Conn Post 10/7/05

1. Along with the pleasantly changing foliage and comfortable temperatures, both fresh and saltwater fishers have excellent opportunities to catch trophy-size fish in autumn. On Long Island Sound, look for large bluefish and striped bass to come migrating down from the north. Hefty largemouth bass and walleye also should produce some memorable moments.
2. For added fishing incentive, the state Department of Environmental Protection began its annual fall stocking last week. About 45,000 rainbow trout will get distributed around the state between now and next weekend. This weekend, anglers should be able to catch trout at Great Hollow Pond, Southford Falls State Park Pond, Black Rock State Park Pond, West Hill Pond, Highland Lake, East Twin Lake, Wauregan Reservoir, Beach Pond, Amos Lake, Quonnipaug Lake, Rogers Lake, Cedar Lake, Tyler Pond, West Side Pond, Mohawk Pond, Wharton Brook State Park Pond, the Farmington River Trout Management Areas, the Housatonic River between the Falls Village dam and Bulls Bridge, Pootatuck River and the Mill River within Sleeping Giant State Park.
3. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing is generally good throughout the state. Bass hunters returning from Moodus Reservoir, Winchester Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Congamond Lake, Lake Housatonic, Bantam Lake, Silver Lake, Gardner Lake, Pierrepont Pond, Park Pond, Black Pond, Lake Saltonstall, the Saugatuck Reservoir and Lake Zoar have reported limits of largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass are not as widely distributed as their big-mouthed cousin, but sufficient numbers of these fish have been caught in the Connecticut River, Lake Lillinonah, Squantz Pond, Candlewood Lake, the Saugatuck Reservoir and the Housatonic River between Bulls Bridge and the headwaters of Lake Lillinonah.
4. Striped bass fishing was improving, but a recent influx of bluefish has made the striped bass harder to catch. This situation is not due to a lack of striped bass, but rather that the bluefish are more aggressive feeders and take your bait quicker. If you want to target stripers without interference from the bluefish, wait until dark to go fishing. The best baits for striped bass have been tube-and-worms, Snakes, live porgy, bunker or eels. Bluefish are less fussy and will take any fish chunk, spoon, popper or swimming plug.
5. You can find both stripers and bluefish at Calf Pasture Beach, Compo Beach, the mouth of Southport Harbor, Sunken Island, Penfield lighthouse, Seabright Beach, the Seaside Park fishing pier, the Bonds Dock fishing pier, Milford Harbor, Charles Island, the West Haven sandbar, the Fort Hale fishing pier, Lighthouse Point, Southwest Reef, Cornfield Point and the Connecticut River between the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier and the river's mouth out to Long Sand Shoal.
6. Elsewhere in the state's fishing world, look for northern pike in Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Bantam Lake and Winchester Lake. The fall walleye action is red hot at Lake Saltonstall and Squantz Pond. Yellow perch angling is excellent in Gardner Lake, Highland Lake and Tyler Pond.
7. Snapper blues are still in the local harbors. Porgy fishing is excellent on all the major reefs and rock piles between Norwalk and Branford. And schools of little tunny and Atlantic bonito have been swimming in Plum Gut, the Sluiceway, the Race, around Pine Island off New London, and around Millstone Point.