Norwich Bulletin 11/27/05

Last week, another 400 fish were added and another group of spawned-out breeders will be added to the total, bringing the final tally up to 1,000 2- to 10-pound or larger broodstock Atlantic salmon.

Joe Balint at Fish Connection said despite the rains there are a few bass moving up river to Norwich Harbor already. However, the lower Thames from the Interstate 95 bridge out to Ocean Beach has been loaded with fish and working birds for the past week or so. Expect these fish to be around and eventually begin working their way up river to spend the winter. Look for Ocean Beach to turn on at the end of the ebb tide as the bait and feeding striped bass, which average 14 to 22 inches, drop out of the mouth of the Thames with the tide. [norwich bulletin, by bob sampson]

On The Water 11/25/05

1. It’s getting close to the end of the fall fishing but it’s not quite done. At this point there is some serious space between the schools of bass and bluefish. When you find them though, the numbers may be impressive. There seem to be a lot of anglers in our region who are still waiting for the big fish to come through but the reality is that it may have already happened, or worse, maybe there just aren’t as many big bass around these days as people think. You’re welcome to come to your own conclusions about why that may be…
2. Joe Balint of The Fish Connection, Preston on the Thames has been hearing about tons and tons of bass from Ocean Beach to Pine Island. There are a some bass in the Thames, though not many of them are as far up as Norwich. They are all schoolies but fun to catch if you are interested in putting up some big numbers. Sunday my buddy Eric Covino and I landed 105 fish, all under 22 inches and one 9-pound bluefish that was either eating the three inch long bunker the bass were chasing or eating the bass themselves.
3. Richard at Hillyer’s Bait &Tackle in Waterford said blackfishing was hot but the boats were blown off the water early in the week, so no new reports have come in over the past few days. There are small bass all over Ocean Beach. These are the hordes of small stripers that will eventually be running up into the Thames for the winter. Expect them to run out of the river and along either side, which is right along Osprey and Ocean Beaches more toward the end of the ebb. Richard said the only decent fish they’ve seen in over a week was a bona fide, 16-pound bluefish that was caught over the weekend. The people who caught it were very closed mouthed and didn’t say where they caught it. Funny thing is, the way everything is on the move, the blues could be fifty miles from where that one was caught by now so it really doesn’t really matter where the hell that chopper came from!
4. “Q” over at River’s End Tackle, Saybrook said the Connecticut River is not so hot since the last flooding rains. He said that Pat Abate told him that on Monday there were schoolies on Long Sand Shoal and that’s about it in general vicinity of the lower river. Odds are, there are probably some small fish cruising the shore in widely separated schools but nothing can be counted on for very long at this point in the season.
5. Captain Jerry Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle, Madison also said the winds have kept people off the water this week so far. Anglers are into different stuff, like talking ice fishing. Blackfish to 6 pounds are being caught off Southwest Reef and Madison Reef on crabs. Bass are still around but the Sound is holding fewer migratory fish with each passing day. The good news is that herring are very abundant in his area, which are drawing and holding the fish for the time being.
6. Chris Fulton, owner of Stratford Bait and Tackle, reported that things have really slowed due to the rains, winds and the holiday. There are some small schoolies and “rat” bluefish showing up but no fish have been weighed in this week. Things are slowing down, more due to the lack of angler activity than perhaps a total lack of fish.
7. Rick Mola of Fisherman’s World, Norwalk said on Wednesday there were still a ton of blues and smaller bass off 11-B. Blackfishing is still holding up but not quite as good as two weeks ago. To the west off Hempstead, Long Island, the fish are hitting pretty well. There are not any herring around yet. Remember, the bass will be moving westward following the Atlantic herring any time now, a scenario that always brings with it a burst of big bass catches in the western end of the Sound. The herring generally show up when the temps suddenly drop. These are Atlantic herring, not the protected “river herring,” which are alewives and blueback herring that run during the spring. These winter run herring are fair game to catch for use as bait, with no limits on the catch numbers at this point in time.
8. This week, the best concentration of stripers we heard of was around the mouth of the Thames River, but these are all small fish. Look for some larger bass to be caught out at Block Island any time now. Wherever there are herring, some larger bass and bluefish won’t be far away. Blackfish catches have waned lately but will still be found around the deeper reefs throughout the region.

TheDay 11/25/05

1. With the first snow flurries of the fall in the forecast, it's time to wrap up our fishing column for the 2005. But, we still have some news to write about, primarily schoolie fishing in and around the lower Thames and the last schools of bass moving past the Rhode Island beaches west to Long Sand Shoal.
2. Capt. Al Anderson made four charter trips to the lower Thames River this week in his small boat, totaling 400 bass from 15 inches to 15 pounds. All the fish were caught south of the Gold Star Bridge: around the ferry docks on the west side, the boulder field around Eastern Point and the mouth of the river one trip on the last of the ebb tide. In seven years Al and his charters have fished the Thames he's tagged an amazing 10,000 striped bass.
3. These have shown up in various places like Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod in early May after being tagged in the upper river in the winter. He also had a tag come back from an osprey nest overlooking the Westport River in Massachusetts in June. That fish was tagged in the early spring off Montville; made its way to the east but was eaten by an osprey, the rack and tag found in the nest during routine inspection by a game warden.
4. Al said the fish caught off the West Wall in early April are coming from rivers like the Thames, the first of the migration heading east and then north, mainly to other river seasons like the Merrimack almost on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire border.
5. Right now the water temps in the lower Thames are 48-49 degrees. As it drops next month we'll see more fish more up past the bridges but right now there's little quality fishing from Montville to Norwich.
6. On another note about river boating, Al maintains a department head at the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) told him in 2004 the DEP would keep the floating docks in place around the Gold Star ramp and others through November. That was not the case and last weekend there were some very made boaters who had to launch and retrieve their boats the hard way. Included was a group of Navy people trying to launch two very large hard-body inflatables.
7. Capt. Don's in Charlestown reported a bluefish blitz at the Weekapaug beaches last Friday that was enjoyed by both locals and Connecticut fishermen. This writer landed 14 blues from 5-11 pounds and eight small bass on top waters. Over the weekend there was a pick of fish, both blues and small bass, at daybreak and dusk from Misquamicut through East Beach. Included in the catch was a 23-pound bass caught at Weekapaug on Saturday during the day and a 37-inch bass by the same angler later on near Watch Hill. The storm at mid-week roiled and dirtied the surf but all the locals are betting the fishing has at least one more week to go.
8. Don at King Cove Outfitters in Stonington said you get catch blues and small bass from the Rhode Island beaches and schoolies from inside Napatree Point in Little Narragansett Bay through Stonington Harbor then west along the bridges that border Route One. Blackfish can still be caught on most of the rockpiles if you want to brave the wind and cold.
9. Jack at the Fish Connection noted the store traffic dropped way off as people head indoors for another winter. As of this report the best bet for small stripers is down below the Gold Star Bridge with out a few caught around Norwich and buoy 27, the latter spot offers blues that are much bigger than the stripers. In this cold weather, people are also fishing bait on the bottom around Dahl Oil, able to sit in their warm vehicles and watch their rods for signs of a bite. You might also try off the Fort Trumbull pier for chance for a schoolie striper.
10. Stephanie Cramer sent in her last e-mail until next spring. She continues to enjoy good schoolie fishing in the lower Thames with Capt. Anderson. Their best day was last Sunday when they caught, tagged and released 120 small bass; most caught trolling small tubes on small umbrella rigs. One of the fish was bitten in half, a sure sign bluefish are still around even in the chilly water.
11. Capt. Joey Devine of the Mijoy also sent an e-mail about their blackfish trips last Saturday and Sunday. On the first day the fish bit well with local sharpies from Niantic, Calil and Camran Rahman, ages 12 and 9, doing a very good job. Their trips were paid for by a proud mom who rewarded the two for good report cards. Kyle Wilson, age 10, of Gales Ferry was also aboard to catch blackfish of 9 pounds and a 15-pound bluefish that took a crab on the bottom. The next day the fishery was in a “state of lockjaw” with slow fishing for all except Dave S. from Groton. They also caught a small cod while anchored up off Race Rock and heard about a keeper cod landed on the Lady Margaret also out black fishing in local waters. They will sail this coming weekend, both days at 6 a.m. then call it quits for the year.
12. Richard at Hillyers Tackle in Waterford said some of the fly fishermen wading the beach at Ocean Beach landed small bass but also saw very large swirls presumably caused by big bass feeding nearby. And, in one case the young man watched in awe as a big striper swam right past his legs. You still have a chance for blackfish in the weekend weather is hospitable.
13. River's End observed most of the local blackfish pros are heading out to deeper water, the shallow spots offering throwbacks or nothing. Schoolie bass can be caught from time to time along the Old Lyme beaches. One day a large flock of gulls was over a school of bigger stripers at Long Sand Shoal but they moved through by the next day. Some of the tidal creeks have small stripers and hickory shad, caught with light rods and small jigs.

