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With each tidal change, billions of gallons of water are forced into or out of Long Island Sound through a few large breaches between the glacial deposits that guard its entrance. In the middle of the largest breach is an area denoted on nautical charts as "The Race." As the tide ebbs, 3-6 knot currents turn The Race into a rushing, swirling, hydraulic confusion.
The deep waters on either side of its islands and reefs are compressed, forcing water up to the surface. The end result is The Race's trademark rip current of steep breaking waves that form along its edge with every tidal change. All of this turbulence and varied bottom topography has created an incredible fishing ground that attracts many species.
The Race is best known for its bluefish and striped bass fishing. However, blackfish, bonito, false albacore, cod and pollock can also be caught there. Occasionally tuna and sharks are hooked and most often lost in its powerful currents.
Depths in The Race run from only a few feet over some shoals to over 300 feet in other areas. Fishing the deep fast moving waters is no easy matter. For the newcomer or novice saltwater fishermen, The Race can be quite intimidating.
Safety must be the number one consideration when fishing these turbulent waters. Fishing strategies vary according to species and time of year, but three basic techniques are most often used by knowledgeable Race fishermen.
The key is getting the lure or bait down to the level where the fish are feeding. Bottom dredging with diamond jigs or 3-waying bucktail jigs is a successful method used by many anglers. Heavy bucktail jigs are often tipped with bait and bumped along the bottom.
The drail is one of the better rigs that are employed by the party boat fleet for bluefish. Stout 30- to 50-pound class boat rod outfits are used to drift the drail rig along the bottom and through the rip line. The drail consists of a 12- to 16-ounce oval sinker and a
swivel clip attached to a brass chain with two 7/0 or larger hooks at each end.
The preferred bait of herring or whiting is strung through the chain with the lower hook embedded in the back dorsal and the upper hook through the head. Anglers must pay attention to the depth as they drift through the fish-holding boulder fields.
"Squidding" is another very effective technique for taking bass and blues in The Race. This method works well for surface feeding fish and during slack tide when fish may be cruising in mid depths. Drop a heavy metal lure or jig below the fish and then reel it up quickly through the fish imitating escaping bait. Trolling is the style of fishing used by most of the Charter boats. Christmas tree rigs, tube and worm combos, spoons or swimming lures are trolled on wire or lead core lines. Charter captains will often use a method known as "stemming the tide" that works well at certain tide ranges. The skipper will hold the boat at the head of the rip line by using just enough engine power, while lures are drifted back into the feeding zone.
>From mid-summer into late fall, bass bluefish and the small tuna species can be caught at or near the surface both early and late in the day. This is the time for light tackle and fly fishing. Usually feeding terns and gulls will signal feeding fish along the shallower humps in the rip line. The water surrounding Race Rock light are an excellent spot to start looking for birds and breaking fish. Anglers will have success casting swimming and diving lures such as Rapalas, Mambo Minnows, Yozuri' s, Slugo's, jigs, Crocodile spoons,
Deadly Dick's and flies that imitate the predominant bait.
Either tide can be good in The Race, though most fishermen prefer the ebb. During moon tides, especially perigee tides, currents are so strong that fishing dies off for a few days. The Race requires some learning to fish effectively and it always commands respect. When wind and tides collide, its waters can build up into a treacherous maelstrom especially when large ocean rollers are pushed into an ebb tide. The waters of The Race are recommended for anglers that own a very seaworthy craft, have steady sea legs and common sense.
Don't even think of anchoring in The Race as the risk of having a boat swamped by raging currents on a strong tide while hooked to the bottom is almost certain. This is no place to go swimming. The Race can offer excellent sport for the angler willing to put in the effort.
FISHING REPORT: The Farmington River continues to provide excellent fishing for those anglers willing to work. During the morning hours rusty spinners, needhami, Isonychia and tan caddis are the top producers. In the afternoon try ants, beetles and large stoneflies. Evening is a combination of every fly on the charts. Good reports are also coming from the Salmon River, the Farm River and Tankerhoosen River.
Highland, Wonoscopomuc and East Twin are very good for trout. Anglers trolling bait and lures are taking nice fish in the early morning hours. Largemouth bass fishing is good to excellent at East Twin, Lake Mashapaug, Tyler, Highland, Moodus Reservoir and Candlewood. The Saugatuck Reservoir, Lake Saltonstall, Squantz Pond, and Batterson Park Pond are producing good catches of walleye.
For smallmouths, try the Housatonic River above the covered bridge. In saltwater, striped bass fishing remains good at most of the major reefs with live bait- eels, menhaden hickory shad and scup all scoring well with stripers in the 40+ inch range. The Watch Hill reefs, Ram Island Reef, the Race, Bartlett Reef, Hatchett Reef and Sixmile Reef have been the hot spots.
Bluefish fishing is consistent in the Race, off Millstone Point, between the Baldwin Bridge and the Amtrak RR Bridge in the Connecticut River during the flood tide, Sixmile Reef, Branford Reef area, and the Norwalk Islands. Summer flounder fishing has slowed with the best results coming from the deeper water along the south side of Fishers Island.
Bob Salerno is a United States Coast Guard licensed captain and a member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association. Readers can e-mail Captbob317@cs.com.
