Capt Morgan 1/26/06

1. Recently, about 500 broodstock Seeforellan-strain of brown trout were evenly distributed between 12 popular trout ponds and lakes located in both western and eastern parts of the state. That, plus holdovers in the main trout rivers, along with the mild temperatures, prompted anglers to hit the waters. Paddleboats got a bit of a dunking, as did a few smaller boats from the trailer fleet not quarantined for the winter. The fishermen on board, for the most part, enjoyed their outings—some even had a few fish stories to tell. Others...well, it proved to be just another good day on the water.
2. Fly rodders not wanting to wait until the spring to test their new gear as well as ultra light enthusiasts teetered along the soft banks and high water. Those levels have since subsided thanks to the influence of the sun and wind, making footing less chancy. There were fish brought to surface on flies, lures, and bait, however, a slow drift and retrieve usually was the key. Soon, our New England winter will return and this comfortable, unseasonable weather will be a memory. But when?
3. Tidal rivers also saw action with anglers shifting concentration to Atlantic salmon or striped bass. Needless to say, linesiders are concentrated in the upper reaches of those rivers affording clear access, the schools moving en masse, often with the tidal flow.
4. The salmon on the other hand are venturing farther upriver where bass would have more difficulty in maneuvering. There continues to be plenty of baitfish in the Sound including a few tommy cod, as some anglers have found out. Careful scanning of the shoreline will identify a flash from a rod as an angler or two take a daytime break. Off in the distance, seals continue to feed and bask and offer the occasional afternoon matinee.
5. Cod fishermen have been drifting in and out of the shop replacing gear lost to large schools of dogfish. On those good days when the weather calmed down and the dogs moved off the banks, market cod, haddock, and some pollack returned smiles to the faces of those anglers who previously came up short. As always, Mother Nature can be fickle.
6. Want to delve into something with more instant gratification? Then slip into some warm clothing, grab a clamming rake, bucket, a pair of waders, and go scratching. Clams caught this time of year are not only delicious but a low tide under the sun opens a portal to an excellent outdoor winter activity. Besides, what's a Super Bowl party without a little shucking to go along with it? Shellfish licenses for both Madison and Guilford are available at the shop along with all the accessories needed for a day on the beds.

Norwich Bull 1/28/06

• During most winters, a late January column would be focused on ice fishing. Figuring all the lakes as far north as Mansfield Hollow have great big holes of open water in them and spongy looking ice around the edges, that is not the case here.
• This January thaw has opened up a few fishing options that are not always viable this time of year. At present, the best fishing in the region can still be found in the upper Thames River which is typical for the season.
• I fished there last Saturday and conditions had slowed down a great deal from the previous weeks when a day in the right place was producing 100 or more fish per boat. Stripers had been spread out down river by the recent heavy rains and were difficult to reach due to opposing winds and river flows.
• River temperatures are not rock bottom yet due to the constant warming effects of rains and above average air temperatures. Once conditions stabilize, odds are the bite will improve once again before tapering off to winter low levels late in February or early March. Look for the fish to be anywhere from the town docks in Norwich to the Pequot Bridge.
• The weather has been so warm that it is possible to catch bass, panfish and trout from some of the lakes that may be free of ice. Coastal lakes such as Pattagansett, Rogers, and across the border in Rhode Island, Chapman Pond and Worden Pond are all good mid-winter open water fishing spots.
• I've even thought about trying some pike fishing at Mansfield Hollow, which has a big hole around the launch and is open below the road. The problem is, the water levels are so high my boat probably won't fit through the culvert to get there.
• On Jan. 9, the Department of Environmental Protection stocked 500 Seeforellen-strain brood-stock brown trout into a dozen lakes around the state. Six lakes east of the Connecticut River that were stocked with more than 40 fish each include Crystal Lake in Ellington, Mashapaug Lake in Union, Beach Pond in Voluntown, Cedar Lake in Chester, Quonnipaug Lake in Guilford and Black Pond in Meriden.
• If any of these places are open, it may be worth doing some trolling. Otherwise, get there as soon as they freeze solid again. Of this bunch, Quonnipaug has the best odds of being free of ice, because it is located closer to the coast.
• Brood stock salmon fishing is another option, but no one has been catching any from either the Shetucket or Naugatuck rivers since that first cold snap back in late December when everything iced up for a few weeks.

