Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, this Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook he told me he was finding some success fishing the newly stocked Atlantic salmon before the rains. He has managed most of his fish with line spinners, but the center and spoons can also work. Now that the rain has arrived and the temperatures have started to drop a bit, the bite may change, but the fish are sure to still be there. Ice anglers have had some fun on some of the smaller lakes and ponds across the state, but the ice is about to take another break, so look to the open creeks of the Connecticut River for some action pike or open water fish. Striped bass fishing has been quieter than usual in the creeks and tributaries of eastern Connecticut, but the Housatonic is still expected to fish well and will only improve as the water continues to clear.
Matt Stone has found a solid Connecticut Atlantic salmon bite over the past week. (@sunrisekayakfishing)
Heather from Black Hawk Sport Fishing reported that they ended their season on a high note, with some good trips during the holidays. They had a good run of bass before the season ended, along with some cod, haddock and pollack. They are now done for the season as they are pulling the boat for some maintenance. Be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook page and/or websites for updates on the spring sailing schedule!
And, at Dan’s Bait, Tackle and Charters in New London told me anglers have started to take advantage of the recent warm-up, with some decent bass catches in the Thames and Connecticut estuaries. The recent rains have muddied things up a bit, but it’s clearing up quickly. Most are reporting the best success with paddletail soft plastics on a 1- to 3-ounce jighead. Some of the fish will still take a swim plug, especially on warmer/sunnier days. Saltwater anglers heading to Rhode Island for cod had a solid week as the weather has finally started to cooperate a bit.
Bobby J’s Bait and Tackle in Milford reports that fishing on the Housatonic was strong prior to the rains and should settle in nicely by the weekend. Anglers fishing the deeper holes during the day are finding large numbers of schooling bass, while anglers fishing from shore or a boat after dark are finding bigger fish. Slowing down your presentation is the ticket this time of year, but don’t be afraid to cast some larger profile lures after dark to help clear out the smaller fish. All the safe ice we had in the area is now gone, but freshwater anglers are still finding good catches of trout in the TMAs.
The world of fishermen in Norwalk reports that the Housatonic River is piqued the interest of most local anglers. The recent rains have messed it up a bit, but the flows are easing now and it should settle well by the weekend. 5- to 10-inch soft plastics on light heads are still the ticket for winter detritus fishing. The middle parts of the river are producing the best bites now, which is usually the case in early winter. We certainly lost the ice we had in the area after Christmas, but freshwater anglers who took up trout fishing are reporting good results in most of the local trout streams.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
Here comes another mild January, much to the chagrin of ice fishermen. On the plus side, it offers some better-than-usual open water opportunities for area anglers.
Connecticut Fishermen may have lost their opportunity to ice fish in the immediate future, but they can continue to do so take advantage of the abundance of stripes low and should see an increase in activity as we move away from the latest rain events. The Connecticut bite has been a consistent producer for years, and this year looks to be no different. Reports from the Housatonic they were as stable as expected before the rain, and shouldn’t change much as flows drop. If you don’t want to head to the Housatonic, there have been good enough school action in the lower Connecticut River, the Thames River, and most of the small estuaries of the Eastern Sound to make it worth not driving west. Freshwater fishermen can take advantage of another round of Atlantic salmon half in the Shetucket and Naugatuck rivers, along with some recent fall trout. The Connecticut River is still a little dirty from the rain, but it’s falling fastd no longer has ice problems. FBackwater anglers should find ample open water opportunities pike, perchi shit all over the river before everything closes again.