Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, this Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrookk he told me Things are a little quieter lately as we have weather that feels a little more wintry. For those that have been working the TMAs there have been plenty of trout active, and the flow/clarity has been very good. It hasn’t been cold enough to go over the lakes and ponds so open water fish, pike, bass and trout are available. The state is also starting to stock regular trout ponds, so keep an eye on stocking reports to increase your odds! The bite of the rest has remained steady and will only improve from here, with higher bass activity levels and bigger bait appearing soon. The Westbrook location hosted three shows this month and plans to add a few more in March, so be sure to keep an eye on their social media pages.
Matt Stone continues to arm chartreuse and yellow spinners against Atlantic salmon.
Heather from Black Hawk Sport Fishing he’s done fishing for the season, but has been keeping busy doing work on the boat and starting his Talkin’ Tackle seminars online and attending local fishing shows. His seminar this week will take place on Thursday night and will cover nets, gaffing and proper release techniques. Stay tuned as they will have more seminars in the coming weeks, and you can find information on their website or Facebook page. Be sure to reach out to the ones you’d like to know too, as they’re always eager for suggestions and feedback.
And, at Dan’s Bait, Tackle and Charters in New London thinks we have an interesting week ahead of us. Will the drop in temperatures and possible snow negatively affect the strong winter fishing, which remains ahead of schedule? Current and flow levels are moving well, and the unseasonably warm weather has led to some early spring bug hatches in trout streams. The Farmington, Salmon and Pequabuck rivers have all given up some nice trout, while recently stocked ponds like Ball Pond and Black Rock Lake have plenty of fresh fish to hold us over in the spring. For anglers in the eastern part of the state, Dan mentioned some strong reports from Rogers Lake in Old Lyme. Striped bass anglers are still finding solid relief action in the Thames and Housatonic estuaries, and we shouldn’t be too far from the first river herring arrivals.
Bobby J’s Bait and Tackle in Milford, said striped bass fishing remains the most consistent choice for those looking to take advantage of the mild winter. The bass are becoming more active as the water temperature slowly rises, and it will only get better from here with the first river herring just around the corner. Small, soft plastics on hunting heads are still the safest bet right now, but anglers could start throwing in some bigger offerings when the bigger bait starts trickling in. Trout fishing has also been steady in local TMAs and the Farmington River. The strong Atlantic salmon population this fall/winter is also paying off as spawner reports also remain consistent.
The world of fishermen in Norwalk reports that anglers are still taking advantage of the warm winter to target the remaining striped bass or hitting local trout waters. Bass action in the Housatonic is steadily improving and continued warm temperatures should start the spring/herring run earlier than usual. Trout fishing has been good all winter and nothing has changed, with strong reports from the Mianus, Saugatuck and Mill rivers. Those who made the trip to the Farmington River are being rewarded with some big trout this past week. Most of the regular trout offerings are getting the job done, and fly anglers should start seeing an increase in stonefly hatches as the days get longer.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
The closest to winter weather we’ve had in a while could be on the horizon, but it doesn’t limit the extraordinary amount of open water opportunities in late February.
Despite the weather this week, it’s hard not to see spring on the horizon as the calendar flips to March. Connecticut fishermen can continue take advantage remaining striped bass, how is the bite continued to slowly improve each week. The first run of river herring usually shows up sometime in March, and based on how this winter has gone, I’d bet they arrive a little earlier! The state is essentially open for trout year-round, and although some areas are catch-and-release, all of the TMAs are fishing well. The state also got an early start on trout in its lakes/ponds, so keep an eye on stocking reports to help increase your odds. For those looking to score a nursery salmon, most anglers who are putting in some time are still having success. Firefly fishing should improve soon as the fish begin to put on their pre-spawn feed bag, and there is still plenty oplume water opportunities for bass i belly fish throughout the state.