Unless, during the Implemented Bills session this week, fees will be adjusted, sportsmen/women will have to dig deeper into their pockets. As it stands now what we pay for fishing and hunting privileges will double and in the case of a marine fishing license, triple! Sure there's a severe budget deficit, but if retailers can be subject to punishment for gouging, then so should our legislators.

Overall participation in these recreational activities will probably drop as it usually does following any increase. However, these increases are steep and it's within the realm of possibility the figure could reach as high as 25 to 30 percent! Not only will the State lose revenues tied directly to licenses/permits but also the trickle-down effect of lost sales taxes, fewer visitors to our state parks, etc., will take an even greater toll. Do the math.

Unfortunately, these increases will negatively effect the 16 to 21 age group where income has not generally been established and short-term visitors looking to fish the shoreline. Family/friends may not congregate on the water as often as they might like (or not at all) thanks to these increased taxes/fees.

Now that revenues will be diverted to the dreaded "General Fund," the one saving grace is that by state statute and federal mandate, all fees generated by the sale of marine fishing licenses must go to fish/wildlife conservation. Federal audits will reconcile this and with the loss of millions of dollars of federal funding at risk, our state will be in a greater fix if it does not comply.

Marine fishing fees will hike to $30 from $10 (non-resident $60), inland fishing fees will increase to $40 from $20 (non-resident $80 from $40), one-day resident marine will be $15, all-waters fishing will be $50, freshwater combo will increase to $56 from $28, marine combo will be $50, all-waters combo will be $60, and all-water archery will be $84. Firearms hunting will increase to $28 from $14 and junior's from $3 to $15. There will be a firearms supersport for $116 and an archery supersport for $104. A non-resident all-waters will be $100, an inland 3-day will increase to $32 from $16, and a non-resident marine 3-day will be $24. And the list goes on…

Unless some last-minute changes occur, these fees will become effective Oct. 1, just prior to Dec. 1 when 2010 privileges go on sale. We've gone from no Connecticut marine license to a $10 fee and now $30-all within four months. Too much, too soon! Some folks "on/over the hill" ought to take a breath before things really get out of hand and fish, wildlife, and man suffer. We certainly will be monitoring the trail of license revenues as they relate to environment and conservation.

On the Water

Fall is here announcing its presence with shorter days and colder temperatures. It arrived in typical fashion with bursts of wind, high seas, and clear skies as anglers looked toward better fall fishing than during summer. The recent new moon phase coupled with low/low and higher tides, north winds blew. The shoreline was protected however, farther out, waves peaked at four to five feet, making most fishing difficult, to say the least. Trollers managed to get into fish but the price paid was a topic of conversation.

As the inshore coffee-colored waters settled, action picked up with bigger blues cruising both the shoreline and many of the reefs. Meig's Point has been a good choice for choppers with the occasional cow striper showing an interest in a plug or a piece of chunk. "Yakers have been T/W"-ing with mixed results, while boaters searching the reefs have run into short schools of bass drifting eels or trolling bunker spoons. Coastal bass to 34 inches are on seaworms in Madison/Guilford. Top water bluefish action has been on the increase but not as strong or consistent as last season. Menhaden, mostly sparse but sometimes thick and short-lived, has been the loose cannon this season while schools of small squid and butterfish, on the other hand, have infiltrated the Sound.

With less than a week left to porgy season (it closes Sept. 27; Oct. 16 for charter/party boats), this fishery continues to be hot with dinner plate size scup not uncommon. Both in/offshore reefs are holding fish at the top of the tide usually with chopper blues and linesiders not far behind. These fish will be here long after the season closes-what a shame!

However, snapper blues are still biting and on Oct. 1, blackfish/tautog season reopens to a 14-inch, four-fish limit. With the drop in temperatures, look for a strong inshore bite especially on the rock piles, jetties, and breakwalls. Blue crabbing in tidal rivers, like the East River, remains strong with coolers filled with crabs being trapped, hand-lined, or scooped.

Freshwater anglers are finding fall fishing upbeat. Cooler water temperatures, better flows, and recent stockings have made for good trout, bass, panfish, pickerel, crappie, and pike fishing. Even "cats" are biting. Between the briny, sweet water, and woods, sportsmen have many options so get out and enjoy this time of year.

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