Connecticut Fishing Report - January 24, 2019

Ice anglers have been taking advantage of the quick window of action we’ve had, and we’re all hoping that at least some of the lakes will survive this recent batch of rain.

Connecticut Fishing Report

Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in MiddletownBlackhawk Sportfishing, told me that the ice anglers were out in full force over the past week, after a slow start to the winter. Safe ice was reported throughout the state, including a few reports from the Connecticut River coves. The river will be blown out after Thursday’s rain, as will a few of the lakes that are heavily influenced by river systems; but the vast majority of lakes and ponds in the state will likely remain fishable this weekend. Places like Winchester, Tyler Lake and Bantam had a strong base of ice and are said to be fishing well. Black Rock Pond, Mohawk Pond and West Side Pond are producing some good trout catches; while Mono Pond, Park Pond and a number of small local ponds have put up some nice largemouth. Candlewood finally started fishing in spots and the smallmouth bite was hot, but we will likely need a few more cold nights to harden that back up after the rain. The warmer weather and higher flows should help the holdover bass fishing, but may put a halt to the trout fishing for at least a weekend.

Heather, of Blackhawk Sportfishing, told me that they haven’t had a chance to sail in over a week due to the weather. The last time they got out the fishing was hit or miss, but they were able to manage a handful of nice cod, pollock, ling and haddock. They will continue to fish whenever the weather allows so be sure to check with the office for updated sailing schedules. The schedules are generally posted on their website and their Facebook page as well, so give those a look.

Joe, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, reports that most of that most of the holdover bass anglers took a few nights off due to the weather, but it will likely start fishing well this weekend, with the increased flows and warm weather. Ice anglers have been in the shop quite a bit and are reporting some good bass catches from some of the smaller ponds, and solid walleye action from Beach and Gardner. The Connecticut River coves were putting up some nice crappie before the storm, and should pick back up when the next deep freeze sets in.

Max, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, told me that the herring bite remains spotty, with the best catches coming on the incoming tide and the top of the outgoing. The Housatonic continues to put up good numbers of holdover bass if you can keep the ice off your guides. Soft plastics on light jig heads remain the ticket, and don’t be surprised to find some keepers if you’re fishing after dark. Ice anglers are finding some good ice in Litchfield County in spots like; Winchester, Tyler and Dog Pond, and the majority of those lakes should hold enough ice to fish after the rain.

Rhode Island Fishing Report

Captain Frank, of The Frances Fleet in Narragansett, has still been having a tough time navigating the windy and wintery weather, but was able to get out on the grounds Sunday and found some cod. The water was still on the dirty side, but there continues to be more and more bait showing up on the grounds. The water temperatures are still slightly above average, so we should see some better fishing with the dropping temps next week. They will continue to try and sail daily at 5 am and so far they anticipate sailing this weekend. They are also close to finalizing their sailing schedule for the 2019 season and will have that posted to their website soon.

Captain Russ, of The Seven B’s in Snug Harbor, hasn’t been out in a while due to some tough conditions, but the water is still relatively warm and it’s looking like we may have a little weather window this weekend before the storm arrives. They will continue to sail for cod Wednesday through Sunday at 5 AM, whenever the weather permits. Be sure to call the office to confirm schedule and sailing times before heading down to the dock.

Ice anglers in the Ocean State finally got their wish over the past week, as temperatures plummeted and most of the lakes and ponds across the state are fishing. Obviously, Thursday’s weather is going to put a damper on things for a bit, but a quick cool down, coupled with a good amount of ice, and should have us fishing most places by the weekend. I’d imagine most bodies of water that had 5-6 inches of ice will not be damaged by the rain; you may just need a plank to avoid some loose edges. Earlier this week, trout reports were solid from Lincoln Woods, while bass and perch catches were good at Stump, Wilson’s and Bowdish. These locations were all said to have a good base of ice and should be fishing later this weekend.

Connecticut Fishing Forecast

A frustrating winter for ice anglers continues, as the whole region is getting pounded by 24 hours of warm rain. Luckily, temperatures are dropping into the teens overnight this weekend and we should have built a strong enough base of ice in many places to find some good fishing this weekend. Places that are still unsafe after this weekend won’t stay that way for long, as another deep freeze looks to be setting in next week. The ice will cleared from the Housatonic River and holdover striped bass fishing should pick back up for those who want to wait for a bit more ice to build on the lakes. Saltwater anglers who are just counting down the days until spring should check out the CT Surfcasters Demo Day this Saturday. It will be held at the Clinton, CT Town Hall at 9 AM, and as always it will feature great vendors, speakers and some great deals on new and used plugs.