Conn Post 11/18/05

1. Anglers got a bonus this week with warm weather and great fishing, especially for striped bass and Atlantic salmon. Many saltwater enthusiasts are reporting double- digit catches on stripers in western Long Island Sound. Atlantic salmon are attracting plenty of attention now that the Naugatuck River has returned to normal flows and water levels.
2. The state Department of Environmental Protection stocked 280 salmon into the Naugatuck River and 283 salmon into the Shetucket River last week. These stockings bring the total number of salmon released this fall to 1,650 fish. While most of the salmon weigh between 3 and 20 pounds, hatchery personnel released one fish weighing nearly 26 pounds.
3. Because of the stockings and good water conditions, salmon enthusiasts are reporting excellent fishing. The Litchfield portion of the river north of the Thomaston Dam has been producing very well. Anglers are also finding fish in the river between Naugatuck State Forest along the railroad tracks and the Route 67 bridge in Seymour. Another good bet for salmon is the tailrace of the Derby Dam at high tide when the water levels are deeper.
4. Striped bass fishing seems to get better and better as the autumn progresses. Most of the fish are below the 28-inch size minimum. But on standard freshwater bass tackle or light saltwater tackle, these fish will test your wits. The smaller bass are taking soft plastic shad, imitation herring, small crankbaits, bucktail jigs, tube-n-worms and small herring chunks. If you are looking for larger bass, in the 28- to 40-inch class, switch to bunker heads, diamond jigs and deep diving crankbaits.
5. Shoreline bassers are finding fish off Lighthouse Point, the West Haven sandbar, Bradley Point, Andersons Landing leading into Milford Harbor, the state boat launching ramp in Devon, Caswell Cove off Bic Drive in Milford, Bonds Dock behind the former Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, both the east and west ends of Seaside Park, and the various shore points along the Saugatuck and Norwalk rivers.
6. Offshore bass hunters will fare well off Southwest Reef, Six Mile Reef, the mouth of Branford Harbor, the channels leading into New Haven Harbor, around Charles Island, off the Stratford Shoal, Buoy 20, in Bridgeport Harbor, off the end of Fayerweather Island, at the mouth of Southport Harbor, throughout the entire Norwalk Island Chain and in Greenwich Harbor. When fishing around any island, look for the bass on the island tips where the tides run strongest.
7. Yellow perch continue to thrill anglers in Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, East Twin Lake, Tyler Pond, Gardner Lake, Lake Zoar, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Housatonic and Rogers Lake. The perch seem to prefer weedbeds, gravel points or mudflats for their autumn feeding activities. While you can catch yellow perch in deep water, you will fare better in depths of three to 10 feet. Natural colored marabou jigs, small jigging spoons and tiny tube lures are the best perch lures. Live pinhead minnows and bite-size pieces of nightcrawler are the top baits.
8. Boaters should note that the winter drawdowns of Gardner Lake, Pachaug Pond, Lower Bolton Lake, Middle Bolton Lake, Glasgo Pond and Bashan Lake are currently underway. Launching large bass boats may be difficult. [FRANK MCKANE JR.]

On The Water 11/18/05

1. The hot spots are in the Madison/Guilford area in Connecticut waters. Wherever there are herring, hickory shad or bunker of any size, there will be some stripers and bluefish.
2. Cheryl Fee of Shaffer’s Marina, Mystic said they have been seeing lots of blackfish. They are out of rigs, sold all their crabs and are closing up for the winter this week. Her group of anglers is having fun with the tautog at Ram Island Reef, Ellis Reef and North Hill. Shaffer’s will reopen in April. They always do a great job letting us know what’s happening around Fishers Island Sound. Thanks for all your help with this report Cheryl and Al! Talk to you in the spring.
3. Rennie, of The Fish Connection, Preston on the Thames in Connecticut, told us the Thames River has been slow in the upper reaches. A friend said there are good numbers of stripers at the mouth of the river around I-95 and New London Harbor, and spread out on either side of the river mouth from Pine Island and Bluff Point to Ocean Beach. They are mostly smaller schoolies with bluefish mixed in, but the numbers of fish are pretty high.
4. My friend Eric Covino fished Millstone Outflow last week and caught small stripers and huge bluefish up to about 15 pounds on Fin-S Fish and a jighead. He noted that the blues were apparently feeding on the stripers because he had a couple of small fish chopped up and had to reel the smaller fish in quickly to avoid them being cut up by giant choppers.
5. Salmon fishing in the Shetucket River has been slow due to the high water.
6. Richard at Hillyer’s Bait and Tackle, Waterford said he’d heard the blackfish are still around in good numbers, so are the bass.
7. Mark Lewchik of River’s End, Saybrook said nothing much is happening down their way. A few schoolies have been caught off the causeway and Lyme beaches. Mark said that Long Sand Shoal seems to have dried up over the past few days. Blackfish action has been good in this area when people are able to launch their boats. Water temperatures are still warm at around 55, but the river is cooler in the mid-40s because it drains colder areas to the north in Vermont. Mark has heard there are still stripers to the north at the Vineyard, so it (striper fishing) may not be over quite yet. We are in that period when the fish are moving in pulses, with ever-increasing “spaces” between schools. A few hickory shad have been caught off the state fishing pier at the DEP headquarters and off the causeway.
8. I’d try looking in the warmwater discharge at Millstone for albies, but it may be hard hooking up, even if they are hiding there, due to all the bluefish. Warm falls like this one usually trap a few albies and bluefish well into December. They survive as long as there is food and the plant doesn’t shut down.
9. Captain Jerry Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle, Madison said that green crabs and blackfish are about all he’s been seeing coming into and going out of the shop. The blackfish bite is always excellent in this part of the Sound, and this year it’s been as good or better than normal. Menunketesuck Island, south of Falkner, and its north rips, Southwest Reef and all the local rock piles are holding fish. Of the lot, Southwest Reef is the best place for blackfish. Bluefish are still around in good numbers and some are big, 14 or 15 pounds, off Kimberly Reef. Sachem Head has been producing good ones when the tides are right. He’s seeing a few 30- to 40-pound fish feeding on herring like crazy, although, like elsewhere, most of the stripers being caught are small. Captain Morgan has been seeing bunker, herring and shad. He said there are no signs of it ending quite yet and that it will take a real cold snap to shut things down quickly. He suspects there will be striped bass around in December. Eels, tube and worms, and plugs in the surf are all working.
10. Chris Fulton, owner of Stratford Bait and Tackle in Stratford, had a customer report a good blitz of bluefish up to 10 pounds off Seaside Park in Bridgeport on Tuesday evening that responded to casting poppers from the beach. Good blackfish are still being caught in the area. The best last week was an 8.5-pounder. Brian Thornill caught a 20-pound striper off Bond’s dock on a mackerel chunk over the weekend.
11. Nick Mola from Fisherman’s World, Norwalk said they are still seeing a strong run of blackfish off Buoys 28-B and 11-C, with top-end fish averaging from five to seven pounds. Diamond jigs fished deeper, off the Obstruction Buoy have yielded blues up to 15 pounds, along with small stripers of 30 inches. Fishing is improving and will begin yielding much larger bass in December when those herring that are now off the south shore beaches push their way into the western end of the Sound.
12. Best bet this week will probably once again be blackfish, around pretty much any rock pile or reef. Stripers and bluefish will be where the bait is, so some searching will likely be required. However, once located, the effort will be worthwhile. The waters from Quonny Breachway to Charlestown Breachway, around the mouth of the Thames River, and around the reefs and rip lines in the Madison and Guilford areas were holding the most stripers as of midweek. Chunks, eels, and tube and worms are best if you can get the sand worms. If not, use Berkley Power Sandworms instead. For the blackfish, fiddler crabs will work magic, otherwise the greenies will take their share of fish.

Capt Morgan Madison 11/16/05

1. The call of tautog (blackfish) has been attracting tog pullers to the reefs where fish in the 10-pound plus range have been caught. Inshore as well as offshore reefs, including favorite rock piles fished by the locals, have been dotted with small craft. Tack a chart to the wall and toss a dart and chances are the closest reef will have blackfish feeding on it.
2. At the time of this writing, a few helpful hotspot hints must include Southwest Reef, Madison Reef, Goose Island, inside Netties Reef, and various spots in and around The Thimbles. Two launches are available in the area of Madison/Guilford that are fairly close to these fishing grounds. Of course, there are several other reefs and rocky structures along shoreline that are also worth fishing but these score high marks based on the number of recent catches made. The tog's short menu reads crabs, clams, and seaworms.
3. Stripers with some big blues mixed in. Although several bass in the 45- to the 50-plus pound range have been caught earlier on out by Fisher's Island, mid-November has traditionally been a time for some big fish to surface farther west. Somewhere between the Connecticut River and Guilford Harbor, there are usually a few cows.
4. Live bait—as in eels, bunker, seaworms, etc.—are the fall time fishing delights for stripers. Effective both from shore or boat, the only limitations have to do with timing and location. Not to diminish the effectiveness of chunk bait or artificial lures—they will catch boasting-size bass as well—live bait does get the attention of those fined-tuned senses stripers are known to possess. With a full
5. moon phase upon us, bass fishing ought to prove productive for those anglers ready to do battle with the season's typically unpredictable elements. [org pub theday.com by Captain Morgan]

