Connecticut Fishing Report
Evan, at Black Hall Outfitters in Old Lyme, says the fishing continues to get better week by week. Trout are hitting everything thrown at them, from flies, to spinners, and worms. He says big trout have been caught on the Rapala Original Floater and the CountDown Minnow. Hair jigs have been working well for largemouth bass at lakes and ponds. Kayakers are finding perch and pike in the coves and backwaters of the Connecticut River, particularly with swimbaits and spinnerbaits. The holdover striped bass fishery at the Housatonic River is picking up, with reports of larger fish at night. Evan says the best lures have been swimbaits and fluke-style soft plastics paired with jigheads.
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, says holdover striper action at the Housy is holding steady, with fish into the mid-30-inch range. I asked if the water temperature hit 40 degrees yet in the Housy, and he says it’s doubtful. Most of the fish are above the Merritt Parkway, but there are some in the lower portion of the river. The herring run will start in April, as scouts make their way upriver, and it will peak in May. Stripers are beginning to hit swimming lures like Daiwa SP Minnows and Shimano ColtSnipers. Rich says the Norwalk, Saugatuck, and Mill rivers have been stocked well this year with rainbow and brown trout. They’re hitting nearly everything – PowerBait, spoons, micro jigs, and mealworms. Until the water temperatures increase, trout will be the best option.
Capt. Greg, at New England Dive in Wallingford, says trout fishing has picked up locally after some of the bodies of water near the shop were stocked with rainbows and browns on Monday. PowerBait, mealworms, Phoebe, and Thomas lures have been working well, according to Greg. Besides trout, the freshwater and holdover striper reports have been slow. The shop will be getting sandworms soon, and they can be used for early spring stripers.
Greg, with the Black Hawk II in Niantic, says they’re off the water for a few days for maintenance and repairs. However, they might have a few trips to the wrecks and he says the boat will definitely capitalize on the spring squid run in April.
Joe, at Diorio Guide Service, says trout fishing on the Farmington River is slowly picking up in terms of size, but not quantity. On recent charters, the fish have been in the 17 to 20-inch range. A couple of his buddies are finding northern pike in the Connecticut River on jerkbaits, but nothing over 40 inches. He also hit a tidal river and says there are some decent stripers – JoeBaggs Patriot Fish and a Cobra Bait Sad Shad were getting the job done.
View the most recent Connecticut trout stockings here.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, says holdover stripers have been caught on the warmer days in the Pawtucket and Seekonk rivers. He expects schoolie bass to show in South County around the second or third week in April. Even though tautog season opens Apr. 1, they aren’t caught until the third week of April, Dave says. In the meantime, the best options are largemouth bass, white perch, and crappie – he recommended the Roger Williams Park ponds and James V. Turner Reservoir.
Nick, at Big Bear Hunting and Fishing in Chepachet, says the reports have been pretty slow, but some customers have been catching ‘ice out’ northern pike. Even though the largemouth bite has been quiet, working a hair jig low and slow will produce bass this time of year. Nick received a report from a couple customers who found holdover stripers in the eastern part of the state, but the action slowed down during the recent cold snap.
Chris Catucci, of KFL RI Rebels, says largemouth fishing has been slow in the kayak, but he managed a 5-pound bass over the weekend on a Tungsten Flipping Jig with a crawfish trailer. He found the fish on a shallow, sandy flat, which was 3 degrees cooler than the surrounding water. As the spring progresses, Chris will be kayak fishing for tautog in eastern Rhode Island, but it’s all dependent on the weather and water temperatures. He says he prefers fishing the backside of pilings where eddies form swirling waters.
Dustin, of Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures, says largemouth are biting in shallow water on sunny days. He has his friends are having success using jerkbaits and pitching jigs worked slowly on the bottom. The bass have been on the smaller side, in the 2 to 2.5-pound range. Dustin says trout fishing has been good in Connecticut, but he’s waiting for opening day in Rhode Island.
Connecticut Forecast
Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be gems; mid to upper 50-degree temps with plenty of sunshine. If you’re looking to switch it up this weekend, search for largemouth in shallow water with jerkbaits and light jigs. The sunshine will heat up the skinny water and the bass will push up into the shallows. The state continues to stock trout on a daily basis – hit some of the smaller and less pressured streams for numbers. Holdover striper fishing continues to hold steady with soft plastics paired with a jighead. Don’t hesitate to try minnow lures on the warmer afternoons. Connecticut River northern pike are also a good option for March, especially from a boat or kayak.