Capt Morgan 1/24/06

1. Comments relating to unseasonable-like springtime weather swiftly changed as the jet stream brought us light snow with its bow and then towed in cold temperatures and swift winds with its stern. Until then, early fall attire was prevalent throughout the shop as coastline anglers took advantage of open trout waters. There was talk of caddis hatches and streamer flies as well as floating swimmers, spinners, and spoons. Grubs for ice fishing were now used in the rivers and tipups were temporarily stored but easily accessible for the believers.
2. Until the barometer plummeted, anglers gave their casting hands a workout, strategically placing their flies and lures upriver of deep holes. Looking for hearty browns or bows, some even tried the 'ole hook and worm approach often successful in their attempts. Rivers like the Hammonassett, West, Salmon, Branford, Farm, and the “Housey” were given attention. The tidal flows were also tested but for the elusive sea runs. That action, however, was sparse.
3. Conversely, both the Shetucket and the Naugatuck rivers are offering up broodstock salmon for those anglers interested. Noodle sticks and light lines are gaining in popularity with anglers truly looking to test their skill!
4. Clamming rakes and culling hammers also got a good workout during the mild weather. Although shell fishing is always great in the winter months, it was exceptionally rewarding recently. For a short period several of the local beds were closed due to the heavy rains, but they all opened when things settled down and test results on the water quality came back A-okay.
5. Farther north in the north western and north eastern parts of the state, reasonably safe ice could be found prompting ice anglers to head in those directions. Still, caution had to be exercised when venturing out since slushy conditions and shifts in many surfaces caused fissures due to the warm temperatures. For now, ice anglers looking to flag the shoreline will have to hope that enough cold will materialize in order that a good base can be formed once again and chopping/drilling can resume.
6. Stripers, on the other hand, are serving as a great alternative to the saltwater fisherman looking to get out. The upper Thames, Housatonic, and Connecticut rivers (freshwater fishing licenses required) all have bass to be caught. The dominant lures are soft plastics and bucktail jigs cast with light spinning or baitcasting outfits. A small boat will separate you from the rest of the pack, however plenty of fish are caught from shore. In cases where warm water outflows are accessible, work those pockets.

Conn Post 1/24/06

1. The arctic blast earlier this week renewed interest in ice fishing across the northern half of the state. Anglers still must watch for soft spots after Wednesday's downpours, but generally the ponds north of Route 202 are accessible. If you don't want to travel, you can find plenty of open-water fishing options in the southern half of the state.
2. Trout anglers got a big surprise from the state Department of Environmental Protection last week. Fisheries staff gathered up 500 surplus broodstock Seeforellen-strain brown trout from the state hatcheries. These fish were distributed as follows: 41 into Beach Pond in Voluntown, 43 into Black Pond in Middlefield, 43 into Cedar Lake in Chester, 42 into Crystal Lake in Ellington, 41 into Mashapaug Lake in Union, 35 into Mohawk Pond in Cornwall, 50 into Mt. Tom Pond in Litchfield, 40 into Quonnipaug Lake in Guilford, 35 into Stillwater Pond in Torrington, 50 into Tyler Lake in Goshen, 60 into West Hill Pond in New Hartford, and 20 into West Side Pond in Goshen. Currently, all the above ponds are covered with ice. But anglers are reminded that ice fishing is prohibited on Quonnipaug Lake.
3. Along with the above lakes, ice anglers have reported fair trout fishing in Amos Lake, Coventry Lake, Squantz Pond, Congamond Lakes, Black Rock Pond, Highland Lake, Hogsback Reservoir, Colebrook Flood Control Impoundment, Alexander Lake and Wauregan Reservoir.
4. Ice anglers seeking trout should not overlook the power of jigging. The DEP stocked rainbow trout into the many lakes and ponds last fall. This specific trout species tends to move up shallow and feed just under the ice. It is not uncommon to catch rainbow trout in three to six feet of water very close to the shore. Concentrate your jigging efforts in shallow water along gravel shoals, points and breaklines.
5. Rig your jigging rod with either a brightly colored spoon or hair jig. Tip the lure with an ice-fishing maggot, mealworm or cricket. (Live crickets are often available at pet supply stores as food for pet reptiles.) Drop the lure/bait combination to the bottom and then slowly reel the lure back to the surface. Repeat the process until you find the specific depth where the trout are feeding.
6. The mild winter has given anglers several open-water fishing options. You can find shoreline or small boat fishing opportunities in Housatonic Lake, Lake Zoar, Mohegan Lake, Nells Rock Reservoir, the Twin Brooks Park Ponds, Lake Chamberlain, Lee's Pond and Lake Wintergreen. Also, try river fishing in the Aspetuck River, Mianus River Trout Management Area, the Mill River TMA, Pequonnock River, Pond Brook, Pootatuck River, Saugatuck River, Eight Mile Brook, Little River, Pomperaug River and the Wepawaug River. The lakes are giving up yellow perch and a few bass, while trout are the main quarry of the river anglers.
7. Saltwater anglers are finding schoolie striped bass near any active power plant or storm water discharge pipe. Good places to look are Black Rock Harbor, Bridgeport Harbor, Milford Harbor, New Haven Harbor and Norwich Harbor. As most of the fish are small, usually less than 16 inches, use light tackle and smaller lures. Some effective cold water baits include -ounce Hot Lips bucktail jigs, bits of mackerel chunks and small soft plastic fish imitations, like Sea Match Herring, Fin-S Fish and Sassy Shads. [FRANK MCKANE JR]

