The first week of spring brought with it great weather and even better news – migrating striped bass are already showing up. Anxious saltwater anglers will be happy to know that a striper covered with sea lice was caught in Rhode Island waters on Wednesday afternoon. In addition, their holdover brethren continue to get active in tidal areas across the region. Several reports of returning river herring, shad and even bunker are also pouring in, meaning predictions of an early season are spot on so far. Fishing for cod off Block Island remains another viable option for salt seekers, with fish up to 36 pounds coming over the rail this week.
Freshwater action is heating up right along with the water temperatures. There are great catch-and-release options for trout across Connecticut. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are cooperating in shallower water. There are also less sought after opportunities to cash in on like channel catfish, American shad and white perch.
Rhode Island
If you haven’t dusted off the saltwater gear from last fall yet, now would be a good time. When I called Saltwater Edge on Wednesday afternoon, Peter told me one of his customers was testing an early-season spot known for hosting Rhode Island’s first migrating stripers each year. Jumping the gun I first thought, but then again everything has been a little ahead of schedule. Tommy Pelto checked his logbook and, between herring being present for over a week and a southwest breeze for the previous few days, decided to give it a shot. On his third cast with a soft-plastic on a lead head, he reeled in fresh striped bass sporting sea lice. It was small in size, yet large in significance. The first arrivals are here and many more (and bigger) fish aren’t too far behind.
There are also increasingly active resident bass to be found in Rhode Island rivers and salt ponds as well. Captain Thom from Quaker Lake Outfitters said the Narrow River is holding a good deal of baitfish and anglers are picking off small holdover bass using the early-season standby, the Cocahoe Minnow on a jig head.
Cod fishing off Block Island continued an up and down trend this past week, but when it was good, it was really good. For instance, Captain Chris of the Island Current reported a very tough grind on the grounds Saturday, only to be followed by a banner day Sunday with both numbers and size. He noted that several cod over the 20-pound mark were landed on Sunday’s trip, including John from MA with one at 30-pounds and Tee-Nuck from NY with a 36-pounder! Chris said that Tuesday’s outing featured an outstanding morning bite, a slow lunch time lull and then another uptick in action late in the afternoon, including a pool cod of 17-pounds and a number anglers filling limits. Wednesday’s foggy start was much slower, but several anglers pieced together some nice cod on fresh skimmer clams. Wednesday’s highlight was 8-year-old Cory from CT with an 18-pound pool winner. If you are planning a trip to fill the freezer, you have at least three headboat options to choose from this weekend, including Island Current, Frances Fleet and Seven B’s. Give their offices a call the night before the trip to double check about weather conditions and sailing times.
In freshwater, trout designated waters are closed until April 14, but a large number of lakes and ponds remain open in the meantime. With the stellar weather this week, Captain Thom of Quaker Lane Outfitters sold an abundance of live shiners to anglers pursuing largemouth bass, pickerel and pike at places like Worden Pond and Johnson’s Pond. Artificial lures will also do the trick, but keep your retrieve speed at a snail’s pace.
Connecticut
There are no reports of striped bass with sea lice in Connecticut waters just yet, but there are plenty of holdover opportunities to take advantage of while we wait for them. Joe at The Fish Connection said the best action in his neck of the woods is occurring below the Greenville Dam in the Shetucket River. Anglers tossing 4 and 5.5-inch Zoom Super Flukes on 3/8 and 1/2-ounce jig heads are catching mostly schoolie bass, with the occasional fish reaching the high 30- to low 40-inch range. Joe also mentioned that the western side of Norwich Harbor has a good concentration of resident bass and there are intermittent striper catches being reported down to Eastern Point Beach near the mouth of the Thames River. Another bit of info he shared is a strong white perch bite in the Thames’ Poquetanuck Cove for anglers dunking sandworms.
The Connecticut River also has some awakening holdover striped bass, along with a smorgasbord of other fish species to chase. Blaine at CT Outfitters said anglers are hitting big shad and smaller stripers in the Rocky Hill and Hartford stretch. He mentioned customers are finding some awesome channel cats in the main stem and the coves using cut baits, including an 11-pounder on a chunk of perch. Pat at River’s End added that schoolie stripers are taking sandworms near the mouth of the Connecticut too. The Housatonic River continues to produce resident bass and the better ones seem to be coming out to play at night. Nick at the Fisherman’s World suggested trying after dark during an outgoing tide with 9-inch Slug-Gos and Bombers. Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle received his first report of fly fishermen catching their first holdovers at the mouth of the Housy as well. He also passed along word that a customer brought in fresh bunker that cast-netted somewhere in Bridgeport!
It should be a great weekend if you like pig roasts and tackle sales! River’s End is holding their annual “Striper Surf Day” this Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM with a pig on a spit for lunch and good deals in the shop. Speakers and demonstrators include author of “Fishing the Bucktail” John Skinner, Massachusetts’ striped bass record holder Tony Stetzko, and the Slug-Go king Steve McKenna. The Fish Connection is also hosting a pig roast and sales at their store in Preston this Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM for “Customer Appreciation Day.” Both events should be a fine excuse to get out of the house and enjoy some good food and friends.
In the freshwater scene, trout fishing is still going strong. Cappy at Captain Morgan Bait & Tackle informed me that Quonnipaug Lake will remain open through the remainder of March, but then will close until April 21. Along with its trophy brown trout, there are also largemouth bass and pickerel opportunities. Cappy said live shiners or garden worms under a bobber is a simple and productive tactic there, but casting 1/4-ounce spoons can get the job done too. Catch and release Trout Management Areas in rivers are other fantastic options, which can give the feeling of cheating the system before Opening Day. Arguably the best of them all is on the upper Farmington River, which is loaded with both freshly stocked trout and a large number of holdover and wild fish too. A friend and I did well last Sunday using micro pheasant tail and midge nymph patterns in the heads of pools, but dry fly fans had fun with trout rising for stone flies as well. Another buddy of mine also hammered trout drifting live shiners and meal worms – so it’s all working.
Freshwater bass fishing is not too shabby either. John at Valley Anlger said Candlewood Lake reached 47 degrees last weekend and its water levels are rising fast. Some bass continue to be caught on deep humps with hair jigs and Keitech swim baits, but plenty of fish have moved in shallower and can be caught while plying the shoreline with the same baits.
Best Bets for the Weekend
The best thing going on Saturday is “Striper Surf Day” at River’s End. For many saltwater anglers, this is like an annual rite of passage before the real season begins. It’s a free event with a great lineup of speakers and demonstrations, not to mention awesome food, sales and door prizes. If you are itching to wet a line, break out the light tackle and soft-plastics and check your favorite early-season striper haunts in Rhode Island. In Connecticut, try for a big holdover striper in the Shetucket River or big holdover trout in the Farmington River.
Anyone hear any reports of derby dam or sullivan’s island stripers?
Not many. Most fish are down river.
Keitech International?
I found them. There are plenty.
A buddy and i went to barrington yesterday and the fishing was amazing, i landed 13 stripers in about half an hour all in the range of 13-18 in but still tons of fun. We were usin cocohoes and just letting them drift/sink thouh the shadowline and bom fish almost every cast