The Day 11/19/05

1. For those who want to stay active as long as possible, there is some good surf casting going on now along the Rhode Island beaches, very active school bass in the lower Thames River and black fishing on all the local rockpiles when the weather moderates. While some anglers are still on the water a glance at the calendar lets us all know fishing season will soon end. Next week will be the last column published by The Day written by Tim Coleman.
2. Capt. Al Anderson fished the Thames three times since last report, his parties landing roughly 240 bass to tops of about 26 inches though most were 15 to 19 inches. All the fish were caught casting a pearl white Zoom Super Fluke on a 3/8-ounce head or flies on 8wt rods with a 350-grain, fast sinking line or trolling small tubes on mini umbrella rigs. On of one the mornings they had exceptionally good action right off the Amtrak Bridge at Shaw's Cove. Al saw some false albacore break water at the mouth of the river and they continue to lose a few schoolies each trip to large blues that grab the fish as they are reeled in. Stephanie Cramer fished with Capt. Al Anderson during the week, finding schoolies in most of the river coves and off Eastern Point Beach, all south of the bridges. She is looking for these fish to move upriver very soon. Water temperatures ranged from 49 to 51 depending on the tide.
3. Lou over at Hillyers Tackle in Waterford said people saw some big stripers breaking water at Ocean Beach in Wednesday's wind. Jack Balint at Fish Connection said you should be able to catch schoolies from Ocean Beach up to the I-95 Bridge over the Thames, concentrating on the west side of the river.
4. From time to time there have been a few large bunker in close at the old light at the mouth of the Thames and small bass caught from the beach at Harkness Park. Shore casters also caught some keeper blackfish from the stone jetty at Pleasure Beach. Instead of casting out, drop a green crab on minimal terminal tackle right by the rocks after chumming with a few cracked crabs. People on the beach also landed schoolie bass at Pleasure Beach at sunrise and also last Sunday at McCook's Point Beach.
5. Out in the boats, there are blackfish if the wind isn't howling. The biggest of the week was a 13-pounder caught on the hump about 50 yards west of Seaflower. On a windy morning a small boater fished in the lee of Three-Foot Rock for both keepers and throwbacks.
6. Black fishing is still very worthwhile if we get a window in the storms.
7. People casting small swimming plugs around Pine Island landed tiny stripers and black fishing is fair to excellent when the small boats can safely get out and back. Big blues are mixed in with the schoolies, often feeding on them instead of all the small bunkers in the lower river. The latest Jack ever saw a bluefish landed in the Thames was Dec. 21, that fish took a chunk on the bottom opposite buoy 27.
8. Capt. Joey Devine of the Mijoy is still black fishing, weekends only for two more weeks, catching a steady number of keepers along with a few sea bass and lots of throwback porgies. If you lack a boat, this may be a way to get in that last trip before the weather closes in for good.
9. Capt. Kyle Douton over at J&B said one of the kids who works in the shop had a nice catch of blackfish in Niantic Bay, fishing in the lee of the stiff southwest wind.
10. There should still be some bass in The Race on the downside of the full moon but after that, the season will likely end until spring.
11. Sherwood Lincoln of East Lyme hasn't been able to get out black fishing but still has a boat in the water ready to go. The water temperatures in the eastern Sound were around 51 to 52 last time he checked which means we should have another week of so of fishing left to us.
12. Pat Abate at River's End in Old Saybrook noted his customers are telling him about throwback blackfish or nothing or all on some of the shallower spots that were productive a few weeks back.
13. Blues and scattered bass are still being caught on the west end of the Sand Shoal. Schoolies can be caught around the bridge openings and at times from the Sound beaches.

Norwich Bulletin 11/19/05

• Many years ago, there would have been a month or so of great "surface blitz" fishing for bluefish and striped bass in the Thames River during September and October. That just did not materialize like it usually does this season.
• Unfortunately, the 10 days of rain last month nearly ruined this event by washing most of the bait out of the river. Without any large concentrations of peanut bunker, adult bunker and hickory shad to attract predatory fish up into the Thames in large numbers, the schools of larger fish that would normally be bustling around in the shallows simply are not there.
• Also, there appears to be a correlation between lack of bait later in the fall due to flooding and a noticeably reduced population of stripers in the upper river during the winter fishery.
  
• According to the Fish Connection, the upper river from Horton Cove to Norwich, isn't holding much in the way of bait or stripers. However, as is typical for November there are large numbers of bass and scattered bluefish feeding in New London Harbor and around the beach areas off its mouth.
• If things progress as the usually do, a good portion of these stripers currently holding off the mouth of the river will probably begin moving up into the Thames as water temperatures drop through the next couple of weeks.
• Surf fishermen were doing very well off both the Charleston and Quonny breachways. Quonny reportedly had both small and medium bunker as well as some herring. The presence of these larger prey also had a large number of 35- to 40-inch class stripers concentrated off the Quonny Breachway earlier this week.
• A friend said there were some small stripers and big bluefish in the Millstone Point warm water discharge last week. He said the bass were so small that they were being chopped in half by monstrous bluefish up to about 15 pounds, if they weren't reeled in quickly enough.
• No word on what's happening out in the Race, around the Watch Hill/Fishers Island Reef Complex or the island itself due to the miserable windy weather.
• The Race typically holds stripers until Thanksgiving or beyond during warm falls, while the island and reefs will run hot and cold as slugs of fish migrate through the region this time of year.
• Right now water temps are in the mid-50s out in the Sound, which is warm for this calendar date. The fish are not being forced to move by rapidly dropping temps like last year, so they will remain in any area that has a concentration of forage.
• The fall migration is on, so there are constantly pulses of stripers and some bluefish moving into and through this area, sometimes in very large schools. However as time goes on, the amount of space between these schools of fish will increase, which means higher odds of taking a skunking with each trip.
• The gannets are reportedly working over the herring off Rhode Island's south shore beaches now. The presence of these birds is always associated with ocean herring (which are legal to catch and use for bait) and the end of the fall runs. [Bob Sampson]
  

CT DEP: 11/14/05 - Weekly Fishing Report

1. ATLANTIC SALMON: Broodstock Atlantic salmon fishing is red hot on both the Naugatuck River (many reports of hook-ups and many big fish are resulting) and the Shetucket River.
2. TROUT: LAKES & PONDS –Trout fishing continues to be variable, with reports from Crystal Lake (Ellington), Great Hollow lake (mixed reports), Saugatuck Reservoir (26” brown), Hogback Reservoir, Colebrook Reservoir (fair), West Hill Pond (fair), Squantz (good, many 17-20” trout) and Beach Pond (mixed reports).
3. RIVERS & STREAMS -Fall fishing can produce good results for those equipped for challenging weather conditions. Streamers and nymphing dominate the early morning,late afternoon, and mid-day under low-light conditions. Typical fall colors for streamers are white, yellow and brown. Patterns include White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). Typical Bottom bouncing nymphs include Tan and Winter Caddis pupa (#16-18), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-18) and Hare’s ear (#8-20).
4. Farmington River- West Branch water temperatures are in the upper 40’s °F. Flows are currently high (450 cfs from Hogback, and about 1,000 cfs below the Still River) due to Wednesday night’s rains, but should drop to more fishable levels by the weekend. BWO continue to be the dominant hatch, with Midges and Caddis mixed in. For best action try Blue Wing Olives (#16-20, late morning) and Winter Caddis (#16-18, early afternoon). Expect most of the action to be between 11:30 am and 3:00pm.
5. Housatonic River- Morning TMA water temperatures are in the upper 40’s °F. The river is still fishable although flows have again increased (about 2,300 cfs at Falls village and 3,400 at Gaylordsville as of Thursday morning). Flows are relatively clear, and should drop to more comfortable levels during the weekend. Current hatches include Blue Wing Olive (#18-22, early morning) and Winter Caddis (#16-20, early morning and late afternoon).
6. LARGEMOUTH BASS open-water fishing is winding down, with reports from Coventry Lake (a 7.1 lb bass by David Dodd), Crystal Lake in Ellington (a 5.5 lb by Tom Phelps, Vernon), Highland Lake (fair), Congamond Lakes (fair), Candlewood lake (fair), Lake Zoar (good), Lake Lillinonah (good), Dooley Pond (some action on cookie-cutters), Mudge (slow), Black Pond in Meriden (fair).
7. SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Highland (good), Gardner, Candlewood lake (mixed reports), Colebrook Reservoir (mixed, includes a 3.5 lb smallie) and Squantz Pond (good, catches in the 17-21” range)
8. Some NORTHERN PIKE catches reported from Bantam Lake and Winchester Lake.
9. Fall WALLEYE remains good for some anglers, with reports from Saugatuck Reservoir (4 fish up to 8.7 lbs for one experienced walleye angler) and Squantz Pond (7 fish up to 8.1 lbs).
10. YELLOW PERCH are being caught in good numbers. This favorite of ice fishermen is already teasing anglers with some really larger specimens. Reports include Candlewood Lake (including a 2 plus pound monster), Bantam Lake, Gardner Lake and West Side Pond.
11. Connecticut River – BLACK CRAPPIE are still putting on a good showing on jigs & shiners at White Oaks Cove and in the lower river. Mixed reports for NORTHERN PIKE. Pike have been caught from in Wethersfield Cove, the mouth of Chapman’s Pond and near Salmon River Cove.

