World-Class CT Fly Fishing | Rising Tide 4-Hour Trip

Blue Shark

Blue Sharks are sleek, open-ocean predators that'll test your tackle. These guys average 6-10 feet long but can top 12 feet. You'll find them in cooler, deeper offshore waters, usually over 100 feet deep. Summer and early fall are prime time as they follow baitfish migrations. Anglers target Blues for their powerful fights and the thrill of catching a big shark. While not prized for eating, they're catch-and-release favorites. To hook one, drift fishing with a chum slick is the way to go. Use fresh bait like mackerel or bluefish on a wire leader. Here's a pro tip: keep your bait about 20 feet from the boat. Blues are curious and might come in close, but you don't want them too near the engine!

Bluefish

Bluefish are the bulldogs of the coast - aggressive, hard-fighting, and always hungry. These choppers typically run 3-10 pounds but can push 20. You'll find them anywhere from the surf to offshore, often in big schools chasing bait. They're most active in summer and fall as they migrate along the coast. Anglers love Bluefish for their savage strikes and relentless fights. They're good eating too, especially when fresh. To catch 'em, look for birds working over bait schools. Cast metal lures or topwater poppers into the frenzy. Wire leaders are a must - those razor teeth will slice through mono. Here's a local trick: when blues are thick, try a hookless lure as a teaser, then follow it with your hooked bait. The competition drives them crazy!

Little Tunny

Little Tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus) Description

The Little Tunny is a variant of tuna, known also as a Bonita, False Albacore, or Little Tuna (hence the nickname). Little Tunnies is also considered one of the smaller variants of tuna. Because of their size, one of the Little Tunny’s defense mechanisms includes going in schools and being migratory. As migratory fish, they usually head south during Winter or Fall.

The Little Tunny resembles a hybrid between a Skipjack Tuna, different species of mackerel, and an Atlantic Bonito. It appears quite small and has a fusiform body, looking more torpedo-shaped. This allows them less friction in water and makes them less tired as they migrate. It has a slight underbite with cone-shaped teeth lining with a small bone sticking out from the roof of the mouth. If you open its mouth, you’ll also notice that the Little Tunny’s tongue has two vertical lines for ridges.

Aesthetically, the Little Tunny has a rounded snout to lessen the water resistance. To prevent themselves from being picked off, their scales and skin are a dark metallic blue with dark blue-green stripes from the midpoint of their dorsal fin to their tail. They also have little, black fingerprint-looking spots on its body which distinguishes them from other fish such as the Atlantic Bonito.
 

Diet

The Little Tunny is carnivorous. They usually feast on small fish and small invertebrates which are clumped up together in groups. Another reason why Little Tunny travels in schools: because their preys are in schools, they usually swim around them in a school to gather them up. However, Little Tunnies are also okay in eating some cephalopods (i.e., squid) and crustaceans.
 

Little Tunny Size

The Little Tunny is usually measured by weight. Their average weight is around 10-12 lbs. Sometimes, they can even hit 20 lbs. The highest ever recorded was around 36 lbs.

Interesting Facts about the Little Tunny

• A Little Tunny only has a short lifespan of about 5 years.
• When tracking a Little Tunny, listen for sounds. Little Tunnies are quite noisy when they eat.
• Because its flesh is red, the Little Tunny isn’t always eaten.
  • Most would confuse it for having red tide when in reality, its meat is very similar to that of a Yellowfin Tuna.
  • Most people prefer white meat fish. However, when finding a Little Tunny, the redder the meat, the fresher it is.
  • Little Tunny has stronger tasting meat over the usual tuna.
• Little Tunnies are strong swimmers. Be warned; they definitely can give you a good fight.
• Clean your Little Tunny well before eating! Especially in the stomach! Little Tunnies are known for housing many different kinds of parasites.

Little Tunny – Fishing Techniques: How to Fish for a Little Tunny

The Little Tunny is known for its hard, fighting spirit, making it a prized game fish. Asides from that, Little Tunnies are often fished out by anglers who are shooting for bigger prizes such as sharks and marlins.

The most common technique anglers use in fishing out a Little Tunny is via trolling. Since the Little Tunny travel in schools, anglers usually set up multiple fishing lines to catch them. They add ballyhoos and mullets while decorating it with some brightly colored feathers to attract them. However, Little Tunny won’t shy away from live bait. Some live baits they would prefer would be Bluefish or Pinfish. 

Another recommended technique is Flyfishing. Using a lightweight bait, cast the line in the water. But don’t yank it! When flyfishing, you’re supposed to let the fish do the work for you. Any tugging and resistance might cause your line to snap. 

Little Tunny Habitat and Distribution

Little Tunny are pelagic fish and prefer warm to temperate waters. They like staying in nearshore waters, preferring to be near the surface. They sometimes loiter around in points, inlets, jetties, and sandbars. They sometimes swarm underneath the jetty especially if there’s a school of their prey swimming nearby.

Shad

Shad are the ultimate spring-run fish here in Connecticut. These silvery, herring-like fish average 3-5 pounds and hit our rivers from April to June. They're anadromous, meaning they live in the ocean but spawn in freshwater. Anglers love shad for their spirited fights on light tackle and their tasty roe. Look for them in deeper runs and pools as they move upriver. Early mornings and evenings are often best. To catch 'em, try small, brightly colored jigs or flies - chartreuse and hot pink are local favorites. Work your lure with a slow, twitching retrieve near the bottom. Here's a tip: when you hook one, don't horse it in. Shad have soft mouths, so a gentle touch on the rod keeps them buttoned up.

Striped Bass

Striped Bass are the crown jewels of Connecticut fishing. These powerful, line-sided gamefish can top 50 pounds, though 20-30 pounders are more common. You'll find them in estuaries, along rocky shorelines, and around structure like reefs and bridges. They're here from spring through fall, with peak action in May-June and September-October. Anglers love Stripers for their hard fights, size potential, and excellent eating. To catch 'em, live eels or bunker are top baits, but they'll also hit lures like swimming plugs and soft plastics. Fish the tide changes for best results. Here's a local secret: on calm summer nights, big bass will come right up to the shoreline chasing bait. Wade carefully and cast parallel to the beach with a noisy topwater plug for explosive strikes.