Now's the Time to go Blue Claw Crabbing!

The following is from the DEEP's Marine Fishing Report for Long Island Sound. The full report is attached as a PDF.

STRIPED BASS fishing is fair to good from dusk to dawn. Live lining bunker, eels, or scup is the ticket or bouncing buck tailed jigs garnished with a long strip of pork rind has been effective.

BLUEFISH fishing remains good to excellent with a mixed size of fish ranging from 4 lbs to the lower teens. The usual fishing spots for stripers and bluefish include the reefs off Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef, Thames River, the Race, Plum Gut, Pigeon Rip, Little Gull Island, outer Bartlett Reef, Black Point, the “humps” south of Hatchett Reef, lower Connecticut River, Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef including outer SW Reef, Six Mile Reef, the reefs off Madison, Guilford, and Branford, Falkner Island area, Charles Island area, lower Housatonic River, buoys 18 and 20 off Stratford Point, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, Penfield Reef, the reefs around the Norwalk Islands, and Cable and Anchor Reef.

SNAPPER BLUEFISH fishing remains good to excellent with most fish measuring 5 to 7 inches in length.

SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing remains on the slow side throughout LIS.

SCUP (porgy) fishing remains good to excellent on the major reefs and rock piles.

BLACK SEA BASS fishing is good on the deep water reefs and wrecks.

LITTLE TUNNY and ATLANTIC BONITO can be found cruising around on the water surface south of Fishers Island, the Race, and Little Gull Island.

BLUE CLAW CRABBING remains good to excellent in the tidal creeks. The time to go is NOW!

Surface water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) are in the 70’s°F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions:

http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/stationstat.html http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1 http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/ http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AN/330.html

For Current Connecticut Recreational Fishing Regulations: Anglers should consult the 2012 Connecticut Anglers Guide which is now available at most Town Clerks Offices, DEEP offices and at tackle stores selling fishing licenses. Anglers can purchase their fishing licenses online or at participating town halls, DEEP field offices and fishing tackle vendors. Current regulations, electronic versions of the Angler’s Guide and additional information can all be accessed on the DEEP website.