Connecticut Fishing Report
Update: February 27, 2025
A lot can change in two weeks. Since our last Connecticut Fishing Report update, early spring temperatures have enveloped southern New England. It would appear that Punxsutawney Phil, the weather forecasting groundhog, was wrong about six more weeks of winter. While anglers in northern Connecticut still have enough safe ice going into the weekend, ice has been melting rapidly in the lakes and ponds closer to the coast. Anyone venturing onto ice in the Constitution State this week is urged to use extreme caution.
There’s still skim ice covering a majority of ponds in southern Connecticut, which has kept bass fishermen from sneaking in a few casts—but that will likely change over the next week. Recent rain and mild weather are helping the ponds to thaw, and daily air temperatures are only rising from here. For now though, the best fishing opportunities lie in the trout streams, where that rain and ice melt have led to a steadily improving bite from brown and rainbow trout.
Matt Stone at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook said that safe ice is quickly disappearing along coastal Connecticut, especially around shorelines. Matt went ice fishing in northeast CT on Tuesday and started with about 5 inches of ice, 3 of which was nice strong ice with 2 inches of weak, airy ice. By midday, he said he was standing in 2 inches of slush and the edges were gettin sketchy. The ponds closer to the shop, he said are definitely out of the question for ice fishing. Thankfully, there are plenty of other opportunities to wet a line, with the best fishing happening in the trout streams. People are catching brown and rainbow trout on the fly as the ice melt and recent rains helped to improve flows a bit. However, Matt is hoping to fish for holdover stripers next week with more mild weather ahead. Finding ponds and lakes with open water may be tough to come by over the next week, so look to the rivers and streams if you’re itching to wet a line.
Captain Joe Diorio of Diorio Guide Service said he did a little ice fishing last week but the ice is clearly starting to deteriorate. Last he checked, there was still around 13 to 17 inches in most places near Hartford and just north, but if it looks questionable, it’s always better to err on the safe side; if there’s an inch of water or slush on top, consider steering clear. Joe noted that the Farmington River action has picked up as a result of some recent ice melt. He had a couple of guided trips that produced some quality brown trout on eggs, flies, and jigs since last week. He plans to continue guiding trips on the Farmington before starting his striper season on or around May 1. Head over to Joe’s website to see what trips he offers, or give him a call to inquire about available dates this season.
View this post on Instagram
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Connecticut
Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reported that the local ice is slowly melting away, which has kept area anglers in a state of fishing limbo. Because many of the lakes and ponds are covered with unsafe skim ice, most fishermen are turning their attention to the Norwalk, Saugatuck, and Mianus rivers for trout, which are being caught on flies, hair jigs, and small soft plastics.
Jason at Bobby J’s Bait and Tackle in Milford echoed the reports above. He said they’ve had customers heading about a half hour north of the shop where there’s still some ice that is yielding mixed results of bass and panfish, though it’s unlikely that ice will be around much longer as safe shoreline access will be tougher to come by. Holdover stripers, he added, are waking up in the rivers and should be more willing to eat soft plastics, especially after a string of days with mild temperatures. The trout streams continue to garner the most attention from anglers who can’t bear to wait for open water.
Anthony from Game On Lures said: “This winter has produced a ton of ice in the state with some northern areas seeing up to 18 inches! The action has been steady on panfish and bass with anglers having success on shiners, jigging spoons, and jigs tipped with spikes. The pike action has been much slower than years past with a lot of people struggling to get on a good bite. Dead baits seem to be getting the most attention in tough conditions. With the winter being so cold this year, the guys who have had the striper itch have been able to successfully target them through the ice, which is always a blast. The weather is looking very warm coming up, so be extremely careful while getting on and off the ice from here on out. The main lake ice will be here for a while but the edges will melt quickly, so make sure to stay safe and watch the edges during those warmer days on the ice.”
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
For anglers eager to end their ice fishing season on a high note, there’s enough to go around in the northern reaches of CT—however, ice conditions are beginning to vary drastically in different bodies of water. Always fish with a partner, and ensure you have the proper gear before heading out. The main portions of many lakes and ponds may be safe, but getting on and off the ice without going for a swim is going to be very risky. The forecast for Saturday shows sunny skies with temperatures reaching almost 60 degrees in some areas!
For the best bet to bend a rod, head to one of the many trout streams across the state. Keep in mind that beginning on Saturday, March 1, until 6 a.m. on the second Saturday of April, trout fishing will be catch-and-release only statewide per CT DEEP freshwater fishing regulations. As tempting as it may be to keep a hefty rainbow for dinner, those fish will have to be returned to the stream.
For a chance to have your photo featured in an upcoming fishing report, email your picture to our Assistant Editor (mhaeffner@onthewater.com) with a sentence or two about what you caught and how.
Be safe out there and enjoy the spring weather that’s on the way!
February 13, 2025
Ice fishing is still the main draw for Connecticut anglers this week in what continues to be the best ice season in recent years. Northern pike, chain pickerel, and largemouth bass have been providing the most consistent action for those fishing live bait, while others are employing electronics to lead the way to steady bites from panfish like yellow perch and bluegills. It’s worth noting that many shops remain on winter hours, so if you’re planning to hit the ice over the next week or so, give them a call to inquire about bait availability so you can secure it in advance.
