Freshwater anglers are passing the time until spring with great carp, pike and bass catches; while the holdover striper fisheries have lit up again during the warm spell.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The cod fleet was quiet once again this week, as despite some great temperatures, the wind wouldn’t cooperate. Hopefully things start to turn around weather-wise, as March can be a great time to fill the cooler with cod. We are in quite a transition, with the quick warm-up making everyone think spring, but we still have some time to go before the spring run truly gets going. Those waiting for the first striped bass to show up at the west wall can poke around in the tidal tributaries in search of holdovers. For freshwater anglers, options are a bit more plentiful. Trout fishing has come to a close, but carp, bass, perch and pike will all be on the feed this month.
Elisa, at Snug Harbor Marina, reports that things have been quiet on the cod front, but multiple boats have mentioned seeing better numbers of fish on the grounds, even if they aren’t biting very well. March is historically a good month for cod, and with the weather settling, hopes are that things are going to improve quite a bit. With the ice gone and the TMA’s closing, freshwater anglers have been looking to largemouth bass, crappie and perch to scratch the itch. In other news, the shop, along with many others in the state, will be gearing up for the RISAA show; that will be held from March 9th through the 11th.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, is getting back into the swing of things at the shop, and told me that the local carp anglers have been taking advantage of the warm weather. Multiple anglers reported good catches this week, and the spring bite tends to be a good one as March rolls on. Trout waters are now closed in the state, and a lot of anglers are starting to key in on white perch. White perch tend to be a great species to target during the winter/spring transition, with their feeding intensity ramping up after ice-out. Largemouth bass fishing has been strong in the small ponds that are warming up quickly; soft plastics are catching well, but the big girls have been eating live shiners. School striped bass can still be found in the Providence, and the first reports of squid are probably not too far away. The warm weather could bring the squid in sooner, and Dave mentioned that some anglers have already been buying jigs.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, continues to fill the shop for spring, and anglers are taking advantage of the recent warm spell. The pike bite is picking up, with fish to 38-inches being reported by shore anglers from Haddam to Hartford. Live and dead baits have been producing very well, but some of the bigger catches this week were on artificials. The rain may murk things up for a few days, but we should be all clear next week. The perch bite (both white and yellows) is just starting up in Hamburg cove, and really should be intensifying in the next few weeks. As expected, the Housatonic saw quite a bit of activity over the last few warm evenings, and most reports have been similar. Anglers are reporting great numbers of school bass, with a good chance of seeing a fish over 35-inches on most trips. The fish seem to be spread throughout the river, and they are on the move. Catches have been strong from both sides of the river, from Route 8 to the Merritt.
Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, said there has been a lot of interest the last week or two in holdover stripers over in the Housatonic River. The strong flow, coupled with some warm nights has equated to a good school bass feed throughout the river, with many more nice keepers in the mix. 5-7 inch soft plastics seem to work best, but small swimming plugs fished slowly are producing as well. Joe also provided details on the shop’s annual Striper Surf Day. The event will take place on Saturday, March 24th, and as always there will be demonstrations, seminars, factory reps, sales, raffles and great food!
It may sound like a broken record, but Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that the Housatonic has seen a major uptick in striped bass action this week. This has resulted in a major uptick in fishing pressure, but luckily the strong flows and big tides seem to have spread the fish throughout the river. Fish could be found in dozens of spots, as opposed to the usual handful that get hit hard in the winter. With more rain and moderate temperatures in the forecast, it should only improve. Freshwater reports have been quiet, with many waters closing at the end of February, but the trout management lakes such as Cwood will remain open through March.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in New Hartford reported that flows have been coming down very nicely in the river as we head towards the weekend, although it looks like we will hit a bit of a speed bump on Friday. The new rain will kick things up for a day or two, but doesn’t look to have any long term negative effect. Flows in the upper river should remain plenty fishable through the weekend despite the rain, and Torrey mentioned that the strong flows often get the big trout biting. These fish will seek refuge from the flows, and often will be close to an undercut bank. Water temps are still cold but not as cold as they were a month ago- currently they are averaging in the upper 30s to low 40s, so fish the soft side of current seams where fast water meets slow water. Nymphing, as always will produce the most trout this time of year, but some rising trout have been chowing on Midges and Winter Caddis.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Having 4 distinct seasons is one of the best parts about fishing our home waters, but the transition periods in between may seem like dead time to some. Another great part of fishing in New England, and what makes many of our fisheries unique, is the ability to find some great fishing between seasons. As trout anglers wait for opening day, there are plenty of TMA areas that will remain open. Striped bass anglers that are waiting for that first sign of sea lice can easily scratch the itch by checking out the multiple holdover fisheries. Great carp, pike, crappie and bass fishing opportunities are also plentiful at ice-out, and can bridge the gap nicely.