River herring continue to course our tidal rivers and striped bass fishing remains excellent with larger bass showing up daily to score an easy meal. Things are starting to blossom in the salt, although the cool spring and the resulting cool water has kept us a few weeks behind. Meanwhile, spring freshwater fishing remains excellent across Connecticut.
Rivers End in Old Saybrook reported that the mouth of the Connecticut River has struck its peak this week as a larger class of bass have appeared and are starting to hit on the surface. Large soft plastics, such as 9-inch Slug-Gos and Fin-S Fish, have accounted for a good number of keeper bass in the lower river this week, and a few 40-inch class bass have come to anglers soaking bait. The upper stretches of the Connecticut River may still be a better option for large bass as good numbers of fish are still actively feeding on river herring in the northern tributaries. The sound-side beaches around Old Saybrook and Old Lyme are starting to see some arriving schoolies, but for the most part the eastern sound remains quiet with surface temps remaining in the lower 50s.
Andrew at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown has been seeing quality striped bass hitting his scale all week, as the herring run remains in full swing in the upper Connecticut River. Large soft plastics, topwater spooks and swimming plugs have all accounted for good bass this week with the best fish coming during the nighttime hours and right around dawn. Freshwater species have also woken up in the upper CT River, with reports of good northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing coming in this week as the water has cleaned and flows recede.
Mike Roy of Reel Cast Charters had another good week chasing striped bass through the Housatonic River. Mike reported excellent catches of school-sized bass around the mouth of the river, and while action has slowed a bit there remains some larger bass on the hunt for river herring around Shelton and Derby. The striped bass bite has really yet to materialize in Western Long Island Sound but Mike was able to boat his first couple weakfish of the year. A very good weakfish run has been reported from New York and New Jersey, so it’s shaping up to be another good season for weaks in Connecticut.
At Fishermen’s World in Norwalk, a good winter flounder bite has kept anglers busy and keepers are still being caught with some consistency in Norwalk Harbor, around the islands and in the mouth of the Saugatuck River. Rich reported that the striped bass fishing has really started to heat up in the area and is starting to take away from the attention that was being paid to winter flounder. The Norwalk area is loaded with school-sized bass in the harbor and around the islands, while the Saugatuck River has had a nice mix of shorts and keepers that have been actively feeding on river herring. While fluke opens in Connecticut this weekend, the few anglers that have been out scouting believe it will be a few more weeks before it really picks up in Connecticut waters. Some keeper fluke have been reported just south of Long Island but not in the kind of numbers that would really justify steaming all the way out there just yet.
Freshwater fishing in western Connecticut remains very good as the state DEEP has re-stocked trout in the Saugatuck and Norwalk rivers and anglers are reporting plenty of trout to go around. The Saugatuck Reservoir has started to heat up recently with 3-pound class smallmouth bass crushing soft plastics and live shiners, and a few 3- to 4-pound brown trout falling to Kastmaster-type spoons.
Fishing Forecast for Connecticut
The middle of May usually signifies the first opportunity at a great multi-species day in the salt, but with water temperatures a few degrees below the seasonal averages, time may be better spent combing the tidal rivers that are still boiling with river herring and hungry stripers. Freshwater fishing doesn’t get much better than it is right now and this weekend may be a good one to go after some freshwater bass or trout before you bust out the saltwater gear for the season.
That fish is so totally photo shopped. no one holds up a fish that big with one hand. not that little guy
you obviously don’t know Blaine at all. he runs charters all over the river and the sound. he catches fish like this regularly. there is not a snowball’s chance in h3ll that this picture is photoshopped. take a ride down to CT Outfitters and tell them this picture is shopped….