Connecticut Fishing Report- November 30, 2023

Connecticut Fishing Report

Matt, at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that things in the saltwater started to slow down, with the blackfish season ending this week. Holdover striped bass fishing is holding down the fort for most saltwater anglers, along with some reports of school bass still hanging out around the beaches. Freshwater guys are reporting some solid trout action in the TMAs, which should only improve over the coming weeks, along with the Atlantic salmon that were recently stocked again.

Heather from Black Hawk Sportfishing hope that everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving! They were fortunate enough to get a few trips in last week. The blackfishing season ended strong, with many limits throughout the boat. After the tough weather around the holiday, they weren’t sure how the sea bass fishing would be, but they found excellent fishing over the weekend. The sea bass were waiting for them, with limits all over the boat, along with some nice cod and some leftover scup to help fill the coolers. Heather wanted to thank everyone that participated in their annual Small Business Saturday gift certificate sale, they appreciate all the support! They will continue to fish through December, weather permitting, so be sure to grab your tickets and join them!

Captain Mike Roy, at Reel Cast Charters has wrapped another successful season. They want to thank all their clients for another great year of fishing, and they look forward to seeing everyone next year. As far as fishing reports, holdover striped bass are starting to dominate the catch, with good reports from most of the tidal rivers/estuaries. The bite across the beaches hasn’t died just yet either, with sporadic peanut bunker blitzes popping up on the beaches throughout the central sound. 

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Bobby J’s in Milford reports that there is still some good fishing to be had in their area. The river is right on schedule and starting to fish well, but the crowds can be ridiculous at times. If you’re looking to get away from the crowds, there are still some other solid bass bites to be had. New Haven Harbor and the surrounding tributaries are still holding some good fish, which are feeding on adult bunker. The days of this bite are likely numbered, but it’ll be fun and less crowded while it lasts. Local trout fishing in the TMAs and salmon fishing in the Naugatuck are also getting going nicely, with clean flows and recent stockings. The shop is now open Thursday through Saturday for the rest of the winter, and their Christmas party will be December 16^th, and be loaded with great sales. 

Max, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that there are still some solid striped bass opportunities in the Western Sound. There are loads of stripers in Norwalk Harbor, with most of these fish in the 20-30-inch range. Some hickory shad have recently shown up though, which has brought some bigger bass to 40-inches into the area. Soft plastics of various sizes seem to be doing the most damage, but large swimming plugs and topwaters are also working at times. Out on the deeper structure in the sound, the diamond-jiggers are also reporting plenty of stripers and a few monster bluefish in the mix. The local beaches have quieted down a bit, but on any given day anglers are still finding some good blitzes of small bass on peanut bunker. No surprise, but the Housatonic has started to fire up as well, with fish being caught from the mouth north to Shelton. The freshwater guys are reporting good catches of walleye, bass, and trout at the Saugatuck Reservoir, while the local TMAs are predictably consistent. 

Connecticut Fishing Forecast

Connecticut anglers had a strong finish to the blackfish season and now must focus on sea bass and/or cod if the weather allows them to make it to the grounds. Striped bass blitzes are still common along the beaches throughout the sound, and there are some bigger fish hanging around the bunker and shad schools in the western sound. With temperatures continuing to drop, the holdover striped bass should start to get more concentrated and easier to locate in the tidal rivers. Early indications from the Housatonic are that the holdover season has started off hot, but there are plenty of fish in other locales at the moment, so you can avoid the larger crowds. Freshwater anglers are reporting an uptick in trout action in the lakes and ponds, along with steady action in the TMAs. Atlantic salmon have recently been stocked in the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers and provide another strong early winter option. Pike, bass, and carp reports are also steady and will remain so right up until things freeze over.