FISHING REPORT NUMBER 8: 6/11/2009
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANGLERS:
Effective June 15th, 2009 or shortly thereafter*, a saltwater fishing license will be required to fish from shore or a private vessel in the marine waters of Connecticut.
The fee will be $10.00 for residents and $15.00 for non-residents. The license will be free for those residents age 65 and older, although they will have to renew annually. As with the freshwater license, those under 16 years of age do not need a license.
Anglers on a party/charter boat registered as such in CT will be exempt from the license requirement while fishing from the party/charter boat.
There are provisions for reciprocity with NY and the other northeast states. NY has also passed a saltwater license bill (includes reciprocity with CT for Long Island Sound) which becomes effective October 1, 2009, and RI currently has its own legislation pending.
Licenses can be purchased now, online at www.ct.gov/dep/fishing or at participating town halls, bait & tackle shops and DEP field offices, and by phone or in person from the DEP Store (860-424-3555). A complete list of vendors is available on the DEP website or from DEP Licensing & Revenue. For help using the online system, please contact DEP Licensing & Revenue (860-424-3105).
*
The Marine Waters Fishing License bill (HB-5875) was passed by the state legislature with an effective date of June 15, 2009, and is being prepared for the Governor’s signature. Procedural details could cause a short delay in the bill becoming law.
INLAND REPORT
TROUT
Rivers & streams
- A number of major insect hatches are getting started. It’s "Crazy Time" with just about every insect in the river hatching right now. Worms and corn/mealworm combinations are the standard tools for bait anglers. With showers, thunderstorms and possible localized downpours in the forecast for the next 24 to 36 hours, anglers should expect flows to vary widely throughout the state, especially early in the weekend. Flows will drop more quickly in the smaller streams and tributaries. Trout fishing has been generally fair to good, with reports from the West Branch Farmington River, Housatonic River, Saugatuck River, Natchaug River, Mianus River, Shetucket River, Mill River TMA and Hammonassett River TMA.
Farmington River
- Trout fishing was good last week. Flows continue to be clear and moderate, currently 250 cfs at Riverton plus an additional 55 cfs from the Still River. Water temperatures are in the low 50’s. Hatches/patterns include: Vitreus [a.k.a. pale evening dun] #14, from 4:00 pm to dark, , Isonychia (#12 evening, just starting), (Invaria #16 hatches mid-day and Dorothea #18-20 evening hatch), March Brown nymphs (#10-12), Gray Fox (#10-14, afternoon), Blue Wing Olives (#18-22, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #16-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-32), Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings) and Golden stonefly nymphs (#8-14).
Housatonic River
- Lots of bugs, with many major insect hatches now here to provide excellent fly fishing. This is one of the few times of the year when you can dry fly fish all day long. Alder/Zebra Caddis
(#10-12, just starting), Sulphurs (#14-1
, Blue Wing Olive (#16-20, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#8-10 evening, just starting), Cahill (#12-14), Adams (#10-20, evening), March Brown (#10-12) & Gray Foxes (#10-12) are producing. Green caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening) are on the water. Midges and early stoneflies are being seen at tributary mouths.
Lakes & Ponds
–
It’s big fish time! Anglers can expect many of the season’s big trout to be caught into mid June, and the relatively cool temperatures will help extend the season for many anglers. Reports from East Twin Lake (23 inch brown among the recent catches), Highland Lake (7 lb, 25" brown among the catches), Lake McDonough, Black Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc, Crystal Lake (Ellington), Beach Pond, Long Pond, Mashapaug Lake and Bashan Lake (lots of 14-15 inch rainbows, plus a 15 inch tiger trout).
CARP
– A NEW STATE RECORD COMMON CARP was caught in the Connecticut River in Lyme. Steven Wasilewski of Norwich, CT, caught what turned out to be a new state record on May, 28, 2009. His hefty catch weighed in at 40.5 POUNDS, beating the previous state record by one pound (39.5 lbs, caught by Bill Terry, Sr. on the Naugatuck River in 2001). Carp anglers will be excited to learn that following a trip to a nearby bait & tackle shop for a weigh-in, this monster was returned alive to the CT River.
LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally fair to good with reports from East Twin Lake (including a 5.5 lb bass), Black Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Cedar Lake, Millers Pond, Mashapaug Lake, Lake Wintergreen, Beach Pond, Bantam Lake, Beseck Lake, Tyler Lake, Bashan Lake, Crystal Lake, Mudge Pond, Candlewood Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Gardner Lake and Hamilton Reservoir (very good, including a 7-lb beauty and some 2-4 lb fish). Aspinook Pond, Lake Kenosia, Long Pond, Squantz Pond report slow fishing.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
reported at Colebrook Reservoir, Lake Lillinonah (including several smallies in the 3-4 lb range), Highland Lake, Rainbow Reservoir, Coventry Lake, Housatonic River and Candlewood Lake (very good).
NORTHERN PIKE
fishing is reported to be good in Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
KOKANEE
- Try East Twin Lake (10-14" fish) or West Hill Pond at 3-4 colors of lead line for kokanee.
WALLEYE
are being reported from Lake Saltonstall and Saugatuck Reservoir.
CATFISH –
Anglers are reminded that DEP recently stocked 5,300 adult catfish ( 14-18 inch fish averaging 2 lbs apiece) and 10,000 yearling catfish (9-12 inch fish). The adult catfish were released into five of the Urban Fishing Areas, Lakewood Lake (Waterbury), Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Park Pond (Hartford), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven) and Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich). The yearling catfish were stocked into Black Pond (Middlefield), Maltby Lakes 2 & 3, Lower Bolton Lake, Pattaconk Lake, Quonnipaug Lake, Silver Lake (Meriden) and Lake Wintergreen.
CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are in the lower river, with some up as far as Portland. Fish can be found in deeper holes. Surface poppers will provide some exciting action under clear water conditions while trolling tube & worm and casting soft plastics work best in stained water. SHAD fishing is mostly over with very few reports coming in. NORTHERN PIKE are reported in river coves downstream to Haddam. CATFISH (fish up to 11 lbs reported) are being taken throughout the river on big chunk bait.
TIPS & TRICKS
Adding action to your presentation - Throw your lure over a log or branch and let it dangle so it’s just in the water. By pulling up and down or shaking the lure without lifting it out of the water you add action that excites the fish. Let it drop down into the water 6" or so and repeat. Every time you feel the lure contact the wood let it drop back a little. When the fish hits be prepared for it to go into the cover. High pound test line is necessary here as you will have to muscle it out of the brush
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANGLERS:
Effective June 15th, 2009 or shortly thereafter*, a saltwater fishing license will be required to fish from shore or a private vessel in the marine waters of Connecticut.
The fee will be $10.00 for residents and $15.00 for non-residents. The license will be free for those residents age 65 and older, although they will have to renew annually. As with the freshwater license, those under 16 years of age do not need a license.
Anglers on a party/charter boat registered as such in CT will be exempt from the license requirement while fishing from the party/charter boat.
There are provisions for reciprocity with NY and the other northeast states. NY has also passed a saltwater license bill (includes reciprocity with CT for Long Island Sound) which becomes effective October 1, 2009, and RI currently has its own legislation pending.
Licenses can be purchased now, online at www.ct.gov/dep/fishing or at participating town halls, bait & tackle shops and DEP field offices, and by phone or in person from the DEP Store (860-424-3555). A complete list of vendors is available on the DEP website or from DEP Licensing & Revenue. For help using the online system, please contact DEP Licensing & Revenue (860-424-3105).
*
The Marine Waters Fishing License bill (HB-5875) was passed by the state legislature with an effective date of June 15, 2009, and is being prepared for the Governor’s signature. Procedural details could cause a short delay in the bill becoming law.
INLAND REPORT
TROUT
Rivers & streams
- A number of major insect hatches are getting started. It’s "Crazy Time" with just about every insect in the river hatching right now. Worms and corn/mealworm combinations are the standard tools for bait anglers. With showers, thunderstorms and possible localized downpours in the forecast for the next 24 to 36 hours, anglers should expect flows to vary widely throughout the state, especially early in the weekend. Flows will drop more quickly in the smaller streams and tributaries. Trout fishing has been generally fair to good, with reports from the West Branch Farmington River, Housatonic River, Saugatuck River, Natchaug River, Mianus River, Shetucket River, Mill River TMA and Hammonassett River TMA.
