Albies Push Into Watch Hill as CT River Stripers Hold
Long Island Sound water temperatures are holding in the upper 60s to low 70s this week, with NOAA CO-OPS readings of 69.6°F off New London, 71.6°F off New Haven and 72.3°F off Bridgeport — still warm enough to keep the fall run building rather than shutting it down. The Fisherman — Connecticut reports the first push of false albacore has hit Seaside and Bartlett's Reef via J&B Tackle, with fish expected to hold through the next four weeks across Avery Point, Sarah's Ledge, Ocean Beach, Harkness, Niantic Bay and Black Point. Striped bass are cooperating too: AW Marina says customers working the river mouths with bait are having some of their best local bass fishing in years, and Fort Trumbull Pier weighed a 47-pound striper alongside a 26.5-inch fluke this week. Bottom fishing for black sea bass and scup, per Black Hawk and Tartan II, is steady with a few blues mixed in on the rails.
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Evening high tides run from around 5:52 PM near New London out to roughly 7:14–7:20 PM near New Haven and Bridgeport, giving anglers a predictable dusk window as bait gets pushed toward structure. Expect the albie push The Fisherman — Connecticut describes to keep building over the next several days as water stays in this range — cooler nights typical of late September tend to concentrate bait rather than shut the bite down, so locations like Seaside, Bartlett's Reef and Black Point are worth working early before boat pressure picks up.
Striped bass should keep responding to bait presentations in the river mouths through the week, and the 47-pound fish off Fort Trumbull Pier suggests bigger fish are already moving through. Bottom fishing for black sea bass and scup should stay consistent into the weekend, with the strongest current around the high-tide windows above worth planning trips around under this First Quarter moon.
Context
Late September is the heart of the fall run on Long Island Sound, when striped bass move through river mouths and false albacore push inshore chasing bait ahead of the seasonal cooldown. Water temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s are typical for this stretch of the calendar and point to a normal-timed run rather than an early or late one. Bottom species like black sea bass and scup typically stay productive through early fall before tapering off as temperatures continue to drop into October.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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