CatchWindow fishing intelligence

New London, CT Daily Water Report — October 4, 2026

New London gets a clear green light for small-boat, paddle, and dive plans today, with the usual October footnote: pleasant water does not erase cold-air exposure, changing tide, or the need to mind the forecast gusts. Boating leads the board at 7.9/10, kayaking follows at 7.7, and diving rates 7.5. Fishing and wildlife both sit at 7.4, while sailing is the relative underachiever at 4.4—not because the water is unruly, but because light, uneven breeze and heavy cloud cover offer little reward for setting canvas. The most useful daylight window is early, from dawn through the morning low tide at 10:37 AM. Winds are generally light from the east, though gusts are forecast to reach 18.5 knots around 9 AM, so paddlers and open-boat crews should treat that as a real wrinkle rather than a typo. The 0.5–0.8 m wave range is manageable but not glassy; the day’s calmest seas occur near midnight, not during the main recreation hours. A 0.5 m swell from the southeast at a short 4.35 seconds will keep the surface a little busy, especially where wind and current disagree. The ocean current is forecast toward 84 degrees at 0.5 m/s. For anglers, the morning solunar major period runs 6:39–8:39 AM, overlapping dawn and the falling tide. The evening major period, 6:39–8:39 PM, arrives after sunset but overlaps the rise toward the 4:50 PM high and the early ebb. Pressure is falling from a relatively high 1019 hPa, and the fishing score is notably better than yesterday’s 6.0. Keep expectations grounded: the very high chlorophyll reading indicates bloom conditions, not a promise of fish activity, and it may matter for water clarity. Divers have a solid forecast score, supported by modest seas and 19.2 C marine SST, but should judge actual underwater visibility on site; the forecast 18.3 km visibility is atmospheric. A brief rain chance appears around 7 PM. Compared with yesterday, boating eases from 8.7 while fishing improves and diving stays nearly level. Monday through Wednesday look increasingly calm offshore, with Tuesday’s 0.2–0.5 m waves the quietest-looking marine setup, though air temperatures turn sharply cooler. Best bet: launch early, use the dawn-to-midmorning tide window, and be back with a warm layer before the gusts decide they want a vote.