Here in Connecticut we have six months of good fishing. The "diehards" can extend it to seven by hitting the coves for schoolies in April and dodging the wind gusts in November for blues, bass and albies.

We are now in the first week of August and are at the half way point. As a whole the first half was good. Numerous keeper size fish were caught in the river. The biggest I know of was a 51 pounder. Quite honestly I didn't realize fish that big cruised the Connecticut River flats. The numerous rainy overcast days really helped the fishing. The bass stayed in the river longer than normal This "miserable" weather also resulted in more highly productive bass days than in past years.

The squid run at Watch Hill produced some excellent fishing. About four waves of migratory fish came through. Migratory bass are easily identified by the numerous sea lice clinging to the fish. If your timing was right you could have an "epic" day. Using a squid fly on a 9/10 weight rod we were catching 10-20 pound bass on every drift - sometimes having double hook ups on a single drift.

July has been a good month. This is typically when we transition into summer fishing - catching more blues than bass. The last few weeks have produced some good blues fishing. Both on the rips and around the rocks. There's no guarantee we will always be at "the right place at the right time" but our "batting averages" would put us into the baseball hall of fame.

Bass are at times being caught in the rips. They don't seem to stay in any one place for more than a couple days so there is a lot of lucky timing. A friend landed a 41" bass last week using a sand eel fly. Most bass being caught now are 24-27".

Things look good for the second half. There is lots of bait, particularly small "silver sides" and butterfish.

Stay tuned. I'll keep you posted on what happens the second half!

The spring bass run is over. Due to abnormal cool and cloudy weather we got two extra weeks. Though not consistent, the Connecticut River produced good bass fishing in early July. Many anglers had given up on the river thus reducing the annoying boat traffic to a minimum. Quiet waters are very important for successful bass fishing in shallow waters of 3 to 6 feet - typical Connecticut River conditions.

The rest of July and August will be spent looking for blues around eastern Long Island sound. The gut has had some good days for surface blues, particularly during the week when the boat traffic in the gut is way down. The rocky shores of eastern Long Island sound are producing blues and some bass. This is exciting fishing. Casting surface plugs into shallow water dotted with rocks is great fun. The splash attack on the surface lure is an instant rush. The challenge of keeping the fish from breaking off against the many rocks tests the fish fighting skills of all anglers. Contact me and set up a trip to test your fishing skills.

The cloudy overcast spring weather has not helped the sales of Big Eye sunglasses, but it did make for good spring bass fishing. Lots of cloudy days with light winds resulted in a number of "happy days". During the height of the squid run off of Watch Hill, we landed thirty one bass - all on flies. Two thirds were keepers. Many were between 13 and 16 pounds. The mouth of the Connecticut River produced some good trips as well, though it was not consistent. The biggest bass caught in the river was 30 pounds, 46". It hit a small "smack-it" popper. A good friend of mine was the lucky angler. He caught it in the evening, during daylight on an outgoing tide.

What makes catching bass in the Connecticut River so exciting is the shallow water. Most casts are made in water 3 - 7 feet deep. After a big fish hits, it has only one way to go - away from you. The runs are very exciting as the fish can at times be seen swirling water fifty yards or more away from the boat. Though Watch Hill will often produce more and bigger fish,the water is 15 to 50 feet deep. Big bass when given the opportunity are going to dive to deep water. Don't misunderstand me - I enjoy catching any size bass in any water, but given the choice I prefer the mouth of the Connecticut River where bass fishing is more like bone fishing.

We are now in transition. The squid run is coming to an end and the warm water of the River is driving the bass to deeper water. We have not yet given up on the river but we are now spending more time on the waters of Long Island Sound looking for blues and fishing the rocky shore lines for bass and blues.

The summer months are always a great time to be on the water. If the blues show up in good numbers we can have lots of fun throwing poppers to blitzing schools of blues. The gear busting, rod bending, combative and tireless bluefish have given anglers thrills for generations. Let's go fishing!!

