Aprils Sweet & Salty, Bob Salerno, New Britain Herald

• Now that the stampede of Opening Day is over, serious anglers can settle down to a normal angling rhythm. Some of the most exciting freshwater fishing in Southern New England takes place in April and May.
• With both air and water temperatures on the rise, the first significant hatches begin. Some of the early hatches are familiar insects with predictable hatch patterns. Others are not as common, but provide a source of food to trout as a subsurface insect all year round.
• Although sub-surface flies and techniques will take the majority of trout at this time of year, it’s the dry fly surface action that gets fly anglers excited. In fact, many anglers start their fly fishing season when the 3 tailed mayflies begin to emerge in the last weeks of April and throughout May. Commonly called Hendrickson’s, these tan, pink, and yellow mayflies are a fly fishermen’s delight as the hatch usually starts around 1pm and continues to 3 or 4 pm eliminating the need to rise early.
• In addition to the Hendrickson, April and May are also the prime months for several other mayfly hatches that occur at the same time every year. Blue wing Olives, March Browns and Quill Gordons along with caddis can provide dependable surface activity. Emergence dates differ slightly depending on location and weather conditions. It’s a good idea to obtain a hatch chart of the river. Local fly shops and internet sites are good sources for hatch charts and up to date information.
• Bait fishermen tend to do well during spring hatches using meal worms and perch bugs. Fishermen that prefer to use shiners, pinhead minnows or lures will have a good chance at hooking one of the large breeder trout that survived the opening weekend onslaught.
• Anglers that prefer stripes on their fish, only have to look to the tidal estuaries and power plant outflows to locate striped bass. The Manressa Power Plant in Norwalk, the Bridgeport Power Plant and the Devon Power Plant on the Housatonic all hold fish throughout the winter. As the surrounding water warms in spring these fish begin to move around and feed actively.
• The Thames River has a significant population of striped bass that winter over. Once the water temperature in the shallow flats that border the main channel hits 50 degrees, the bass feed ravenously in the warm shallows both day and night. This easy fishing situation normally begins in mid April and lasts until around Mothers Day.
• Also, on almost every tide, arriving migrating stripers join their brethren in the estuaries often blowing wide open an increasingly productive fishery. Most of the winterized stripers and the first arrivals are schoolies, but they still can be loads of fun on light tackle. Occasionally larger fish are mixed in adding to the sport when a twenty-pounder takes the fishermen’s offering.
• Productive lures include 4 to 6 inch Slug-Go and Fin-S and saltshakers fished on triangular jig heads. Fly anglers do well with Deceivers, Clousars and other streamer style patterns in the 4 to 5 inch size. In the early season color is not all that important as the fish will hit almost anything that moves.
• Due to the high number of hookups on these spring trips, it is advisable to fish with single hooks with the barbs smashed down. The lack of barbs is not only better for the fish, but saves the wear and tear on the angler’s hands.
• Connecticut anglers are fortunate because with a relatively short drive, they can cast for trout and stripers all in the same day.
• FISHING REPORT: Trout fishing got off to a slow start on Opening Day for many anglers due to the sub-freezing temperatures. Although water conditions were at optimum levels on most streams the cold weather reduced the catch rate.
• Best fishing was reported from the West Branch of the Farmington, Salmon, Blackledge, Sandy Brook, Natchaug, Shetucket, Mill and Moosup Rivers. The Hendrickson hatch has started on the Housatonic, and is just beginning on the West-Branch and main stem Farmington.
• Lake and pond fishermen are scoring at West Hill where several of the big breeders were landed, Beach Pond, Lake Saltonstall, Highland Lake and the Mad River Flood Control Impoundment.
• Walleyes are beginning to hit at Coventry and Mashapaug Lakes. Bantam and Mansfield Hollow anglers hooked up pike over the past few days.
• Anglers are reporting some good catches of schoolie stripers from the lower Connecticut River,the Thames and in the Housatonic around the Devon Power Plant. Out in the salt, flounder fishing is still bleak but a few fish are hitting on the warmer sunny days off Duck Island, in Jordan Cove and off Bluff Point.