Climbing slowly above the horizon, still hidden from view, the sun seemed to be following the new flood tide. The banks of the river, normally even with the waterline, were this time above the windshield of our small center console vessel. It was like we were in a mini-gorge. On July 15, the moon had been as bright and full as can be and its influence on the water level was obvious.

Creeping slowly along the very edge of the wetland grass, carefully eyeing every possible hiding place, our eyes were scanning for Callinectes sapidus, "savory beautiful swimmer," or more commonly known as the Atlantic blue crab. Shortly before, crabs had been very spotty. No doubt the cold winter and abundance of fresh water adversely affected their life cycle in some key tidal rivers, but in others, the reverse held true. What many might not know is that this crab is an omnivore, eating both plants and animals, including small fish and shellfish. What eats it are striped bass, eels, sharks, and rays.

What we seem to be experiencing is an influx of both "jimmies" and "sallies" from other shoreline spawning habitats. We'll leave the why's and wherefores to scientific evaluations of folks like Tim Visel of the Sound School and its ongoing programs regarding aquaculture. But for now, we are keyed on this formidable adversary that lurks in our estuaries-the one that most likely exemplify the word "attitude." Ounce for ounce, of all life forms, it's hard to find one with a more aggressive temperamental disposition!

Quiet and as stealthfully as can be, the approach to each nook and cranny, each bridge abutment, and every sunken piling was targeted with great expectations. Actually, starting our crabbing at the bottom of the ebb, we fished through slack and then slowly began adding to dinner's catch as the tide slipped in. Some jimmies were scooped while they paddled up river, but most were rudely awakened when they felt the rim of net separating them from their perch.

There were single jumbos as well as pairs, with the males protecting their soft-shelled mates. There were those that stubbornly refused to relinquish their hold on the net. And then there were those that decided they owned the bucket and anything approaching would be subject to outstretched, swiping claws. At day's end though, the score was hands 32, claws 0. These fresh crabs were promptly cooked, drawn in butter, and eaten. There was even enough for a few toasted crab rolls.

On the Water

Overcrowded beaches, 70-degree water temperature, blazing heat, and a Long Island Sound that is full of both fin and shellfish. Certainly, the July weather is more than cooperating for vacation-goers in spite of sporadic pop-up thunderstorms. Moon tides spurred various tidal river hatches, prompting flurries of feeding by dominant predators, such as striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and even small coastal sharks.

There are eels in many rivers, intermittent schools of mid-size- to juvenile bunker, sand eels, and spearing, all of which are prompting feeding frenzies. Because of the heat, striped bass have ventured into their cooler, deeper, daytime comfort zones, visiting the shallows during either pre-dawn or post-sunset hours. Bluefish, on the other hand, have been surface feeding on both ebb and flood tides, along rip lines, and during the light of day. Top water or slow-sinking plugs, tins, and flashy spoons are a must when casting to schools of these choppers. Getting through these schools to the bass below is a chore!

Drift live eels or menhaden by Crane's, Menunketesuck, Duck, Hammo, Charles, Faulkner's, The S's, Browns, and The Beacon for stripers. Swap off with "chutes" and jigs at Six Mile, Southwest, and Kelsey. Bass in the 40-pound range are still being caught, but be prepared to work. This is the time of year for a mixed bag, so keep setups handy for seabass, blackfish/tautog, fluke, and porgy/scup.

Plenty of short fluke in the Sound, namely Long Sand Shoal, harbor channels, along the beaches and around Faulkner's.

For all things fishy including licenses, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline's full-service fishing outfitter, where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...

Tight Lines,

Captain Morgan

captainmorgan.fish@sbcglobal.net