Eight Mile River Fishing Spot

• County: New London
• Public Fishing: Yes
• Last Modified By: angryjohn on 03/30/12 01:09 PM
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With over 150 miles of pristine rivers and streams flowing through relatively undeveloped rural land, the Eightmile River Watershed is an exceptional natural and cultural resource. Large areas of unfragmented habitat, an array of rare and diverse wildlife, scenic vistas, high water quality, unimpeded stream flow, and significant cultural features typify the watershed. Compared with many other American rivers of its size, the Eightmile is in remarkably good condition, which is why it is one of the priorities of The Nature Conservancy Connecticut Chapter's Lower Connecticut River program. Its watershed contains some remarkable large blocks of undeveloped forest - despite more than 350 years of settlement, it is more than 80 percent forested. It comprises a variety of habitats, from its cold, fast-flowing headwaters to the freshwater tidal marshes at Hamburg Cove, where it meets the Connecticut (the Eightmile takes its name from its distance from the Connecticut's mouth.) Its water quality is high. It is relatively free-flowing, with only two significant dams. A fishway has already been installed at one of them, and another fishway is planned for the second, thanks to the work of the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Lyme Land Conservation Trust, and the Connecticut River Watershed Council. It has been recognized as an exemplary undammed river, one of Connecticut's 12 most imperiled natural communities. It provides exemplary habitat for trout, contains populations of freshwater mussels and a healthy mix of submerged aquatic plants, and two globally rare plant species live in its watershed. The tributaries of the Eightmile are also significant. State Department of Environmental Protection Fisheries Biologist Steve Gephard in 1994 referred to Burnham Brook as "classic Atlantic Salmon habitat in nearly pristine condition," adding, "The Burnham Brook Preserve contains the best salmon habitat in the entire watershed, and perhaps some of the best juvenile salmon habitat in southern New England." The chapter has purchased a conservation easement on 475-acre Hiram Bingham Development Corporation’s land in Salem. Flowing through this land are two miles of the east branch of the Eightmile River, one of the Conservancy’s highest priorities in the state. The Burnham Brook Preserve is owned by the Nature Conservancy and consists of more than 1,000 acres of wild woodland. The preserve is located off Dolbia Hill Road just south of Devil's Hopyard State Park. In addition to the watersheds of Burnham and Strong brooks, the preserve protects about one mile of the Eightmile River and includes permanent springs, wooded vernal pools, red maple swamps, a flood plain meadow and ledges and rocky outcrops. The Nature Conservancy maintains the preserve as a natural area specifically for scientific research. Visitors are welcome to walk the visitor's trail, which is blazed with blue markers.DEVIL'S HOPYARD STATE PARK - Route 82 to Mount Parnassas/Millington Road to Hopyard Road, East Haddam - (860) 873-8566 Bisected by the Eight Mile River, the park features trout fishing, picnic areas, 15 miles of hiking trails and a 22-site campground. The Connecticut Ornithological Association lists the Hopyard as one of the 10 best birding sites in Connecticut. A main feature of the park, spectacular Chapman Falls drops 60 feet in three main cascades. According to the Eastern Waterfall Guide it is one of the Top 10 falls in Connecticut. The potholes at the base of the falls are said to be the hoof prints left by the devil as he hopped from ledge to ledge to keep dry.