Pictured above: Some monster cod made an appearance on the Frances Fleet this week.
The poor weather has kept the blackfish from getting pressured every day, and as a result the numbers remain excellent for mid-November.
Fishing Report For Connecticut
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that the river is still blown out quite a bit but it is finally starting to settle down. Those looking for schoolies should get away from the river and head east, where a large concentration of fish is reported from Harkness to Bluff Point. Blackfish action has been very good when the weather has allowed. Fish can be taken in shallow water, but it seems the best bite has been coming in 35-40 feet of water. Andrew scored a couple fish just shy of 10 pounds while fishing that depth this week. Pike reports have been quieter than usual due to the river conditions, but some anglers are starting to buy up pike bite; which probably means they’re starting to chew again.
Matt, at Hillyers in Waterford, reports that things are starting to transition out front as the water continues to cool. The scup and sea bass bite has waned locally, but school striped bass can still be found from Niantic to Groton. Blackfish action has been tremendous, despite a ton of short fish. The bite is hot and heavy, with most anglers finding limits after weeding through the shorts.
Captain Greg, of Blackhawk Sportfishing in Niantic, reported some strong blackfish action late last week. The bite is very good, although shorts are greatly outnumbering keepers. That being said; anglers who kept after it were able to make limits. Sea bass action also remains red hot at Block Island, along with scup that aren’t quite ready to leave the area yet. The fleet will continue to fish daily so be sure to check with the office for updated schedules.
Captain TJ, at Rock and Roll Charters, told me that the blackfish bite has been great whenever he has been able to get out. The action is fast and there are plenty of quality fish in between the shorts. TJ presumes the terrible weather we’ve had all fall has kept the blackfish action red hot; as most of the common spots haven’t been picked clean yet. This will be TJ’s last weekend of the season and he wants to thank all his clients who have made this another highly successful year! Be sure to check with him if you’re looking to sneak out one more time, as cancellations/openings can pop up over the weekend.
Mike Roy, of Reel Cast Charters, told me that he is seeing large schools of surface-feeding bass on all his trips and action has been great for light tackle and fly anglers. Most of the fish are under the 28-inch mark, but it doesn’t take away from the fun! Those looking to put fish on ice would be happy to hear that the blackfish action has been improving every day and limits are getting much easier to fill.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing, reports that flows are subsiding in the Farmington and the trout action is heating up. The water has cooled a bit and fish are starting to transition to into slower/deeper pools. He recommends waiting till mid-morning/afternoon if possible, after the surface temperatures have gone up a bit. A number of anglers got out early this week and found some beautiful trout while fishing streamers in the high flows. If you are streamer fishing, experiment with colors and retrieves, as it can make a big difference. White, brown and olive streamers have been working well as of late, but that can vary from day to day.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Captain Rich, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, took advantage of some nice weather earlier this week. Monday’s trip on the full cod and sea bass boat was a strong one and was one of the nicer days this fall. An easy boat limit of sea bass to 6 pounds was taken, along with monster scup, a decent showing of nice cod to 30 pounds, and a nice mix of weakfish, which was a pleasant surprise. Captain Mike had some strong fishing this week as well, with successful blackfish trips on Sunday and Monday. Sunday’s trip was the strongest, with easy limits of blackfish for high hooks and plenty of action for everyone on board. Three fish came in over 10 pounds, and a good majority of fish were in the 6- to 9-pound range. Following the quick winter blast Thursday, it appears we are getting something we haven’t seen in a while: a nice weekend with light winds!
Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Snug Harbor, reports that tautog fishing has been holding up very well with a number of anglers limiting out on fish to 10 pounds. 7- to 9-pound fish seem to be pretty common, which is a great sign, and there has been the occasional 10+ pounder on most trips. Some nice cod and sea bass continue to make an appearance on most trips as well. Tautog trips will sail Wednesday through Sunday at 6am aboard the Seven B’s and they will be running private charters for up to 6 people aboard the Jeannie B. Reservations are required and there are a few private charters scheduled for the Seven B’s in the coming weeks so be sure to call ahead before heading down to the dock.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, told me that the blackfish action remains very solid whenever anglers have been able to get out. Shore and bass anglers are still scoring good catches of fish in shallow water in Newport, Jamestown and across South County. The shop will be closed this weekend, but Dave will open up by appointment for anyone who needs some crabs or any type of gear. Feel free to give him a call at 401-965-2248 for all your fall/winter fishing needs.
Mike, at Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, reports that most local anglers who have gotten out after tautog have been able to find limits of fish to 6 pounds. There has been a lack of true “giants” but the overall quality of the fishery and number of keepers seems very good. There are still large schools of peanut bunker along the coast and school bass can be taken from the beaches. Fish over 28 inches have become hard to come by, but there is no lack of action.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
While you’re reading this the weather may not look very conducive to fishing, but luckily it appears we are getting a pretty nice weekend for the first time in a while. The wind is forecasted to settle and some late-season blackfish trips should be in order. School striped bass will also be around to play with across the region, while freshwater anglers should look to the receding rivers for good pike and better trout action.