Can you feel that? That is spring knocking at our door. Air temperatures broke the 60 degree barrier this week for the first time in a long time and I don’t know about you, but it made me want to drop what I was doing and grab a fishing rod. From freshly stocked trout streams in Connecticut to codfish off Block Island to one of the most anticipated saltwater fishing shows of the year, there are plenty of opportunities to get your fishing fix this weekend.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The biggest news this weekend is Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association’s (RISAA) annual New England Saltwater Fishing Show, which kicks off Friday at noon and runs through 5 PM Sunday at the Convention Center in Providence. Tabling and speaking throughout the weekend will be reps from your favorite fishing companies, organizations, guide services, and publications. The show should be a great motivator for saltwater anglers to get in the right frame of mind for the coming season. There will be great deals and new products to take advantage of and plenty of networking opportunities with big names in the fishing industry. Go to the show’s website for a coupon for $1 off the $10 admission price (http://www.nesaltwatershow.com/Discount.shtml) and don’t forget to visit On The Water at booths 102 through 105!
The show’s speakers and seminars include Capt. Rick Kilburn on “Finding Fish with a GPS,” Capt. Pat Renna on “Light Tackle Trolling,” Ron (Ron Z) Poirier on “Jigging Soft Baits for Bass & Tuna,” Capt. B J Silvia on “Newport Bass & Fluke,” D J Muller on “Strategies and Techniques for Catching Large Stripers from the Surf,” Capt. Bruce Macomber on “Fluke Festival,” Capt. Bruce Millar on “Precise Trolling patterns for Trophy Bass,” Capt. John Sheriff “Tautog Fishing,” Capt. Jim Barr on “Fifteen Tips for Fly Rodding Saltwater,” Capt. Rick Bellavance “Shark Fishing,” Capt. Jack Sprengel on “Advanced Vertical Jigging Strategies,” Sheila Hassan on “Cast 90 Fly Casting for Striped Bass,” Peter Vican & Don Smith on “ Block Island Stripers,” and Capt. Bob Hines on “Tips on Fly Fishing Rhode Island for Striped Bass and False Albacore.”
With holdover striped bass reports on the nonexistent side, cod fishing remains one of the only saltwater opportunities in Rhode Island waters at the moment. Capt. Frank of the Frances Fleet reported a very strong bite off Block Island late last week, decent action over the weekend, and a much slower showing this week so far. There was a near full-boat limit of fish caught last Friday with the pool cod in the 30-pound class and others in the 15 to 20-pound range. Saturday and Sunday offered slightly less action in addition to smaller sized cod, yet some anglers still reached their limits and codfish were landed up to the low-teen pound class. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday aboard the Frances Fleet were much slower in comparison – just a handful of keeper cod Monday and only slightly better Tuesday. Wednesday showed an impressive amount of cod on the fish finder, but it was another tough day on the grounds. High forecasted winds kept the headboats tied up today and a game-time decision will be made for Friday, so call ahead to make sure. Capt. Frank was optimistic about the sailing weather for the weekend and a good bite to match.
Even though trout fishing is closed in Rhode Island until April 14, a large number of water bodies remain fishable for pike, pickerel, bass, perch, and whatever else is willing to bite. An online DEM Freshwater Fishing Abstract lists all bodies of water stocked with trout in the state, so public places off the list are open for business: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/freshabs.pdf.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Trout fishing remains hot across the state. Opening Day isn’t until April 21, but thankfully there are year-round Trout Management Areas (TMA) allowing anglers to capitalize during the 7-week closed season. With this year’s mild winter conditions, CT DEEP began the 2012 spring stocking season early, releasing more than 12,300 brook, brown and rainbow trout into TMA’s in the Salmon, Yantic, Moosup, Hockanum, Willimantic, Hammonasset Naugatuck, Mill (Hamden), and Mianus Rivers. As expected, the recently stocked stretches are producing high catch rates and nice-sized trout. Cappy at Captain Morgan Bait and Tackle said fly anglers drifting pheasant tail nymphs and stripping Woolly Buggers are doing well, as are spin anglers bouncing meal worms and retrieving lures like Rooster Tails. To read up on all the current regulations, an electronic version of CT DEEP’s 2012 Angler’s Guide is available online at www.ct.gov/deep/fishing.
The Connecticut River and its coves are fishing well for multiple species. Andrew at Fishin’ Factory III reported that Hamburg Cove in particular is a hotbed for white perch at the moment. Using small boats, anglers are dunking worms or jigging small white curly tail jigs for them. Andrew also mentioned nice pike up to 39-inches have been caught recently in the Haddam stretch by shore anglers using large shiners on bottom. Mike at Connecticut Outfitters added that fishermen are also scoring pike on big Arkansas shiners in Wethersfield Cove right from the boat launch. In addition, Mike’s had good luck with smallmouth on the main stem from Hartford to Cromwell by slowly retrieving crank-baits just off bottom or crawling rubber tubes.
Holdover striped bass reports were off this week in the lower Housatonic River according to Nick at Fisherman’s World. The Thames River winter striper bite is still hit or miss, but Joe at The Fish Connection said the Yantic River below the first bridge is as good of bet as any. Interestingly, Joe also mentioned that anglers are catching schoolie bass in Long Island Sound at areas like Avery Point and Groton Long Point. When I asked if these fish were dropping out of the Thames, he was quick to reply that, with the above normal water temperatures this winter, maybe they never went in. Joe noted that shad-body soft plastic baits and Zoom Super Flukes in the 4-inch range are working best.
In addition, Westport Outfitters is kicking off their Spring Seminar Series this Saturday. First up is Derrick Kirkpatrick of CTFishGuides and where he will go over all of his tips and tactics for “Shore Fishing the Western Sound.”
Best Bets for the Weekend
There are decent options for anglers in Connecticut and Rhode Island right now and better ones in our near future, but the best bet this weekend may very well be RISAA’s New England Saltwater Fishing Show. Nip any cabin fever in the bud by visiting the booths of your favorite vendors in the business or attending informative seminars by some very accomplished anglers. If you’re determined to wet a line, trout fishing in Connecticut’s TMAs or cod fishing off Block Island are great choices this time of year.