The weather has started to calm down, but the tautog and sea bass bite has not in both Connecticut in Rhode Island. The cod bite has continued to improve, while Connecticut anglers are having a blast with recently stocked monster salmon.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Narragansett, said that it was a bit of a struggle to get on the water at the end of last week due to the winds, but the weather has settled down and fishing has improved. Sunday marked the first trip in a few days, and saw a full boat limit of tautog to 10 pounds. Action was very good, and limits were reached much quicker than in previous trips. The fishing remained strong through the early part of this week, and should keep up through the holiday. Black sea bass and cod are still being caught on most trips, so anglers are coming home with a nice variety of fish for the freezer. Tautog trips will continue to sail from Wednesday thru Sunday from 6-4, and private charters are still available for scheduling aboard the Jeanie B.
Word from Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly is that there are still decent numbers of small striped bass and bluefish running along the South County beaches. Weather conditions were tough last weekend and kept fishing pressure down, but the few reports that came in were pretty solid from the Watch Hill area and around Quonny. Black sea bass are still being caught on most of the deep structure in Rhode Island, and the tautog bite has remained steady. The tautog bite is still slowly transitioning deeper, but anglers are still finding some decent fish in less than 30 feet of water.
Connecticut Fishing Report
The tough winds late last week kept a good deal of anglers off the water, according to Hillyers Bait and Tackle in Waterford. Sunday and Monday provided a decent reprieve from the weather, and the tautog hunters reported continued success most of the eastern sound reefs and rockpiles. Some fish are still being managed in the shallows by boat and shore anglers, but the bigger fish are coming from the reefs in 30-50 feet of water. Bass and bluefish reports have been quiet, but it’s a safe bet that there are still some fish hanging out by the millstone outflow.
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, reported that the past few days he’s heard of multiple solid reports of a good bite of small striped bass and bluefish along the South County beaches. The weather has settled down and the anglers that are still pounding the surf are being rewarded. Good numbers of gannets are being reported throughout South County, so it looks like the late season herring push is here and the bass are taking notice. Anglers that are still out targeting blackfish are having no problem finding decent keepers, but the bite is now predominantly taking place in 40-50 feet of water. With the weather conditions being unsettled last weekend, many anglers took to the freshwater. Anglers targeting northern pike in the upper stretches of the river saw a nice increase in action over the past few days. This bite should continue to improve, as these pike tend to go in feed mode as the ice approaches.
Mike Roy, of Reel Cast Charters, was out on the water whenever the weather permitted this week, and will continue to run charters until the end of the month. Mike reported a steady bite of 20- to 30-inch striped bass around the mouth of the Connecticut River. The action is not hot and heavy like it has been over the past few weeks, but with a little patience Mike was able to find some short-lived but solid topwater blitzes. Most of the reefs are showing similar results, so the bite is not yet confined to the tidal rivers. Mike has also been running blackfish trips, and has had no problem putting customers on fish throughout Long Island Sound.
Ian, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that there has been some good topwater action along the western sound beaches over the past few days. A mix of small keeper striped bass and 10-plus-pound bluefish have been feeding along the beaches, with late afternoon and dusk being the primetime to find a blitz. A few blitzes have popped up around dawn, but the warmer late afternoon hours have been much more consistent. Tautog action has been very good on most of the reefs and rockpiles, and anglers are now looking to 30-40 feet of water for the best results. A few sporadic reports of herring are starting to come in, but it doesn’t appear that the strong early winter bite has really started yet. Freshwater anglers have renewed interest in the Saugatuck, as the state recently stocked it with Atlantic salmon.
Best bets for the weekend
An early look at the forecast shows a bit more promising weather than last weekend. For those looking to mix in some fish with their Thanksgiving dinner, now is a great time to hit the water. Tautog is going strong in both Connecticut and Rhode Island, along with the ever-consistent black sea bass. The cod bite also appears to be taking off, and a trip on a Rhode Island charter boat is not a bad way to spend some of your time off around the holiday. Fall freshwater opportunities will also continue to grow, as we are now in the midst of a great time to target pike and trout; along with the freshly stocked Atlantic salmon for Connecticut anglers.