Capt Morgan Madison 11/10/05

• What a fall! Bass, blues, and blacks top the list of seasonal fish to be caught. Stripers are hitting, bluefish are attacking, and togs haven't yet figured out there are fishermen at the other end of the line. It is the time of year when popular reefs are bombarded with anglers especially on a bonus weather day. Tog pullers are looking for elbow room, drifters are looking for a clean shot, and you can bet your last piece of chunk that someone will squeeze their way in and proceed to launch heavy metal in the direction of an anchor line prompting a variety of reactions.
• Diving birds in the Sound are filling themselves full of herring, alerting some fishermen to a short (but perhaps sustained) run of these irresistible bass baits. Often close to shore, these fish often bring on the biggest and the best of the fall run of linesiders. Live-lining, partial rigging, or chunking will often bring immediate and dynamic hits. Short casts in the wash or long distance hurls may be necessary in order to reach the target zone. Similarly created plugs that imitate these fish are scoring both at night and during the daylight hours.
• Anxiously awaiting the run of the cows, anglers have been gearing up all along the Connecticut's striper coast. As a prelude to this annual event, 20- to 30-pound class fish are serving as a warm up. Tidal river basins have been serving as a cauldron for these feeding stripers, especially on falling tides. The more aggressive bass are swimming farther upriver pursuing menhaden and herring, remaining there until the tide forces them from the feeding grounds.
• Recently, a fresh class of 30- to 35-pound bass has entered the Sound. Feeding on fresh bait, these fat bass are putting a bend in the heartiest of rods. Carl Asman of Guilford along with Aaron Karlak of Seymour had a striper morning off of Faulkner's Island. With bass to 35 pounds and measuring 42 inches, the duo hit pay dirt using chunks on the start of an early morning rising tide.
• November is considered by many to be the month of the eel. Or should it be said, the month of striper eels. Slinging a hefty one from shore or drifting snake candy across your favorite rip generally proves to be a successful tactic when looking for the bass of the season.
• As stripers move down the coast through Block Island Sound, past the Race and into Long Island Sound to feed, most reefs and shoals along the way become stopping points. Reefs like Bartlett's, Hatchett's, Cornfield, Crane, Six, Southwest, Kimberly, and the Beacon come alive. Long Sand Shoal becomes a magnet and if hit right, you ought to have a scale on board that can register greater than 50 pounds.
• With all of the fuss being made about togs and bass, bluefish almost seem to be overlooked. However, some of the best fights of the year are going on right now. Gators (and those looking to grow into ones) are on the prowl, slicing into schools of baitfish and imitation look-alikes. They are cruising the depths with the stealth of a barracuda one minute and in the next, turning a calm water surface into a foaming turmoil. The fight is on and likely to continue well into the month of November.

On The Water 11/12/05

1. It’s typical late-fall fishing throughout the region. The migration is on. There are still fish to the north that may or may not be available for us to catch here in Connecticut and Rhode Island, depending on bait distribution and temperatures when they arrive. But there are fish still around, and with temps in the high 50s, they should be for anywhere from a week to maybe three before things really shut down. The slugs of fish do have a great deal more “daylight” between them right now, so don’t despair if your favorite spot is dead two or three nights running because the mother lode could be waiting on the next trip. Blackfish have been the most consistent species lately, when the armada that chases them can get out over their favorite reefs. A few decent fish have been taken from docks, jetties and rocky shorelines, but this fish is definitely more suited for fishing vertically from a boat anchored on the edge of a reef than it is for casting horizontally out into the rocks from shore.
2. Rennie of The Fish Connection, Preston on the Thames said on Wednesday he started fishing off Smith’s Cove then went to the State Hospital and near the casino, across the river, and managed to catch six fish to about 18 inches, along with a few hickory shad – not the normal fall blitzes that the Thames River is famous for. The river has generally been slow in the upper reaches to Norwich.
3. The problem is that there’s not much – if any – bait in the river since the heavy rains a week or so ago. The tons of peanut bunker were evidently washed out to sea, so the normal fall blitzes are not going on throughout the river. There are a few more bass around the mouth of the river near Mamacoke Island and Smith’s Cove, but you have to work for them. Blackfishing has been excellent off the mouth of the Thames and nearby rock piles such as Sara Ledge and Goshen Reef.
4. Rennie fished Gardner Lake for walleyes and couldn’t catch one earlier in the week. He said that he hasn’t caught one this year and has not heard of anyone else catching them, either. However, some small ones have been coming from Coventry Lake and Beach Pond, but these fisheries are too new for the walleyes to have reached the minimum size of 18 inches. Next year these newly stocked lakes will begin producing keepers. Remember, the limit is two fish per day, a restriction that is long overdue and the reason the once great fishery at Gardner Lake is so depleted – three winters of heavy ice-fishing pressure wiped them out!
5. Richard at Hillyer’s Bait and Tackle in Waterford said the blackfish action has been pretty much the whole story in his area. Rich Wilson, who works at the shop, and some friends caught a dozen nice blackfish one day last week, with the top-end fish a whopping 9.5-pounder. Rick caught his fish on hermit crabs, which he says is like “cheating,” they work so well.
6. Ocean Beach, Harkness Park and the Waterford Town Beach still have decent numbers of bass and blues up close to the rocks after dark but not out on the Niantic River.
7. Pat Abate of River’s End, Saybrook said there are a few bass around but it has been spotty down in his “neck of the woods.” Pat made three trips in two days under good conditions but didn’t get a single strike, saying: “There’s lots of room between fish, but you never know when they will be at your spot.” Napatree Point is a good example. He said that last week it would be good one night and dead for the next two. The causeway and lower Connecticut River have bass and hickory shad around to catch. Out off the river mouth, Long Sand Shoal was red-hot for bass and bluefish the past few days, with the western end the better producer. The top-end stripers taken have been up to 30 pounds. Bartlett Reef has produced a few fish lately, as well. The Race has been slow, but Pat wasn’t sure if it was lack of fish or a lack of fishermen that’s caused a reduction in reports from this popular fishing area. Blackfishing is still good but seems to have tapered off this past weekend. Pat heard one report from the Vineyard that a bunch of fish showed earlier in the week, which means there are still some fish up north to come through. How fast they move through will depend on the amount of bait in an area and the water temperature. “Things have been shut down for a good deal of the time lately, due to the weather.”
8. Captain Jerry Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle, Madison was not there when we called, probably due to the miserable weather on Wednesday. We will try to reach him earlier next week.
9. Chris Fulton, owner of Stratford Bait and Tackle in Stratford, reported that not much has been happening around the Housatonic River and Stratford beaches. He noted that the best fishing they’ve had so far this fall took place during the nine days of rain, and things have tapered off ever since.
10. Like in the Thames, there isn’t much bait around, hence few fish feeding on them. Monday and Tuesday, Chris said he fished locally and didn’t get a bump. He’s heard that Rhode Island is red-hot, and there are still some fish up off the Cape, like others to the east have reported this week. Everything shut down this week, but there will be more fish coming. Anglers with bait are still taking bluefish on chunks. For some reason, plug casting has not been producing very well. During one of his local trips to Charles Island, he said one guy fishing near him was catching bluefish after bluefish on chunks while he couldn’t get a touch on poppers or metal lures.
11. Nick from Fisherman’s World, Norwalk said diamond jigging at 11-B and the Obstruction Buoy are hot for both bluefish and striped bass – nothing big, but good overall action in these two spots. Fish along the shore up to 20 pounds are still being caught. Penfield Reef produced decent fish one night for a customer, and they were literally gone on the next. But that’s the way it is this time of year, hot and cold, though apparently turning mostly cold in many areas for now.
12. Here, as to the east, blackfishing has been very good and the mainstay and most consistent fishery. Customers are reporting fish to about seven pounds – no real monsters in the typical catch but good numbers of shorts to keep the action factor up. There are many smaller fish in the catches but not a high percentage of shell crushers in the average catch. However, Nick said, like the folks to the east, that the blackfishing this year is the best it’s been in quite a while.
13. This weekend the best bet, if the winds allow, will be to set up over a reef or rock pile and send crabs down for blackfish. Then after you catch your fill, hit the shoreline for striped bass. If stripers are your thing from the surf, the epicenter of the best fishing as of midweek was and probably still is the three breachways and their respective salt ponds. Charlestown, Quonny and Weekapaug breachways accounted for the best striper and bluefish reports we heard of this week, and live baits such as chunks have been the ticket for the big bluefish being taken.