Hot and cold is the best way to describe the fishing since my last report. This has been the case both in the river and on the reefs. Some of the hot days have been phenomenal. On Sunday of Memorial Day weekend my wife landed the largest bass I have boated in the last couple of years - 40+" (my tape only goes to 36") weighing in at 26# on the boga grip. She started out throwing a floating lure. She had been hearing all about the slugo because she posts all these blogs. She assumed she was casting a slugo because she had heard that it catches the big one and when she heard she was not all hell broke loose and she quickly received the slugo! Though Carol is not a frequent angler she throws a good line. After about an hour she had had a few follows but no hookups. I was fly fishing from the stern and had landed a few bass in the 26-27" range. Then it happened ... with an explosion of water and a yell "I got one!". My peripheral vision picked up the after effects of the exploding water. My instinct was to drop my rod and run to the bow. The line was screaming off the reel when I arrived and didn't stop for a minute or two. I said "you've got a big fish", trying to control my excitement. I went on to say "just keep steady pressure and don't lose your concentration". Of the two of us, I was by far the most excited until Carol finally got the fish in close enough to see it. Suddenly her excitement level quickly ramped up as evidenced by her words "holy ... that's a big fish!". "Just concentrate on getting the fish to the boat" I told her. Finally I had a grip on the fish. As I hauled it over the side and looked over my left shoulder, Carol's jaw had dropped and her eyes were huge. She had just realized that she had done a great job landing a fish of a lifetime. Struggling to lift the monster Carol had both hands wrapped around the boga grip as the tail dangled a few inches off the deck. I snapped a couple of quick pictures before her strength gave out. I then gently held the fish in the water, helping it to regain it's strength. In a short period of time it slowly swam out of my hands free to fight another day. I was so thrilled! Without question, that was one of my best fishing moments. My fortunes quickly turned as one of the pictures was really good. Within hours the picture was printed and emailed to our friends and most unfortunately it was in Carol's possession. By the end of Memorial Day weekend I was about to change the sign on my truck from Capt. Dixon to Admiral Carol.

Later in the week we had another good day with Joshua F. and his friend Otto. In the afternoon Joshua got numerous bass on the fly rod, catching several in succession between 31" and 35". The fishing remains pretty good in the river but with the arrival of the squid run, some of the reefs are producing excellent results.

Someone soon is going to land an over 40", 25 lb. bass. As far as I know it hasn't happened this year. However, more and more keeper size bass are being caught. We are now at the time when it is not uncommon to land several fish between 28" and 32" each outing. The bigger fish show themselves once but are not easily hooked and are even harder to land. They are capable of straightening out hooks and very adept at "throwing" it back at you. Eighteen pounds, 36" is the biggest fish I have boated. The other day a friend of mine landed on successive casts a 38" and 39" fish. Slug-o's are the best way to go if you want to catch big fish. It's not that the big bass won't attack other lures or flies, it's just that the slug-o is the most reliable lure for big fish.

When you are out on the water don't forget to take your Big Eye polarized sunglasses. They will help you see those big bass swirl under your lure. You can get them at many New England tackle shops or by going to bigeyeeyewear.com.

We are certainly catching fish but this past week was not the "breakout" week I was expecting. Fish were caught between 12 and 28". On Saturday a friend hooked onto a "monster" bass using a slug-o. The fish pulled hard enough to move his 16' boat before getting off by straightening the "heavy duty" slug-o hook.

On Thursday several members of the Yale Fishing Club joined me for the afternoon. We caught plenty of fish on the fly rod as well as spinning gear but only a few were 25 to 28".

For the next several days the tides will be perfect for both a morning and evening outing. Low tide will be between 6 and 10 making for a good outgoing tide as the sun comes up and again as it goes down. Stay tuned for my next report. I expect it to be a good one!

The spring bass season is underway. We had two excellent trips this past weekend. Saturday being an outstanding day and Sunday a good one, the difference being the tide. The sluggish outgoing tide restrained the bass activity on Sunday. Even so, we boated in excess of a couple dozen fish ranging in size from 12 to 28". The spinning rod is the way to go if you want consistent action on bigger fish. On Saturday, we were getting a swirl on almost every cast. This was true for about 1-1/2 hours of the outgoing tide. The overcast skies and light wind made a positive contribution. This is ideal weather for this time of year - actually this is the most favorable weather for fishing at any time.

