Once again we need to look for a weather window in order to capitalize, but the blackfish and striped bass action has skipped a beat for those who have gotten out.
Fishing Report For Connecticut
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that school striped bass are still all over the place, with Pine Island, Bluff Point and Harkness holding the biggest concentrations of fish. Albies are still popping up once and a while in the Niantic area, but that ship is slowly sailing away. Anglers that have braved the conditions and got out after blackfish have found some quality fish. Andrew got out late last week and took a limit of fish to 8-pounds in the New London area. The Hickory Shad bite is strong in the Connecticut River despite the high water, and anglers are also catching around Pine Island. Andrew is now into his winter hours and will be open Friday thru Sunday.
Matt, at Hillyers in Waterford reported that anglers took advantage of the nice 2 or 3 days that we had over the past week and have put a hurting on the blackfish. Action has been strong close to home; no giants have been reported over the past few days, but limits have been pretty easy to come by. There are still some sea bass in the mix, and light tackle striped bass action is going strong from the CT River to the Thames.
Captain Greg, of Blackhawk Sportfishing in Niantic, reports that their first blackfish trip of the season was a bit up and down, but overall it was a success. Some anglers got limits, some struggled to catch, but most were able to take home some filets. They are still running to Block Island for sea bass whenever conditions are good enough, and the bite remains top notch. Heather from the office reports that they will be staying local for blackfish trips on days we can’t get to Block Island due to weather conditions. November trips are weather dependent and by reservation only, so be sure to stay tuned for updates and schedules. We plan on posting trips on a weekly basis. We look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
Rivers End in Old Saybrook reports that the fishing has been excellent for blackfish and there are still plenty of sea bass in the mix. Water temps remain around the 60-degree mark, so we should continue to have some excellent fishing if the weather holds up. Long Sand Shoal remains hot for striped bass, with eels and large weighted swim shads producing fish from 20-35 inches.
Captain TJ, at Rock and Roll Charters, reports that the fishing has remained good despite the weather being awful. Striper fishing has been hot all week with a mix of bass from 20-40 inches. Blackfishing started to ramp up this week, and the drop in water temperature seems to have gotten us back on schedule. Give TJ a call today, he still has some openings right up to mid-November!
Mike Roy, of Reel Cast Charters, told me that the bigger bait has thinned out and the fish are starting to move, but the fishing has been very consistent. Large schools of small bass are all over the place, and fish to 40 inches remain in the mix. Mike’s blackfish trips have also been very successful, so be sure to book a trip while there is still time.
Captain Mike, of Light Bite Charters in Norwalk, reports that the fall run is still going strong out west, with bass and small bluefish blitzing under birds. Blackfish action remains very good with some larger fish moving into the area, but once again most anglers have to battle some rough weather for strong results.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Captain Matt, of The The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, reported some good action on the blackfish trips over the past few days. Wednesday’s trip saw easy limits for many anglers, with fish to 9 –pounds. Thursday’s trip was similar, with a number of limits and at least a couple keepers for all anglers. On Tuesday November 20th they will be running a special 50/50 blackfish trip. The trip will run from 5 am to 5 pm and the cost is $100. Be sure to call the office or book online for this trip and the regular daily trips.
Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Snug Harbor, reported that tautog fishing has been very good on recent trips with plenty of limit catches and pool fish averaging up around 10 pounds. The fishing didn’t seem to take much of a hit from the storm last week and they have been doing well whenever the weather has allowed. 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. Shore anglers are still reporting some decent striped bass action along the South Shore beaches. The fish range in size from schoolies to mid-30 inch class, and are taking swimming plugs, darters and plastics.
Mike, at Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, reports that fishing for striped bass from the beaches remained very good this past week with large schools of bass and baitfish still running the beaches as they get ready for the migration. The bass have generally been on the small side, but there are some keepers and even larger fish mixed-in on occasion. The tautog fishing has been excellent, but once again anglers really have to pick their weather windows or brave some nasty weather. Those who found a window to fish this past week were rewarded with a steady pick of fish up to around 5 pounds. Freshwater fishing for trout has been very strong due to the high clear flows and recent stocking.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
The story of this fall continues, with consistent rough weather hampering fishing plans all over the region. Luckily, we are seeing a couple nice days each week and if you can take advantage of one of those weather windows, the fishing has been strong. Blackfish action is great and should remain that way until at least Thanksgiving. Striped bass of mixed sizes are still blitzing from Norwalk to Rhode Island and light tackle action is as good as ever. Freshwater action is getting going nicely as well, with strong trout reports and some decent pike reports coming in this week.