Connecticut Freshwater & Saltwater Fishing Report June 5 2015

Posted by Wayne G.Barber
  LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as good to very good. Places to try include East Twin Lake, Shetucket River, Lake Lillinonah, Highland Lake, Cedar Lake, West Hill Pond, Lake Mcdonough, Congamond Lakes, Bantam lake, Wyassup Lake, Beseck Lake (re-filled and producing some fish), Pickerel Lake, Wononskopomuc Lake, Black  Pond (Meriden, Silver Lake (Meriden), Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Candlewood Lake, Lake Saltonstall, Mudge Pond, Lake Waramaug, Batterson Park Pond, Burr Pond, Gardner Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Bishop Pond, Pachaug Pond, Billings Lake, Maltby Lakes, Stillwater Pond, Ball Pond, Red Cedar Lake and Winchester Lake. Tournament angler reports are from Amos Lake (fair fishing, fish averaged out to 2 lbs apiece, 4.25 lb lunker), Mashapaug Lake (fair for largemouth, 3.4 lb lunker), Pickerel Lake (fair action, all small fish with only a 1.55 lb lunker), Quaddick Lake (Fair to good fishing, but smaller bass continue to tie up time, 4.36 lb lunker), Bantam Lake (good action, lots of bigger fish caught, with average fish weight of 2.2 lbs for one club and over 2 lbs apiece for another, 5.2 lb, 5.1 lb, 4.5 lb, 4.4 lb, 4.3 lb & 4.1 lb bass among the bags), Candlewood Lake (good for largemouth, with 4.8 lb, 4.62 lb, 3.8 lb,  ), East Twin Lake (cold start, bite picked up late morning, spawn 75% over, 5.75 lb lunker), Highland Lake (fair, 4.75 lb lunker) and Lake Zoar (good action but not much size and “lots of 11 inch fish” getting in the way, 2.43 lunker).
   SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Colebrook River Lake, Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Bantam Lake and Squantz Pond. Tournament angler reports are from Bantam Lake (some caught), Candlewood Lake (good, some fish still in the 3 lb plus range), Highland Lake (a few in bags) and Lake Zoar (steady action, 2.91 lb lunker).
  NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good in Bantam Lake and Winchester Lake. KOKANEE are being caught at West Hill Pond and East Twin Lake. Try fishing slow (3 colors of lead line) for these great fighters.
  WALLEYE are being reported from Lake Saltonstall, Squantz Pond and Batterson Park Pond. CATFISH have been reported from Silver Lake (Berlin/Meriden), Lake Wintergreen, Pickett’s Pond, Mohegan Park Pond, Keeney Park Pond, Batterson Park Pond and Hopeville Pond.

   Housatonic River - Fishing was good to very good last week and should be good again this weekend. The rain earlier this week increased flows to turbid, uncomfortable levels, but flows are now dropping back nicely to more fishable levels (currently 1,280 cfs at Falls village and 1,940 cfs at Gaylordsville). Morning water temperatures have dropped back to the mid 50’s°F (but will rise some through the day, and through the weekend). Hatches/patterns include Sulphurs (#14-18, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#16-18, cloudy days, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#8-12 late afternoon & evening, just starting), Cahill (#14, evenings), Adams (#12-16, evening), March Brown (#10-12, afternoon) and Gray Foxes (#14-16). Green caddis (#14-18, early morning & evening) are on the water. Midges and early golden stoneflies (#6-10) are also being seen at tributary mouths. Alder/Zebra Caddis (#10-12) have not started yet but are coming and should last up to 4 weeks. This is a major hatch and will produce some great
   STRIPED BASS fishing picked up over the week (full strawberry moon) with some “cow” stripers up to 48 inches being caught by anglers using live bunker. The usual striper spots include the Watch Hill reefs, lower Thames River, the Race, Plum Gut, Pigeon Rip, outer Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, lower Connecticut River (Great Island), Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef (outer), Sixmile Reef, Falkner Island area, the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor (including Sandy Point), Charles Island area, Housatonic River, buoys 18 and 20 off Stratford Point, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, Penfield Reef, around the Norwalk Islands, Cable and Anchor Reef, Stamford Harbor and the Cows off Stamford. 