The Day 11/11/05

• While many put their boats away, others are still out catching blackfish on the deeper spots, traveling to Rhode Island for some good surf fishing or looking on the local reefs and The Race for the next school of bass to pass by. I also had a report of some great sea bass fishing and large porgies caught on the southwest corner of Cox's Ledge for any one with large boat willing to burn his or her fuel to get there.
• Al Golinski of Misquamicut said there are still bass around, maybe around the airport at Fishers or the reefs. He'll give it one more try this coming weekend then haul the boat for the winter.
• One of my surf fishing friends fished the Fire District Beach for four mornings, catching blues in the 4-8-pound range and schoolie bass on leadheads with white plastic worms. The only down day he had was yesterday when the surf was high and dirty from the Wednesday southeaster. The fish are not showing, breaking water as they usually do but have been there for the catching if you want to get out of bed for sunrise. There have been some fish at sunset but not in the numbers of early in the day. Chunkers, fishing frozen bunker or mackerel on the bottom, are catching blues during the day along with a few striped bass.
• One of the people who took advantage of the good surf fishing was Susan Lloyd, who fished Weekapaug with her boyfriend Ray to catch her first bluefish, an 8-pounder on light rod and 10-pound line. Many people have switched from the traditional 10-foot surf rods to lighter 7- and 8-footers which provide much more sport.
• Capt. Don's in Charlestown said several Connecticut surf anglers got into a blitz of blues and bass along East Beach in Charlestown. It started about 11 a.m. Wednesday and continued right through the afternoon. Don got out in his boat one calm morning to catch a 30-pound striper casting a plug into the Quonnie rocks east of the breachway. Mackerel chunks fished on the bottom during the day are working on blues from 4-12 pounds at various locations between here and Watch Hill. If it's too windy to get out of the breachway, you can catch mostly small bass right in the pond, and maybe a 20-pounder under them.
• Capt. Al Anderson of Snug Harbor is now fishing the Thames River for schoolie bass either trolling small tubes on small umbrella rigs or casting flies or lures on spinning tackle. Over the weekend they totaled over 200 small stripers. They didn't see a lot of surface activity nor birds working over the fish but the bass are there all the same, mostly in the lower part of the river at this time.
• Don at King Cove Outfitters said there was a load of school bass and blues off Watch Hill in Wednesday's day rough weather but out of range of the shore fishermen. Black fishing is well worth your time if the wind drops enough to let you safely ride at anchor around Wreck Island, West Breakwater or any other well-known tautog spots. If you don't like to cast while surf fishing, you can sit in a beach chair and let a chunk of bunker or mackerel rest on the bottom, waiting for bluefish to come by and pick it up.
• Over in Preston, Jack at the Fish Connection said he went clamming at Bluff Point during Wednesday's storm. Black fishing is hot now anywhere from Ledge Light to Latimer. Blues are still in and out of the Millstone outflow along with school bass in the morning somewhere between Groton Long Point and Jordan Cove. Two of his customers couldn't get out in the mid-week storm so they anchored up around the I-95 bridge over the Thames, fishing chunks on the bottom for larger blues and schoolie stripers.
• Stephanie Cramer was one of the people out with Capt. Al Anderson, fishing the lower Thames, doing her part to catch and release 121 stripers in one day. During that trip, they had a bluefish grab a hooked schoolie and bite the back end of it off before they could wrestle it away from the blue. The next day she herself boated and released 64 small stripers south of the I-95 Bridge. So far she noted there is very little going on up in the river around buoy 27.
• Capt. Brad Glas of the Hel-Cat has wrapped up the 2005 season, sending his last e-mail about Tommy Harrington of Killingworth catching the largest bluefish of the year and Tom Duchesneau of Manchester, the largest cod. Both received a custom rod and reel as prizes.
• Jimmy “The Greek” Koutalakis of Ayer, Mass., trailered his 31-foot center console to our waters last weekend. Launching in Point Judith, he ran out to the southwest corner of Cox's Ledge. Anchored and chumming heavily in 120 feet of water he and friends caught a load of sea bass to 7 pounds, jumbo porgies, a couple large blues and many pesky dogfish. On the next tide they ran over to Southwest Ledge and drifted eels on a hump up-tide from the main ledge for a quick limit of striped bass.
• Hillyers Tackle reported good black fishing dependent on the weather and schoolie bass in and out of the shoreline, taking poppers when they were in close enough. Blues are moving past also, providing fast action at times, nothing on other days. Bass fishing in The Race was about the same, great one tide and barren the next. On some of the slower days in The Race, boats did find a few bass in the low 20s at Bartletts.
• J&B Tackle heard about better black fishing now in deeper water. Prior to that, their customers had all they wanted in 10-15 feet, but now are fishing 30-50 feet; one fellow used a 20-ounce sinker to catch blackfish on a 90-foot hump. Their charter season is done for the year, ending on a sporadic basis: outstanding one tide, then nothing at all six hours later.
• Sherwood Lincoln said most of his friends are catching blackfish from New London to Old Saybrook. On the nicer days some of the more popular locations have 10 boats on them. Water temps in the Sound were around the 55-56-degree mark offering fishing for a couple more weeks.
• Pat Abate at River's End said the shore fishing was just so-so at the Causeway and along the beaches. Black fishing was generally good but he heard, for the first time this fall, about two different groups of fishermen talking about a tough time landing keepers in some of the shallower spots. [by Tim Coleman]

Conn Post 11/11/05

• The alphanumeric designation for the region's saltwater fishing is "H3B," meaning hot bluefish, bass and blackfish angling. All three fish species are cooperating with enthusiasm throughout the western end of Long Island Sound. Inland fishers also are enjoying sizzling action as the autumn crappie and yellow perch runs get under way. Right now, if you have the time and desire to go fishing, you are almost assured of catching something.
• Bluefish are falling into their autumn patterns. Anglers fishing with bunker chunks or diamond jigs on the deeper reefs and breaklines are scoring well with bluefish in the 6-to 10-pound class. Only a few fish over 14 pounds have been reported. Some noteworthy bluefish spots have been Buoy 11B, Buoy 28C, the channel edge off Penfield lighthouse, Buoy 20 and the breaklines offshore from Stratford and Milford. Trolling in the Housatonic River also has produced a bluefish or two.
• Striped bass action is excellent with improvements expected as the bigger fish continue to migrate into the Sound from Cape Cod and the Massachusetts islands. Lately, fish in the 15- to 20-pound class are common close to the shoreline near Calf Pasture Beach, Compo Beach, Penfield Reef, Seaside Park, Seabright Beach, Short Beach, Bonds Dock, the Devon power plant, Milford Point, Gulf Beach, Fort Hale and Lighthouse Point. Larger striped bass, often pushing the 30-pound mark, have been caught in all the above bluefish spots, as well as around Sheffield Island, Shea Island, Pecks Ledge, the mouth of Southport Harbor, Buoy 18, the Thimble Islands, Six Mile Reef and the Madison shoreline.
• Blackfish are holding tight to almost every breakwater and rock pile between Norwalk and Rhode Island. The fish are even holding around navigation aid anchors and dock pilings. Remember, the creel limit on blackfish is only four fish over 14 inches. The state Department of Environmental Protection also has a "no culling" rule on these fish. When you catch your fourth blackfish and put that fish in your bucket or livewell, you are done fishing. Some anglers are now only keeping three blackfish and then holding out for one big brute as their fourth.
• Blackfishermen are likely to catch porgy on the offshore reefs. Porgy season is closed. Release these fish immediately.
• Freshwater anglers are reporting routine double-digit catches of crappie and yellow perch, especially in the lakes along the Housatonic River. Lake Zoar, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Housatonic, and the small impoundments in New Milford, Kent and Falls Village offer good panfishing. Crappie are holding very tight to hard vertical structures, like bridge abutments or small brush piles. Concentrate your crappie efforts in water between eight and 15 feet deep.
• Yellow perch seem to prefer weedbeds, gravel points or mudflats for their autumn activities. While you can catch yellow perch in deep water, you will fare better in depths of three to 10 feet. Both panfish species are taking small live minnows, natural colored marabou jigs, small jigging spoons and tiny tube lures.
• Atlantic salmon are beginning to attract more attention now that the Naugatuck River has returned to normal flows and water levels. Several salmon enthusiasts reported decent action in the Litchfield portion of the river and the portion of the river between Naugatuck State Forest and Seymour. Another good bet for salmon is the tailrace of the Derby Dam. Try the dam area at high tide. [by FRANK MCKANE JR.]

