Fishing Report from the Department of Environmental Protection

From the Department of Environmental Protection
May 15
Inland Fishing

Farmington River - flows are clear and comfortable for fishing, currently 250 CFS at Riverton with an additional 80 CFS from the Still River. The Wednesday morning water temperature was 53°F. Current hatches/patterns include Hendrickson (a.k.a red quills; #14), Blue Winged Olive (a.k.a. baetis or vagan; #18), Blue Quill (a.k.a. paralep; #18), Early Stonefly (#13-16), Quill Gordon (#14), Green Caddis & Brown/Tan Caddis. The Hendrickson hatch is fading and is mainly in the Riverton area. The spinner fall is in the TMA area. Successful fly anglers used Blue Winged Olives (#18-20), Winter/Summer Caddis (#18-22), Rusty Spinners (#16-18), Midges (#22-32), Blue Quill (#16-18), Pheasant Tails (#14-18) and Mahogany Duns (#16-18).

Housatonic River - Conditions are great for trout fishing. Flows are clear and moderate, about 700 CFS at Falls Village and 1,070 cfs at Gaylordsville. The Wednesday morning water temperature was 57°F. Current hatches include Green Caddis, Brown/Tan Caddis and Midges. Patterns producing include Caddis (#14-18, green, olive & tan), Henryville and March Brown (#10-12). Some Blue Wing Olives are on the water with Green Caddis starting to show up. Streamers fished around 6:30 pm on sinking-tip line have been very effective. For those nymphing, low & slow is working very well.

Anglers Can Expect Good Trout Fishing in western CT on Hall Meadow Brook, East Branch Naugatuck River, West Branch Naugatuck River, Leadmine Brook, Mill River (Including TMA), Farmill River, East Aspetuck River, Pootatuck River, Pequabuck River, Farmington River (Including TMA), Muddy River, Quinnipiac River and Pequonnock River. In Eastern CT, good trout fishing can be expected at the Coginchaug River, Farm River, Branford River, Hunts Brook, Latimer Brook, Whitfords Brook, Five Mile River, French River, Pachaug River, Quinebaug River, Natchaug River, Mount Hope River, Fenton River, Moosup River (TMA area), Salmon River (including TMA) and Jeremy River

Lakes & Ponds – Connecticut lakes and ponds are fishing very well for trout with reports from Green Falls Reservoir, Saugatuck Reservoir, Lake Saltonstall, Lake Hayward, Quonnipaug, Crystal, East Twin, Wononscopomuc, Highland, Uncas, Billings, Wyassup, Candlewood, Alexander, Amos, Coventry, Mashapaug and Gardner Lakes, and Mohawk, Mt. Tom, Ball, Beach, Black (Woodstock), Stillwater, Long, West Hill and Squantz Ponds.

Anglers can expect good trout fishing in western CT at Stillwater Pond, Highland Lake, Nells Rock Reservoir, Pickett's Pond, Lake Winfield, Upper Fulton Park Pond, Prospect Town Park Pond, Scoville Reservoir, East Twin Lake, and the Wharton Brook, Wolfe Park (Great Hollow Pond) and Southford Falls Trout Parks. In Eastern CT, good trout fishing should be expected at Bashan Lake, Millers Pond, Lake Saltonstall, Wangumbaug Lake, Shenipsit Lake, Uncas Lake, Hewitt Fly Pond, Long Pond, Lantern Hill Pond, Hyde Mill Pond, Bigelow Pond, Mashapaug Lake, Quonnipaug Lake, Black Pond (Middlefield), and the Valley Falls Park Pond and Day Pond Trout Parks.

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally good with reports from Lake Saltonstall, Moodus Reservoir, East Twin, Wononscopomuc, Indian, Crystal, Candlewood, Beseck, Silver, Alexander, Bantam, Bashan, Rogers and Gardner Lakes, and Aspinook, Beach, Ball, Mono, Breakneck, Batterson, Dodge, Dog, Halls, Mudge and Hatch Ponds. Bass fishing is reported to be fair at Highland Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Hopeville Pond and Amos Lake (catches do include a 6 lb largemouth) and slow at Lake Zoar.

SMALLMOUTH BASS is generally fair with reports from Candlewood Lake (has slowed over the past several weeks), Coventry Lake, Highland Lake, Wyassup Lake and Squantz Pond. Smallie fishing at Gardner Lake continues to be slow.

WALLEYE action reported from Saugatuck Reservoir, Lake Saltonstall, Coventry Lake, Batterson Park Pond and Squantz Pond.

CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are now found throughout the river, plenty of schoolie size (16-25”) fish with many keepers mixed in. Fish are responding to tube & worm, bait and soft plastics and have started to spread out as they target schools of bait. CATFISH are responding very well to dead bait, chunking, and sandworms with catfish up to 11 lbs reported. SHAD fishing has picked up, especially in the mainstem with many catches reported at the confluence with the Farmington River.

CONNECTICUT RIVER STRIPED BASS/RIVER HERRING STUDY - Researchers at the University of Connecticut are continuing their study of the effects of striped bass on river herring in the Connecticut River. This study sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection began last year, involves the collection, and tagging, of striped bass by electrofishing several nights per week. This sampling takes place on the CT River north from Wethersfield. Operations in the Connecticut portion of the river will be staged out of Windsor Locks. In Massachusetts, most sampling will be in the Holyoke area. Anglers seeing an electrofishing boat (boat with a generator, lights, and poles protruding into the water) should note these are biologists doing important research.

As part of the study, anglers who catch a striped bass with a yellow or red tag are encouraged to call 860-486-4694 to provide the tag ID #, the specific location where the fish was caught, whether the fish was released, and your contact information. All such reports are eligible for a $15 (yellow tag) to $50 reward (red tag). Please do not remove the tag from fish you plan to release.

DIDYMO REMINDER - Anglers are reminded to take precautions to prevent the spread of the highly invasive freshwater alga Didymosphenia geminata, known as “Didymo”, into CT waters. Last year (2007), the presence of didymo was confirmed in several popular trout streams, the upper Connecticut River (NH/VT), White River (VT), Batten Kill (NY/VT) and the East and West Branches of the Delaware River (NY/PA). These were the first official reports of didymo in the northeastern United States. This microscopic algae can develop massive blooms, sometimes extending for several miles of river. These blooms can smother aquatic plants, aquatic insects and molluscs, alter stream flow characteristics and fish habitat, and impact food webs. Dense mats of didymo can also reduce recreational and aesthetic values of affected rivers.

Humans can unknowingly spread didymo. The microscopic cells can cling to fishing gear, waders (felt soles can be especially problematic), boots and boats, and remain viable for months under even slightly moist conditions. Although didymo has not yet been found in CT, it has been found in near-by states. It is recommended that anglers, especially those who also fish streams outside Connecticut, practice CHECK, CLEAN, DRY procedures.

·         CHECK: Before leaving a river, stream or lake, remove all obvious clumps of algae and plant material from fishing gear, waders, clothing & footwear, canoes & kayaks, and anything else that has been in the water and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the site. If you find any later, clean your gear and dispose of all material in the trash.

·         CLEAN: Soak/spray & scrub boats and all other “hard” items for at least one minute in either very hot (140°F) water, a 2% bleach solution, or a 5% dishwashing detergent solution. Absorbent materials such as clothes and felt soles on waders should be soaked for at least 40 minutes in very hot water (140°F), or 30 minutes in hot water (115°F) with 5% dishwashing detergent. Freezing thoroughly will also kill didymo.

·         DRY: If cleaning is not practical, after the item is completely dry to touch, wait an additional 48 hours before contact or use in any other waterway.

Water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) are in upper 40’s °F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions:

http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/stationstat.html

http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AN/330.html

Striped bass fishing for schoolies is good in many of the tidal rivers. Fish measuring from 12 to 18 inches is the norm. Striped bass spots include the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River from Norwich down to New London/Groton area, Millstone Point, Niantic River, Hamburg Cove, Calves Island and off Great Island (the “Wood Lot”) in the Connecticut River, Hammonasset River, East and West Rivers in Guilford, Branford River, New Haven Harbor (Sandy Point), Milford Harbor, Housatonic River, Bridgeport Harbor (power plant warm water discharge), Mill River in Southport, Saugatuck River, Norwalk Harbor including the Norwalk River, Stamford and Greenwich Harbors. The worm hatch has also been reported in rivers and coves in eastern LIS and Rhode Island.

Winter flounder fishing remains hit or miss but some areas are more productive than others. Bluff Point State Park (Poquonock Cove), Pine Island area, Niantic River, North and South Brothers, Connecticut River east breakwater on the flood tide, Madison - Guilford area, and the Saugatuck River over to the channels in Norwalk Harbor are spots worth trying.

Rumors of bluefish have surfaced in eastern LIS and along the north shore of Long Island.

Hickory shad should be appearing any day in the Mystic, Niantic, and Connecticut Rivers.

Atlantic menhaden (bunker) have been reported in LIS.

For regulation updates, please check our web site www.ct.gov/dep/fishing.