Peter V. with a nice stout spring striper that fell for one of his now famous Herring Flies.
Wow, what a week we had last week, highs in the 70s clear blue skies and the buzz of the boat yard coming to life once again as a backdrop. Wait don’t blink, it’s 51 degrees with a blistering cold rain?ahhh New England! Once again for those that have forgotten, it’s still April. I recall skiing in April last year so don’t give up hope, Spring/Summer will be here soon enough and the fish will no doubt follow.
It is safe to say at this point that the schoolies have invaded the Saugatauk despite the colder weather this week. Southport Harbor and the beach have also been producing some fish on small GULP plastics and olive/green clousers. In fact, our friends over at All Season’s Marine Works in Westport have even seen some shad popping in the river so it won’t be long. Gray’s Creek also produced for Bill Beck over the weekend. John Thelen has also been into some fish in the same area over the weekend and again last night where he reports seeing schools of bunker and had fish up to the high teens.
Further to the north, Rich Nordt and Freddy were in the yaks around the Derby Dam over the weekend and had fish up to 30 inches on Crytsal Minnows and herring flies and of course one really good story reported about a Nantucket Sleigh Ride for 100 yards and a broken leader with the fish not showing?good stuff Rich!!
The reports from the Housey although still good are indicating the fish that reside there all winter long are beginning to venture south?in numbers. The bird sanctuary has been packed with many fish well into the thirty inch range. Everything from, clousers, Pete Vs now famous herring patterns and everything in between have been the fly of choice. These fish have had a long winter and are hungry!!
We have had reports of bunker schools in Norwalk Harbor, but you need a finder to see them. No action on the surface and nothing to cause a stir just yet. While delivering boats earlier in the week, it sure did smell like bait on the Harbor as well as around the mouth of the Saugy outside of Compo, but nothing to be seen with our own eyes. Get those large bunker/herring flies tied up and ready to go!
Farther to our West, the bait is around in the usual spring haunts around Hempstead and Manhasset, but no migratory fish showing just yet, with only schoolies being taken thus far. Save your gas until things blow open, plenty of schoolies around here locally for a fraction of the fuel cost.
In fact, save the gas completely and strap on the waders. Our own Michael Pryor before a long day on the water delivering boats was into schoolies up to 24 inches under the I-95 bridge on Tuesday despite the rain and had a fish almost on every cast before having to report to duty at 8:00 A.M. here at the shop.
We have also received reports from some of our shore scouts around Fairfield with several 30 inch fish being taken around Fairfield Beach at dusk.
