What You'll Find at Cini Memorial Park

Cini Memorial Park sits on the Connecticut shore in East Lyme, offering access to tidal flats and shallow saltwater habitat that holds striped bass, bluefish, and seasonal flounder. The park is small and undeveloped—no boat launch, no amenities—which means it stays quiet and draws fewer anglers than the bigger public access points nearby. You fish from shore here, working the edges where the flats meet deeper water.

The real value is the timing. Cini catches fish during the slack water periods when other spots are running hard current, and the shallow flats warm up early in spring and hold baitfish through fall. If you're already fishing East Lyme and want a second location that fishes differently depending on the tide, this is worth knowing.

Key Takeaways

  • Cini Memorial Park is a small, undeveloped shore access point with no facilities, best fished on foot from the bank.
  • The shallow flats and tidal creeks hold striped bass and bluefish, particularly during slack water and early morning hours.
  • Parking is limited and the lot fills quickly on weekends; arrive early or fish on weekday mornings for the best experience.
  • The park is free and open to the public, with no permit or registration required for shore fishing.

How to Get There and Where to Park

Cini Memorial Park is located off Cross Road in East Lyme, a short drive from Route 156. The address is 1 Cross Road, East Lyme, CT 06333. Parking is tight—the lot holds maybe a dozen cars, and it fills on nice weekends. There is no overflow lot, so if you arrive midday on a Saturday in summer, you may find no space.

The best strategy is to fish early. Arrive before 7 a.m. on a weekend, or fish weekday mornings when the lot is nearly empty. The walk from the parking area to the water is short, under 100 yards, and the path is clear and easy to follow.

What the Water Looks Like and Where Fish Hold

The park opens onto tidal flats that extend out 200 to 300 yards at low tide. The bottom is sand and mud, with patches of eelgrass and scattered rocks. A small tidal creek runs through the flats, and this creek is the most productive water—it holds baitfish and concentrates striped bass and bluefish, especially during the hour before and after slack water.

At high tide, the flats flood and the creek becomes harder to read, but the water deepens enough to hold feeding fish. At low tide, the flats expose and the creek becomes a narrow channel; this is when you can see where the deeper water runs and position yourself to intercept fish moving in and out. The transition periods—the first hour of the incoming tide and the last hour of the outgoing tide—are when most anglers catch fish here.

Seasonal Patterns and What to Target

Spring (April through May) brings striped bass moving into the shallows to feed on sand eels and silversides. The flats warm up faster than deeper water, so Cini can be productive when other East Lyme spots are still cold. Fish early morning and late evening; midday can be slow even in spring.

Summer (June through August) is tougher. The shallow flats heat up and fish move to deeper water during the day. Dawn and dusk are your windows. Bluefish show up in July and August, particularly on the incoming tide when baitfish are pushed into the shallows.

Fall (September through October) is the best season. Striped bass return to the shallows to feed heavily before migration, and the water cools enough that fish stay active throughout the day. Flounder also move into the flats in September and October, particularly around the edges of the creek channel where the bottom transitions from sand to mud.

Winter (November through March) is slow. Some striped bass linger, but they are deep and inactive. Most anglers skip Cini in winter and fish deeper channels elsewhere.

Tackle and Bait That Works Here

For striped bass, bring light spinning gear—a 6- to 7-foot rod with 10- to 15-pound braid and a 12- to 15-pound fluorocarbon leader. Small topwater plugs, soft plastics in the 3- to 4-inch range, and live baitfish all work. If you're using bait, live silversides or sand eels are best; dead bait works but is slower.

For bluefish, the same setup works, though bluefish are less picky and will hit larger plugs and faster-moving lures. Bring a wire bite leader if you're throwing anything shiny—bluefish teeth will shred fluorocarbon.

For flounder, switch to a heavier setup if you want to fish the bottom. A 7- to 8-foot rod with 15- to 20-pound braid and a small jig head (1/4 to 1/2 ounce) tipped with a live or fresh-dead minnow will work the creek channel and the deeper edges of the flats.

Access and Rules

Cini Memorial Park is open to the public and free to fish. No permit or registration is required for shore fishing. The park has no facilities—no restrooms, no water, no trash cans—so bring what you need and pack out what you bring. The parking lot is gated and locked at dusk, so plan to leave before dark.

Connecticut saltwater fishing regulations apply. You do not need a license to fish from shore in Connecticut, but you should know the current size and possession limits for striped bass, bluefish, and flounder before you fish. These limits change year to year; check the Connecticut DEEP website before you go.

When Other East Lyme Spots Are Crowded

If you're fishing East Lyme and the main access points—Rocky Neck State Park, the Town Dock, or the boat launches—are packed, Cini is a good alternative. It fishes differently than those spots because of the shallow flats and tidal creek, so even if you've had a slow day elsewhere, you might find active fish here. The trade-off is that Cini has no facilities and limited parking, so it works best as a second location rather than a primary destination.

The park also makes sense if you want to avoid the weekend crowds. Weekday mornings are nearly empty, and the fishing can be excellent if you time the tide right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I launch a kayak or small boat from Cini Memorial Park?

No. There is no launch facility at Cini. The park is shore fishing only. If you want to fish the deeper water offshore, you'll need to use one of the public boat launches in East Lyme, such as the one at Rocky Neck State Park or the town launch on the Connecticut River.

What's the best tide to fish Cini?

The slack water periods—the hour before and after high tide, and the hour before and after low tide—are most productive. The incoming tide is generally better than the outgoing tide because baitfish are pushed into the shallows. Early morning on any tide is better than midday.

Is there parking for trailers or large vehicles?

No. The lot is small and designed for passenger cars only. If you're towing a boat, use Rocky Neck State Park or the town launch instead.

Can I fish at night?

The parking lot is locked at dusk, so you cannot fish after dark. Plan to leave before sunset.

What if the parking lot is full when I arrive?

There is no overflow lot. If the lot is full, you'll need to leave and fish elsewhere. The best way to avoid this is to arrive early—before 7 a.m. on weekends, or fish on a weekday morning.