The first day of spring looked much more like winter, with cold temperatures and snow falling across southern New England. Ice fishermen are still finding safe ice in locations across CT and RI, while open-water anglers are seeing a few more bodies open up, albeit slowly.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Roger of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett passed over the news that the boat stayed at the dock this week due to another blast of winter weather. We have entered spring, and the warmer days are aiding in warming up the water just a bit. Friday and Saturday look to be on the colder side once again, but the extended forecast shows hope of a prolonged warming trend. The fleet will still sail at 5 A.M. if the weather holds up over the next few days, but will be changing their start time to 7 A.M. as of Saturday the 28th.
The Island Current of Snug Harbor was also stuck at the dock this week, but is looking forward to some calmer weather early next week. Be sure to call ahead or check their website for updated trip schedules and start times.
Howard, at Galilee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett, is back around the shop as the spring season approaches. Howard reported that there is still a lot of ice on the local lakes and ponds, which has equaled some late season ice fishing, and may cause some complications for opening day of trout season on April 11th. Not much has been happening on the holdover striped bass front, with colder water temperatures and a lack of herring keeping activity to a minimum.
As noted, some good ice fishing is still happening on many of the Rhode Island lakes and ponds. Wilson’s Reservoir continues to hold over 15 inches of ice and reports have been promising. One angler reported non-stop bass and pickerel action this week, with a couple of the bass weighing in at over 3 pounds. Stump Pond gave up some quality pike and heavy bass this week.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that the Housatonic has pretty much opened up for holdover bass anglers. Cold nights and some blustery winds have keep angling pressure to a minimum, but a few anglers ventured out and reported some quality fish up to 20 pounds. The TMA’s of the Farmington River were recently stocked and fly-fishermen have seen some decent results; while the Salmon River continues to give up a slow and steady pick of trout. The Connecticut River has opened up just about everywhere besides a few of the coves, and Andrew believes a great pre-spawn pike bite should ensue any day now. In the lower portions of the river, the white perch bite is picking up and anglers are reporting good catches on small jig heads tipped with spikes. In other news, ice fishing is still going strong in many locations across the state. Fishable ice can be found in all corners of the state, at lakes and ponds both small and large, but it’s beginning to deteriorate. As always, use caution.
Ian, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, was also happy to reiterate that the Housatonic has opened up, and he is starting to see more and more customers chasing stripers on the river. Trout anglers have had some decent catches on the local TMA’s, while most are gearing up for opening day; which will be coming a week earlier this year. Tautog will be opening on April 1st, but will likely get off to a slow start due to the below-average water temps. Winter flounder will also be opening up, and should provide a decent saltwater bite along the local tidal river mouths and harbors.
Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, was fresh off another successful Surf Day last weekend and reported that while there is still some ice to be had, most anglers are starting to shift gears to the little bit of open water we have. The lower Connecticut River tributaries are producing some small holdovers, while the Housatonic has opened up and is seeing a few larger fish. White perch action is just starting to get going around Baldwin Bridge and the Lyme area, and should really accelerate over the next few weeks.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reported that things are really opening up along the Farmington River, as we continue to gain daylight and slightly warmer water. Dry-fly anglers are starting to score trout with some consistency throughout the TMA’s, and decent reports of fish on top are coming in from Riverton. 4,600 fish were stocked from Riverton to Collinsville on the 21st, which has certainly had a hand in improving things. Wolly buggers, San Juan Worms and Egg Patterns are excellent producers of freshly stocked fish, and this year seems no different. The flow through the permanent catch and release area is at a very wadeable 295 cfs, and remains clear. Dry flies are producing well in the larger flat pools, and fish are rising to take caddis, midge and stones. Bug activity has continued to pick up this week, with tiny black stones and early black stones making big appearances. Imitating these bugs with Tiny Winter Black (18-24) and Early Black (12-16) flies will continue to produce over the next week or two. The shop has ringed in the spring with some fresh hours, and will now be open from 8 A.M.-6 P.M on weekdays and 6 A.M.-5 P.M. on weekends.
Fishing Forecast
It’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but ice anglers across southern New England can still gear up for another weekend on the hardwater. Ice totals are pretty extreme for this time of year, but we all know that they go fast, so take advantage now (and proceed with caution). For those who have been patiently waiting to dust off the rod and reel, the weather looks much warmer in the upcoming week (with the exception of Saturday). Holdover striped bass action should continue to intensify each day, along with pike, perch and trout in the rivers. Opening day is a mere two weeks away in Rhode Island and Connecticut, and I think a lot of us are looking forward to wetting a line after this winter.