The cod and holdover bass fisheries remain stronger than they have in years, while freshwater anglers can bust out the rod and reel like it was late March.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Narragansett seems to be falling into a patter than has rang true for most of the past few weeks; great fishing early in the week, a mid-week wind reprieve, followed by some good fishing around the weekend. Wednesday proved to be another blow out, but Monday and Tuesday saw some very successful cod trips. Monday’s group of fishers saw mostly limits, and those who didn’t obtain limits walked away with at least 2-3 keepers. The pool fish on that trip was a whopping 20-pounds! The fish seemed just as eager to hit jigs as they were to hit fresh bait Monday. Tuesday’s trip saw some light snow, but otherwise strong fishing conditions. A large group of anglers, that didn’t mind the snow, all managed limits relatively easily. There were plenty of double headers and gaffers, as the action was hot and steady. Fresh-shucked clams proved to be the bait of choice, but a few anglers also managed fish on jigs. While Wednesday’s trip was a blowout, the conditions look much better for the weekend, and things should remain red hot throughout.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports that a number of his customers have fully embraced the warm weather and cashed in on a strong open freshwater bite. Trout anglers have been making the trip to Hopkinton Reservoir, and have been rewarded with some excellent catches. Most have reported good action with small, slowly fished Rapala crankbaits. Omega Pond has also been seeing a decent number of anglers, as it has been putting out great numbers of healthy yellow perch and calicos. Ron Lippe spent some time out there this week, and was able to get into some hefty carp to go along with the perch and calico. The holdover bass guys are still picking away at schoolies in the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. Dave will be at the Providence boat show (Booth 6) this weekend, so give him a visit. He will re-open the shop next Thursday.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, said that it has been more of the same for Connecticut anglers. Safe ice is pretty much non-existent throughout the state, although a couple cold days may lock up some of the higher elevation ponds. It doesn’t appear that we can put enough cold days together to make ice on bodies of water that are wide open, but anything that held some base of ice through the warm days may re-freeze. Anglers who trekked way north have been rewarded with some nice pike and perch fishing, but most have had to cross state lines. Anglers are still taking to the Housatonic for some decent holdover bass fishing. Overall, the holdover fishing has slowed a bit, but on warm days things have been much better than they generally are this time of year. Flows are very good and ice free on the Salmon and Farmington Rivers, so most trout anglers certainly haven’t minded the mild winter. Andy will be open all weekend and is running a great super bowl pool, so stop in for some gear and a chance to walk away with some cash!
Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, said that he is spending most of his time gearing up for their winter seminars and getting the shop ready for surf day. Surf day will be held on March 25th, and is always a great time to start dusting off the striper gear and getting ready for the long season ahead. The shop just wrapped up their rod sale, but will be having a lure sale through the month of February. All in-stock lures will be discounted 20% for the calendar month. As far as fishing, most customers are trekking it over to the Housatonic for holdover action. The action has certainly hit its mid-winter lull, but is still much better than it would be during a cold winter. Locally, the Connecticut River is also putting up some decent schoolie action in its tributaries, and a few anglers are also still reporting some great white perch action.
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, reports that the only real show out west has been bass fishing in the Housatonic. As expected, action has hit its mid-winter slow down, but the warm days we have had have provided a good shot at a lot of schoolie striped bass. The combination of an outgoing tide on a warm day has been the ticket for most anglers, and most who have caught have reported having to move from school to school to find one that is biting. Herring reports have dwindled in the harbor, but most think there are still a few good pods of fish around if you are willing to put the time in.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, said that the mild winter has certainly translated into more strong catches along the river. A good number of anglers hit the water last weekend, and results were mixed. A good number did well, a few did poorly, but most anglers found some fish. The best reports came from the nymphers, but fish were also caught on streamers and dries. The 10-day forecast looks “normal”, so the Winter Caddis hatch should pick up in the mornings and start bringing fish to the surface. Winter caddis hatches in the morning, and midge hatches in the afternoons are still the norm throughout the river. The extremely cold or extremely warm days seem to skew things, but most days have a nice pattern of fish surfacing throughout the day.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Another unusually mild winter can become frustrating; open water anglers see the temperatures and can’t wait for spring, while ice fisherman are left banging their head against the wall or driving north. Embrace the change and take advantage of what we have. Ice anglers should have a shot at the lakes in the northern elevations, with the weekend cold snap. Most of the region will remain ice free, and open water fishing for all species should commence just as it would in the spring. Holdover bass anglers are blessed with above average conditions, while winter trout anglers don’t have to worry much about frozen pools or slush ice. The cod bite is the strongest in years, and most days have been mild enough to dress like the fall.