Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that he spent some time this week working some of the trout waters in the state and has found some success targeting hungry rainbows in the Salmon River. The water has been clear and flowing nicely (although that may change after Friday), and the trout have been taking flies, egg sacs, inline spinners, and Berkely trout worms. Ice fishermen aren’t going to get a chance this week, but shouldn’t have to wait too long, with the temperatures likely to drop right off after the rain Friday. The holdover striped bass fishing has been quieter than usual in the Eastern CT creeks and tribs, but the Housatonic is supposedly still fishing well. Freshwater bass anglers are still reporting good catches of smallmouth and largemouth on hair jigs in the CT River.
Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing reported that when they were able to get out this past week, the fishing was excellent! Last Thursday had a great group of anglers and full coolers full of jumbo sea bass, porgies, and some cod in the mix as well. Their trips now are completely based on the weather- they will get out as much as possible, so be sure to check in with the office before your trip! Check our website for schedules and tickets. As a reminder, they post new trips every Monday night at 8 p.m., for trips approximately 3 weeks ahead of time.
Dan, at Dan’s Bait, Tackle and Charters in New London told me that anglers who don’t mind battling some winds have been able to manage some nice catches of holdover striped bass in the local tributaries and tidal rivers, along with some school bass still running along the beaches. Most are reporting the best success with soft paddletail plastics on a jighead from 1-3 ounces. A few of the fish will still take a swimming plug, but as the temperatures continue to drop, slowly worked soft plastics will be the top producer.
Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters reported that they have wrapped up their season, but they were still finding plenty of striped bass that were eager to chew in the lower CT river last week. Anglers looking to get out for some light tackle striped bass action should find no shortage of fish right up until the ice shelves start floating down. Mike wanted to thank all of his customers for another great season and wish everyone Happy Holidays!
Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that most of the local anglers are now making their way to the Housatonic for holdover stripers. At this point in the season, the most effective area seems to be north of the I-95 bridge, with fish taking smaller baits in the 4-6-inch range. The bite can be up or down depending on the day but focusing on fishing the later portion of a warm stretch is usually your best bet. Trout fishing in the local streams can be good and hitting the small streams with flies, bait and small lures can be productive. It looks like we will have some ice fishing opportunities in the near future, and the shop is fully stocked with shiners and ice gear for the season! The Saugatuck Reservoir has still been fishing good for bass and walleye for anglers hanging shiners under slip bobbers, but that will likely be coming to an end as it should be frozen over and closed for the year after this weekend.
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Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Connecticut anglers can continue to take advantage of an abundance of striped bass. The Connecticut holdover bite has been a steady producer for years, and this year seems to be no different. The hot bed of the Housatonic is just that, with good reports from both shore and boat anglers. If you’re not looking to head to the Housatonic, there has been some good schoolie action in the lower CT River, Thames River, and most of the small Eastern Sound estuaries. Freshwater anglers can take advantage of another round of Atlantic Salmon stocking in the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers, along with some recent fall trout stocking. Anglers fishing many of the state’s lakes and ponds are finding a strong pre-ice bite for smallmouth, largemouth and crappie, and there should be ample opportunities to find some safe ice after this weekend!