On the Water 1/20/06

1. Hot, cold, rain, snow, sleet, hail, freeze, thaw – that’s the cycle we’re in this year, many years, at this point. Here in New England, we are halfway between the North Pole and the equator. The 45th parallel, the exact halfway point between the frozen pole and the torrid equator, lies in northern Vermont, not too far south of Derby Center, Vermont. The spot is denoted by a large sign on the crest of a hill along Route I-91 North. This midway orientation is the reason for our fickle weather.
2. The physics of heating and cooling the atmosphere dictate global weather patterns whereby warm air masses tend to drift northward from the equator, and heavier, cold polar air tends to sink southward. It’s a constant battle between the polar air and the lighter, water-vapor-laden air from the south. Everything is pulled to the east by the spin of the planet, and it all mixes up somewhere in the vicinity of that halfway point, three hours’ drive to the north of here. Simply put, the end result is rains in the winter if the southerly flows are winning, cold clear air if Old Man Winter is on top of this timeless battle, and snow if they mix right over us.
3. In the summer it’s too warm to snow, but cold Canadian high-pressure air flows down from the north, turning the fishing off with clear, cool, windy bluebird weather after nearly every major southern storm blows through the region. It’s almost like the hurricanes and other major systems create a draft that draws the cold air down from the north after every storm. You can almost always count on high winds, dropping temperatures and a rising barometer after any major storm moves out.
4. This whole general pattern is guided to some degree by the perturbations of the high altitude winds of the jet stream. When the jet stream dips southward, it pulls the cold air down our way, and the reverse happens when it loops north, or holds to our north and runs straight across the continent over southern Canada. The location of weather below depends on where it (the jet stream) happens to be resting at any given time.
5. The most recent system to blow through the region (the one that in southern Connecticut where I live started as more than a day of heavy wind-blown rains pulling in high winds and cold air) turned into a freezing snowstorm that made a mess of the roads and kept nearly everyone home watching football playoffs and UCONN hoops. This messed up the striper fishing on the Thames River in Norwich, Connecticut, to some degree. The winter bass fishery has been nearly the only thing (fishingwise) going on.
6. I didn’t bother going out in the bitter cold and winds over the weekend, but my crazy buddy Eric has fished three days running. He said that on Sunday, surface temperatures started off around 37 or 38 degrees and by Tuesday had dropped to 33. Water temperatures always lag a day or more behind the air that blows above it. However, due to the high winds and churning effect, surface waters chilled quickly.
7. On top of that, the cold high-pressure air that blew in behind the storm drove the pressure up, presenting anglers with a double whammy by dropping water temps and raising barometric pressure. This combination almost always does a real job on the bite anywhere, even in the Thames, where there are thousands of fish stacked like cordwood.
8. And that’s exactly what happened. Eric said that on Sunday, pressure was rising, but temperatures had not yet begun to drop, and he and a friend caught 50-plus stripers.
9. Monday’s chill and winds brought poorer conditions. Eric and the same guy caught only some 20 fish.
10. By Tuesday, the bite had clammed up big time, and he only managed to get his hands on about 9 or 10 – a really poor showing for this time of year in Norwich Harbor.
11. Where the bass had been moving around in the harbor over the weekend, he noted that they had moved on downriver in dense schools to the Thermos Company stretch and below on Tuesday, but they just weren’t hitting well due to the cold, bluebird conditions.
