Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt Stone at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that most anglers have started to transition to freshwater fishing throughout the state or chasing striped bass in the tributaries. Saltwater anglers are looking to striped bass in the tidal creeks and tributaries for the most consistent action. This bite will hold up all winter as long as we don’t enter another deep-freeze period. There are still a few nice-sized schools of bass moving through the western Sound as well, but they’re predominately schoolies. Trout and salmon fishing has been the top freshwater draw, as improved flows and fall stockings have helped anglers find fish, regardless of where they reside in the state. Avid ice anglers are also enjoying the freshwater as well, with one of the colder late November/early Decembers in recent years presenting some solid early ice fishing opportunities. A number of lakes and ponds have 4 inches or more of solid black ice and are fishing safely, especially in higher elevations. Some of these waters will obviously get a reset after the rain on Friday, but ice on a few of the smaller ponds may hold up. Just make sure you check the ice with a friend and venture out with caution if you try to get back out there this weekend. The shop will be stocking a selection of freshwater tackle, so stop by and check it out!
Heather from the Black Hawk in Niantic provided the following report: “We made it out only two days last week, but they were well worth it! Last Sunday (12/7) was a great day on the water. It was drop and reel all day, with keeper sea bass to 5+ pounds, producing an easy boat limit. We had some of the largest scup we’ve seen since the summer, along with a few pollock, some bergalls, and ling. We also had several cod, which were all released unharmed due to the federal closure of the cod season. Last Tuesday was another beautiful day on the water—cold, as expected in December, but plenty of sea bass, with a nice mix of jumbo-sized porgies, ling, bergall, and whiting to fill up the coolers. Even Capt. Greg got in on the action with some nice sea bass. We have only a few days left in the season; when the weather cooperates, get out there and join us! A reminder to get your tickets ahead of time so we can contact you in case of any weather-related concerns. We still have gift certificates available for holiday gifts, so give the office a call and we can get one out to you! Also, a reminder to shop local this holiday season—don’t forget to visit the tackle shops, toy stores, bookstores, restaurants and other places that support our community!”
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Anthony Charnetski from Game On Lures provided the following report for the week: “The ice season has arrived early this year! Most of central CT is starting to see safe ice but it has been very spotty, and you should always be extremely cautious no matter how the ice looks or what reports you’ve received. You can have one lake that is completely locked with 4 to 5 inches of good ice and then drive 10 minutes to another lake, and it has 2 inches with sections still open, especially with all the extreme winds we’ve had this fall/winter. It is very important to take all the safety precautions and it’s best to have a buddy with you early in the ice season. Unfortunately, the extended forecast is looking warm and a bunch of rain so who knows what that will do to the ice. Anyway, it’s been a long time since we’ve had local safe ice before Christmas so I‘m not complaining! The state has done a phenomenal job stocking trout in the rivers, but they also recently stocked lake trout and walleye in a few of the lakes around the state which could potentially provide some fun ice fishing opportunities close to home. The holdover bite remains solid but your best shot at a larger class fish is at night. Guys have been doing good bouncing large eel-style plastics and paddletails at night. The 10-inch DuraTech Eel (especially black/purple) has been getting some solid night eats. If nighttime fishing mid-winter isn’t your vibe, the bite has still been good during the daylight hours, but downsizing to smaller plastics has been the ticket to convert finicky fish.”
Tyler at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that holdover striper fishing at the Housatonic River is the staple for most anglers in the area. There are some local schoolies to be found in the backwaters and harbors but the most reliable bite is in the river. We’re off to a cold start compared to the last few years and the colder it is the more the bass will stack into deeper pockets. Fishing with soft plastics on the lightest jighead possible is the main method for success and downsizing baits as the winter progresses is usually the best bet, with 5 to 7 inch plastics the norm. There should be some herring in the harbor this time of year, though their arrival has been intermittent in recent years. The stocked TMA’s fish well throughout the year and the Saugatuck and Mill are good options. Bait is usually the best bet amid colder temperatures, but small jigs and flies worked near the bottom will take fish as well. The shop is open seven days a week year-round and is well stocked for the holiday season (including gift cards).
Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters said there are still bass actively feeding outside of tidal creeks in the CT river where stripers tend to holdover. He said those fish are biting well on small to medium soft plastics. His season wrapped up last week and he’s already booking for 2026, so give a call to book your spot!
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Saltwater anglers across Connecticut are still looking to striped bass to scratch the itch, although now it has fully transitioned to the tidal rivers/creeks and estuaries. We are fortunate to host a few holdover striped bass populations in our rivers from one end of Long Island Sound to the other. The most celebrated and reliable of these fisheries is no secret, the Housatonic River. But if crowds aren’t your speed there are other opportunities to tangle with less-pressured stripers. The weekend’s rain followed by a quick cool down may slow things down a bit, but the temperatures look seasonable next week, so the holdover bite should get right back on track by the end of the weekend.
Die-hard ice fishing anglers have had an early start to the season due to more solid and reliably safe ice than we’ve seen in early December in some time. A lot of this ice will take a hit with the warm rain on Friday, especially larger bodies of water that are stream or river fed. That said, some of the smaller lakes and ponds have enough ice that they should hold up, with a quick cool down coming after the blast of rain. As always, exercise caution when venturing out on the ice; it could certainly look safer than it is after the wind and rain.
The streams and rivers are producing nicely also, with good trout numbers across the state and the Atlantic salmon bite heating up lately. The streams may blow out a bit for the weekend, but the weather and fishing should be stabilizing right in time for your holiday time off!
This will be our final weekly Connecticut Fishing Report of the season. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!