CT DEP: 11/7/05 - Weekly Fishing Report

1. ATLANTIC SALMON:This week DEP again stocked the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers twice, with 280 salmon released into the Naugatuck River and 283 salmon into the Shetucket River. These stockings bring the number of salmon stocked this fall up to 1,650 fish. They weigh between 3 and 20 pounds and average out at 10.6 pounds per fish. DEP currently expects to stock some additional salmon in December.
2. TROUT: LAKES & PONDS –Trout fishing remains variable, with reports from Amos Lake (fair), Highland Lake (fair), East Twin Lake (very slow), Colebrook Reservoir (slow), Crystal (Ellington) Lake (slow), Squantz Pond (slow), West Hill Pond (good) and Beach Pond (fair).
3. RIVERS & STREAMS -Fall fishing is producing good action for those willing to brave the weather and the leaf fall. The good reports include the West Branch Farmington, Housatonic, Scantic, Salmon, Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers, Mashmoquet Brook and Roaring Brook (Stafford). Streamers and nymphing dominate in the fall, and are generally best during the early morning and late afternoon. Streamer anglers using 2X tippet are having success (9a.m. – 1p.m. during low light periods/overcast days). 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 with Caddis pupa (#14-16), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-18) and Hare’s ear (#8-20).
4. Farmington River-The West Branch is quite fishable. Flows are clear and only somewhat high, about 430 cfs from Hogback to Riverton and about 600 cfs below the confluence of the Still River. Water temperatures are somewhat high for this time of year, around 50°F. The expected insect hatches are somewhat delayed due to these warmer temperatures (the fall bugs are looking for 45°F). Right now BWO continue to be the dominant hatch, with midges and caddis mixed in. For best action try Blue Wing Olives (#22-26, late morning) and Caddis (winter & tan #16-18, early afternoon). Expect most of the action to be between 11:30 am and 3:00 pm.
5. Housatonic River- Morning water temperatures in the TMA are around 50°F. Flows are somewhat high, but clear, currently about 1,200 cfs at Falls Village and 2,200 cfs at Gaylordsville. Streamers and nymphs continue to be the way to go. Hatches include Blue Wing Olive (#18-22, early morning) and Tan & Winter caddis (#16-20, early morning & late afternoon).
6. LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing continues to be variable, ranging from slow to good, with reports for LARGEMOUTH from Lake McDonough, Lake Kenosia (fair), Winnemaug (good), East Twin (slow), Candlewood (slow), Maltby Lakes, Gardner Lake, Highland Lake (fair including a 6.75 lb), Coventry Lake (slow), Crystal Lake (Ellington) (slow), Branford Supply Ponds(fair), Hatch Pond (good) Pachaug Pond (fair) and Beach pond (fair, including a 6.4 lb fish). SMALLMOUTH reports are from Lake Lillinonah (good action, no big ones), Candlewood (good), Gardner Lake and Squantz Pond (slow, but catches include a 4 lb smallie).
7. NORTHERN PIKE action reported from Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (mixed reports- several up to 27”), Bantam Lake (fair) and Pachaug Pond (good).
8. Good catches of CHAIN PICKEREL reported from Lake McDonough (6 lb pickerel), Branford Supply Ponds, East Twin Lake, and Gardner Lake (15 fish for one angler).
9. Good WALLEYE action at Squantz Pond (30”, 9.6 lb and 10.8 lb fish among the catches) and Lake Saltonstall (including a 8.9 lb 28.5” beauty).
10. YELLOW PERCH put on an impressive showing at Maltby Lakes (30 fish) and Gardner Lake (50 fish).
11. Late season catches of nice-sized KOKANEE SALMON continue to be reported from West Hill Pond.
12. Connecticut River – BLACK CRAPPIE are still putting on a good showing with a 17” fish among the catches this week. Jigs & shiners are producing, Best reports from Wethersfield and White Oaks Coves, and from the lower River. NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported as good. Recent catches in the Wethersfield Cove, Harbor Park (Middletown) and Salmon River Cove areas included several pike up to 34”.

MA Salmon Stocking Underway

Fall stocking of retired broodstock salmon from the White River National Fish Hatchery by MassWildlife has begun and is anticipated to continue through the calendar year based on fish availability, staff scheduling and weather conditions. The fish range in weight from 4-18 pounds. To date, fish were stocked in the following waters: Southeast District-Little Pond and Long Pond in Plymouth and Peters Pond in Sandwich; Central District-Comet Pond, Hubbardston; Connecticut Valley District-Lake Mattawa, Orange; and Western District-Windsor Pond, Windsor. Updates on further stockings can be obtained in the Fishing area of the MassWildlife Web site or by calling MassWildlife District offices.
Anglers are reminded that Wachusett Reservoir will be open for fishing through Nov. 30. The Stillwater Basin area upstream of the railroad trestle is open while it's ice-free. Hunters wishing to hunt on Wachusett Watershed lands are required to apply for a free five-year permit from the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) Division of Water Supply Protection. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope requesting an application to: DCR Division of Water Supply Protection. Wachusett/Sudbury Operations Center, 180 Beaman Street, West Boylston, MA 01583. Hunters dropping off applications at the office are reminded that their applications will not be processed that same day. For more information call (508) 792-7423 ext. 210 or visit www.mass.gov/dcr/waterSupply/watershed/documents/wachhunt.pdf.

CT DEP: 10/31/05 - Weekly Fishing Report

INLAND REPORT:

• ATLANTIC SALMON: Wiith fishable flows and more salmon in the water, anglers are beginning to report catches (especially from the Naugatuck River). No really big salmon yet. DEP stocked the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers twice this week, with each river receiving a total of 400 broodstock Atlantic salmon. The salmon released this week are from the federal hatchery in Vermont, and typically weigh 5-6 pounds each. These stockings bring the number of salmon stocked this fall up to 1,087 fish. DEP currently expects to stock the first group of spawned salmon from its Kensington Hatchery during the week of November 7th.
• Reminder - Anglers are reminded that catch-and- release fishing is in effect through November 30, 2005. From December 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006, anglers may keep one fish per day. Fishing for Atlantic salmon is limited to use of single-fly or lure with a single free-swinging hook.
• TROUT: LAKES & PONDS: Trout fishing remains variable, with reports from Wonoscopomuc Lake (good, including 3 trout over 7 lbs on the last day of the season), Great Hollow Pond (fair including a nice 15 rainbow), Crystal Lake (slow), Hogback Reservoir (some nice browns reported), Highland Lake (mixed reports, best in Second Bay, about 15 feet) and Beach Pond (good).
• TROUT:RIVERS & STREAMS -With flows in most areas at more fishable levels, this weekend is a good time to get out and enjoy some late fall trout action. Anglers last weekend had mixed results with reports from the Scantic River (several nice rainbow), West Branch Farmington TMA (good, 20 browns for one pair, 22 for another group, also some nice rainbow) and Salmon River (slow, some nice rainbows). Anglers are also finding nice catches of beautifully colored brook trout from some of the wild trout streams. Streamers and nymphing are the way to go in the fall and best during the early morning and late evening. For streamers try white, yellow & brown colors. Patterns to try include Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). For nymphs, Bottom bounce with Caddis pupa (#14-16), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-18) and Hares ear (#8-20).
• Farmington River- West Branch morning water temperatures are around 50F. West Branch flows are clear, quite fishable and only somewhat high, about 430 cfs from Hogback to Riverton and about 600 cfs below the confluence of the Still River. Current hatches include Blue Wing Olives (#16-20, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #14-18; winter #18-22, winter pupa #16-20 morning), Midges (#22-32), Black Ants (#14-20). Nows the time for streamers.
• Housatonic River- Morning water temperatures in the TMA are in the upper 40s Flows are high, but clearing and dropping, currently about 1,650 cfs at Falls Village and 2,800 cfs at Gaylordsville. The river should be quite fishable this weekend! Time for Blue Wing Olives (#18-22), Black Caddis (#16-20), streamers and nymphs.
• LARGEMOUTH AND SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing continues to be variable, ranging from slow to good, with reports for LARGEMOUTH from Bantam (good- including a 6.98 lb bass), Lake Saltonstall (8 bass in the 3-6 lb range for one angler in the last two weeks), Amos Lake (good), Hatch Pond (good action, no big fish), Billings Lake (good, including a 6-lb bass), Highland (slow), Pierrepont Pond (good), Mudge Pond (slow), Crystal Lake (fair), Rogers Lake (slow) and Pachaug Pond (fair). SMALLMOUTH reports are from Gardner Lake (fair), Highland Lake (generally good, several 3-plus lb smallies among the catches) and Candlewood Lake (fair).
• Chain pickerel catches from Amos Lake, Lake Wonoscopomuc (now closed) and Lake McDonough
• Good WALLEYE action at Squantz Pond (30, 9.6 lb and 10.8 lb fish among the catches) and Lake Saltonstall (including a 8.9 lb 28.5 beauty).
• NORTHERN PIKE catches reported from Hamilton Reservoir (37) and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (10 lb, 38 pike). With Connecticut River flows returning to safe and fishable levels, pike action should be picking up (pike action is typically good in late fall on the river).
• MARINE REPORT Striped bass: The water temperature in Long Island Sound (LIS) ranges from the mid to high 50s Now is time for the three Bs, BLACKFISH, BLUEFISH, and BASS BLUEFISH fishing is excellent, about near peak in LIS.
• STRIPED BASS fishing is also in high gear as the fall migration continues and should only get better as water temperatures drop and bluefish move out of LIS. STRIPER and BLUEFISH spots include the Watch Hill reefs, Ram Island Reef, the Race, Plum Gut, Millstone Point, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, the humps south of Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef, the reefs off Madison and Branford, Milford Harbor breakwaters to Charles Island, Milford Point area, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, Penfield Reef, Compo Beach, the Norwalk Islands, and Greenwich Point.
• SCHOOLIE STRIPER action remains good in the tidal rivers along with HICKORY SHAD.
• BLACKFISH (tautog) fishing remains hot and heavy on the major reefs and should continue well into November as long as the weather holds out.
• LITTLE TUNNY and ATLANTIC BONITO fishing is hit or miss. The usual inshore tuna spots include Plum Gut, the Sluiceway, the Race, Pine Island area off the Thames River, Millstone Point and Pleasure Beach in Waterford, and Hatchett Reef.
• PLEASE NOTE: SCUP FISHING CLOSED NOVEMBER 1ST

