June 24th - Time to Work For It

Stripers and Blues- The Summer striper fishing has picked up, and so have the amount of folks out there chasing them! It’s time to put in some work for those over slot fish and search a bit. There are smaller to mid-size fish hanging around the mid-sound area, although some anglers believe the largest fish have moved into the rivers or have continued on up east.

Large stripers have been found though! They’ve been both deep and shallow, typically on local reefs. Large spook-style baits have continued to work well, but so have paddletails and especially live eels. Don’t forget to stop in the shop for some fresh bunker too! The number of blues in the area continues to thin out, but many of us with ripped soft-plastics can attest to the fact that there are enough of them around to cause some issues or put up a solid fight, depending on which type of bait you’re using. Smaller bluefish seem to have moved in instead of the larger blues of earlier in the summer. This week’s #1 big fish advice- move away from the crowds and find your fish. For those looking for some light tackle fun, there are an abundance of schoolie-sized fish in the area. Look for them near current and structure on a moving tide or during low- light, and your chances are good. Try breaking out the fly rod an extra challenge!

In Southeastern Massachusetts, Billy from Seven Stripes fishing reports an epic push of fish after the new moon. Large bass pulled in close and began eating with reckless abandon. Spooks and magic swimmers have done well, but unweighted soft plastics such as a 9” Hogy and Albie Snax have been the best performers. Billy also reports some bonus fun on the fly rod, particularly at slack tide when fish were found up shallow and could be sight-casted. As far as indicator species, Billy reports large numbers of juvenile sea herring, tinker mackerel, and squid. There have also been dinner plate pogies showing up in both Connecticut and Massachusetts waters willing to chomp on squid or sandworms. The big striper bite in Massachusetts seems to be a bit later than usual, but certainly worth the wait!

Seabass- While seabass fishing is slowing down, limits are still available. Evan Kamoen has been putting consistent limits together using a Savage Gear Squish Jig. It’s noteworthy that the Squish Jig has outperformed live squid by a 5 to 1 ratio. Captain Matt at Wise Kraken Charters reports many anglers fulfilling their 6 fish limit, but with more moving around to further and deeper waters required. Block Island has seen the dogfish move in which is typical for late June.

Crabbing- Get your lines in...crabbing is picking up again! From Guilford to Clinton, on up through Westbrook, Old Saybrook and to Old Lyme, you’ll find that the molted crabs have returned and the bite is back on. A dozen a day has not been unheard of, and there are plentiful shorts too, which should be ready for the steamer by mid-July. Good luck!

Freshwater- Summer bass fishing has been steady and consistent. BHO Fishing Team Member Jack Tibbens reports that topwater spooks and frogs have been clutch recently. Your best bet this time of year is low light in the morning or evening, as bass tend to move deeper in the heat of the day and are harder to target unless you have a higher end fishfinder or a detailed knowledge of the structure in the particular body of water you’re fishing. If you can only manage a daytime bass fishing adventure, try out docks, deep points, and shaded shorelines for bass willing to hit.