Fishing CT Report - February 19, 2015

Old man winter just won’t quit. Some parts of the state have been blanketed in more snow this week. We are also experiencing some very frigid weather with some nights being single digits to sub-zero temps. This is the kind of weather that really separates the boys from the men. It seems only the die hard anglers have been out on the ice this week. Reports were slow but some good largemouth came from Candlewood, Ball pond and Coventry. Smallmouth reports came from Candlewood, Lillinonah and coves on the CT. The fishing has been slow but if you find the right areas you should be able to produce some decent fish. Bathymetric maps are amazing and so is the Navionics app. Good areas to look for are humps and structure that drop into deeper water. Any flats that may be adjacent to these places are used by fish to feed and these areas can also be very productive. Its a good idea to set some tipups to cover a space. Then go jig around to draw them in and find some fish!

Trout reports were good with some nice fish coming from Candlewood, Squantz, Ball pond, Highland and Black pond. Candlewood produced the best quality trout again. We haven’t heard of any big seeforellen hitting the ice anywhere in the state the week. A few small northerns were reported at Bantam and coves on the CT. Things are really slowing down for pike and dead baits are your best bet for now. Some walleye came from Coventry and Beach pond. Nothing substantial though, just some that were barely keeper sized. Pan fish are saving the day and keeping anglers busy. There are always plenty of perch, crappie and gills to go around. Anglers have been finding success on Candlewood, Coventry, Avon, Lillinonah, Zoar, Long Meadow, Hatch pond, lake Housatonic and Tyler lake. Of course coves on the CT are still fishing well for jumbo yellow/white perch and slab crappie. Even Wethersfield cove is producing and it gets pounded every year. Try looking for ice that doesn’t resemble Swiss cheese if you want a chance at some excellent fishing, though. If you’re really having a hard time finding fish, don’t worry because the pickerel will find you. Pickerel are usually an unwanted bycatch but they’ll keep that skunk away on those rough days. There has also been a lot of buzz about holdover schoolie stripers (and some keepers) being jigged up. Obviously, these fish are in our tidal rivers. But anglers are very discrete about their locations so you’ll have to do the legwork if you want a chance at icing some linesiders.

NOTE: The Fishing CT ice fishing tournament is being held this Saturday, 2/21 at Wethersfield cove.
http://www.fishingnortheast.net/wp/fishing-cts-1st-annual-ice-fishing-tournament