On The Water 11/4/05

1. This is the time of year when the “fat lady” is clearing her voice for the season finale – but it’s not over yet. As always, our sport is totally weather-dependent. At this point, with moderate water temps reported in the mid- to high 50s throughout this reporting area, there could be two to maybe three or more weeks of fishing remaining. If Indian summer comes, action will last; if winter crashes in from the north, it won’t. Remember that last year we had a snowstorm on November 13 or 14 that ended the fishing like a kill switch. Right now it’s up to the weather as to just how long we have left in the surf and around the reefs. After it’s all over in the ocean, start looking to the Thames River for the best early winter fishing anywhere, beginning in late November or early December.
2. With more high winds and rain than sun for the past two weeks, things have changed in the ocean. Most of the shop personnel we talked to this week east of Madison reported a scarcity of bait in the water, although there is hickory shad in a few estuaries and in most major rivers, but the swarms of bait that were around all summer have either moved offshore or out of the area. Those who find the concentrations of bait, any sort of bait, will also find bass and bluefish.
3. Right now the fish are schooled up and moving, with a good deal of space between the schools, so expect fishing trips to begin as a search-and-destroy mission. As the migrations progress, later this month in the ocean those “holes” in-between the schools will grow till it’s pretty much all hole. The exception is western Long Island Sound, where some of the bass returning to the Hudson River seem to slow down and stack up to feed on Atlantic herring that show up in early December for two or three weeks.
4. After a season of incredible fishing for huge humpbacked porgies throughout the region, the season closed in Connecticut on November 1. This means that these fish must be returned to the water and can’t be possessed in Connecticut waters, even if they were caught elsewhere, until the season opens next year.
5. Al Fee of Shaffer’s Marina, Mystic said he hasn’t fished lately but has been weighing decent blackfish and hearing talk of interesting adventures from his customers. There has been a lot of excellent blackfish action in the entire Mystic/Stonington area. There was even a fairly intense topwater blitz from a big school of small stripers between Gates and Ram islands, complete with frenzied working birds, but nothing was big enough to keep.
6. A week ago Friday, they weighed in a 59-pounder that was caught on the south side of Fishers Island on an eel by Jamie Matthews of Southington, Connecticut.
7. One angler, who comes in from Noank Shipyard, has been going out with eels and tube-and-worm rigs and has done very well out front and around Fishers Island whenever he’s been able to fish properly. Two people he talked to said they have been catching over 40 fish per trip on average, in-between the storms. The fishing is good when boats can hit the water. Unfortunately, there is not much shore-fishing access in the Mystic area, so nearly all the reports from Shaffer’s are from boat fishermen at the marina.
8. Blackfish action has been excellent throughout the area. The south side of Fishers Island has been producing well, without much competition.
9. Every time there has been hard rains, hickory shad have gone bonkers in the harbor. I told Al to stick a hook in one and see if he doesn’t catch a 50-pounder for himself.
10. Joe Balint of The Fish Connection, Preston on the Thames has been seeing a few more striped bass showing up in the lower river. Nothing big, but improving numbers, which is typical this time of year as fish begin to enter this unique river where they will spend the winter. Bluefish are abundant on the south side of Fishers Island. There is a mix of bass and bluefish off the Mystic River area. Albacore are slowing and nearly gone. The areas of dirty water from all the high winds have slowed the fishing down dramatically.
11. Latimer Reef, Stonington Breakwater, the Clumps and Horseshoe Reef are all hot spots for blackfish. By Fishers Island around Silver Eel Cove there’s a reef that’s also produced a few good catches lately. Joe wanted to remind customers that the porgy season closed on November 1.
12. Richard at Hillyer’s Bait and Tackle, Waterford said the blackfish has been all they have been seeing and hearing about for the past week. They weighed a 13.7 over the weekend and a 13.75 monster two weeks ago. These fish are coming in from boat anglers who are finding them in shallow waters around White Rock, Black Rock, Three Foot Rock in Niantic Bay and around the typical spots at Sara’s Ledge and Goshen Reef closer to the mouth of the Thames River.
13. Hickory shad are still in-between the bridges at Niantic, but no peanut bunker or silversides are showing. Count on shad to have the potential to draw some of the big, late-run bass in tight when they pass through over the next couple of weeks.
14. Mark Lewchik at River’s End Tackle, Saybrook said they are taking bluefish on chunks off the town beach and off Long Sand Shoal on chunks and by trolling. There have been a few bass off the Old Lyme beaches, where Mark caught schoolies up to 24 inches when casting from shore. Plum Gut produced good bluefish action over the weekend, but there’s been no word on what’s happening out there or in The Race since then. The albies are fairly well shot in the immediate area. Blackfishing is good on every reef and rock pile in the area. Mark heard of an 11-pounder recently but gave no details on the catch other than that it came from a reliable source.
15. There are a few hickory shad and some schoolies in the lower Connecticut River, although there seem to be more shad than bass. Again if the shad hang around until the big bass migration reaches this area, they could be a great live bait for the few anglers who still have their boats in the water.
16. Captain Jerry Morgan of Captain Morgan’s Tackle, Madison told us he’s been seeing excellent bass fishing exploding all over the place in the Madison area. The tidal rivers, including East River and West River to Clinton Harbor, are flushing bait with each tide, and the bass, nice ones that run up over 20 pounds, are all over the place, chowing down. He said it looks like you are fishing on the flats, with these bigger bass in these places in good numbers. The captain was fishing black and orange plugs on Halloween evening. He caught fish on an orange plug in honor of the occasion, but Slug-Gos and other jerkbaits seemed to be the key. I like to throw a four-inch Fin-S Fish on a small jighead under that sort of fishing condition.
17. The captain says between now and the third week of November he suspects the big bass will be moving through his area and improve an already excellent fishing situation. Huge bluefish are still hanging around all of the reefs in the area. Blackfish are red-hot off Madison Reef and Kimberly Reef, as well as the other rock piles and reefs.
18. Chris Fulton, owner of Stratford Bait and Tackle in Stratford, didn’t pick up when we called this week.
19. Scott from Fisherman’s World, Norwalk said the deeper-water jigging outside the islands with diamond jigs has been hot at 11-B and the Obstruction Buoy, with bass more numerous than bluefish, for a change. Nothing big has been reported. The fish are abundant but only averaging 18 to 24 inches, with occasional 30-inchers in the mix. Bass are beginning to outnumber bluefish, whereas most of the summer it’s been pretty much all blues out there to do battle with. Steve Ehrens, a regular at the shop, was fishing at the “BH” Buoy on Friday and said he experienced nonstop bluefish action on big average-size fish that ranged on up to 12 pounds. He was fishing with mackerel chunks.
20. The blackfishing action is red-hot. Cockenoe Reef, Copps Rocks and Budds Reef are all producing blackfish, but the really big tiderunners are not being caught at this time. Inshore along the beaches and river mouths, fishing is hot and cold. Saturday he fished the Saugatuck River, which had good numbers of bass cruising around its mouth. He returned Sunday and couldn’t raise a fish. They are coming and going with the baby bunker and the tides, as Captain Morgan, located an hour to the east, was describing. Find the bait and you’ve probably found some fish to catch. NO bait, and it may be a long wait.
21. Water temperatures are still in the high 50s and chilling fast here in the extreme western end of Long Island Sound, where shallower waters tend to warm up higher and faster in the summer and also chill down a bit more quickly in the fall.
22. This is the week to go blackfishing around the top of the tide, then after catching whatever you need, go to the nearest reef or river mouth and look for a jumbo striped bass, with a great big Slug-Go or Fin-S Fish.

