FISHING REPORT NUMBER 24
10/1/2009
INLAND REPORT
TROUT
Fall trout stocking update-
DEP’s trout stocking takes a break until the middle of the month (October) when a number of lakes and ponds throughout the state are scheduled for stocking.
Rivers & streams
- It’s October, and as brown trout enter their fall spawning period, anglers can expect explosive action as trout become much more agressive. Matching the hatch is not as important this time of the year, streamers and nymphing are the way to go and typically dominate the early morning and late evening. For streamers try white, yellow and brown colors. Patterns to try include White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). For nymphs, bottom bounce Caddis pupa (#16-26), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-1
and Hare’s ear (#8-20). Good reports from the West Branch Farmington River (browns up to 22 inches being caught), Salmon River and Housatonic River (excellent, lots of action including a 70-trout day for one angler).
Farmington River –
Fishing has been very good during the last week, and conditions are good. Flows are clear and moderately low, currently 115 cfs at Riverton plus an additional 45 cfs from the Still River, and water temperatures are around 60 °F. As precipitation is forecast for the first half of the upcoming weekend, an increase in flows may be expected.
Hatches/patterns include Isonychia bicolor (#10-14, fast water, afternoon/evening), Blue Wing Olives (Drunella & Baetis sps., #16-24, mid-late afternoon), Cahills/Summer (Stenonema ithaca (#14), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-20 morning), Midges (#22-32, morning), Black Ants (#16-18, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#16-18, mid day), Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid) and Stone Hopper (#10-12, mid day). Rusty Spinners (#18-26) have been producing in the evening.
Housatonic River
– The fishing has been excellent and conditions are currently great for fishing. Flows are clear, moderate and very fishable, currently 550 cfs at Falls Village and 700 cfs at Gaylordsville. Water temperatures continue to cool, now in the mid to upper in the upper 50’s °F (mornings), and there
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SPORTSMEN
Pursuant to the recently adopted state budget
(Public Act 09-3 – June Special Session):
FISHING, HUNTING AND TRAPPING LICENSE AND PERMIT FEES HAVED INCREASED (
effective October 1, 2009). This includes both recreational and commercial fishing fees.
Among the other fees that increased on October 1, 2009, are state park and forest fees, including parking fees, season passes and camping fees.
A revised list of fishing & hunting license and permit fees is available at www.ct.gov/dep.
DEP Fishing Report Number 24, 10/1/2009 are plenty of recently stocked trout (11,500 trout stocked by DEP) still waiting for anglers. Note that flows may increase this weekend, depending on rainfall amounts.
Hatches/patterns include Blue Wing Olive (#18-24, early morning, spinner fall in evening), Leadwing Coachman (#10-12 evening), Cahills/Summer (#12-14), and Black caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening), Sulfurs (#16-1, Black Beetles (#14-18, mid day), Stone Hopper (#8-10, mid day) and Flying Ants (#16-18, mid day, when windy/humid). Trout will ignore everything else when ants are on the water, try Black/Cinnamon Ants (#14-18, mid day in fast water). Also try nymphing the pockets, deeper riffles and pool heads.
Lakes & Ponds
–
Trout fishing is generally slow to fair, but with some good catches mixed in. Reports from Candlewood Lake (24" brown), East Twin Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Saugatuck Reservoir (20" brown), Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Beach Pond and West Hill Pond.
LARGEMOUTH BASS
fishing continues to be variable, ranging from very good to fair, with very good reports from Wononskopomuc Lake, Lake Hayward and Mudge Pond, good reports from Candlewood Lake (catches include a 6.7 lb largemouth), Lower Bolton Lake (including a 5.5 lb largemouth), Highland Lake, Lake Saltonstall, North Farms Reservoir, Crystal Lake, Glasgo Pond and Stillwater Pond, and fair reports from Pachaug Pond, Saugatuck Reservoir, Lake Zoar, Hopeville Pond, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Middle Bolton Lake (fish to 17"), Coventry Lake, Quonnipaug Lake and Park Pond.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
action is variable, with the best reports from Candlewood Lake (very good, lots of 4 lb smallies among the catches) and Highland Lake (good). Fair fishing reported from Lake Zoar, Mashapaug Lake and West Hill Pond, and it’s slow at Coventry Lake and Gardner Lake.
NORTHERN PIKE
catches reported from Lake Lillinonah and Pachaug Pond.
WALLEYE
action reported from Lake Saltonstall, where recent catches include a number of walleye up to 25 inches (a nice 6.6 lb fish), and Squantz Pond.
