Beware anglers: There's some major weather coming our way
By Tim Coleman Published on 8/21/2009
Hurricane Bill, now a Category 3 storm, will pass to the southeast of our region on Saturday and into Sunday, bringing potential problems to area anglers. As of Thursday the forecast was for 12- to 18-foot seas, possibly higher if the storm takes a more westerly track, bringing it closer to southern New England. All small boaters should exercise caution and adjust their fishing plans accordingly.
Capt. Jack Balint said he canceled both his weekend charters because of the big seas from the storm. From Wednesday prior, though, they had good trolling with the tube and worm on the south side of Fishers, catching two 40-pound bass, among others in 10 feet of water. Another boat landed a 48-pounder, the best of the week to date.
Bonito made very, very sporadic forays into the surf zone east of Watch Hill, nothing to plan a trip around just yet. Some good-sized blues were around Seal Rock at times, not showing but hitting lures tossed their way. A mix of small bass and blues are in the rip at Race Point and diamond jiggers scored with bluefish in both the Middle Race and Plum Gut on the flood tide.
Al Golinski of Misquamicut fished with Capt. Ben DeMario on Monday. The pair landed eight bass to 35 pounds on live bunker on the south side of Fishers and Race Rock.
King Cove in Stonington told me about some bonito working over bait under birds this past Monday off Misquamicut but Al hasn't heard anything since. Porgies are biting well on most rockpiles plus there's been bass and blues in close to the Block Island south and east sides, chasing sand eels around.
Over at Hillyers in Waterford, Capt. Howard Beers reported they weighed in nine bass between 30 and 45 pounds this week, caught in a variety of locations. Kevin Rabbett put a 12.65-pound weakfish on the shop scale, caught in the Sluiceway on a darter plug, either trolled or cast. Blue fishing is generally good but blue crabbing in the Niantic continues to be very poor. Fluke season has closed but porgies are in good supply, building toward a great fall. Plus you can keep two blackfish per day through the end of this month.
Swimmers over at Ocean Beach reported seeing school bass swimming by their feet right in the middle of a bright sunny day, said Red at Bob's Rod & Tackle. Tube and worm trollers caught some large blues and smaller stripers in the morning off Goshen Reef. Bunkers are up in Norwich Harbor and the rest of the river has small bass and some blues scattered here and there. Sea bassing is much better at Block or Montauk than the rockpiles just outside the river.
The Hel-Cat said the blue fishing in local waters was good to super with fish biting well in “their regular haunts … they turn on and off like clockwork.” A good number of the fish were 10- to 12-pounders, mixed in with smaller sizes. They remain on a daily sailing schedule and the big fish of the past week was a 16-pound bass caught by Tony Sanchez of Meriden.
We close with news from Mark at River's End who said there are some blues at the mouth of the Connecticut River chasing bait on top at times, offering opportunities for light tackle casting. Snappers are around the Causeway and in the Black Hall River. Porgies are abundant on most local rockpiles but remember fluke season in state waters is closed until next year.
Tim Coleman is The Day's saltwater fishing columnist
By Tim Coleman Published on 8/21/2009
Hurricane Bill, now a Category 3 storm, will pass to the southeast of our region on Saturday and into Sunday, bringing potential problems to area anglers. As of Thursday the forecast was for 12- to 18-foot seas, possibly higher if the storm takes a more westerly track, bringing it closer to southern New England. All small boaters should exercise caution and adjust their fishing plans accordingly.
Capt. Jack Balint said he canceled both his weekend charters because of the big seas from the storm. From Wednesday prior, though, they had good trolling with the tube and worm on the south side of Fishers, catching two 40-pound bass, among others in 10 feet of water. Another boat landed a 48-pounder, the best of the week to date.
Bonito made very, very sporadic forays into the surf zone east of Watch Hill, nothing to plan a trip around just yet. Some good-sized blues were around Seal Rock at times, not showing but hitting lures tossed their way. A mix of small bass and blues are in the rip at Race Point and diamond jiggers scored with bluefish in both the Middle Race and Plum Gut on the flood tide.
Al Golinski of Misquamicut fished with Capt. Ben DeMario on Monday. The pair landed eight bass to 35 pounds on live bunker on the south side of Fishers and Race Rock.
King Cove in Stonington told me about some bonito working over bait under birds this past Monday off Misquamicut but Al hasn't heard anything since. Porgies are biting well on most rockpiles plus there's been bass and blues in close to the Block Island south and east sides, chasing sand eels around.
Over at Hillyers in Waterford, Capt. Howard Beers reported they weighed in nine bass between 30 and 45 pounds this week, caught in a variety of locations. Kevin Rabbett put a 12.65-pound weakfish on the shop scale, caught in the Sluiceway on a darter plug, either trolled or cast. Blue fishing is generally good but blue crabbing in the Niantic continues to be very poor. Fluke season has closed but porgies are in good supply, building toward a great fall. Plus you can keep two blackfish per day through the end of this month.
Swimmers over at Ocean Beach reported seeing school bass swimming by their feet right in the middle of a bright sunny day, said Red at Bob's Rod & Tackle. Tube and worm trollers caught some large blues and smaller stripers in the morning off Goshen Reef. Bunkers are up in Norwich Harbor and the rest of the river has small bass and some blues scattered here and there. Sea bassing is much better at Block or Montauk than the rockpiles just outside the river.
The Hel-Cat said the blue fishing in local waters was good to super with fish biting well in “their regular haunts … they turn on and off like clockwork.” A good number of the fish were 10- to 12-pounders, mixed in with smaller sizes. They remain on a daily sailing schedule and the big fish of the past week was a 16-pound bass caught by Tony Sanchez of Meriden.
We close with news from Mark at River's End who said there are some blues at the mouth of the Connecticut River chasing bait on top at times, offering opportunities for light tackle casting. Snappers are around the Causeway and in the Black Hall River. Porgies are abundant on most local rockpiles but remember fluke season in state waters is closed until next year.
Tim Coleman is The Day's saltwater fishing columnist