A friend of mine recently dubbed this winter “the season of close,” meaning we’ve been on the brink of having fishable ice a few different times only to see our hopes squashed by rain, wind or spring-like temperatures. Well, we were very close again before this last soaking, so the upcoming cold snap could be just what certain lakes and ponds in higher elevations or protected areas need to build enough hard stuff for comfortable ice fishing. That being said, no fish is worth risking your life over so let’s remember to play it safe out there. A couple of essential tools to carry early and late in the ice season is a spud bar to test ice and you should always have a pair of ice picks to wear over your outer layer. To get an idea of what bodies of water are almost ready, give any tackle shop a call that sells ice-fishing gear, as they are certainly keeping tabs on local conditions.
For those like Pat Abate at River’s End who told me that ice is “only good for Scotch,” there are a number of open-water angling opportunities to choose from at the moment, yet some may soon be harder to do as Old Man Winter finally rears its head. The size of cod being caught aboard local headboats stepped it up a notch this past week. Mackerel and sea herring continue to pummel Sabiki rigs. Trout fishing has been good thanks to recent stockings and temperature spikes. And other options such as holdover striped bass, crappie and smallmouth bass are nothing to sneeze at either.
Rhode Island
Plenty of anglers enjoyed nice weather and big codfish off Block Island this week. Albeit the boat launched from Montauk, two fish in the 30-pound class from the East Grounds were pulled over the rails of the Viking Starship on Wednesday afternoon. Headboats from Frances Fleet and Seven B’s out of Point Judith experienced some quality outings lately too. The Frances Fleet reported 20-pound specimen on Sunday and Monday and a 15-pounder on Wednesday. Captain Mike relayed that a lot of fish are falling for bait only because that’s what many anglers are using. However, he stressed that it’s a very good idea to bring an assortment of jigs in the event that the cod decide they want metal. Hammered, Norwegian, butterfly, and regular diamond jigs have all been producing codfish when they want the “iron clam,” but often it has been more about how the operator is using the product rather than the product itself. Make sure to give the office of the boat you plan on sailing with a call the night before to ensure the trip is still on.
Peter at Saltwater Edge reported that Fort Adams in Newport remains a “go to” spot for bailing mackerel on light tackle from shore and Sabiki rigs are flying off their shelves. In addition, schools of sea herring remain thick off the beaches of South County, evident by commercial midwater pair trawlers working back and forth inshore every day. There have even been rumors of bluefin tuna in the area feeding on the herring.
In freshwater, thanks to recent stockings, trout and salmon remain very popular quarry in the Ocean State. RI DEM’s Division of Fish & Wildlife released 100 Atlantic salmon and 500 rainbow trout in six ponds across the state. The salmon average between 2 and 4 pounds and were stocked into ponds in Coventry and Lincoln. The trout, weighing an average of 3 to 5 pounds, were released into ponds in Coventry, Lincoln, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, and Tiverton. Beverly at Big Bear Hunting and Fishing Supply said that anglers are on the hunt for garden or meal worms. Try setting a worm a few feet under a bobber or on bottom with split shot, though a wide array of artificial lures will work too, including spoons like a Thomas Bouyant, spinners such as a Rooster Tail, or plastic swimmers like a Rapala Countdown.
Ponds aren’t the only places to look for quality trout fishing right now. Dave at River and Riptide said the Wood River is in great shape and holding plenty of fish. He hosted a nymphing seminar at his shop on Sunday and attendants hit some of the Wood’s main access points later that afternoon. Places like the Check-in Station gave up some rainbow and brown trout for nymphers using pheasant tails and hare’s ear patterns with tungsten copper-colored beads.
Connecticut
Until icing over becomes an issue, striped bass fishing in a handful of rivers is a viable winter option. Jack at The Fish Connection again this week told me that resident stripers in the Norwich Harbor have been hit or miss, though mornings and late afternoons have been the best times to connect. He noted that the overall bite is definitely off from recent winters so far, but boat and shore anglers are still catching holdover bass on 5- and 7-inch Zoom Super Flukes in Arkansas or albino patterns on ½-ounce jigheads. The lower Housatonic River continues to produce winter striper opportunities. Captain Ian Devlin and a client landed 15 fish up to 24 inches on Tuesday using the fly rod with a sinking line and ‘half and half’ patterns. He added that these stripers seemed to be strategically placing themselves at specific thermoclines in the water column, regardless of the bottom depth.
Sea herring are another fish on the minds of saltwater anglers this time of year. Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle has seen several customers come in lately for Sabiki rigs and head to the mouth of the Housatonic River or other western Sound inlets. Nick at Fisherman’s World recommended the dock in front of the Maritime Aquarium in the Norwalk River as a great starting point for finding sea herring.
In freshwater, trout fishing in the upper Farmington River continues to be worthwhile. I visited the upper Trout Management Area (TMA) on Saturday and caught holdover rainbow and brown trout while nymphing with brassies, pheasant tails, and golden stone fly imitations. Other freshwater options include smallmouth bass fishing on Candlewood Lake. Teresa at Candlewood Bait and Tackle reported that the winner of a tournament last weekend weighed in a 5-fish smallmouth limit of 22-pounds. Most bass have been taken about 18- to 20-feet down on an Alabama rig, which is akin to an umbrella rig used in saltwater. Crappie are another species that anglers are still catching in open water, especially in Connecticut River coves. Blaine at Connecticut Outfitters told me that some fishermen are hammering crappie in Wethersfield Cove over various brush piles and cribs. Little jigs tipped with pinhead shiners have been the ticket.
Best Bets for the Weekend
We are still in the infancy stages of a fragile ice season, so let’s see what the next week holds before any suggestions are made. For now, take advantage of open-water opportunities that you may not want or be able to do once there is “safe” ice. Some bigger cod have shown up in the waters off Block Island. Joining a headboat bound to the East Grounds could be a wise choice this weekend, as long as you’re dressed well for the cold. For freshwater, trout fishing is not a bad way to go. In Rhode Island, several locales have freshly stocked fish to entice. In Connecticut, the upper TMA of the Farmington River is home to quality trout all year-round and this is a good time to find yourself alone in the better pools.