Ice Fishing Once Again
Brrrrr! What a difference a week can make with our weather doing a complete 180 from spring-like temps last weekend to the arctic blast we’re experiencing now. Where ice is thick enough, hardwater fishing will be the forefront angling option this weekend in northern parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. In streams or tidal waters, bundling up for trout, cod, sea herring, and holdover stripers are other worthy opportunities. If you don’t feel like braving the cold, there’s also a boat show and a surfcasting event happening in Connecticut this weekend and more fishing seminars in Rhode Island on Monday night.
Rhode Island
Not everyone’s crazy about it, but the latest shot of frigid air has put ice fishermen in a good mood. While wind has kept some large lakes from freezing over, a number of smaller, shallow bodies of water in the northern part of the state should have ice anglers on them this weekend. Steve at Quaker Lane Outfitters said customers have been excitedly dropping in over the last few days talking ice and buying bait in anticipation for the weekend. Calling local tackle shops that carry ice equipment or checking online forums like www.IceShanty.com are good ways to find out where anglers have been ice fishing lately, but checking conditions in person with the proper tools is the only foolproof way of learning the quantity and quality of ice on any frozen body of water.
A hot cod bite came to a halt this week following an awesome seven day run of big fish and limit-catches. Saturday and Sunday’s trips were scrapped due to inclement weather and Monday has been the only day head boats sailed this week. Captain Chris of the Island Current relayed that last weekend’s strong southerly winds brought in plenty of dogfish for Monday’s outing, which made getting through to cod more difficult. Anglers kept at it though, including Leo Lypski’s group of three who took home a combined 21 keeper codfish. Captain Chris is optimistic about sailing conditions for Friday and the weekend, but be sure to check with their office the night before your trip.
Steve at Saltwater Edge said it was a slow week for holdover striper fishing in the Providence River due to extreme cold. A few anglers braved conditions and were treated to a slow bite of schoolie-sized fish using soft-plastic baits on jig heads, as well as Daiwa SP Minnows.
Another option is stream fishing for trout. Dave at River and Riptide is planning on hitting the Wood River this weekend. He told me drifting weighted nymph patterns like pheasant tails and princes in slow moving pools is a good bet right now, as well as stripping streamers like olive Woolly Buggers.
If you think it’s way too cold for fishing, you can still get your fix by attending RISAA’s seminars this Monday night in West Warwick. RISAA member Gary Johnson will be giving a talk on first aid for fishermen and author and surf rat Dennis Zambrotta will be discussing his new book, “Surfcasting Around the Block.” Click here for more information and driving directions: http://www.risaa.org/seminars/seminar0113.html.
Connecticut
Ice fishing is back and better than it has been all season according to Blaine at Connecticut Outfitters. Anglers heading out this weekend should have more hardwater choices now than they had all of last year! Not every lake, pond and cove has locked up thanks to winds that just won’t let up, but plenty of shallow bodies of water will be hosting ice anglers this weekend. For starters, CT DEEP is sponsoring the Family Ice Fishing Derby at Patriot’s Park on Coventry Lake this Saturday from 8 AM to 11 AM. Another big ice event is happening on Highland Lake in the northwest hills on Sunday. The group Connecticut Bassmen is putting on the derby from 8 AM to 2 PM, which has a $20 entry fee and over $2,000 in prize money. Andrew at Fishin’ Factory III will have Cyr BBQ selling hot breakfast sandwiches and pulled pork from 6 AM to 1 PM to anglers hitting the ice Saturday and Sunday. Give Fishin’ Factory III, Connecticut Outfitters or other local tackle shops that sell ice fishing equipment a call to get pointed in the right direction, but, as mentioned above, the only way to truly find out what the ice is like is by checking it yourself.
Not surprisingly, there weren’t too many open water reports this week thanks to the freakishly cold weather. Nick at Fisherman’s World said some diehards were still picking away at Atlantic sea herring in western Sound rivers and harbors with Sabiki rigs. He also told me that holdover stripers are still cooperating in the Housatonic River for those crazy enough to target them in these temperatures. Nick suggested fishing with soft-plastic baits on jig heads north of the Merritt Parkway upstream to the Derby Dam. Fishing in one of Connecticut’s 15 Trout Management Areas (TMA) is another way to get a tight line this time of year, as well as targeting broodstock Atlantic salmon in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers.
For saltwater anglers combatting ‘cabin fever,’ there are big events going on this weekend that will help pass the time until spring. The 2nd Annual Connecticut Surfcasters Extravaganza/Winter Demo Day will be held this Saturday at the Saint Lawrence Church at 7 Hemlock Drive, Killingworth, CT. Things will kick off at 11 AM and there will be food, refreshments, seminars, and used tackle for sale and swap throughout the day. Craig Cantelmo of Van Staal will be on hand to answer all your questions as well as announce some exciting news and developments in the extensive line-up of VS reels. There will be reps on hand from Century Rods with a huge selection of blanks and built rods to check out. Dennis Zambrotta will be selling his book, “Surfcasting Around the Block,” and will be available to sign your copy and answer all your questions about fishing Block Island in the 1980s and today. Joe Lyons of Surfcasting Rhode Island will have his “Fish Hard, Live Long” shirts and stickers available for purchase. Gary Soldati of Big Water Lures will be on hand selling his sought after plugs as well as providing a demonstration on the techniques he uses to cut and attach VMC hooks to lures without the addition of a split ring. There will be vintage plug displays by several CSA members, as well as ‘how-to’s’ on rigging eels, on the water rod guide repair, plug building, the art of hand-carving lures and much, much more! Admission is free, however a $3 donation is requested.
The other big event this weekend is the CMTA Hartford Boat Show taking place at the Connecticut Convention Center. Starting Thursday at 4 PM and running through Sunday at 5 PM, there will be dozens of exhibitors on hand from all around the northeast, including On The Water at booths C07 – C08, so be sure to drop by! There will also be informative boating and fishing seminars all throughout the weekend, such as “Basic Outboard Motor Repairs,” “Downrigging for Striped Bass Success,” “How to Read a Nautical Chart,” “Using Electronic Charts,” “Basic Diesel Engine Maintenance,” “Learn how Easy & Affordable it is to become a Safe Competent Skipper,” “Using GPS,” “Using VHF/DSC,” and “Stripping the Bottom of your Boat.” For more information and a coupon, please visit: http://hartfordboatshow.com/index.html.
Fishing Forecast for the Weekend
If you’re going to fish this weekend, your best bet is probably through a hole in the ice. Why not bring the kids to Coventry Lake for CT DEEP’s Family Ice Fishing Derby at Patriot’s Park on Saturday. This will be a free hands-on introduction to ice fishing with bait, tackle and expert instruction available. There will also be a warming lodge with hot coffee, hot chocolate and donuts in case you need a break from the elements. However, fishing in this kind of cold spell is not for everyone, so luckily there are events going on to keep non ice anglers sane! Why not take a ride to the CMTA Hartford Boat Show or the Connecticut Surfcasters Extravaganza/Demo Day? You’ll get out of the house, mingle with other anglers and hopefully learn a thing for two. Whatever you choose to do, good luck and stay safe!