Connecticut Long Island Sound report (Madison)
Striped bass over the low to mid 30-pound range are moving into the Sound with cows more than 40 pounds right behind. Although the water temperatures are still quite warm for this time of year, the recent few brisk mornings, cloudy skies and shorter days helped the migration along. Action has been red-hot at the Race and that trend continues westward to Six Mile, Southwest, and Faulkner's Island.
Live bait such as eels and menhaden are scoring well for anglers as is freshly caught bunker?fished whole, sliced/diced, or chunked. Shore catches have improved however in certain areas, like sluiceways, seaworms and swimming plugs continue to be strong baits to use. Many tidal rivers are attracting striper anglers who are looking to hook up on a fly rod or light spinning outfits. Soon the colorful fall foliage will enhance the already picturesque scenery.
Runs of baitfish, such as mullet, have been bringing in the bass notwithstanding the schools of silversides and bunker. Competition from these baits can, at times, make the fishing challenging but persistence usually pays off. The recent new moon phase and flood tides fell just right for many working anglers who took advantage of every castable hour. Typically, the results reflected the efforts with many good catches made.
Tautog (blackfish) also turned on with fish in the 6 to 10 pound range being caught not only from many local reefs but also from jetties and rock piles close to shore. Mieg's Point, Madison Reef, and Kimberly Reef were good spots to hook up. In most cases, the action was steady once togs were located. They took crabs, sandworms, clams and mussels with the former out-producing the others. There ought to be plenty of good blackfishing days ahead until the season closes down on Dec. 14.
|
