Hammonasset Beach State Park

Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison has about two miles of beach with a jetty at each end. Anglers cast from the Meigs Point and West Beach jetties by day and along the whole beach at night in summer, for striped bass, bluefish, blackfish, fluke, porgies, weakfish and winter flounder. It's also one of DEEP's Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing sites.

When to fish

• Spring through fall: the saltwater season here. Stripers are around from spring to fall, fluke, porgies and bluefish in summer and fall, and blackfish (tautog) mainly in fall.
• Summer nights: from May through October the whole beach is open to night fishing, the best time for summer stripers in the eastern Sound according to On The Water's eastern Connecticut guide.
• Off-season (October–May): fish the jetties by day; the beach isn't open for night fishing.

Where to fish

• Meigs Point jetty (east end): the park's main rock structure, open from 8 a.m. to sunset in peak season. The car-top launch and fishermen's parking are here.
• West Beach jetty: the other daytime fishing spot in summer.
• The beach: open along its full length for night fishing in peak season.

How to fish it

For summer stripers, On The Water's western Sound captain throws topwater plugs and weightless soft plastics at daybreak around rocks and points, and finds bigger bass within about an hour of high tide.

Getting there

Parking is free for Connecticut-registered cars, and out-of-state vehicles pay a fee. Follow signs to Meigs Point and the fishermen's parking area; the car-top launch is on the east side of the Meigs Point jetty. Driving in to fish at night needs a vehicle permit. Walk-in night anglers don't need one but must carry tackle and a marine waters license and actually be fishing. Enhanced Opportunity sites have lower minimum sizes for fluke and scup; check the Connecticut Saltwater Fishing Guide.