The month of May is finally upon us. Anglers have a lot to look forward to in the days and weeks to come. Droves of migratory striped bass are on their way to greet us. Bluefish catches have already been reported in the area. Worm hatches in salt ponds are starting. Pods of bunker have been spotted. Tautog fishing in the Ocean State is heating up. Freshwater fans have reason to be excited too. Trout stockings continue and insect hatches are growing stronger. Bass are becoming more active and moving shallower in preparation for spawning.
Rhode Island
Things are shaping up nicely in Rhode Island’s saltwater scene. On The Water contributor David Pickering witnessed two bluefish caught last Saturday – yes, bluefish on April 30. Some may cringe at the thought of blues ravaging eels and Slug-Gos in the near future, but most of us can agree that their arrival is a good sign overall. Captain Jack from Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle told me Rhode Island’s South Shore is covered in schoolie stripers with sea lice. In the Bay, anglers are finding slightly larger bass hanging around herring runs. Jack said soft-plastic baits, like Zoom Super Flukes, Cocahoe Minnows, and Red Gill teasers, are tough to beat choices for striper action right now. There are a few small bass being picked off from the local breachways according to Captain Steve at Breachway Bait and Tackle, but hotter schoolie action can still be found in the vicinity of the West Wall. Mike at Watch Hill Outfitters has been seeing small bait behind his shop in the Pawcatuck River and some of his customers are reporting catches of striped bass to 33 inches in various coves. Little poppers and swimmers in yellow or swim-shad-style baits in pearl are working well. He also had a customer land five bass near keeper size by trolling a tube-and-worm from his canoe this week. Dave at River and Riptide said the much-anticipated worm hatches are just getting underway in the local salt ponds. There have been reports of a lot of worms, but not many bass keyed in on them just yet. Dave recommended plying the upper reaches of the ponds first, where the water warms up the quickest. He suggested using an 8- or 9-weight rod and a floating line to present 3-inch worm patterns on a size #2 hook. If worms aren’t showing, sand eel patterns like sparse Clousers will sometimes do the trick.
It’s not only stripers that saltwater diehards have been patiently waiting for. Rhode Island’s tautog season lasts until the end of May and it seems the bite is now turning a corner. Captain Jack had just finished weighing in a 10-pound tog when I called Quaker Lane this week. Larry Norin was the lucky angler. He caught the beast and the rest of his limit, plus two keeper cod, using crabs in 30 to 40 feet of water off Narragansett. Another welcomed arrival recently has been squid. Arden at Saltwater Edge said squid junkies are lining up on the Goat Island Causeway with their generators and dropping down lights to attract them. He suggested using pink Yo-Zuri squid jigs with short, aggressive sweeps followed by long pauses. Arden also noted that fluke season opened last weekend. Some folks are getting into fish, but water temperatures need to warm up a little more for the fluke bite to kick into high gear.
In many freshwater rivers and streams, aquatic insect hatches are ramping up, driving trout bonkers. Dave at River and Riptide told me that red and black quills have been laying eggs on the Wood River. When this happens, the bugs sit longer on the water’s surface, giving trout a better chance to slurp them up. A great pattern to imitate those bugs is a Mahogany Dun in size #12 or #14. You can expect to see surface activity on the Wood River and other watercourses anywhere from 11 AM to 4 PM at the moment. If there aren’t any rising fish, they’re eating elsewhere in the water column – try standard nymph patterns like a hare’s ear or pheasant tail.
Connecticut
A cold front this week seemed to slow down the striper action somewhat across the state, but with good weather and warm temperatures in the forecast, it won’t be long before it picks up where it left off. Migrating bass are starting to show up and holdovers are beginning to spread out, so areas that may have been void of fish only weeks ago could be starting to shine.
According to most reports, our major tidal rivers remain the best places to find consistent action. Joe at the Fish Connection said the Shetucket River, from the Greenville Dam to the confluence with Norwich Harbor, continues to provide quality striper action, much of it on the surface. Commotion-making plugs like Polaris and pencil poppers used in the early morning and late evening hours are working well. Joe also shared that anglers fishing the Thames River, from Norwich Harbor down to the Montville and Ledyard area, are capitalizing on small bass using cut bait, sandworms, and soft-plastics. Q from River’s End said there are a few fish in the lower reaches of the Connecticut River, but it is far from dynamite. He prefers an ebb tide coinciding with low light, but would take low light over an ebb tide if he had to choose. Two artificial lures he suggested trying were 9-inch Slug-Gos and Sebile Magic Swimmers. Moving upstream, Blaine at Connecticut Outfitters said the coves are full of bait and anglers are hitting some small stripers at the confluences of tributaries using soft-plastics. He noted that the river is dropping fast and clarity is improving and believes that by this weekend, the fishing on the striper fishing on the Connecticut River should be much better.
In the western Sound, the Housatonic River remains your best chance to hook a striper right now. Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle said it was about to bust wide open in the river, but chilly temperatures put things on hold for a bit. He had a customer bring in a 41-inch bass taken on a sandworm this week, and other customers are doing well from the Derby Dam to the mouth fishing with Bombers and Rebels after dark. Rick from the Fisherman’s World recently found bunker on the northshore of Long Island in the Hempstead area and landed a handful of bass up to 25 pounds while chunking. Hopefully that bunker makes its way to the Connecticut harbors soon if it’s not already here.
Freshwater anglers across the state are still taking advantage of the bountiful trout in our rivers and streams. In the upper Farmington River, the CT DEP stocked 1,000 two-year-old brown trout in the 16- to 18-inch range on Tuesday. Fly anglers chucking streamers such as Woolly Buggers can rack up big numbers of these chunky browns. Cappy at Captain Morgan’s Bait and Tackle said many of his customers are still finding cooperative trout in the Hammonasset River and Chatfield Hollow. He mentioned that spin fishermen are capitalizing by drifting mealworms and retrieving Rapala Countdowns through deeper pools. Freshwater bass anglers are taking advantage of increasingly active largemouth bass. John at Valley Angler reported that Candlewood Lake has reached 55 degrees and that bass can be found in shallower water on beds. He also said that a shore-based angler landed an 8-pound brown trout this week from Candlewood on a Blue Fox spinner and two 7-pound walleyes were taken from Squantz Pond; one a black hair jig, the other on a large shiner.
Best Bets for the Weekend
Some nice weather is in store for Friday and Saturday. Get the fishing out of your system then because the attention turns to Mother’s Day festivities on Sunday. Grab a bucket of crabs and reel in your first tautog of the year in the Bay or off Narragansett. Fly guys should keep an eye out for a worm hatches in Rhode Island’s salt ponds. In Connecticut, focus on the tidal rivers if you want a chance at consistent striped bass action. Or, take a ride up to the scenic Farmington River and catch a few of the 1,000 high quality brown trout put in the river this week.