Though Saturday was an outstanding day, engine problems tried to disrupt the outing. thanks to Jack F's very positive attitude during this disruption (catching lots of fish I am sure helped his disposition) we were able to "muck" our way through this mishap without much interruption. I am grateful to three fishing buddies for helping me out - Rick for the tow, Tom for taking Jack on board while Kurt "trailered" me a back up boat!

I am pleased to report tht the engine problem was a minor fuel issue and turned out to be an "instant" fix.

They're in!! But not in full swing, meaning that there are limited pods of schoolies scattered through a small part of the lower river. The way to catch the most fish is to anchor over a pod. Until the pod moves you will catch quite a few of the same size fish. I prefer drifting a larger area, thereby increasing my chances to catch a few larger fish. Most schoolies are 12 to 18" with an occasional fish to 24". Casting subsurface flies and lures produce most of the action, though one angler, who lives and dies casting a gurgler, has already caught a few fish on the surface. However, the best surface activity is still a week or two away. We had lots of warm sunny weather this past week. The river fishes best on still, overcast, low tide mornings. An amber, polarized lens is what you want on these days. Go to bigeyeeyewear.com for a great selection of polarized sunglasses. Anglers have started calling to book trips. Give me a call and join me on the river for a fun day of light tackle or fly fishing for striped bass.

The schoolies have arrived in the lower Connecticut River. Their numbers are such that you can hook and land enough to make the outing worth while. Most remain small - 12 to 16", but there is the occasional fish in the mid 20's.

Prior to the rain of the last few days, the river water was exceptionally clear, likely explained by the gradual snow melt in the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire and the cold water temperatures. At one point I visually estimated the depth to be 2 to 4 feet. After sticking my rod in the water I was very surprised to learn it was 7 to 8 feet deep.

The number of fish will be on a steady increase over the next couple of weeks. A few days from now, after 2 or 3 clear warm days the water clarity will recover from the recent rains and the fishing will be in full swing.

The ocean swells rolling over Block Island Sound were big enough to keep the Point Judith to Block Island Ferry bobbing and rolling as it powered it's way. The chilly NW winds created white caps and made for a chilly ride. Fishing was still a few weeks away in this area. Back at my home waters along the Connecticut River the fishing prospects are brighter. Within a day or two of April 25th the fishing at the mouth of the River below the railroad bridge starts to turn on. The resident schoolies drop down river from the coves along the river to greet the arriving migratory fish. For the first couple of weeks the lots of small schoolies (12 - 18") with an occasional large fish mixed in. It's at this time if you are having a lucky day, 2 anglers can hook 50 to 100 fish in a matter of hours. As the water temp reaches 50 degrees the smaller fish disperse and larger fish take over. Two friends were out today. One was in Hamburg Cover where he caught a small bass and a 15" pickerel. Ten other boats were in the cove - none having much action. My other buddy tried below the railroad bridge and found 1 or 2 small pods of small fish but the action was insufficient to make him want to go tomorrow. Based on recent events I expect the "turn on" date to be a day or two before 4/25. Stay tuned.

The air is still. The Eastern sky is showing the first sign of light. There is a chill in the air and there is skim ice around the hull of the Cross Island ferry. April 1st is next week. The schoolie bass are occasionally showing signs of life - and we have ice! What's wrong with this picture? Don't fret. Fishing is going to happen soon.

As I look out the ferry window at the many hot bass spots East and West of the Thames River I get a good feeling. The water no longer has that cold and alarming look. It now looks friendlier and alluring. The tide is coming in. The water's motion over Harkness and Bartlett reefs is moving perfectly, waiting for the bass to return. It's only a matter of a few weeks and those bass will be pulling and you will be pumping. The bass will win some. Some you will win. What new and exciting memories of lost and landed fish are you going to experience. History tells us we are going to experience all the emotions - from highs to lows. That's why our sport is called fishing, not catching. No matter the outcome, the experience will be enjoyable. Get away from the hectic day to day routine and enjoy a day on the water with Capt. Dixon.

One of my favorite areas to fish is the surrounding area of Plum Island. As the ferry approaches Orient Pt. off the bow, in the distance Plum Island is to port of the vessel. The sluiceway is to the islands East, the Gut to the West. I couldn't guess how many bass, blues and false albacore I have caught in this area - let's just leave it at lots! I can recall many, many fond memories.

