Old man winter has arrived with a vengeance this week, and New England ice enthusiasts couldn’t be happier. Connecticut has a fair amount of fishable ice as I write this report, and by the weekend most bodies of water should be safe. Rhode Island is a few days behind, with some of the smaller, higher elevation ponds starting to see some safe ice, but a good deal of hardwater options should open up by the weekend for the ocean state as well. For those who prefer a rod and reel, the cod action off Block Island remains red hot despite the extreme cold and winter stream trout fishing remains a good option in both states.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Narragansett was able to sail through the weekend, and was able to put together another great weekend of cod fishing. Captain Frank reported great action on Friday and Saturday, with high hook for each trip taking home 8 keeper fish. Saturday proved to be one of the best trips of the season thus far, with over 100 fish boated and a few exceeding the 20-pound mark. Sunday saw fewer anglers on the boat due to the rain, but that rain didn’t seem to hurt the fishing as plenty of keeper fish came over the rails once again. The fish came in deeper water on Sunday, up to 140 feet, but covering some deeper water resulted in a good amount of keeper sea bass as well. Monday proved to be another successful trip for the Lady Frances, and while numbers were down a bit from the weekend sizes were up, with a few fish hovering around the 25-pound mark.
Captain Chris, of The Island Current in Point Judith, also reported another great weekend of cod fishing around Block Island. Most of their recent trips saw full boat limits, with some anglers boating as many as 16 keepers. Both the jig and bait bite have been hot and Chris expects that to continue through January. The Island Current will continue to sail each day at 5 A.M., weather permitting, so be sure to check their website for updates.
At Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle in North Kingstown ice fishing gear is starting to come off the shelves quickly, with anglers expecting to hit many of the larger bodies of water by the weekend. A few anglers have already found fishable ice on some smaller ponds, but most are reporting 1-2 inches on the more popular spots; such as Barber Pond, Wordens Pond and Stump Pond. With temperatures not likely to crawl above freezing until Sunday, it is a safe bet that most locations will have some anglers walking on them by Saturday.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, saw ice fishing chatter really pick up steam last weekend and over the early parts of this week. A good deal of anglers found safe ice last weekend, with most heading to the northwestern part of the state. While the northwest corner is the safest bet for early ice, a few bodies of water on the eastern half of the state were also fished over the weekend, and by Saturday ice anglers will find fishable ice on each corner of the state. Andrew also reported that a few brave souls have dodged icebergs this week and remain on the hunt for schoolie stripers in the Housatonic River. Despite the cold temperatures, sea herring are also still getting a lot of attention from Bridgeport to Norwalk. Seeforellen brown trout fishing also remains very popular with local anglers, and Andrew weighed in a 13.4-pound beauty this week. As we transition to ice fishing, the seeforellen craze will continue, as they will be a blast to land on a tip-up or light jigging rod.
Gary, at Connecticut Outfitters in Wethersfield, saw his ice conditions board fill up last weekend with safe ice throughout the northwest corner of the state. As the arctic air moved in this week new safe locations are popping up across the state, and Gary believes that most anglers can be fishing closing to home by Saturday.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reported some excellent winter trout fishing on the Farmington River despite the extreme cold. Reports from die-hard nymphers have been best, and some decent dry fly action has also been reported during the warmer parts of the day. Nymphs, small streamers and midges (sz. 22-28) fished during the warmer afternoon hours are the best bet for winter trout, but don’t overlook the winter caddis (20-24) early morning bite, which can also be very good during January, especially following a warmer than usual night.
At Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, the sea herring bite remains very good locally, with the Norwalk Harbor around the Maritime Aquarium being as good a spot as any. Anglers have been on the docks filling buckets with relative ease, despite the arctic air. Holdover striped bass are still thick in the Housatonic River, although reports are starting to diminish due to the weather. The Norwalk and Saugatuck Rivers have had some good winter trout action, along with the bodies of water that saw stockings of Seeforellen browns. Before the skim ice set in, Squantz Pond was fishing very well for trout and the occasional walleye, and Candlewood had good trout and smallmouth action as well. Once the ice on these bodies of water thickens up, they should be consistent producers throughout the winter months.
Best bets for the weekend
For local ice fishermen your time has come. While many anglers were teased with a few safe lakes last weekend, this weekend should open up all sorts of options across both states. The latter parts of the weekend may see a slight warming and settling of the weather, which should equal some good cod or trout opportunities for the open water anglers.