Spring may finally be arriving, as the first reports of river herring are trickling in; while the pike and perch action remains strong across both states.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that quite a few anglers have been heading to the Housatonic, now that the spring weather finally appears to be here. There are plenty of fish in the river, but the fishing remains up and down; herring have started to show, but not in great numbers so the bass remain scattered. The bait numbers should explode in the next 10 days or so, and no doubt the big holdovers will be keyed in on em. The white perch fishing has been pretty good, but most anglers are reporting 10-12 yellow perch for every 1 white perch. The pike bite has been spotty, but the spawn should be ending soon, and the big girls will be hungry. A few anglers are already finding some quality pike if they are out there at the right time and there are tons of smaller male fish to play around with. Spring blackfish and flounder opens up on April 1st, and with the cold March you may want to look deep for those early season white chins!
Chris, at Black Hall Outfitters in Old Lyme, reports that show season is finally starting to wind down, and the guys are starting to fish more. Holdover action has been steady in the lower CT River tribs, and the perch action has been solid at Hamburg. But once again, it appears that there are way more yellows than whites in most of the usual spots.
Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that the bite continues to be strong on the Housatonic, and the bigger bass are still feeding after dark. The best catches have been coming from the shallow drop-offs, with SP Minnows being a mainstay in the tackle bag of most Housatonic anglers. The herring are starting to slowly but surely trickle in, so the large swimming plugs are starting to work a little better. Trout anglers have also been heading to the TMA’s on the Farmington, and many of them are reporting good holdover and wild browns.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in New Hartford, reported that water levels have been unusually good for late March, and that has resulted in some good fishing. Torrey got out over the weekend and scored some good catches on Hot Spot nymphs, egg flies and Mops. The long range weather looks great, with a steady warming trend that will bring the water temps to the mid 40s very soon. This will raise both the trout and bug activity, and should improve the nymphing and dry fly action. If you want quality fish and are willing to work for them, hit the permanent TMA/Catch & Release (C&R). If you want easier fishing and better numbers, hit the stocked sections from Goodwin/Hogback Dam down to Rt 177 in Unionville/Farmington, and that entire contiguous 21 mile section is all open to catch & release fishing only. Below Rt 177 it’s closed to fishing until Opening Day on Saturday 4/14 at 6am. Winter and Early Black Stoneflies tend to hatch well as the temps rise, and the early spring Blue Wing Olives should be around shortly as well.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Captain Frank, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, was pleased to report that he was finally able to get out on the water last weekend. The month-long string of nor’easters resulted in one of the fleet’s longest spells of no fishing in recent memory. They were able to get out Saturday with a good group of anglers, and found some life in a few spots. A good amount of shorts dominated the catch, but a handful of nice keepers came over the rails as well. The weather didn’t cooperate quite as well for the rest of the week, but the fleet anticipates sailing on Saturday. They will not be sailing Sunday, due to the Easter holiday. They are also planning an overnight wreck trip on Friday if the conditions work out; there have been some good reports of cod on the offshore wrecks, so be sure to check with the office to confirm and book a spot.
Mike, at Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, is now open for business for the spring season, and he will be open on Monday thru Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. He has been busier getting the shop ready for the season, than fishing, but he did hear some scant reports of good holdover fishing in the salt ponds and rivers, and that bite should intensify greatly as the river herring arrive in the coming weeks.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, told me that Cesin Curi has been taking advantage of some of the great pike fisheries in the South Kingston area. On one trip this week he found numerous high 20-inch class fish, along with a beautiful 39-inch gator. Cesin had the most luck throwing large swim baits, but these fish will be plenty eager to eat big live or dead baits as well. Carp action has also been very strong in Rhode Island, and good action can be found within 10 miles or so of Providence. White perch and holdover striped bass are still biting in most of the usual haunts, and should remain steady in the coming weeks.
Connecticut Fishing Report
As the calendar rolls to March, it seems we have left the winter weather that has plagued us recently in the rearview. Temps are rising and opening day is right around the corner. Holdover striped bass action remains steady in most of the tidal rivers, and the herring run should be blowing up very soon. Winter flounder and blackfish will be open for the CT saltwater diehards, and the cod boats are finally sailing again for the Rhode Island anglers. The pike action has been strong in Rhode Island, and we should be on the doorstep of the best pike action in the Connecticut. The Farmington continues to be flowing very nicely for late-March, and there is plenty of trout action for those that don’t want to wait until opening day.