Weather has been a challenge, but bottomfishing remains steady across Block Island and Long Island sounds, and freshwater fishing continues to improve.
Connecticut Fishing Report
At Hillyers Bait and Tackle in Waterford, the guys reported that there have been some large schools of bunker around the mouth of the Niantic and Thames rivers this week, although there hasn’t appeared to be anything feeding on them. The schoolie bass bite inside the Niantic River has been strong and improving, and reports from the Thames indicate that some bass may be starting to stage up around their winter haunts. Tautog and black sea bass reports have been down due to the weather, but the reports that have come in are strong, specifically from Black Point.
Andrew, at Fishin’ Factory 3 in Middletown hasn’t had much in the way off saltwater reports this week, but believes that the tautog and schoolie striped bass fishing will remain consistent as get to some more settled weather later this weekend. Inland, the northern pike fishing in the upper river has improved this week, due in large part to a drop in surface temp and an increase in flow. Nearly every cove, backwater and marina is holding good pike, with large dead baits being the top producer. The panfish jig bite also remains strong across any large structure in the coves, and that will likely keep up all the way up to and through first ice.
Over at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, there hasn’t been a whole lot going on in the saltwater world but prior to the tough weather the blackfishing was very good on the deeper western sound reefs and rockpiles. Water temperatures have been fairly stable so that blackfish bite should remain a good one if you can sneak out over the weekend. There hasn’t been a whole lot reported in terms of striped bass, with the exception of the Housatonic River where fish are starting to setup in their winter patterns. While schoolies dominate this fishery, a few good bass are plucked out every fall and this one appears no different with a few fish pushing 25 pounds reported recently. Freshwater reports have increased recently and it appears that the rain helped the trout fisheries in the local rivers, as well as the broodstock salmon fishery in the Naugatuck. The Saugatuck Reservoir was restocked with trout and anglers fishing the banks with live shiners are reporting good catches of trout and smallmouth, with a few bonus walleye mixed in. A good smallmouth bass bite is also reported from Candlewood Lake; which is usually the case throughout late November and right up to first ice.
Torrey at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow reports that flows have just started to come up a bit following the most recent rain event, but the clarity remains excellent. The warm weather at the beginning of this week set the table for some great trout fishing and with more warming in the late weekend forecast, it should continue. We are now at the peak of the November olive hatches and small #22-#28 presentations are a top producer. Some tan (#16-#18) and winter caddis (#20-#24) are still around, and the larger fish are still willing to hit large streamers.
Fishing Forecast
As I write this, most of Connecticut is bracing for nearly a foot of snow and ice. That type of forecast may make it appear that it is time to pack away the open-water gear and dust off the tip-ups, however this preview of winter looks like it will be a brief one and we will see calmer weather and warmer temperatures later this weekend. Water temperatures have yet to really plummet too much in the salt, and if your boat isn’t winterized there should be plenty of tautog chewing across Connecticut this weekend. Freshwater options are plentiful throughout our region and using the extended weekend to go after some small stream trout or bigwater pike is a good idea before this white stuff becomes much more common.