The guys at Rivers End Tackle in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, offer the following report on fishing in and around the mouth of the Connecticut River for the week of August 3, 2012.

Striped Bass: It seems like the bass have found some of the vast schools of bait that’s been hanging around all summer. Adult bunker are still strong in the Connecticut River moving as far north as Essex. Peanut bunker are starting to show in schools near shore and mid Sound. A lot of this small bait is traveling through the Race and the Gulls attracting bass to hang around there. Live bunker has scored the larger bass and drifted bucktails the most. Some school bass catches have been reported around the west side of Plum Island. Last year around this time there was some hot action there. I don’t think it’s in full swing but may be starting.

Long Sand Shoal has been moody, good a couple of days and off for a couple. Early this week it was very good, but reports were scant the last few days. Six Mile and Southwest Reefs have been similar with live baiters doing best.

Bluefish: Small ( 2-5 pound) blues still dominate most of the catches when the blues are schooling. The Race, Gut, Southwest and Six Mile have good fishing on jigs. Hatchetts and Black Point have slower action, Fishers Island Sound has blues on the surface working the peanuts.

The WICC Bluefish Contest is scheduled for the weekend of August 24-25. We have applications now and will be a weigh in station.

Snapper Blues: Continues to be good to very good with some snappers approaching 5”. While the Causeway and DEP Piers seem to be the most popular spots, there are many others to try. Most any place on the lower river where there’s a bit of moving current that sets up a slight rip attracts snappers. Break out of the box.

Fluke: It’s still rated as slow locally. Some shorts on the Shoal, Soundview and the river. Somewhat better reports coming in from Waterford with a few more keepers. Deep water is another story; the guys going over 100′ are scoring some doormats. Block Island is also better with sea bass thrown in.

Our Fluke Contest started May 15. This is a 3 shop contest. River’s End, Hillyers and the Fish Connection. Top prize will be $1000 and you can enter or weigh in at any of the shops. This year we will award 5 places.We will also weigh in fluke for Fishin’ Factory III in Middletown. Last weeks winner was Bob Panasci with a 7.95-pound doormat.

Porgies: Good catches coming in from most every reef from Bartletts to Southwest. This is a great year for kids fishing with snappers, porgies and crabs all doing well.

Blue Crabs: Same as last week. Good to very good reports have been coming in from the piers in the Connecticut River and even better in the coves. This looks like a crab season not to miss.

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