CHAIN PICKEREL –
anglers have been finding some nice pickerel at Wononskopomuc Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
CONNECTICUT RIVER
– CARP
are being caught in the Hartford area, many catches are in the 14-20 lb range. NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported as good with catches from Enfield, Wethersfield Cove, Middletown, Lower Mattabesett River, Haddam Meadows and Salmon River Cove. CATFISH continue to be caught, try cut bait in deeper areas and outside edges of bends. LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is slow with some catches occurring in the Haddam area. Some SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from the Enfield (Kings Island) and the Farmington River confluence area. BLACK CRAPPIE fishing is good on small shiners in Wethersfield Cove.
ADVANCED NOTICE
– The Catch-And-Release Professional Carp Tournament Series 6th annual Tournament of Champions will be held on the shores of the CT River in Hartford/East Hartford during October 13th to 17th.
DEP Fishing Report Number 24, 10/1/2009 TIPS & TRICKS – FALL WALLEYE
Fall can generate some of the biggest walleye catches of the year.
As hunting season gets underway, you may find that you have the waters to yourself.
The slower the better whether you are jigging live bait or trolling up and down the waters.
Try using hair jigs as these mirror lifelike actions even when standing still.
Crank baits will mimic a ’slow rolling’ movement sure to catch the walleye attention as well.
Try natural color bait selections on clear line to create as lifelike a situation in the waters as possible.
Baitfish patterns are good choices.
Bait sizes should be on the large side.
The cooler water temperatures of fall result in slower movement by the walleye.
Meals are eaten less frequently so a large-sized bait selection will appear appetizing to the walleye.
NOTICES:
To facilitate dam maintenance and repairs, an extensive drawdown of RAINBOW RESERVOIR is occurring. The state boat launch is currently unusable due to the low water levels.
ASPINOOK POND has been drawn down 30 inches to facilitate dam maintenance. Areas such as the Butts Bridge lot used by many anglers/boaters to access the impoundment may be difficult to impossible to use by trailered boats.
The STATE BOAT LAUNCH ON THE HOUSATONIC RIVER IN MILFORD at the MOSES WHEELER BRIDGE area is now closed to public use while bridge reconstruction occurs. This closure is expected to last possibly 8 years.
10/1/2009
INLAND REPORT
TROUT
Fall trout stocking update-
DEP’s trout stocking takes a break until the middle of the month (October) when a number of lakes and ponds throughout the state are scheduled for stocking.
Rivers & streams
- It’s October, and as brown trout enter their fall spawning period, anglers can expect explosive action as trout become much more agressive. Matching the hatch is not as important this time of the year, streamers and nymphing are the way to go and typically dominate the early morning and late evening. For streamers try white, yellow and brown colors. Patterns to try include White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). For nymphs, bottom bounce Caddis pupa (#16-26), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-1
and Hare’s ear (#8-20). Good reports from the West Branch Farmington River (browns up to 22 inches being caught), Salmon River and Housatonic River (excellent, lots of action including a 70-trout day for one angler).
Farmington River –
Fishing has been very good during the last week, and conditions are good. Flows are clear and moderately low, currently 115 cfs at Riverton plus an additional 45 cfs from the Still River, and water temperatures are around 60 °F. As precipitation is forecast for the first half of the upcoming weekend, an increase in flows may be expected.
Hatches/patterns include Isonychia bicolor (#10-14, fast water, afternoon/evening), Blue Wing Olives (Drunella & Baetis sps., #16-24, mid-late afternoon), Cahills/Summer (Stenonema ithaca (#14), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-20 morning), Midges (#22-32, morning), Black Ants (#16-18, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#16-18, mid day), Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid) and Stone Hopper (#10-12, mid day). Rusty Spinners (#18-26) have been producing in the evening.
Housatonic River
– The fishing has been excellent and conditions are currently great for fishing. Flows are clear, moderate and very fishable, currently 550 cfs at Falls Village and 700 cfs at Gaylordsville. Water temperatures continue to cool, now in the mid to upper in the upper 50’s °F (mornings), and there
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO SPORTSMEN
Pursuant to the recently adopted state budget
(Public Act 09-3 – June Special Session):
FISHING, HUNTING AND TRAPPING LICENSE AND PERMIT FEES HAVED INCREASED (
effective October 1, 2009). This includes both recreational and commercial fishing fees.
Among the other fees that increased on October 1, 2009, are state park and forest fees, including parking fees, season passes and camping fees.
