The Fishing Page
Fishing Report Fred Stunkel
-Fishing Chairman
DECEMBER REPORT
It’s a little bit tough to write about fishing when your boat is
laid up on blocks in the back yard. I hope everyone got what they wished for, especially
for the upcoming fishing season. This is the time to take inventory of your fishing needs,
plus maintenance on your poles, reels, lines, and lures. It’s important to be
prepared. Replace those old rusty hooks, tired fishing line, and lubricate those reels.
Reflecting on this past year’s events, we can agree that the Leader
Board produced some interesting numbers. The weights on the majority of fish species went
down. Bluefish, for instance, were abundant but unusually small. Lots of striped bass but
no giants. Even fluke had a downward trend. Weakfish and flounder are still nonexistent.
The two species of porgies and blackfish made a great appearance. Although the tataug
showed later in fall, they were plentiful and huge. Blue crabs came back and the bunker
didn’t. Reading between the lines, tells me that the lack of baitfish is rerouting
larger sized fish to areas where there is concentration of adult menhaden. Why? Perhaps
the food chain is broken in our area. It starts with healthy plankton that attracts small
baitfish and filter eaters like the menhaden. They in turn attract the larger predators.
This sounds simple and easy to understand. However the mixes of tides, runoffs from
streams, rivers and storm drains, combined together could probably result in an unhealthy
atmosphere for the living creatures to survive. From attending various meetings with top
officials, it’s apparent that very little effort is being inserted into finding
solutions. Finally, a committee has been formed to study and try to find answers to our
problems. Since this committee was formed late in the year, not much could be done in the
form of field-testing. I will be on top of this action to report any changes.
Have a safe and healthy New Year
AUGUST REPORT
Snappers are in. Bunkers are in Wilson’s Cove and in Norwalk
Harbor. Porgies are in abundance. Early mornings and late afternoons can produce a good
hour of top water plugging for harbor blues in the 12 to 18 inch class. The sharpies will
jig or troll below the surfacing bluefish and catch striped bass up to 28 inches. The
action is out there. Fluke captures have been on the upswing lately. Orest and Walter
Isztwan have been catching quite a few. Pat Vagnone tied the leader with a six pound
flattie and Tony Carlucci is in the book with a fine caught flounder.
All of the above sounds great but the bottom line is, where are the big
ones? The big bluefish and striped bass are still absent. With the Greatest Bluefish
Tournament to start on the 25th and 26th, big bluefish are being
found at the most eastern or western ends of Long Island Sound, where the big food fish
are. It’ll be interesting to see from where the winners will catch their fish.
The Second Annual Dick Shaw Fishing Open Derby took place on August 25th
and 26th with a picnic following at noon Sunday. We had 34 signed up to either
fish or party afterwards and rehash the events of the weekend. This fishing derby was
designed to take the place of the bluefish contest this year. My personal feeling of not
participating is the cost of entering, the payback of prize money, compared to the amount
of entry money received, and one of my biggest gripes is the lack of a weigh-in station in
Stamford. If you were fortunate to catch a large fish you could lose precious ounces when
weighing in finally at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk or in Byram. Those ounces might
mean the difference of thousands of dollars or being out of the money.
Several of our fishing comrades are under the weather or mending from
medical procedures. Homer Dunn with possible Lyme’s Disease is being treated with
antibiotics and is feeling wishy-washy. Nina Turnbull has a cataract. The Wire Gang misses
you, Homer, especially when it’s your turn to drive. Their last report shows an
increase in bluefish and bass at 11B. The ground fish are sighing in relief as Nina and
Bob Turnbull wait for the healing process to end. Miss you guys out on the water. Also,
Joe Gerardi, who is slowly healing from heart problems. Saw Joe at the HYC Lobster Fest
and what he did on the chow at that affair. Looking forward to seeing Joe fishing next
year. Ken Gillis is also on the mend. I miss getting the ground action from you guys.
Talking about the HYC Lobster Fest, you had to be there to believe it.
The food was outstanding and continuance of servings of different dishes made it a too
fast afternoon. Can’t wait for the next affair. A great job was done by the committee
and members who participated.
Will publish results of the Weekend Derby in next month’s
Newsletter.
JUNE Report
What a difference a couple of weeks make. Since the last fishing article
complained of cold water temperatures, no bait, no fish theory, the action finally picked
up dramatically. More bait has been sighted than ever before; sand eels, squid, spearing,
butterfish, manta shrimp, and two to three inch baby herring. All of this bait has been
found or regurgitated by bluefish and in the stomachs of striped bass that have invaded
our territory. Our fish finders have recorded clouds of activity on the screen.
The sudden surge could be the result of a much colder than average water
column this past winter. It was noted from a D.E.P. officer that the water temperature was
two degrees colder than average. The coldness deterred the fish from arriving at their
normal periods but gave plankton and other living creatures time to multiply.
The two weeks of June 3 to June 17 were exceptionally explosive. Fluke
were around, some bluefish too, but the bass population was really great and close to
home. The Cows, to be exact. Chunking wasn’t the answer but wire lining with
bucktails and pork rind or jigging down deep with bucktails were the answers. Earlier
during those two weeks, bass could be caught on top with plugs. Five trips yielded 95 bass
from 22 to 32 inches. All but one were tagged and released. Since June 22, the bait and
majority of the bass have moved on.
The Wire Gang has been producing very nicely. Larry Halleck has weighed
in a ten pound bluefish. George Halleck has a 14 pound bass on the Board. Homer and Osika
and George have picked up bluefish and keeper bass on every trip. Silvio Sciarretta has
also been fishing hard and the results show as he has recorded a 14.5 pound striper which
is also leading in that category. Silvio has also weighed in a four pound fluke but the
leaders in the fluke division are Orest Isztwan with a 4.25 pound fluke and brother Walter
Isztwan leading with a 24.5 inch six pound fluke. All of these fish were caught within the
last week of May to June 21. Hopefully it continues.
We now have 27 entered into the Fishing Derby. It’s not too late to
join.
APRIL
As I write, April 21, 2001, not one boat has been launched and tied up
at our slips. I suppose it’s due to the weather we’ve been having. It’s
been noted that this winter has been one of the coldest. It hasn’t changed much for
Spring either. The last three nights, temperatures dropped into the 30’s. The water
temperature is really low. Last report was 44 degrees. How this will affect fishing, only
time will tell. Very few fishing reports coming in concerning our areas.
It’s official on striped bass that the slot limit will remain.
However, the size limits have varied; two bass per day per person, one fish from 24"
to 32" and one fish over 41". Those fish that we must throw back can be kept if
you fish from a charter boat. Only Connecticut has this law. I don’t understand the
CT D.E.P.’s interpretation of conservation.
The final ruling on fluke, or summer flounder, has yet to be decided.
One state has reduced creel limits from 8 to 4 fish and the size limit has increased to 16
inches. We could be following along those lines.
Money has finally been released and two universities have been selected
to study the causes of the lobster industry collapse.
Our HYC Fishing Derby is accepting entries and we have 12 signed up so
far. We are ready for the new season. Our annual all year fishing derby is started. The 2nd
Dick Shaw Open, will take place sometime in the summer, time to be announced. Also, a
possible blackfish cookout. This cookout will depend on the availability of that specie
sometime in the Fall. We hope to give people a chance to experience the taste of a fine
eating fish.
See you on the water. Fred Stunkel, Fishing Chairman
FISHING DERBY WINNERS - 2000
Fisherman of
the year award 2000: ALEX OSIKA
