It’s been a while since I’ve reported here, and I’m overdue for a proper review of our 2016 Spring run.
We are in a transition period now, the waters are as hot as they will be all year (around 74-80 degrees depending on time of day), the bass seem to be in a holding pattern, bottomfish are deep and finicky, and blues are sporadic. There are hints of fall becoming more evident with shorter days and cooler nights. The fall migration of striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and bonito is looming. The harbors and rivers are chock full of peanut bunker and spearing. Eventually these fish will leave their safe haven of the hot rivers and seek the open water to make their way south, with the gamefish on the chase right behind them. It’s an exciting time of year, it can be chaotic and frantic. The fall run often brings high winds, choppy water, and fast moving bait schools getting annihilated by everyone in town. Blues and schoolie bass or false albacore slashing through schools on the surface, and older wiser and lazier bass below them picking up scraps 10-20 feet down. Even sea bass and the feared sea robin will join the party. It’s run and gun fishing.
Anyway, onto the season in review. I didn’t have hardly enough time to fish, but I managed a few (3) outings that made up for it. A stark contrast from last year. I did manage quality fish in limited time, including my personal best fish which I was amped about. She weighted in at 37 pounds. It was preceded by a fish tying my PB at 30lbs, and four others in the 36 inch range. This was the same week as last year when I had my best fish of the season at 28 pounds, the new moon in the first week in July.
This spring could be characterized by sporadic runs of really good migratory fish. It was almost as if you could tell the big schools were passing through at certain times and on the feast. The islands held some really good fish at times, and other times it was famine. As usual June provided the most consistent fishing.
Enjoy the fish porn…
Norwalk Islands Fishing 