I have a great day ahead. I get to drive down (West) the North Fork of Long Island, then onto (East) the South Fork to Montauk, then back across Shelter Island before catching the evening ferry from Orient Pt. back to New London. Much of the time will be spent looking at the water or talking fishing as I visit the many tackle shops and marinas that sell our Big Eye polarized sunglasses. You can see our great line of sunglasses by logging onto www.centerlineoptics.com. Link to Big Eye and you can then look at the many great sunglasses that others are looking through when they are catching fish. With Big Eyes you'll see the Big Fish!

When you go to Martha's Vineyard you must fish the surrounding waters for bass, blues ,bonita and false albacore. Larry's tackle shop in Edgartown across from Grand Union should be your first stop. Steve owns the shop. He has fished the surrounding waters for years and knows them like the back of his hand. Whether you fly fish, spin cast, or troll he has your supplies. To book a guide - he does that too. If you are really lucky you'll be able to hire Steve.

I was with Steve on Friday setting up his store with our Big Eye polarized sunglass program. Steve was hard at work getting the store ready for the arrival of the first bass around mid April.

Woods Hole, the departure point for the ferry to Martha's Vineyard, is a fascinating area of shoals, islands and narrow passages in which the currant ebbs and flows with tremendous force. It is also a great area for striped bass in season. On Friday the rips were not full of bass, they were full of eider ducks staging before they head "North" for the breeding season. For the first fifteen minutes out of port the ferry was putting up raft after raft of eiders. For an old duck hunter like me it was a sight to behold.

Back at my home waters of the Connecticut River things remain quiet. We may set record low temperatures (mid teens) tonight so there is not much fishing going on. Don't worry, the calendar is in our favor. Within a month the schoolies will be on the river and the fishing will have begun and it won't stop for six months or so. Contact me and join in on the fun.

Experienced angler, waterfowler, sunglass salesman and senior citizen are a few things I am. A savy techno wiz is something I am not so any suggestions to improve and expand my internet presence would be greatfully appreciated. In fact I will send a free pair of Big Eye Sunglasses (bigeyeeyewear.com) to the first 10 people responding! What's the catch? You have to convince me that you do not know me or know one of my very few "friends".

This is the time of year when much, if not all, my time is spent on the road selling CenterLine Optics/Big Eye sunglasses. Thoughts about fishing are never very far away, particularly when business takes me to places like Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, Block Island, Eastern Long Island or the Jersey shore. Hey someone has to do the "tough" work. When I do have a free moment I am tying flies - particularly those needed for spring bass in the CT River. As the water temp approaches 50, gurglers become my favorite. When the bass are after surface flies, nothing is better. A big bass making a "giant" hole in the water, smashing at a gurgler is the ultimate bass thrill. Big clausers, 4 - 7", on a sinking line are also very effective flies on big spring CT River bass. I always seem to end the season with only a couple left in my box so I am making these as well.

At this moment I am in the air flying from Hyannis to Nantucket looking down on Monomy and Great Point reflecting that it will only be a few weeks before the bass I am talking about will be taking my fishing emotions from elation to extreme frustration.

Welcome

Those that know me will not believe I am a "blogger". Being computer illiterate I can't believe this is happening, but thanks to my wife who is willing to type my chicken scratch into the computer, Capt. Dixon the blogger is now a reality!My Monday night fly tying with the boys is well underway. The days are longer, the sun is warmer and there are schoolies in Hamburg Cove - for the hardy. If the sun is out, the tide is right and you re in the right spot you'll catch fish. Better fishing is still a few weeks away but the urge to fish is starting to be felt by many. My 15' Gruman is on the trailer and ready to go. By early April I'll have the 20' Aquasport ready to go. By April 20 +/- schoolies will begin to filter in south of the railroad bridge. Good times are just a click away.I asked myself why do I want to do this? I have lots of answers. You figure out which is the right one because I can't. Maybe it's to be famous, hear myself talk, drum up business, see if I can really become a part of the techno world, bring attention to BIG EYE sunglasses, keep a diary of fishing activities, see if any one really reads this, entertain myself.......stay tuned - there will be more.Dixon