A revised list of fishing & hunting license and permit fees is available at www.ct.gov/dep.
DEP Fishing Report Number 24, 10/1/2009 are plenty of recently stocked trout (11,500 trout stocked by DEP) still waiting for anglers. Note that flows may increase this weekend, depending on rainfall amounts.
Hatches/patterns include Blue Wing Olive (#18-24, early morning, spinner fall in evening), Leadwing Coachman (#10-12 evening), Cahills/Summer (#12-14), and Black caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening), Sulfurs (#16-1
, Black Beetles (#14-18, mid day), Stone Hopper (#8-10, mid day) and Flying Ants (#16-18, mid day, when windy/humid). Trout will ignore everything else when ants are on the water, try Black/Cinnamon Ants (#14-18, mid day in fast water). Also try nymphing the pockets, deeper riffles and pool heads.
Lakes & Ponds
–
Trout fishing is generally slow to fair, but with some good catches mixed in. Reports from Candlewood Lake (24" brown), East Twin Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Saugatuck Reservoir (20" brown), Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Beach Pond and West Hill Pond.
LARGEMOUTH BASS
fishing continues to be variable, ranging from very good to fair, with very good reports from Wononskopomuc Lake, Lake Hayward and Mudge Pond, good reports from Candlewood Lake (catches include a 6.7 lb largemouth), Lower Bolton Lake (including a 5.5 lb largemouth), Highland Lake, Lake Saltonstall, North Farms Reservoir, Crystal Lake, Glasgo Pond and Stillwater Pond, and fair reports from Pachaug Pond, Saugatuck Reservoir, Lake Zoar, Hopeville Pond, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Middle Bolton Lake (fish to 17"), Coventry Lake, Quonnipaug Lake and Park Pond.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
action is variable, with the best reports from Candlewood Lake (very good, lots of 4 lb smallies among the catches) and Highland Lake (good). Fair fishing reported from Lake Zoar, Mashapaug Lake and West Hill Pond, and it’s slow at Coventry Lake and Gardner Lake.
NORTHERN PIKE
catches reported from Lake Lillinonah and Pachaug Pond.
WALLEYE
action reported from Lake Saltonstall, where recent catches include a number of walleye up to 25 inches (a nice 6.6 lb fish), and Squantz Pond.
CHAIN PICKEREL –
anglers have been finding some nice pickerel at Wononskopomuc Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
CONNECTICUT RIVER
– CARP
are being caught in the Hartford area, many catches are in the 14-20 lb range. NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported as good with catches from Enfield, Wethersfield Cove, Middletown, Lower Mattabesett River, Haddam Meadows and Salmon River Cove. CATFISH continue to be caught, try cut bait in deeper areas and outside edges of bends. LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is slow with some catches occurring in the Haddam area. Some SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from the Enfield (Kings Island) and the Farmington River confluence area. BLACK CRAPPIE fishing is good on small shiners in Wethersfield Cove.
ADVANCED NOTICE
– The Catch-And-Release Professional Carp Tournament Series 6th annual Tournament of Champions will be held on the shores of the CT River in Hartford/East Hartford during October 13th to 17th.
DEP Fishing Report Number 24, 10/1/2009 TIPS & TRICKS – FALL WALLEYE
Fall can generate some of the biggest walleye catches of the year.
As hunting season gets underway, you may find that you have the waters to yourself.
The slower the better whether you are jigging live bait or trolling up and down the waters.
Try using hair jigs as these mirror lifelike actions even when standing still.
Crank baits will mimic a ’slow rolling’ movement sure to catch the walleye attention as well.
Try natural color bait selections on clear line to create as lifelike a situation in the waters as possible.
Baitfish patterns are good choices.
Bait sizes should be on the large side.
The cooler water temperatures of fall result in slower movement by the walleye.
Meals are eaten less frequently so a large-sized bait selection will appear appetizing to the walleye.
NOTICES:
To facilitate dam maintenance and repairs, an extensive drawdown of RAINBOW RESERVOIR is occurring. The state boat launch is currently unusable due to the low water levels.
ASPINOOK POND has been drawn down 30 inches to facilitate dam maintenance. Areas such as the Butts Bridge lot used by many anglers/boaters to access the impoundment may be difficult to impossible to use by trailered boats.
The STATE BOAT LAUNCH ON THE HOUSATONIC RIVER IN MILFORD at the MOSES WHEELER BRIDGE area is now closed to public use while bridge reconstruction occurs. This closure is expected to last possibly 8 years.