Shaffer's Bait & Tack

"On your mark. Get set. FISH!" July 4, 2006

Here we are in that time of year, where all visions and memories of summer in New England are created. It is now 8:51 pm in Mystic, post Independence Day. As I look south over the water, there are sounds of fun and celebration. Happy voices, loud fireworks, and the hum of an outboard motor crossing the bay. The nights are short and the days long. The weather forecast never seems to change. " Partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. High 80. Southwest wind 5 - 10 mph." Translation, perfect fishing conditions! The high humidity levels bring frequent fog to the coastline, but also yield the high winds and rough seas, giving way to calm conditions. The threat of a thunderstorm does exist over the interior of our region due to the hot, rising air masses over land. However at this time of year, the ocean temperature is still quite cold, leaving the shoreline less frequented by such severe weather compared to places such as Norwich, Ledyard, and other locales north of here. This is not to say you are completely safe if the threat exists, but you should consider our trends and form your own opinion. Often time, good days are wasted by believing every thing that is heard, seen, or read. My brief suggestion is to gather weather data from three surrounding locations, and interpolate the weather for your self.
Being the first to get to your favorite fishing spot, this time of year, is comparable to the daily "Rope Drop" ceremony, at a Disney theme park. The first light of each day sends both fishing enthusiasts and boaters alike, running after their pleasures. The only chance you have is to go earlier than everyone else. This means awaking at 3:30 am, and being on location by 4:15 to catch the first light, which guarantees you to fall asleep in your 5:30 pm dinner! Quite a vacation you've carved out. On the other hand, you may be among the extreme optimistic, late wakening, cob webbed tackle bearing fisherperson, who seeks their prize striped bass in the noon day sun. The only analogy of that I can think of would be the equivalent of throwing one French fry to a flock of hungry gulls! Ten fishermen for every one fish. All jokes aside , we are just having a little fun with the reality of saltwater fishing in the summer. It's really quite hard to get everyone awake, clothed, and fed before 10 am. By this hour, your best chances lie with the fluke and porgies, or scup, for those of you to the east of the Connecticut border.
Fluke fishing continues to do well at both Misquamicut Beach, and the backside of Fisher's Island. Local areas including White Rock, near Lords Point, and buoy #7, north of Ram Island have been good producers for the local boats.
Cheryl Fee of Shaffer's Bait and Tackle, of Mystic, reported that several of her boat launch customers, caught fluke in the River, or in the mouth of the Mystic River this week. Dave & Pam of Noank reported a wealth of "catch and release" stripers caught in Bee Bee Cove, on Fin- S soft plastic lures.
Otto Miller, Capt of the Onward, brought in 6 keeper fluke on Tues.
Capt Allen Fee of Sea Dog charters has had escalating success with both the stripers and fluke from 42 feet."The spiny dogfish have moved in to Isabella Beach."
The Longo Brothers& Judd Graham caught striped bass near Sugar Reef this Tuesday with umbrella rigs.
Rough seas out in The Race has made it difficult to get out there at all.


Catch em up!
Capt. Allen Fee
Shaffer's Bait and Tackle / Sea Dog Charters

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