Farmington River
- Trout fishing was good last week. Flows continue to be clear and moderate, currently 250 cfs at Riverton plus an additional 55 cfs from the Still River. Water temperatures are in the low 50’s. Hatches/patterns include: Vitreus [a.k.a. pale evening dun] #14, from 4:00 pm to dark, , Isonychia (#12 evening, just starting), (Invaria #16 hatches mid-day and Dorothea #18-20 evening hatch), March Brown nymphs (#10-12), Gray Fox (#10-14, afternoon), Blue Wing Olives (#18-22, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #16-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-32), Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings) and Golden stonefly nymphs (#8-14).
Housatonic River
- Lots of bugs, with many major insect hatches now here to provide excellent fly fishing. This is one of the few times of the year when you can dry fly fish all day long. Alder/Zebra Caddis
(#10-12, just starting), Sulphurs (#14-1
, Blue Wing Olive (#16-20, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#8-10 evening, just starting), Cahill (#12-14), Adams (#10-20, evening), March Brown (#10-12) & Gray Foxes (#10-12) are producing. Green caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening) are on the water. Midges and early stoneflies are being seen at tributary mouths.
Lakes & Ponds
–
It’s big fish time! Anglers can expect many of the season’s big trout to be caught into mid June, and the relatively cool temperatures will help extend the season for many anglers. Reports from East Twin Lake (23 inch brown among the recent catches), Highland Lake (7 lb, 25" brown among the catches), Lake McDonough, Black Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc, Crystal Lake (Ellington), Beach Pond, Long Pond, Mashapaug Lake and Bashan Lake (lots of 14-15 inch rainbows, plus a 15 inch tiger trout).
CARP
– A NEW STATE RECORD COMMON CARP was caught in the Connecticut River in Lyme. Steven Wasilewski of Norwich, CT, caught what turned out to be a new state record on May, 28, 2009. His hefty catch weighed in at 40.5 POUNDS, beating the previous state record by one pound (39.5 lbs, caught by Bill Terry, Sr. on the Naugatuck River in 2001). Carp anglers will be excited to learn that following a trip to a nearby bait & tackle shop for a weigh-in, this monster was returned alive to the CT River.
LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally fair to good with reports from East Twin Lake (including a 5.5 lb bass), Black Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Cedar Lake, Millers Pond, Mashapaug Lake, Lake Wintergreen, Beach Pond, Bantam Lake, Beseck Lake, Tyler Lake, Bashan Lake, Crystal Lake, Mudge Pond, Candlewood Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Gardner Lake and Hamilton Reservoir (very good, including a 7-lb beauty and some 2-4 lb fish). Aspinook Pond, Lake Kenosia, Long Pond, Squantz Pond report slow fishing.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
reported at Colebrook Reservoir, Lake Lillinonah (including several smallies in the 3-4 lb range), Highland Lake, Rainbow Reservoir, Coventry Lake, Housatonic River and Candlewood Lake (very good).
NORTHERN PIKE
fishing is reported to be good in Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.
KOKANEE
- Try East Twin Lake (10-14" fish) or West Hill Pond at 3-4 colors of lead line for kokanee.
WALLEYE
are being reported from Lake Saltonstall and Saugatuck Reservoir.
CATFISH –
Anglers are reminded that DEP recently stocked 5,300 adult catfish ( 14-18 inch fish averaging 2 lbs apiece) and 10,000 yearling catfish (9-12 inch fish). The adult catfish were released into five of the Urban Fishing Areas, Lakewood Lake (Waterbury), Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Park Pond (Hartford), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven) and Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich). The yearling catfish were stocked into Black Pond (Middlefield), Maltby Lakes 2 & 3, Lower Bolton Lake, Pattaconk Lake, Quonnipaug Lake, Silver Lake (Meriden) and Lake Wintergreen.
CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are in the lower river, with some up as far as Portland. Fish can be found in deeper holes. Surface poppers will provide some exciting action under clear water conditions while trolling tube & worm and casting soft plastics work best in stained water. SHAD fishing is mostly over with very few reports coming in. NORTHERN PIKE are reported in river coves downstream to Haddam. CATFISH (fish up to 11 lbs reported) are being taken throughout the river on big chunk bait.
TIPS & TRICKS
Adding action to your presentation - Throw your lure over a log or branch and let it dangle so it’s just in the water. By pulling up and down or shaking the lure without lifting it out of the water you add action that excites the fish. Let it drop down into the water 6" or so and repeat. Every time you feel the lure contact the wood let it drop back a little. When the fish hits be prepared for it to go into the cover. High pound test line is necessary here as you will have to muscle it out of the brush