Tog season in full swing along the Connecticut shore
Water temperatures along the Sound read 58 to 61°F this morning, with New London at 60.6°F, New Haven at 57.9°F and Bridgeport at 60.4°F. That is solid blackfish range, and it shows in the shop reports. Per The Fisherman — Connecticut, Tartan II is shifting most trips to blackfish and has had no trouble filling the boat limit. AW Marina says the season is off to a good start, especially for shore anglers working rocks, piers and jetties. J&B Tackle described very good opening-day fishing, with most keepers running 18 to 20 inches, and says it has restocked crabs after running short.
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Today's tide plan is simple. At New London the morning high comes at 8:31 AM and the low at 3:04 PM. New Haven and Bridgeport run about 90 minutes later, with highs near 10:15 AM and lows near 4:35 PM. Tog tend to feed well on moving water, so the push toward each high and the first part of the falling tide are sensible windows for rock piles and structure.
The Full Moon brings stronger tidal swings this weekend, which means more current around structure. Plan to adjust your sinker weight as the flow builds, and fish the slack edges when it gets heavy.
On the striper side, The Fisherman (Northeast) describes the fishing as isolated pockets of good action broken up by slower areas, with the Connecticut River named among the better spots and an offshore storm possibly moving fish. Staying mobile is the better plan than sitting on one stretch. Boat anglers working bottom should also expect a few black sea bass mixed in, as Black Hawk reported alongside its blackfish catches.
Context
Late October is on schedule for the Sound. Opening of the tog season typically pulls effort onto the rocks and reefs, and the fall striper run starts to thin and scatter as water cools toward the upper 50s. Black sea bass bottom fishing tapers as fish head to deeper water, while tautog tighten onto structure and feed hard before winter. Check current state regulations for seasons, size and bag limits before harvesting.
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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