12. The good thing was that most of the fish they caught during that period were larger bass than had been the norm to this point in the season. Most of the bass he caught over this three-day stretch were between 22 and 28 inches, where for most of the season to this point a 20-incher was a nice one.
13. In contrast, two weeks ago three of us caught 148 fish on a pick of a day; two were 27 inches, one 28 and the rest pretty much all less than 20 inches.
14. This drop-off in catches is typical. Most years, as water temperatures drop to midwinter low levels, the bite slows down progressively from this point on and will bottom out some time in mid-March. However, February is not all bad for fishing and in fact can be quite productive. There will be stretches during warm weather, warming rains, snow melts, and anytime the pressure rises when hundred-fish trips will be possible. Anytime over the winter, night-fishing will usually produce larger fish than when the sun is out and high in the sky.
15. This year, because there seems to be a large number of fish wintering in the upper river, fish of many year-classes and continued good fishing for another three to five weeks is likely, depending on which one wins the battle of the prevailing winds, the North or the South. The fact is the easiest fishing on the Thames is probably over or nearly so for the year, but at its worst, this is one of the most productive fisheries anywhere in the winter months. Where else can you go on a bad day, without pulling finger-size smelt from a six-inch hole, and catch 50 fish?
16. The recent frigid period has begun to stiffen waters up again, but there were some large sections of open water in most of the lakes in southern Connecticut, and with inflowing waters from the recent runoff, I can’t recommend ice fishing with a clear conscience.
17. Frozen water is not necessarily safe water, so always take precautions and don’t bunch up in iffy areas.
18. This is a time when sea-run trout fishing is an option in places such as Latimer Brook and the upper Niantic River, the upper portions of the Mystic River, the Hammonasset and the Saugatuck River estuaries.
19. Try live-bait fishing with Arkansas shiners, the same ones ice fishermen use, or if possible, pot some mummichogs and live-line them in these or other coastal estuaries denoted in the Connecticut Anglers Guide as being stocked with sea-run brown trout. The sea-runs are there, and if there is no ice cover, they can be reached.
20. As with any coastal, shallow-water fishing, figure on the trout being close to the shore around the top of the flood tide. If possible, fish in or near channels and nearby flats. In these upper-bay areas, look for places where the water is moving with the tides. The bridge abutment where I-95 crosses the upper Mystic River is a good place to fish for sea-run trout, as is the Golden Spur in Niantic. Try approaching the Golden Spur by boat because it’s all private property around this well-known and popular sea-run spot.
21. The DEP just stocked 500 excess broodstock Seaforellen-strain brown trout in 12 Connecticut lakes, 250 each in six lakes east of the Connecticut and the same number in six lakes west of the river.
22. Trout counts to the east are: Crystal Lake, Ellington, 42; Mashapaug Lake, Union, 41; Beach Pond, Voluntown, 41; Cedar Lake, Chester, 43; Ouonnipaug Lake, Guilford, 40; and Black Pond, Middlefield/Meriden, 43.
23. West of the big river, West Hill Pond, New Hartford, has 60; Mt. Tom Pond, Morris, 50; Tyler Lake, Goshen, 50; Stillwater Pond, Torrington, 35; Mohawk Pond, Cornwall, 35; and West Side Pond, Goshen, 20.
24. These fish will be available for ice fishing if the ice becomes safe. The DEP has not issued any ice-fishing reports due to the dangerous conditions and lack of angler effort on waters that could be lethal.

