Improve Hookups: Investigate Shoreline for Changes

What a great season to investigate the sea bottom along the shoreline of Long Island Sound. After the turmoil caused by Irene and churning that occurred during stretches of unsettling water events, anglers will find that much of the familiar bottom usually fished has changed. In some cases, contours have been drastically altered, troughs have been redesigned, and newly created cuts in the bottom have developed as a result of the forceful ebb/flow of wave action.

During our recent full moon phase and some help from a northwest wind, for example, tides have run about a foot below normal. Anyone scouting the shoreline and productive stretches of beach will have noticed that many rocks have moved and the mud and sand bottom took on a different look. Further investigation would reveal that bottoms layered in shells have shifted, along with loads of sand that have been repositioned from one end of a beach to another.

So other than an enjoyable day of exploring, how will these observations improve an angler's fishing success? First, let's realize that fish all along the food chain hierarchy seek some form of structure, no matter how insignificant it may appear to us. Structure affords protection for some and a predatory advantage for others. If structure, such as a rock formation or a shoal, shifts position, so will the fish that inhabit it. Therefore, one's fishing tactic should change accordingly to take advantage of a potentially new habitat.

Second, troughs run horizontally along a beach. As the tide floods and the water level rises, these troughs fill not only with water, but also baitfish. While many anglers will be casting straight out, they often fail to realize that those troughs directly in front of them contain not only silversides, mullet, or other bait, but also predators such as bluefish. Here, anglers should be casting horizontally to the beach, not perpendicular to it. Identifying that a series of troughs have shifted either closer or further from shore obviously becomes important.

Third, cuts through these troughs are created by constant and/or violent wave action. As the tide floods, baitfish are once again swept into them. When the tide recedes to below the top of each trough, those baitfish are effectively trapped within. Their only escape is through these cuts. Further out, striped bass will often stage at one or more of these openings for an easy buffet-style meal. Knowing where these cuts are and their beginning and ending points will go far to increase your hookups. This is the time for some beach combing and to make mental and physical notes for your upcoming fishing season.

On the Water/Ice

This winter fantasy world continues as our cold season slips by. Ice in Connecticut and especially along the shoreline-in fact, all throughout New England-is a scarcity. As the days' sunlight gets longer by about two minutes every day and air temperatures remain above normal for this time of year, our ice fishing season dwindles.

There's more freshwater fishing activity occurring in the lakes, ponds, and rivers than one would expect in February. What little ice there was has all but vanished, making way for some spectacular black crappie, pickerel, trout, and pike fishing. The cold fronts that have dodged in and out haven't been drastic and the recent full moon cycle has opened the doors of opportunity for anglers to experience some fast action.

As usual, timing is key, but those anglers able to muster the will to get it on and find the time to do so had some unexpected rewards. Lake Quonnipaug, a Guilford trophy trout lake that prohibits ice fishing, has been drawing anglers to its shores. Normally, there's little pressure this time of year, however, with much of the water recharged and their metabolic rate increasing, fish are also succumbing to the weather and are filling their gullets. Switch gears and try for some Atlantic broodstock salmon in the Shetucket River.

For all things fishy including licenses, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline's full-service fishing outfitter, where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...

Tight Lines,

Captain Morgan

captainmorgan.fish@sbcglobal.net

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