Pictured above: Mandy with a beautiful Farmington River brown.
Cod and sea bass keep biting off Block Island, while most freshwater anglers are capitalizing on a prolonged open-water season.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, said that the recent mild weather has kept things going strong in the Housatonic. Slow-retrieved SP Minnows, along with the usual soft plastics are the top producers. As long as the river doesn’t lock up with ice it should continue to fish well. The Salmon and Farmington Rivers are producing, according to the winter trout anglers. Candlewood Lake is also devoid of ice, and is producing a nice winter smallmouth bite. There was a bit of ice fishing to be had in the northern elevations, and by the latter part of the weekend there should be a few more ice options.
Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, reports that the Housy has been the main destination for most of his customers. Fish can be caught both day and night, but the nighttime bite has been stronger. The vast majority of fish are schoolies, but fish from 20-30 pounds have been showing up fairly regularly. The lower Connecticut River tributaries are also a safe bet for school striped bass, but they are a bit more difficult to locate. Most of the ice in the state has softened up, but the upcoming forecast (at least for a few days) looks promising.
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, reports that the local herring bite has really started to hit its stride, and should remain that way through most of January. The fish are thick in the tidal rivers and harbors, and will readily hit sabiki rigs. The northern stretches of the Housatonic River are producing great numbers of striped bass, and that fishery appears to be having another banner year. Down a bit closer to the mouth, fish to the 20-pound mark have been regularly mixed in. The bigger fish are likely feeding on herring; so bigger offerings have been producing. Large mag darters, SP Minnows and 9-inch Slug-gos are all safe bets. Fish can be had at any time of the day, but the bigger fish have been caught primarily after dark. Ice fishing anglers have had to head way north for some quality fishing, but as we settle into January, hopefully that will change.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reported that he got out on New Years Day, and picked up a respectable number of Farmington River brown trout on assorted nymph patterns. Total flow in the permanent catch and release area was at a low and fishable 102 cfs earlier this week. Torrey mentioned that fishing should remain strong through January, but don’t be hesitant to moving spots. If you are not catching in one area, move on to the next. Winter caddis hatches have been good to excellent most mornings, and they have been bringing fish to the surface. Midges continue to show up most afternoons. Nymphing is consistently productive, and streamers are working well at times too. Most of the river is slush and ice free, but if the colder temps this weekend change that, head up towards the dam.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Narragansett has experienced some mid-week wind issues over the past two days, but Captain Mike reported an excellent day on the water this past Monday. High hook was Patrick, who went home with 7 keepers, and also took pool honors with a 10-pound fish. Fished seemed to be spread out throughout the boat, but keepers were plentiful. Heavy lead with bait seems to be working best during the last few trips. While the weather has been acting up this week, the weekend seems manageable; and the fleet anticipates sailing on Friday and Saturday. Be sure to check with the office ahead of time to confirm.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, said that the strong cod bite at Block Island has not slowed down. The only thing keeping anglers away from some keeper cod has been the poor weather days. There has been a decent pick of school striped bass in the usual haunts along the Providence River. Most, if not all, of the ice in Rhode Island is gone, although the upcoming forecast for the next few days seems promising. Freshwater anglers are making up for the lack of ice with some good open-water fishing. The carp guys are scoring some decent catches in the rivers, trout are biting well in all of the fall stocked areas; while numerous customers have reported good largemouth bass catches in all of the smaller ponds that just opened up.
Mike, at Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, reports that there are still a few customers picking away at schoolie striped bass. The Pawcatuck River has been steady, but there have even been some reports of a few fish around the beaches. Reports from the eastern Connecticut tidal rivers have also been pretty promising for holdover bass. Cod reports have been strong whenever the boats have had the opportunity to sail. Mike will be closing up the shop this week, and will officially open back up on April 1st.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
A bit of an arctic blast is set to hit the northeast over the next few days. Unfortunately, it looks rather short-lived, but should be enough to make some safe hardwater in multiple locations. Once the wind dies down, saltwater anglers should look to Block Island cod, which is going as strong as ever. The same can be said for holdover striped bass fishing in the Connecticut and Rhode Island rivers.