CT Trout Opens Saturday, Striper Fishing Getting Better
Regular report writer Kierran Broatch has “gone fishing” for the Saturday Connecticut trout opener, so he’ll be back with a full report next week. In the meantime, as April moves along, the number of stripers in both Connecticut and Rhode Island is increasing every day, and the average size is going up. Anglers are reporting big numbers of schoolies, the best numbers in years according to some. Rhode Island’s trout season opened last week and Connecticut’s trout season opens up this weekend, adding another angling option for freshwater fishermen.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Upper Narragansett Bay is loaded with schoolie bass according to OTW contributor Dave Pickering. Dave’s had the schools all to himself this week as he’s been chasing them on his brother’s boat. Small bucktails and Cocahoe Minnows are tempting the schoolies as per usual. Some of the larger fish were in the 28- to 30-inch range, however.
Narrow River is producing some good fishing for striper according to Dave at River and Riptide. After following the herring up the river, many bass seem to be moving down the river once again, and fish are being taken around Middle Bridge in good numbers.
Howard at Gallilee Bait and Tackle said the keepers that are being caught have been falling for topwater plugs, including a new lure called the Fishin Magician Skid Stik. Matunuck and the West Wall are two of this week’s hotspots. Some small fish are trickling into the salt ponds according to Howard.
Blackfishing has been good with fish up to 10 pounds taken this week. While bigger fish were rare throughout most of Rhode Island, keeper-sized fish were quite common.
Squid are moving in to the Rhode Island shore line according to Captain Ron of Breachway Bait and Tackle, and catching them on jigs is becoming easier each day. A photo posted to the On The Water Facebook page showed a cardboard box full of squid jigged in the Newport area Wednesday night. Howard at Gallilee said the squid fishing is spotty just yet, but will improve soon.
One of the most fun (and possibly most frustrating) events during the spring is the cinder worm spawn, when these small red, tan or brownish worms swim to the surface to reproduce. Striped bass take full advantage of the slow moving prey and noisily feed right on the surface. Captain Ron reported a worm hatch this week at Green Hill. While the stripers might not respond to the usual springtime lures such as the Cocahoe Minnow or the Red Fin, or even bucktails, slim reddish soft plastics, like the 4-inch Skinny Hogy or Slug-Go will usually get strikes. Fly-fishermen can closely match the spawning worms with their flies, and therefore enjoy great success during the worm spawns. Dave at River and Rip Tide Bait and Tackle in Coventry thinks with the New Moon and the extra low tides, there should be some big worm spawns over the next week. Keeper-sized bass have already moved into Ninigret Pond, and more will surely follow if the worms spawn as predicted.
Bass have also been showing up in the breachways.
Stick a fork in the Block Island Cod bite, it’s done. Both the Frances Fleet and the Seven B’s V said the
fishing is lousy. Both are looking forward to fluke season, which opens on May 1. Fluke are already moving in from the continental shelf according to Captain Ron from Breachway Bait and Tackle, so the fluke fishing should be good right out of the gates when the season opens in 10 days.
With the low water and warm temperatures, opening day trout anglers in Rhode Island were treated to some excellent hatches and some good dry fly fishing, particularly in the Wood River and its tributaries. Dave at River and Riptide said the surface activity with the trout was excellent, but he’s still hoping for some rains to bring up the water this weekend.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Pat from River’s End in Old Saybrook said the big numbers of tiny stripers have vacated many areas around Connecticut (and are likely now inhabiting Rhode Island or Massachusetts waters), but some slightly larger fish have moved in. He’s seeing more fish in the 20- to 30-inch range. The mouth of the Connecticut River has been giving up stripers in the 28- to 34-inch range.
Good action with school stripers is taking place around the Norwalk Islands and in the Housatonic reported Art at the Bait Shop in Rowayton. The Housatonic River from the Derby Dam on down is producing stripers Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle reported.
It’s been a good winter flounder season according to Pat at River’s End. Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle cited White Island as a hotspot for the winter flatties
Blackfishing has also been good, though for quality more so than numbers. Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle heard of fish to 8 pounds. The breakwaters are holding good numbers of the blackfish, reported Pat at River’s End. Boats anchoring near the structure and dropping down jigs and crabs are doing well.
Trout season opens this weekend, and Chris at Stratford reported that dry flies have already been working at the Trout Management Areas, so there is a good chance of catching the trout on the surface this weekend.
Fishing Forecast
Trout rising to dry flies sounds like a nice finale to the freshwater season for anglers ready to make the switch to saltwater. For anglers fishing with spinning gear, spinners, spoons, PowerBait and small shiners or minnows are a great choice for the trout.
As Dave at River and Riptide put it, it’s game on for stripers. Most fish are schoolies around 20 inches, but find areas with bigger bait (herring) and you should be able to connect with some larger 30-inch specimens.