Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt, this Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook took advantage of some free time this week and found some more solid winter fishing. On Sunday, he used the center setup and found some salmon that were willing to eat, along with a few nice rainbows. The black fly with olive and chartreuse accents was the starting point of the presentation. Water clarity and flow have been excellent and should continue to be very favorable for float fishing. Matt has also had success fishing for rainbow trout at Cedar Lake, and he also mentioned that the walleye and yellow perch bite has been strong. Trout anglers are finding fish in most local TMAs, and the state continues to stock regular trout ponds, so keep an eye on stocking reports to increase your odds! The bite on the rest has been steady and will only improve from here with higher bass activity levels and bigger bait showing up soon. The Westbrook location hosted three shows in February and plans to add a few more in March, so be sure to keep an eye on their social media pages.
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. 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 told me things were a little quieter due to the wintry weather this week, but there are still plenty of local fishing opportunities. Trout stocking has continued, but flows have picked up a bit from all the snowmelt. They should settle in soon, and trout fishing should remain steady through the rest of the winter. Before the snow, the Farmington, Salmon, and Pequabuck rivers were putting up some nice trout, while recently stocked ponds like Ball Pond and Black Rock Lake have plenty of freshly stocked fish. For anglers in the eastern part of the state, Dan mentioned some strong reports from Rogers Lake in Old Lyme. Retention action has slowed in the Norwich area this week, but that should pick up after a few warmer days.
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. It had slowed down a bit during last week’s cold snap, but fired back up after the snow. The bass will continue to become more active as the water temperature slowly rises, and it will only get better from here with the first herring in the river 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, Bantam River, Pickett Pond and more. on 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 fishing has remained basically status quo this week with anglers targeting the remaining striped bass or hitting the local trout waters. Bass action in the Housatonic is steadily improving, and some increased snowmelt flow this week should help things along. Trout fishing has been good all winter, and nothing has changed, with strong reports coming 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
A quick blast of wintry weather reminded us that we will likely pay for the mild winter we’ve had so far, but there are still plenty of winter fishing opportunities.
despite the winter weather, it’s hard not to see spring on the horizon as the calendar turns to March. Connecticut fishermen can continue take advantage remaining striped bass, how is the bite continued to slowly improve each week. The early run of river herring tends to appear sometime in March and we may start to see some early arrivals after the next warm spell! 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.