Connecticut’s Oct. 1 report: stripers on a fall bite, tautog still 10 days out

Connecticut saltwater turned toward fall as soon as the nor’easter laid down. On The Water’s Oct. 1, 2026 report, by Will Sirotnak, says striped bass are responding to plastics, topwater, and eels, with creek and river outflows pushing bait and birds overhead. Tautog season is the wait: Sirotnak writes that anglers have 10 more days until the Oct. 10 opener. Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook is holding TogTober from Oct. 22 through Oct. 25.

False albacore have been scarce since the blow. Bonito have not. Captain Chris Elser got one trip in and found aggressive bonito schools in the western Sound; three-quarter- to 1-ounce pink jigs were the bait, and the bonito were so aggressive they made albies harder to get to bite. He also had bass from slot size to 40 inches on peanut bunker. Captain Joe at Diorio Guide Service, fishing mostly 8 to 25 feet, reported multiple bass over 40 pounds on topwater, weightless soft plastics, and eels after the storm pushed mullet and 4- to 5-inch bait out of the rivers. He said the blow reset the fishery and the sharks are gone.

Geno at Total Tackle in Old Saybrook said customers reported striper blitzes just inside the river through the weekend weather, with albies sparse and some bonito around. The Blackhawk in Niantic had sea bass, porgies, and fluke on Monday and blues with a few keeper stripers on Tuesday before the boat tied up for the storm. Anthony at Game on Lures had inshore water at 66–67°F and bonito spreading west.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: On The Water — Connecticut Fishing Report, October 1, 2026 (Will Sirotnak, Oct. 1, 2026).