Capt Morgan Madison 1/12/06

1. The mild weather has extended the season for many anglers who yearn for the quiet trout and salmon waters of Connecticut. The shoreline continues to offer good trout fishing for those wishing to wade chilly waters or attempt to straddle the sometimes firm, sometimes muddy banks of rivers or streams. Often the pools will be deep from the on-again, off-again moisture—sometimes white, other times clear. Even some trout parks have attracted anglers looking to put their 2006 licenses to early use in hopes of hooking into a trout or two.
2. Certainly, the weather along the shoreline has been by all accounts mild and will probably continue to be so until month's end when perhaps Mr. Winter will get back on track. Still, ice fishing for many will have to take a break unless traveling to the northern climes of the state is an option. The end of January will have to produce cold temperatures that continue into February in order to rejuvenate the season. Similar events occurred last year with ice-out at Lake Quonnipaug, for example, occurring on March 30.
3. Above the I-95 corridor where the warm temperatures of Long Island Sound have less of an influence, many lakes and ponds sport enough safe ice to support ice fishing activities. Ice holes have peppered those surfaces and anglers have flagged perch, bass, crappie, and the like. Larger lakes known to have healthy populations of trout, pike, walleye, pickerel, and catfish are also attracting anglers. Jigging sticks together with small jigs tipped with a tidbit of sorts has been productive especially when used in conjunction with the legal limit of tipups. Connecticut allows for an aggregate of six devices per angler—two if under 16.
4. If you're a striper buff and it already has been too long since gripping a lip or feeling that wet splash on your face as you release a fish, then take a ride to upper reaches of one of our major tidal rivers. Rig up a light setup and grab a handful of small bucktails and/or soft plastics weighing about one-half of an ounce or so and head out.
5. Cast, let sink, and vary your retrieve or jigging action. If you've timed it so those usually tightly-schooled linesiders haven't recently fed, you'll be into fish. The colder the water, the slower the digestive action thereby creating a longer interval between feeds. If such is the case, don't be surprised if all you feel is a succession of bumps as your jig glances off of fish.

Conn Post 1/6/05

1. The new year came in fast and furious for anglers. Snow, rain and ice prevented many from venturing too far from home. Those who went out before the storm reported good ice fishing. But since the storm, the action and fishing activities have slowed.
2. Tuesday's snow changed the ice fishing outlook significantly. Prior to the snowfall, the ice was moderately clear. Sunlight could penetrate through the ice to brighten the lake below. This light helped the fish see your lures and bait. Now, the snow cover plunged the under-ice world into total darkness. Fish must now rely on vibration senses and smell to feed.
3. Ice anglers using tip-ups will fare best with fresh, lively minnows. Check your bait periodically to ensure it is still twitching on the hook. Those fishers using jigging rods should use lures with bright, glowing or iridescent color patterns. Add maggots to your ice fishing lures for added attraction.
4. When walking on the snow-covered ice, avoid wet looking areas. The wetness either signals a low spot in the ice where water collects or open holes in the ice where water can percolate up onto the ice. Both cases present unsafe ice fishing conditions. Stay on well-worn paths or in areas known to have solid ice.
5. Some of the best ice fishing spots continue to be Ball Pond, Bantam Lake, Beseck Lake, Black Pond, the three Bolton Lakes, Burr Pond, Congamond Lake, Dog Pond, Dooley Pond, Hatch Pond, Highland Lake, Lake Kenosia, Mamanasco Lake, Messerschmidt's Pond, Mohawk Pond, Mount Tom Pond, Mudge Pond, North Farms Reservoir, Park Pond, Pierrepont Pond, Silver Lake, South Spectacle Pond, Stillwater Pond, Tyler Pond, Upper Moodus Reservoir, West Hill Pond, West Side Pond, Winchester Lake, Wood Creek Pond, and the ponds within White Memorial Foundation of Litchfield.
6. If ice fishing isn't your game, the milder winter weather temperatures are allowing anglers to seek trout in the rivers and streams. Last fall, the state Department of Environmental Protection distributed about 45,000 rainbow trout around the state. About half of these fish were released into the East Aspetuck River, East Branch of Salmon Brook, the Farmington River Trout Management Area, the open section of the Farmington River, Hammonasset River TMA, Mianus River TMA, Mill River TMA, Moosup River TMA, Naugatuck River TMA, Norwalk River, Pachaug River, Pequonnock River, Pomperaug River, Quinebaug River, Salmon River TMA, Sandy Brook, Saugatuck River TMA, the unrestricted section of the Saugatuck River, Scantic River, Shetucket River, the West Branch of the Farmington River, Willimantic River TMA and the Yantic River.
7. Elsewhere around the state, you can try to catch Atlantic salmon in the Naugatuck River and below the Derby Dam. Herring hunters are catching a few fish in the lower Housatonic River and Ash Creek. The offshore party boats have started their winter codfishing seasons.
8. Anglers are reminded that it is now 2006. You must have a new fishing license. Licenses are available from town clerks, most tackle shops and some of the larger "big box" department stores. The $20 license fee remains the same as last year. [by FRANK MCKANE Jr.]