  BLUEFISH fishing is fair to good. Early morning and evening times are best especially for some top-water fishing action.  Bluefish spots include the Race, Sluicway, Plum Gut, Pigeon Rip, Long Sand Shoal, Sixmile Reef, Falkner Island area, New Haven Harbor, bouys 18 and 20 off Stratford Point, Stratford Shoal/Middleground, Penfield Reef, and Cable and Anchor Reef. SNAPPERS will soon be arriving in the tidal creeks and rivers.
   SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing is good overall and quickly improving. Squid are throughout Long Island Sound. Mid to western LIS anglers reported fluke from 3 to 7 lbs being common. Anglers targeting fluke report that skates, searobins, and dogfish appear to be in plentiful supply. Fluke spots include the typical locations: south shore of Fishers Island (Isabella Beach, Wilderness Point), Napatree Point and along the beach, off the Stonington breakwater, mouth of the Mystic River to Groton Long Point, Thames River channel, Two Tree Island Channel, Black Point/Niantic Bay/River, Long Sand Shoal, Westbrook-Clinton area, Falkner Island area, West Haven to Woodmont, New Haven Harbor including by the breakwaters, off the mouth of the Housatonic River, and around the Norwalk Islands. Since squid are coming in, offering a live one on the bottom (10-40 feet) would be a good move for catching that big slab doormat fluke!   Try drifting with a white or pink Bucktail Jig and attach a Berkely 3”- 4” Gulp Mullet in chartreuse, white or pink color. Pink colored squid have also been producing… Minimum size is 18 inches and the daily creel limit is 5 fish per person. Note: New York has the same summer flounder regulations as Connecticut. However, Rhode Island is already open with an 18 inch minimum length and an 8 fish daily creel limit. Since Rhode Island has a higher daily creel limit than Connecticut and New York please make sure you abide by the state with the most restrictive regulation when crossing (by boat) state boundaries.
   SCUP (porgy) fishing is good with large Porgies measuring 10-18 inches (“hubcap size”) in length being reported in Milford and the Peconics.  Porgy fishing has also been reported at these shore fishing locations: Jennings and Penfield beach, Rocky Neck State Park, Meigs Point Hammonassett State Park and Fort Trumbull State Park.  Locate your favorite Enhanced Shore Fishing Opportunities for these excellent eating “Reef Slammers”.  These “panfish of the sea” are easily caught on sandworms/cut squid/conch or any other small piece of bait.  Contact your local bait and tackleshop for updated fishing information (see page 14 of the 2015 CT Angler’s Guide)
  BLACK SEA BASS fishing is off to a good start in LIS. Fishing over deep water structure in 80 to 120 ft around slack tide will produce some trophy-sized “humpbacks”.  Fish shallower and you will catch plenty of keeper-sized sea bass.  Remember, CT sea bass regulations are as follows…14 inch min. length, 3 fish daily limit from June 1st to August 31 and a five fish daily limit from September 1 to December 31st.  Berkely Gulp on a jig works great for these “Bucketmouths”.
  WEAKFISH fishing is improving with trophy “squeteague” found throughout Long Island Sound! Look for weakfish along the Branford/Guilford area through to the West Haven Sand Bar and over to Woodmont/Milford and Stratford. Gardiners Bay/The Peconics (North Shore of Long Island) are always a good early season fishing spot. Black Point/Niantic is heating up for this relative of the drum family.  Bucktails is the lure of choice.
   HICKORY SHAD fishing is fair in the lower Connecticut River by the DEEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier.  Connecticut Tarpon (Hickory shad) can be found mixed in with schoolie striped bass and harbor blues.  Flood or Ebb tide is best and lures of choice are a willow leaf (silver), kastmaster (single hook), small plastic jigs (white or chartreuse), and or shad darts in various colors.  
   WHITE PERCH fishing is very good for these tasty panfish in most of the tidal rivers and coves along the Connecticut shoreline. Perch spots include the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, upper Niantic River, lower Connecticut River (DEEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier), Black Hall River, Lieutenant River, North/South Cove and Hamburg Cove.  Grass Shrimp and a small piece of sandworm fished on the bottom are the keys to success.  
  BLUE CRAB fishing is fair to good in the tidal creeks. It appears all sizes of crabs are around…a good sign for the Crabbers.