If acquiring bait is a struggle, another technique anglers can use is catching a handful of panfish like bluegills, pumpkinseed, or yellow perch, and setting them out on tip-ups to catch bass and pike. Panfish can be caught with relative ease using small jigs tipped with mealworms, nightcrawlers, or scented micro plastics like grubs.
For anglers who’d rather ply the streams and rivers in search of some hungry trout, the good news is fishing has been improving with a recent spat of warmer-than-average weather by this winter’s standards. It’s worth noting that come March 1, until 6 a.m. on the second Saturday of April, trout fishing will be catch-and-release only statewide per CT DEEP freshwater fishing regulations. March may seem like a long way off, but the first of the month will be here before you know it.
Anthony from Game On Lures said: “The steady cold nights and low daytime temperatures have led to a long-awaited proper ice season! The pike reports seem to be much quieter than years past through the ice, but anglers are still running into some good fish on pond shiners and dead bait right off the bottom. Small to large shiners on a tip-up is the ticket for just about any species, however, small jigs with grubs, spoons, and jiggin’ raps have been proving effective for guys looking to catch on rod and reel. Even thought we are experiencing a little bit of a warm spell right now, the extended forecast looks cold—fingers crossed we have a few more weeks of ice! For anglers looking to target open water, this little stretch of warmer weather has thawed out some of the trout creeks and backwaters so you can always break out the fly rod while it’s open.”
Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reported that ice fishing has been great in local ponds and larger bodies of water throughout the state. There have been some nice pike caught through the ice for the anglers willing to travel for a bite. Meanwhile, largemouth bass, perch, and other panfish are keeping things interesting for ice anglers in the area. The shop is currently stocked with augers, ice jigs, mealworms, spikes, and shiners of all sizes; live shiners on tip-ups are the best bet for pike and bass. In addition to good ice fishing, the Mianus, Saugatuck, and Norwalk rivers have experienced some ice melt and are yielding good numbers of rainbow and brown trout thanks to increased flows. Small spinners and soft plastics on jigs have been the most productive offerings, and a few anglers have been catching on wet flies in the fly-only areas of the TMAs. Stripers are still chewing in the river at night, with 1/2- to 3/4-ounce jigs and 4- to 6-inch soft plastics worked slowly over bottom being the most effective—especially after the recent snowmelt muddied up the water a bit. Stop by the shop to re-up on ice fishing gear before temperatures drop again next week, as there’s typically a rush to pick up bait.
Captain Joe Diorio of Diorio Guide Service said he hasn’t been out guiding too much lately, but he did do some ice fishing earlier this week. Joe said the panfish were chewing very well, especially crappie. Trout fishing, he said, has been pretty steady on the streams and rivers with the recent stretch of mild weather freeing up some spots of ice. He hopes to get back out there a little more this week. Shoot him a message or a call if you’re looking for a guided trout fishing trip this winter!
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Connecticut
Jason at Bobby J’s Bait and Tackle in Milford said ice fishing on local lakes and ponds has been a safe bet for some action from bass and panfish despite some more mild weather this week. Fishing for holdover stripers has been hit or miss; fewer fish are being caught, but that’s likely due to the lack of good weather windows to fish without ice on the river. The days following a warm rain will perk them up. The shop is currently carrying shiners, but they remain on winter hours, open from Thursday to Saturday. They have a small selection of augers, tip-ups, and ice rods in addition to live bait, so swing by while they’re open if you’re planning to hit the ice over the next week. Sub-freezing conditions are back in the forecast, and they anticipate good ice fishing to continue.
Matt Stone at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook said: “There’s still lots of good ice in the area. I had about 8 inches of ice where I was fishing on a 45-acre lake, just about 8 miles inland from the shoreline of the Sound. It looks like there’s some snow melt happening today, but a freezing-cold week ahead should resolidify whatever ice melted off. I was using minnows for bait and a Swedish Pimple to jig, which yielded one 16-inch chain pickerel. There are still lots of good catches coming through the ice elsewhere, including bass, pike, and panfish.”
View this post on Instagram
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Daytime inland air temperatures will continue to hover around the freezing mark for the next week or so, while temperatures closer to the Sound will be only slightly more mild. With overnight temps well below freezing, ice fishing season is here to stay for now. Still, anglers are encouraged to use caution when venturing out onto the ice even though most areas have more than ample coverage. Good fishing for the usual suspects—bass, pike, pickerel, and panfish—should continue right up to the end of the month when some mild weather begins trickling back into the forecast.
Anglers frequenting the hard water are encouraged to pack basic ice safety gear, use the buddy system, and always let someone know your whereabouts in case of emergency. Enjoy the ice fishing season while it lasts, and if you’d like to have your photo featured in an upcoming fishing report, send an email to our Assistant Editor (mhaeffner@onthewater.com) with a sentence or two about what you caught and how.
Stay safe out there, use good judgement, and catch ’em up.