Poquonnock River Fishing Guides
The salt marsh estuary behind Bluff Point, a protected coastal reserve where the Poquonnock meets Long Island Sound and holds striped bass all season.
Guides on the Poquonnock River
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About the Poquonnock River
The Poquonnock River is short, shallow and almost entirely tidal. It drains the low country west of Groton and enters Long Island Sound behind Bluff Point, a coastal reserve that has been left undeveloped and now protects one of the better preserved salt marsh systems in eastern Connecticut. The gauge sits inside the park, in the tidal river itself, and reads temperature, salinity and tidal elevation rather than the discharge figures a freshwater stream would give.
The fishery here is a marsh fishery, and it rewards anglers who understand that. The river drains across broad flats and through a handful of narrow cuts and channels. On the ebb, water pours off the marsh carrying grass shrimp, silversides and crabs, and striped bass sit at the mouths of the cuts and in the deeper holes waiting for it. On the flood the fish spread onto the flats and can be found in a foot of water. Timing the tide is the whole game.
Striped bass dominate from April into November, mostly schoolies with a real chance at better fish at night. Bluefish push in through the summer and will chase bait right up onto the flats. Tautog hold on the rocky shoreline at the point itself, and summer flounder work the sand at the river mouth. Blue crabs are abundant in the marsh channels through late summer.
Because Bluff Point is a state reserve, access is by foot or kayak rather than by road. The walk in from the parking area is about a mile and a half to the point, which keeps pressure low and makes this some of the quietest good water on the Connecticut coast.
Plan the walk around the tide rather than the other way round. The distance from the parking area means a poorly timed arrival can cost the entire productive window, and the flats drain far enough that a boat left in the wrong place will sit on mud for hours. Bluff Point is a reserve, so pack out everything and stay off the marsh grass.
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Access
Bluff Point State Park - the gauge reach, reached on foot from the park lot.
Bluff Point - the rocky headland at the river mouth, tautog and striper water.
Depot Road - the park entrance and parking area at Groton.
Mumford Cove - the adjacent tidal cove east of the point.
Poquonnock Plains - the upper marsh channels, kayak access on a high tide.
Groton Long Point - the outer shoreline east of the estuary mouth.
Bushy Point Beach - the barrier beach with surf access to the Sound.
Seasons
Spring: stripers arrive on the flats in April and feed hard through the marsh cuts.
Summer: bluefish and schoolie stripers, with blue crabs thick in the channels by August.
Fall: the best fishing of the year as bait floods off the marsh on the ebb tide.
Winter: the estuary empties out and the fishery closes down until spring.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Poquonnock River?
Anglers target Blue Crab, Bluefish, Striped Bass, Summer Flounder, Tautog on the Poquonnock River in Connecticut.
Where can you access the Poquonnock River?
Bluff Point State Park - the gauge reach, reached on foot from the park lot. Bluff Point - the rocky headland at the river mouth, tautog and striper water. Depot Road - the park entrance and parking area at Groton. Mumford Cove - the adjacent tidal cove east of the point. Poquonnock Plains - the upper marsh channels, kayak access on a high tide. Groton Long Point - the outer shoreline east of the estuary mouth. Bushy Point Beach - the barrier beach with surf access to the Sound.
When is the best time to fish the Poquonnock River?
Spring: stripers arrive on the flats in April and feed hard through the marsh cuts. Summer: bluefish and schoolie stripers, with blue crabs thick in the channels by August. Fall: the best fishing of the year as bait floods off the marsh on the ebb tide. Winter: the estuary empties out and the fishery closes down until spring.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Poquonnock River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Connecticut agency site: https://portal.ct.gov/deep/fishing/regulations/fishing-regulations