Rhode Island Fishing Report

Captain Frank, of The Frances Fleet in Point Judith, reports that they have been tied to the docks for the week, due to the tough winds/weather. The extended forecast is looking better, and the water is warming up quickly, so the late winter/early spring fishery should fire right up any time now. Keep an eye on the reports or call the office for further scheduling details.

Dustin, at RI Kayak Fishing Adventures has been cashing in on some nice freshwater fishing opportunities, as he waits for the striped bass and tautog action to get going in the salt. Largemouth continue to hang around shallow water and are taking jigs, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and shiners. The Rhode Island trout opener is still a week out, but the trout action on the Cape and in the Massachusetts ponds has been strong. Early spring freshwater action is a great way to experience kayak fishing in some calm water. They still have April dates open so be sure to book soon!

Chris Catucci told me that he has been spending some time on the prowl of largemouth bass over the past week. Water temperatures have been fluctuating and so have the fishing results, but there are some big girls starting to chew. Chris was able to manage a couple of fish over the 20-inch mark this week!

Connecticut Fishing Report

Ted, at Three Belles Outfitters in Niantic, told me that the local lakes and ponds are really starting to get going. Bass, pickerel, and panfish are all starting to move into the shallows and have the pre-spawn feed bag on. Water temperatures are still low, so look to colder water presentations like lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits. On the warmer days, some fish have been eager to hit spinnerbaits, but if they seem finicky try finesse fishing with a hair jig or ned rig. The trout management areas are producing strong numbers of large rainbow and brown trout. Latimer Brook, along with the Thames River tributaries have been some of the better producers in eastern CT. The holdover striped bass bite was improving in the larger tidal rivers before the recent rains, and some larger fish should be showing up with the river herring in the coming weeks.

Heather from Blackhawk Sportfishing told me that they’re planning on getting the boat in the water this week and look forward to getting out there. They hope to do a few cod trips and are anxiously waiting for the squid to arrive! They will also have a few seal watch trips, and the scup trips should start-up in early May. They will post their full schedule soon, so be sure to check their website or Facebook page for updates.

Evan, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook, reports that it’s starting to feel like spring and the fishing is getting better each week. On the saltwater side, stripers are being caught in the tidal rivers on swimbaits with jigheads during both day and night. In the freshwater, the DEEP continues to stock throughout the state, with some of the best reports coming from the Farmington, Salmon, and Mill Rivers. Small Tsunami Cocktail Spinners and Powerbait are producing well, along with fly presentations. Freshwater bass action is picking up in the smaller lakes and ponds, and the river coves were producing pike and perch before the last round of rain.

Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that the striper action continues to pick up in the tidal rivers, and the fish are starting to head a bit south. The recent rains may have slowed things down a bit, but some bigger fish are still showing up lately. Soft plastics on jigheads continue to be a top producer, but some larger offerings and swimming plugs are working as well. Plugs should continue to produce well as more herring make their way into the river. The tautog and flounder season opens on Apr. 1, and we should start hearing some reports as the water warms up in the coming weeks. The trout action remains excellent following the recent stockings. Strong reports are coming from the Saugatuck, Mill, and Norwalk Rivers, while the Saugatuck Reservoir has been slow but should pick up as it warms.

Rhode Island Forecast

Freshwater action has been keeping most anglers busy, as we wait for the saltwater game to get going. Some big largemouth can be found eating jigs and shiners in the shallows, along with some nice calico and perch. Trout action remains very good across Connecticut, while the Rhode Island opener remains a week out. Holdover striped bass action was consistent, although we’ll probably need a few days for the rivers to clean up from the rain. Tautog season is kicking off in Rhode Island and CT, and we should be hearing some reports trickling in over the weekend.