Fishing Report For Connecticut
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, told me that the ice interest has started to fade for many anglers who aren’t into the softening ice, but the diehards are still finding plenty of safe hardwater, especially those who are traveling north a bit. The Litchfield County area (Bantam, Tyler, Winchester, Park etc.) still have plenty of ice and the cooler nighttime temps should keep things strong for another week or so. Pike action has been good at Bantam; while bass and pike action has been strong at Winchester. Jigging for perch has been solid at Tyler, and some good perch and trout catches have been coming from West Hill. Mansfield Hollow has taken a beating from all the rain and snow melt, but other common eastern haunts such as Mono Pond and Columbia Lake are still fishing well. The holdover bass action has kicked up nicely, with the warmer and longer days; while the trout fishing in the Farmington and Salmon TMA’s is as good as it has been all winter.
Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, told me that things in his neck of the woods have been quiet, with the exception of the diehard striper guys heading towards the Housatonic for holdover action. He was happy to inform me that the annual Striper Surf Day at the shop will be on March 9th, so mark your calendars! The event is free and will feature seminars from Dave Pickering and Pete Utschig, hands-on demos, in-store deals, and specials and tackle reps from Tsunami, St. Croix, Pure Fishing, Northbar and Cobra Baits. More demos and vendors will be added as we get closer to the date, so stay tuned!
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, reported that the striped bass bite continued to slowly improve as the surface temps warm up with the mild temps and longer days. Anglers that have dusted off the boat have found some steady action of school fish throughout the river, and nighttime anglers are catching a good mix of 20- to 35-inch fish, although the majority is just below keeper size. The local rivers and streams have settled down and anglers targeting trout have been finding success on the Norwalk, Mianus and Saugatuck Rivers. Lakes and ponds around the coastline have questionable ice, outside of the small ones, but anglers heading north to the Litchfield County area are finding good ice and good action.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in New Hartford, told me that there were some strong reports over the past weekend, and into the early part of this week. There has been more quality than quantity lately, but there have been plenty of fish to go around. Moderate speed water and fishing depths is still the trend late in the winter, but some better fish are starting to chew on nymphs in the afternoons, in some relatively fast water. As water temps rise in the afternoon most days, trout often get more active and feed, and may move more into the current if there are bugs in the drift. Junk Flies will continue to work well, especially when paired with some regular nymphs such as: Midge patterns, Caddis larva, Pheasant Tails and Hare’s Ears. Slowly fished deep streamers also continue to connect with big trout, and there has been more surface activity in the mornings on Winter Caddis, and in the afternoons on Midges.
Fishing Report For Rhode Island
Captain Frank, of the The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, was happy to report an improved day on the fishing grounds last weekend, after a few weeks of inactivity. They had some perfect fishing weather on Sunday and had high hopes for the bite. The morning was a bit slow, with a few short fish, but after making a quick move they were rewarded with some great cod coming over the rail. It wasn’t lock and load, but was certainly a strong day, with some nice cod, ling and cunners. The crew has also finalized a summer and fall fishing schedule, and will be adding quite a few 3-day trips and overnight trips. Be sure to check with the office for the actual dates and set up a reservation.
Captain Andy, of The The Seven B’s in Snug Harbor, sent an update today saying that it looks like the weather will finally cooperate enough to get back onto the grounds this weekend. Give Andy a call to check on the schedule and reserve a spot!
The ice has taken a beating across Rhode Island over the past week, but a few cold days have let Rhode Island anglers hang onto some hardwater in a few locations. The smaller bass ponds in the northern elevations should be good to go this weekend, and word from Bowdish and Wilsons is plenty of ice and still reasonable edges. Wilsons has been producing some decent perch catches this week, and the bass bite is very strong, including a few fish around the 4-pound mark. Many Rhode Island anglers have also been heading north of the border to Mass, where ice options are much more plentiful. Flows in the trout TMA’s are very clean and very fishable at this point and should provide a great open water option for those that don’t want to try their luck on the fading ice. Look for the Wood River TMA’s to produce some of the best local action.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
A relatively cold week has kept the ice fishing going across many parts of Connecticut and at a few bodies of water in Rhode Island. The southern Mass lakes have quite a bit more ice and can help Rhode Island anglers find some more options, without traveling all too far. Winter trout fishing is as good as ever, with good fish chewing in both states and a bit more bug activity kicking up. Holdover striped bass will remain on the agenda, and for the first time in a while it looks like a decent run of cod fishing weather may be on tap!
tight lines