Striper bite holds strong as Sound cools into fall run

What's biting

What's next

High tide hits the central and eastern Sound around 10 AM today, dropping to low near 2:45 to 4:25 PM; plan moving-water windows around that swing for the best current along structure and rips. Expect the striper bite to keep building as temperatures hold in the low 60s, a range that keeps the fall migration pushing through rather than shutting down.

J&B's post-storm reports of bluefish and false albacore still holding tight to the eastern Sound suggest those fish haven't pushed out yet, so there's a window left before they move on. Tautog action is already picking up to our east, per Saltwater Edge Blog's latest forecast, and that bite typically works its way into Long Island Sound as the month goes on and the waning crescent moon gives way to the new moon.

Expect bottom fishing to stay strong through the weekend as tide swings sharpen.

Context

Water in the low-to-mid 60s in early October is right on schedule for Long Island Sound, where the fall striper run typically runs from late September through November as bait clears out of coves and rivers. Last month's nor'easter is a normal seasonal disruptor; it scatters bait and clouds water for a few days, then tends to concentrate feeding once it passes, and several Connecticut reports now describe exactly that pattern. Black sea bass and tautog both stay active here until water drops into the 50s, usually late October or November.