Connecticut Fishing Report - December 6, 2018

Blackfish and cod are going strong in Rhode Island, while the Connecticut tidal rivers are starting to fill up with holdover striped bass.

Fishing Report For Connecticut

Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that some anglers have been coming through the shop and picking up cod set-ups and rigs, with the word being that the bite has been very good whenever the weather has cooperated. Schoolie striped bass can be found around the mouth of the Connecticut River, and the action in the Housatonic is also starting to heat up. The river has cleaned up a bit and the pike bite is starting to take shape. The fish are beginning to chew in most of the usual haunts, with fish taking large live/dead baits, bright-colored spinners, and swimbaits. The recent cold snap also has many of anglers thinking ice fishing, and Andrew is fully stocked with all your hardwater gear. There may be some fishable ice on the smaller bodies of water in the northern elevations this weekend, but we will need a few more weeks for the bigger lakes. We are certainly trending in the right direction and water temps are dropping quickly!

Blackhall Outfitters told me that the anglers targeting cod in Rhode Island are reporting good results and a nice mix of haddock as well. Holdover stripers are now staging up at all over the large river mouths. They will continue to push upriver as the water temperatures drop. The latest rains have made things tough in the smaller streams and rivers, but the trout bite was strong before and should remain that way as the water levels drop. Look to the larger rivers for trout action at this point, as they are less affected by the high flows.

Max, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, reports that there are still some small schools of striped bass out front but they are thinning out, while the Housatonic reports have remained very steady. Schoolie sized bass up to 30-pounders were caught throughout the lower river this week. Some bigger fish around the mouth feeding on the herring schools that have just shown up. The herring seem to have started to push in well out west, with the Eaton’s Neck and Norwalk Harbor areas producing well. You should have a good shot at finding some herring over the next few weeks before it gets too cold, and don’t be surprised to see some nice striped bass right behind them.

Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing, reports that the best fishing around the Farmington remains in Riverton, above the Still River. The water is in the mid-600 cfs range and has stayed pretty clear. Anglers that got out before the rain last weekend were rewarded with some good catches. Locating areas outside of heavy current and adjusting your flies are paramount, if you do that you can score some good catches. Fishing bigger/gaudier streamers and nymphs, slow and deep, is the best way to find success. You can continue to use the same flies and tactics that have been prevalent all fall, subsurface with streamers and nymphs fished slow and deep. “Junk Flies” (eggs, worms, mops, weenies) remain the best nymphing options, and late morning/mid-afternoon continues to be the best time of day, as the surface temps start to rise.

Rhode Island Fishing Report

Captain Rich, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, has listened to customers’ demands and started running their daily cod trips two weeks earlier than normal. They are now sailing daily at 6 a.m. for cod and sea bass. They will be making one final run for blackfish this weekend. They had another banner day on the cod grounds Saturday, including a ton of cod, scup, sea bass and another load of haddock. The resurgence of haddock has come out of nowhere, but is an incredibly encouraging sign. Captain Mike reported similar results on Wednesday, with a good mixed bag of scup, sea bass, ling, cod, haddock and weakfish. Both the cod and blackfish trips are set to sail this weekend, with the blackfish trip by reservation only.

Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Snug Harbor, reported that there was no shortage of tautog on their trips this past week, although they had to weed through quite a few shorts to find legal fish. Action has been tremendous and keeper fish are there for those who are patient. Be sure to try to get out there this weekend if you can. This Saturday and Sunday will be their last two trips of the season; starting next Wednesday they will be targeting cod, haddock and sea bass from Wednesday through Sundays, 6 a.m – 4 p.m..

Big Game Sportfishing in Snug Harbor, reports say they are still sailing for blackfish. They have been doing quite well whenever the weather has allowed. Most trips have seen fish hit the double-digit mark and limits remain pretty common. Cod and haddock action has also been very good and show no signs of slowing. They are taking reservations for blackfish and cod trips, they plan to sail through January if the weather allows.

Connecticut Fishing Forecast

Saltwater anglers looking to score some meat for the freezer can look to Rhode Island for the last weekend of tautog fishing or some strong cod/haddock action. As freshwater anglers wait for the larger bodies of water to harden up, they can look to the larger tidal rivers for some steady holdover striper action. Also look for pike action in the Connecticut River or some solid trout action in the Farmington.