Ice fishing continues to be the name of the game across New England, as Connecticut and Rhode Island are seeing negative temperatures that our neighbors from the north are more accustomed to.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Unfortunately, both The Frances Fleet and The Island Current Fleet in Point Judith did not have much to report this week. The non-stop winter weather attack continued along the Rhode Island coast, and none of the boats left their dock slips. All of the captains are eager to get back on the water, with the cod being cooperative on the few trips that were made this month. Hopefully the slightly milder weekend will also feature a break in the wind, and enough of a weather window to get out on the water. Both of the fleets will sail at 5 A.M. on any day that the weather permits, so be sure to check their websites for updated sailing information.
Ice fishing has continued to be the method of choice across Rhode Island, as temperatures have rarely crept above 30 degrees in the past week. Meadowbrook, Silver Spring, and Lincoln Woods are all reported as fishing well for trout on small jigs, with the latter also putting up some decent bass on tipups with live shiners.
Stump Pond and Wordens Pond have been garnering some attention from pike anglers, and a few good northerns were seen at both locations this week. Wordens is proving to be a great multi-species spot, as one lucky angler reported pickerel, perch, crappie, a 4.5-pound largemouth and a 37-inch northern pike on one trip this past weekend.
The Victory Sportsman Club Derby has been postponed this Saturday, but the Burrville Gridiron Club Derby will be happening at Wilson’s Lake. Reports from Wilson’s have been very good, with most anglers reporting excellent perch, bass and pickerel action on live shiners.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, is still selling plenty of ice fishing bait and supplies to anglers who don’t mind braving the frigid conditions. A number of ice fishermen are starting to tell Andrew that the haul across the larger lakes is getting easier. A good amount of the snow has frozen up and/or blown off the ice, and walking is much more manageable. The panfish bite on the Connecticut River remains very good, with small jigs and wax worm combinations being the top producer. Out west, most anglers are focusing on Candlewood Lake, which remains a hot bed for smallmouth, trout and large yellow perch. The holdover striped bass game has literally frozen up, as nearly all of the tidal rivers are close to completely frozen. A few anglers continued to manage some stripers through the ice this week, but they have been tight-lipped about locations. Andrew has started to bring in large numbers of open water lures, tackle and gear for both fresh and saltwater. For those of us who are looking forward to spring, be sure to stop by the shop while he is fully stocked.
At Rivers End in Old Saybrook things have been pretty quiet. The ice on the tidal rivers has kept holdover activity to a minimum, and ice fishermen have still been getting out, but they are choosing their weather days carefully. Most indications are that the panfish bite on the Connecticut River coves has continued to be very good, while walleye reports have slowed a bit at the local lakes. At this point most saltwater anglers have had enough of this winter, and to help usher in the spring Rivers End will be hosting a number of seminars in the upcoming weeks. Seminars include: Advanced Saltwater Fly Tying with Mark Lewchik, Rod Building with “Q”, Diamond Jigging Techniques with Tom Migdalski, Carp 101 with Iain Sorrel, Shallow Water Stripers with Mike Roy and of course Striper Surf Day. Be sure to check their website for updated seminar details, dates and times.
The Valley Angler in Danbury reports that what has been a great season at Candlewood, has continued deep into the winter. Besides a few slow days here and there, the bite has been very strong for big smallmouth and giant yellow perch. Another positive sign are the quality trout that have been caught with consistency all year; this is something that has been lacking the past few seasons. The rest of the Housatonic impoundments have also started to pick up, as pike anglers are reporting some decent catches from both Lake Lillinonah and Lake Zoar.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reports that shelf ice and slush continue to be a problem on the slower moving pools of the Farmington River this week. Trout anglers have been limited to the upper 2-3 miles above the Still River; which rarely freezes. The weekend is forecasted to be a bit milder and some downstream options should open up. Nymphers have continued to have the most success with winter trout; which is generally the case throughout February. Subsurface egg flies (size 10-18) and medium to large stones (8-12) will continue to be top producers through the rest of the month. Torrey noted that the fish tend to congregate in the slower to moderate pools this time of year, and generally if you can find a productive area it will produce multiple hook-ups.
Best bets for the weekend
At this point I think a lot of us are ready for spring and the fishing options that it brings, but ice fishermen across New England should continue to embrace the lengthy ice season we are shaping up to have. Temperatures are forecasted to be above the 30 degree mark this weekend, which seems tropical after the last few weeks that we have had. Other than some potentially damp conditions on Sunday, this weekend will be a great one to spend on the ice.