Sherwood Island State Park

Sherwood Island State Park in Westport sits on an estuary where two creeks empty into Long Island Sound. Anglers fish the rocky jetties and Sherwood Point for striped bass, bluefish and blackfish, and the sandy beach for fluke and flounder. It's one of DEEP's Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing sites.

When to fish

• May: the start of striper season in the western Sound, with bass and bluefish following the bunker schools.
• Summer: fluke, scup, black sea bass and bluefish.
• September and October: On The Water's western Sound captain calls these his favorite months. In 2024 false albacore were caught regularly from West Haven to Westport, often very close to shore. Blackfish (tautog) fishing picks up in fall.
• Off-season (October to mid-April): the whole beach opens to fishing, from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Where to fish

• Sherwood Point and the East and West jetties: the only spots open to fishing from April 15 through September 30, and the best rock structure for blackfish, stripers and scup.
• The sandy beach: open to fishing in the off-season only.
• The estuary: New Creek and Mill Creek mix fresh water into the Sound here, and the park describes these waters as rich in marine life.

How to fish it

For albies, On The Water's captain matches small bay anchovies with small epoxy jigs or tiny anchovy flies, and switches to weightless soft plastics or larger jigs when the albies are on peanut bunker. He casts well ahead of moving fish and never uses wire, which albies avoid.

Getting there

Parking is free for cars registered in Connecticut; out-of-state vehicles pay a fee. Fishing at night requires the park's vehicle permit if you drive in, and a Connecticut marine waters fishing license is required. Sherwood Island is an Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing site, with lower minimum sizes for fluke and scup than elsewhere; see the Connecticut Saltwater Fishing Guide for current limits.