, chunk eels, bluegills, and dead shiners being productive baits. A little early autumn action has started up too. For example, there has been a decent nighttime crappie bite in coves along the Connecticut River and daytime white perch action on sandworms and trout worms in Hamburg Cove and the Essex/Old Lyme stretch of the river. In addition, lots of locals are asking about autumn trout stocking.
September 08, 2026 - 16:10:51
Andrew at Fishin’ Factory 3 said that talk of false albacore was persistent at the shop over the weekend as customers were headed out in search of funny fish. Reports of fish along the South County shore came in and had hardtail addicts fired up and ready to go. Andrew noted that while he hadn’t heard of any fish locally, once they are in the region, that can change on any given day, or tide. He also said that bonito were still present along the beaches in Rhody in pretty decent numbers late in the week. There is tons of small bait, not just in Rhode Island but also in the eastern sound and hopefully a good run of fish connects with them. He said he’d heard from customers who reported seeing some signs of fall not just in the arrival of pelagics but also in the form of striped bass and bluefish blitzing bait on the surface. Ground fishing seemed to drop a bit in popularity but for those still doing it, Block Island and Montauk seemed to be the best places to go. He said he’d heard of several nice fish from Block over the course of the last week. The mouth of the river and its tributaries picked up this week as blue crabs and snappers seemed to be more abundant, or easier to catch. The shop is open seven days a week for the season.
