Connecticut Fishing Report- August 3, 2023

Connecticut Fishing Report

Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that the water is starting to clean up and the fish are still biting. Big striped bass are still begin fooled by the same offerings; live eels, GT eels, needlefish plugs, and live bunker if you can find some. A lot of the bunker remains outside of the river and along the adjacent shorelines, but it’s also starting to push back into the river mouths. Because of this you are apt to find big bass in the river mouths, outside the river, and on the reefs and rips throughout the eastern sound. There are still giant blue fish around, particularly at the race and the gut where top waters are working, even at midday with high sun. Sea bass fishing has been good in 50-feet of water and deeper on Daiwa SK jigs in blue, pink, or gold. The fluke fishing has been inconsistent, but they’re available if you focus on good structure.

Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing reported another solid week of fishing aboard the Black Hawk! It’s like they’re on repeat, with loads of porgies and a good mix of big sea bass to help fill up the coolers. Their Saturday afternoon family trip was successful, with many young anglers spending the afternoon with their families reeling in some nice porgies. They have a few more of these trips on the schedule, so be sure to join them before it’s too late. The bass and bluefish trips were once again excellent, with huge blues coming over the rails all night. They look forward to seeing everyone soon!

When I checked in with captain Mike Roy, at Reel Cast Charters he said that the stripers are fully set into their summertime habits and targeting deeper, cooler water has been key. The sharks have invaded in full force, which is making it difficult to get your bass to the boat in one piece, but there are plenty of bass to be had. Mike has come across some big bass blitzing on bunker schools this week as well, so make sure you have your big spooks ready in case you’re in the right place at the right time. Some of the reefs are loaded with bluefish, which could be fun, but may also cause you to move around before you get all your baits ripped apart. Mike and his team still have some openings for the summer, so be sure to book a trip before it’s too late.

Captain Chris, at Elser Guide Service is still finding excellent striped bass and bluefish action while trolling the tube and worm. He is also finding the occasional light tackle bite on the Duratech 13-inch eels on a 1-ounce jighead. Fish are planted in place during daylight hours in their safety zones, but they can be coaxed into attacking a trolled tube, Duratech Eel, or live bunker at any time during the day. Most of the bass are in the 20-35-pound range and the bluefish tend to be on the very large side. Chris is anticipating finding some Spanish Mackerel in the next week or so, which will be a welcomed sight for his fly and light tackle clients. Sea bassing has improved a bit out west, but the bite remains inconsistent.

Joe, at Diorio Guide Service, reports that fishing has been good both inshore and offshore whenever they have been able to get out. Striped bass are hitting 3-wayed live baits, along with Joe Baggs soft plastics fished on jigheads, on the local reefs and around Block Island. The bigger bass have been on the reefs and hugging structure, while blitzing bluefish can still be found spread out through the area. The tuna bite has been as steady as ever with a nice mix of yellowfin and bluefin on plugs and jigs. Joe still has some dates available in September and October, so contact him soon to book a trip.

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Max, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reported that the fishing still solid overall, but a few things have started to slow down as the water continues to warm. Fishing for bass and bluefish is still good but you have to target deep water and live bait is now outfishing artificials for the most part. Anglers headed out to 11B and fishing 60- to 90-feet of water with Diamond Jigs and live bunker were scoring fish to up around the 30-pound mark. There are plenty of bluefish to be had, both inshore, and out on the deeper structure. The fluke bite has been decent for those that are trying, with the best flatfish action still coming from 30-60 feet of water. The sea bass bite has been steady in depths over thirty feet on bucktails and jigs. Scup fishing is lights out and they can be found on just about any piece of structure that usually holds them. Freshwater anglers fishing the Saugatuck Reservoir reported an improved bite this week for bass and walleye, specifically at low light hours on live shiners.

Connecticut Fishing Forecast

The big striped bass action is still going strong in Connecticut, and the striped bass continue to hunker down into their summer patterns. The water is finally cleaning up around the tidal rivers, so you can find bass in the river mouths once again, as well as on the local reefs and rips. With the fish holding tight to the bottom on the inshore reefs your best bet is a 3-wayed live baits, jig, or soft plastic. The bunker schools can be found around the river mouths, and you can occasionally get some big bass to hit a topwater plug around these bunker schools. Fluke fishing has been challenging, as consistency has been lacking from day to day. That being said, some big flat fish are being taken most days. Sea bass fishing has been going strong since it reopened, with the best results coming from 60-80 feet of water. Scup action is red hot, and don’t forget about summer tautog, which provides another strong bottom fishing option this month. Blue crab reports have improved in the estuaries, and will continue to do so as the water cleans up. Flows are starting to clean up in the TMAs, while the lakes and ponds continue to produce a nice mix of bass and panfish.