Conn Post, 5/27/05

1. Anglers generally had a rough time this week with cold temperatures, sporadic rains and blustery conditions. Those braving the weather found fishing good in most areas. Of all the fishing possibilities, trout — both the freshwater and saltwater types —were the stars in local waters. Stocked trout continue to bite well in rivers and ponds. Weakfish, often called the sea trout, have made an impression on some anglers.
2. Trout hunters hoping to catch a few stocked fish over the holiday weekend should try the Pequonnock River within the Trumbull open space area, Hop Brook, the Farmington River, Still River, the Bantam River Fly-Fishing Only Area, East Aspetuck River, the Saugatuck River Fly-Fishing Only Area, Pomperaug River, Shepaug River, Mt. Tom Pond, the Black Rock Flood Control Impoundment, Ball Pond, Mohawk Pond, West Hill Pond, Naugatuck River, Tyler Pond, West Side Pond, Highland Lake, Squantz Pond, Pootatuck River, Quinnipiac River, Far Mill River, Colebrook Reservoir, Lake Wononscopomuc, Candlewood Lake, Little River, Highland Lake, Wepawaug River, Rogers Lake and Gardner Lake. Also the trout parks in Monroe's Wolfe Park, Oxford's Southford Falls State Park, Watertown's Black Rock State Park, Hamden's Sleeping Giant State Park and Wallingford's Wharton Pond State Park offer great trout action.
3. Henry Wilk of Easton enjoyed a fishing trip to the Saugatuck Reservoir last week where he caught a 27-inch, 8.45-pound Seeforellen brown trout. The fish hit a live minnow and was weighed at Ted's Bait & Tackle.
4. Weakfish have been making a splash recently off Penfield Reef and along the West Haven side of New Haven Harbor. Usually sandworms dominate the weakfish catches, but lately lures have taken over. Swimming spoons, soft plastic worms and grubs, and small swimmer plugs are hot weakfish lures. John Posh, former owner of Stratford Bait & Tackle, scored big off Penfield Reef with a new fly pattern. The fly was a bucktail-style Deceiver Fly tied with polar bear hair instead of bucktail. His fly yielded an 11.56-pound weakfish. Also, Dave Redford Sr., of Fairfield, reeled in a 9.40-pound weakfish from West Haven. His lure of choice was a Yozuri Swimmer.
5. Walleye reports have been good at Squantz Pond, Coventry Lake and the Saugatuck Reservoir. But the best action is in Lake Saltonstall as Bob Vasilescu of Shelton reported. Last weekend he caught nine walleye measuring between 20 and 27.25 inches. According to his report, he caught the walleye on the outside weedlines in 10 feet of water.
6. Striped bass fishing slowed a little with the foul weather. Yet, Armando Aversa of Bridgeport managed to catch a 44-inch, 37-pound striped bass from Bridgeport Harbor. According to Ted's Bait & Tackle, the striper hit a live bunker. Other places still producing striped bass include New Haven Harbor, Gulf Beach, Seaside Park, Southport Harbor and Compo Beach.
7. Bottom fishing on Long Island Sound has been fair to good lately. Jimmy O's Bait & Tackle reported two nice flatfish last week. Fran Vitalli of Trumbull picked up a 2.50-pound winter flounder from the mouth of the Saugatuck River. Meanwhile, Mark Gagnon of Fairfield crossed over to Mattituck, N.Y., to catch a 10.60-pound fluke. Jack Wallace of Stratford stopped by Stratford Bait & Tackle with a 5.46-pound fluke, which was taken from New Haven Harbor. FRANK MCKANE JR.