Fall striper and tautog bite builds as Sound water cools

What's biting

What's next

Expect water temperatures to keep sliding through the next week as nights lengthen and chill. Each degree lost tends to push bait out of the estuaries and rivers and onto open shoreline, which is what sets up the best striper action. Watch for birds working over bait at first and last light, since those are the windows most likely to produce.

Tautog should keep improving as water cools. Rocky structure and jetties are where they typically hold this time of year. Coastal Angler Magazine's piece on jetty fishing is a useful read on how to work currents and rock edges for these fish.

The moon is at First Quarter, so tides are moderate this week. Moderate tidal swings mean less extreme current, which often makes structure fishing easier to manage. Plan around slack-to-moving water transitions near rock and rip edges, and check a local tide table for exact times since predictions were not available from the stations.

Context

Mid-October is the heart of the fall run for Long Island Sound, and this year looks on schedule. Striped bass typically concentrate on bait along shorelines and reefs now, while tautog move in tighter to structure as temperatures fall into the 50s and low 60s. Black sea bass are generally still catchable around structure before they move offshore for winter, though check current state regulations on seasons and sizes before harvesting. Expect the best of the run to last into early November, weather permitting.