TheDay 11/4/05

1. Black fishing is still king with fish caught from Weekapaug through Black Point; the only limiting factor was the wind. When it lays down, look for a small boat flotilla to gather on some of the popular spots. Bass are still on most of the reefs between Watch Hill and Long Sand Shoal and shore fishing along the Rhode Island beaches is much better than previous reports.
2. Al Golinski of Misquamicut counted seven boats on the Stone Pile off Weekapaug when he went by early in the day on Sunday. He turned around, went to the west and found a limit of tautog to 8 pounds on green crabs. They next day he and his friend couldn't locate any live baits for stripers then they returned to the same spot for about the same results. A couple of 40-pound bass were pulled from the Watch Hill Reefs on live hickory shad caught around Niantic.
3. Capt. Al Anderson will be putting his big boat away soon and in the meantime is fishing his smaller boat in the Thames. On a windy Thursday morning they landed 30 small stripers from 16-22 inches in a cove around EB along with a few blues. By 11 a.m., the southwest wind got to the point they had to head back to the ramp.
4. Capt. Don's in Charlestown said some Connecticut surf fishermen caught schoolies and blues after dark last Saturday night in awful conditions of wind and rain. Freddy Tercic and Carmello Meli made a run to Block Island for four bass from 15-32 pounds drifting eels. Toward the end of this week, the daytime surf action was better than the night with blues and schoolies caught on bait on the bottom and a variety of lures. This writer landed seven blues from 5-14 pounds on a topwater plug at the Fire District Beach from 1:30-5 p.m. on Wednesday. Large bunker are moving past on some of the days. They sometimes become stranded on shore where they are promptly captured and used for fresh chunk baits.
5. King Cove Outfitters said the shore fishing took a turn for the better from about last weekend through yesterday. People out at daybreak had blues and schoolies on poppers and plastics on at least five of seven mornings. Frozen or fresh chunks of bunker or mackerel fished on the bottom accounted for numbers of large blues during the day from Misquamicut to East Beach near Charlestown Breachway. Black fishing is very good if you get a window in the wind from Weekapaug through Seaside.
6. Allen at Shaffers Marina weighed in a limit catch of blackfish to 9.8 pounds from Red Reef for Cora Trimble of Mystic and two friends. People are buying eels consistently so the striper fishing is still alive and well. Their last day will be Nov. 12. Another season on the waters of the Sounds is coming to a close.
7. Jack Balint at the Fish Connection observed all his customers are getting blackfish at Frank's Ledge, the reef southwest of Seaflower and Race Rock on the days they can get out. Look for schoolies in the morning between Pine Island and Groton Long Point and maybe some blues to 14 pounds at Millstone. The best bet for catching bass in the Thames seems from the I-95 Bridge to the mouth.
8. Stephanie Cramer sent in her regular e-mail saying she didn't have much luck casting in the evening from the banks of the upper Thames. However some of her fellow fishing club members caught lots of schoolies on Wednesday just north of I-95 and others also found them in the early morning the same day around Bushy Point.
9. Over at Hillyers Tackle, I found Capt. Howard Beers minding the store. He reported good black fishing with several fish from 9-13 pounds weighed in. Lots of big blues are in the area, taking diamond jigs, bucktails or showing on top. A school of small to medium bass were also showing on the surface at times between the mouth of the Thames and Ocean Beach, sometimes coming within range of those on shore.
10. Roger at J&B Tackle said the black fishing is very good right now at various spots like Ram Island Reef and the Weakfish Hump. False albacore put in a quick flurry off New London one day but disappeared after that. Their charter boat is still getting large blues and some bass in The Race. They have another eight trips on the books then will call it a year.
11. Sherwood Lincoln of East Lyme tried black fishing off Black Point one windy morning but the weather got so bad they had to turn around and come back in. Since then the boat sat in at stack rack waiting for a calm day.
12. River's End Tackle had news about some good numbers of stripers to 30 pounds and large blues caught on three-wayed eels at Long Sand Shoal. The lower Connecticut River had been very poor for those looking for casting opportunities for school bass. The river is full of floating logs and debris that unfortunately some boaters located the hard way. Along the local shorelines, there's a mix of large hickory shad, bass to 24 inches and a few very fat bluefish, best at daybreak and again at sunset. [by Tim Coleman]

Conn Post 11/4/05

1. Anglers finally had a stable week of weather. Afternoon winds foiled some saltwater fishing trips on Long Island Sound, but freshwater anglers got to enjoy the sunny, seasonably warm climate. Adding to the inland pleasures was the addition of Atlantic salmon to the Naugatuck River fishery.
2. Salmon anglers should find at least 400 surplus Atlantic salmon broodstock in the Naugatuck River this weekend. The state Department of Environmental Protection also plans to stock another helping of salmon into the river early next week. These salmon typically weigh between five to six pounds, with an occasional 10-pounder mixed in.
3. The salmon are stocked into two specific sections of the Naugatuck River. In the north, the fish are put into the "Campville Section" of the Naugatuck River between Bogue Road in Litchfield and the Thomaston flood control dam in Thomaston. This river section has many deep pools to hold the salmon during these high water periods. The lower stocked section runs from Prospect Street in Naugatuck downstream to Pines Bridge Road in Beacon Falls. Salmon in this section tend to hide in the small pocket water downstream of large boulders and in the deep cuts near bridges, highway riprap and river bends.
4. Anglers must remember the salmon fishery is strictly for sport. All hooked salmon must be released immediately until the end of the month. Anglers will be allowed to keep one salmon per day Dec. 1-March 31. You must also adhere to special tackle restrictions. Fly fishermen may only use one single-hook fly without weights added to the line. Spincasters can only use artificial lures that have a single free-swinging hook. Bait is prohibited.
5. Trout fishing is generally good in the rivers with subdued flows. Some of the better reports have come from the Mill River trout management area, the West Branch of the Farmington River, the Saugatuck River fly fishing area, Pomperaug River, Pootatuck River, the Trumbull section of the Pequonnock River and Salmon Brook. The main Farmington River and Housatonic River are still high and muddy making fishing very difficult.
6. Largemouth bass action is hit or miss. The "misses" should lessen as the stable weather continues through the weekend. Your best bet would be to avoid the larger temperamental lakes, such as Lake Zoar and Candlewood Lake. Instead visit the smaller ponds like Lake Saltonstall, Ball Pond, Pataganset Lake, Mamanasco Lake, Lake Kenosia, Pierrepont Pond, Beseck Lake, Black Pond, Dooley Pond, Lake Wintergreen, North Farms Reservoir, Dog Pond, Hatch Pond and Stillwater Pond. Live minnows have been very popular with the live bait crowd, while small soft plastic baits are scoring for artificial lure enthusiasts.
7. Those who got out on the Sound reported plenty of bluefish and striped bass. You need to work a bit to locate the schools, but once found the action can be furious. Good places to start are Buoy 28C, Sunken Island, Penfield Lighthouse, Buoy 20, outside the Housatonic River and along the New Haven Harbor channels.
8. Elsewhere, porgy season is now closed. Blackfish are around in good supply on most of the larger reefs. Hickory shad are catchable in the Mystic River, Niantic River, Clinton Harbor and the East River. Sporadic reports of little tunny and Atlantic bonito have come from the reefs east of the Connecticut River. [by FRANK MCKANE JR. ]

Capt Morgan, Madison 11/03/05

• The air was brittle-ly cold and the developing northwest wind made an otherwise unseasonably warm saltwater spray feel cold to the touch. Drifts were hard to maintain, although in some areas, protected by a low shoreline horizon, the effects of the elements were toned down. There certainly was no problem keeping the bait cool but the cold made it uncomfortable to the almost numb fingertips.
• Searching for bass in these conditions requires a little foresight, a fair amount of homework and more than just a little experience fishing the big pond. Outsmarting stripers is one thing, trying to out-muscle Mother Nature is quite another. Jigging diamonds and trolling tubes produced very stubborn over-sized blues which, no doubt, grew to be that size by feeding in the big and tall strips of real estate.
• Pointing the bow toward shore and an ebbing tidal river seemed to be the smart move, both for our comfort and the success of the trip. It was the time of year when juvenile fish seeking refuge in the upper rivers now begin to move down river and into the Sound. We didn't need much time to determine whether or not this move would produce, for within minutes we could see fish working the cut seemingly to pick and choose their way through a congested school of bunker.
• It became an exercise of snag, hookup, and release. All fish caught had the telltale signs of stripes. Tails were breaking the surface and fish were seen gorging—almost picking and choosing their meal—so much to choose from and not enough girth to hold it all. The only signs of bluefish were the occasional bunker heads that were retrieved surgically-cut to the gill covers. Most bass caught and released were all in the 18- to 22-pound range, but the sheer numbers of them made up for the lack of cows.
• Listening to all of the reports about how hot striper fishing has been would not lead one to believe that a day on the water could be just the opposite. Yet to some, that's exactly what a few anglers are finding out. They are discovering that loading up on bait and gear and heading to their favorite spot has been yielding unexpected results.
• Some fishermen/women are putting in hard hours and coming up short, yet others are casually setting up, expecting maybe a hit or two, and having a day or night to remember. Some call it luck. Others call it putting in your time. Me, I call it reading nature's signals and understanding how, when, and where fish feed.
• Remember, this is the time of year when bait begins to flush from the tidal rivers and when extreme tides thin out their upper reaches. As some of these popular rivers begin to drain, fish start heading out and into the jaws of bass and blues waiting below. Bucking the odds searching for stripers in the deep when signs point to the shallow more protected waters could make for a long trying day. Explore your options and fish accordingly.

FISHING REPORT:

1. Thanks to the cold spell and a few of those frosty evenings, anglers fishing for striped bass from shore got to put some serious wear and tear on their gear. As tidal rivers were flushed, bait was swept toward the Sound and into the mouths of hungry linesiders, poised to ambush from skinny water. Fishermen were pumped as word spread that shore fishing picked up and fish were on the move.
2. There was a mix of bait and lures used in order to tempt these feeding bass. However, that only led to confusion amongst some anglers who tried to duplicate the success of others without rhyme or reason. At times, small poppers imitating peanut bunker were the key and during other tides, it was the attention-getting rattlers. Soft baits got gobbled up while live/fresh-frozen offerings were attacked with a vengeance. Often during these forays, bluefish were absent, but as light broke through the darkness, stripers eased off and blues began to feed their incessant appetites.
3. As the action picked up along the shore, many reefs became more noticeably stacked with fish. From Fisher's Island right on to Faulkner's Island, striper fishing continued to be strong. Getting through the blues did pose a problem to many anglers especially when those choppers in the low to mid-teens took a liking to your bait. But those die-hard striper fishermen had no difficulty connecting with live eels, menhaden, chutes, and jigs. There were times, though that deep water fishing for stripers was dampened when monster blues took over the limelight.
4. Tautog (blackfish) continues to draw tog-pullers to the rock piles for one reason and one reason only. The fish are turned on. Now that we can expect a break in the weather, the limited days on the water should prove fantastic. Most shoreline reefs and some inshore feeding grounds have become gathering points.
5. Notwithstanding our New England weather, November is going to be one hot fishing month! [org pub Shore Publishing, by Captain Morgan at 21 Boston Post Rd]