The recent blizzard hit the pause button on our early spring, but things are still on track to be where they usually are by the beginning of April. The TMA’s are fishing well, holdover bass are plentiful and pre-spawn pike are on the feed.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Narragansett was right there with the rest of the cod fleet that remained sidelined for the week. The winds and winter storm continued to put a damper on things this week, and it remains a waiting game. Once the wind and weather clear, there should be a few good weeks of cod fishing left, so be sure to check the fleet’s website for sailing updates.
Dave at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reported the obvious, that the winter storm last week slowed down the local fishing scene. Some warmer days are forecasted for the beginning of next week, and local anglers will likely look to carp fishing or trout in the TMA’s to pass the time until opening day. Freshwater fishing options will be strong next week, with the only issue being access at some of the spots that are off the beaten path. Hopefully all the snow melts quickly, as everyone gears up for April. Winter-over stripers are still holding in the Providence River and some of the larger Rhode Island salt ponds, and before long they will be showing up around the West Wall. Dave has been spending a great deal of time this winter renovating the store to accompany the large amount of new gear he will have this spring. He was happy to report that the renovations are nearly complete, and he is still on track to have everything all set for opening day.
Connecticut Fishing Report
At Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, Andrew reports that the stocking trucks have filled up the local TMA’s with fresh trout, and anglers were scoring good catches right up to the storm. Access to some areas may be tricky, but there should still be plenty of spots to check out that don’t require too much of a hike. The pike in the Connecticut River are most certainly confused by the latest weather, but anglers are still reporting decent catches on the nicer days. Big live/dead baits have been working better since the temperatures started to dip again. There are still plenty of schoolie bass in the Connecticut River tribs, as well as the Housatonic, and they should fish nicely when things warm up next week. Stay tuned for opening day, as Andrew will have his annual BBQ, as well as helping to put on a huge carp conference for carp anglers up and down the east coast. The seminar is right down the street from the shop, and there will be plenty of carp supplies at the shop and at the seminar.
At Rivers End in Old Saybrook, Joe reports that anglers continue to take to the river for white perch and pike when the weather has allowed. Catches of both species are being reported, but the numbers should really start to get better in a week or two, when things start to warm up again. The Housatonic and Blackhall Rivers also continue to be a mainstay for local anglers looking to bend a rod. This Saturday, March 18, local kayaker Chris Wahl will be presenting a free seminar in the shop on fishing for fluke from a kayak. The seminar is free and begins at 11 AM. Then next Saturday, March 25, is the big Striper Surf Day show which includes special sales, seminars, factory reps, awesome food and more. That will kick off at 10 AM, so be sure to mark your calendars.
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, reported that the Housatonic River started producing some much better fish last week before the cold snap rolled into the region. Striped bass in the 30- to 40-plus-inch range were caught with much more frequency. He said the bite was similar to that push seen in late March when the larger fish seem to come out of nowhere. In all likelihood, the storm and ensuing cold weather but a damper on things, but the fish are there and should start chewing again soon. He also mentioned that the local TMA’s were stocked well, with the flows finally getting back closer to normal. They are open year-round and provide a good shot to get out before opening day.
Torrey, at Upcountry Sportfishing in Pine Meadow, reported that things were going strong in the Farmington prior to the blizzard. Total flow in the permanent Catch & Release area was a medium/normal 290cfs on Monday (197cfs below the dam in Riverton, plus 93cfs from the Still River). With normal flows here again, some normal sized nymphs (#14-16) are working, along with the smaller #18-20 Midge Pupa/Larva that have been so effective the past month. There have even been some good reports on big #8 Mop flies lately too. If you are looking for rising trout, target the soft water in the big wide pools (generally Caddis in AM, and Midges & Stones in afternoons, but that is a very general rule and varies from day to day). The blizzard certainly slowed things down, but the precipitation is needed and temperatures look like they should be up in the 40s by the weekend. If you don’t mind trudging through a bit of snow, things should continue to be good well into next week.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
This week was a tough one for most of us who have been geared up for spring for a few weeks now. Luckily, the extremely cold weather looks to be winding down as we get into the weekend, and fishing in the TMA’s, holdover bass in the tidal rivers and open water pike/bass should all be readily available.