On The Water 1/5/05

1. Flooding rains, blizzard, cold, warm – Mother Nature keeps slinging the nasty weather our way. As a result, I have another easy column to write this week because nothing much is happening.
2. The recent warm spell, heavy rains and snow caused a slowdown in ice-fishing activity as it well should. The ice had water on it last week, and many local ponds had big holes eroding on the surface. Sure there’s safe ice out there, but I’d travel north to find it. Anywhere south of the “snow belt,” be careful because many lakes near the coast have spots that will kill you! Pulling a fish through a six-inch hole just isn’t worth the risk where I live, close to the coast, where the rain was of longer duration and heavier and temps are always more moderate.
3. If the weather remains mild and water levels drop, broodstock salmon fishing in the Naugatuck and Shetucket rivers will become a valid option. Possibly, fishing for sea-run trout in coastal estuaries that have been stocked for this purpose may materialize on the local fishing menu. If these two fisheries develop and become worthwhile, ice fishing will remain iffy. If it gets cold, forget the salmon and sea-runs, and start boring some holes in the hardwater.
4. Thomcat Pelletier sent me an e-mail saying that Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle, which suffered a total loss from fire a few weeks ago, will rebuild, bigger and better than ever! That’s saying something! Quaker Lane is a great tackle shop with topnotch people running it. It’s too far for me to get there very often, but over the years I’ve heard many people say good things about the quality service this place provided to all of its customers, not just the old ones.
5. A close friend of mine, who’d never been to Quaker Lane before, took a motor there for some minor but oddball repair that he couldn’t do himself. Whoever he talked to realized how far he had traveled, had him go out for a long lunch rather than return in a few days, and fixed it literally on the spot. That’s the kind of stuff I’ve heard about these guys at Quaker Lane. They will be back “with bells on,” as my buddy Gil used to say. Thomcat said there isn’t any timetable for their return at this point. However, they will be at the RISAA show in Providence at the end of March and will hopefully have a better handle on how things are progressing for their faithful customers at that time. All my best wishes in their resurrection.
6. This week, as will be the case for the remainder of the winter, the Thames River is not only the best but also the only game in town. Due to all of this unsettled weather and constant pressure drops with each storm, the fishing has been excellent for about four weeks now. This is surprising because there were so many heavy, flooding rains that pushed the bait out early that one would assume the bass would have followed it out to sea and hence there should be a smaller winter run than “normal,” if there is such a thing in nature. In the past, reduced numbers of wintering fish have been the general rule following a series of heavy, late-season rains. Rules are made to be broken, as that does not appear to be the case this year.
7. Rennie at the Fish Connection said that on Sunday one customer caught 101 stripers from the rocks where the Shetucket River dumps into the harbor (as the pressure was dropping). Another on Wednesday caught 18 from the docks, during the day, which isn’t too bad for daytime shore-based fishing. Another friend who fished from a boat late last week caught 60 fish, and reports of triple-digit catches have been common throughout most of December.
8. I have not been on the river myself this winter due to a “big buck” obsession I had during the deer season, on top of my writing obligations. I have been working on my fourth book, the third for Burford Books, called Freshwater Fishing in Connecticut and Rhode Island. It is a sweetwater counterpart to Fishing the Connecticut and Rhode Island Coasts that will hit the racks sometime this spring or early summer. In order to finish it on time, I had to sequester myself for the past few weeks.
9. The book’s finished, deer season is over and the stripers are going to get some sore lips the next chance I have to wet a line. The way things were in 2005 for me, just for making such a cocky statement, the river will already be frozen solid and remain that way ‘til March so I won’t get a chance to have any fun.
10. But it’s a new year that I hope will be a better one than last, as far as catching goes and a whole lot of other things. In 2005 I had the worst fishing I can remember. Literally everything I fish for, which ranges from yellow perch through the ice to muskies in Quebec, to fluke, blues, bass, albies and tuna in the ocean, gave me a tough pick last season. I went musky fishing when I should have been chasing football tuna, and vice versa. It went like that all season long, and as a result, I never had a really memorable day in either the quantity or quality of the fish I caught, of any species, anywhere! I welcome the new beginning in 2006 with a brand-new combo hunting/fishing license. Don’t forget to pick up your licenses before venturing afield this year.

Capt Morgan Madison 1/5/05

Some shoreline ponds were reduced from an ice covering of six inches to...well...tentative at best. The cold nights helped to solidify the base, however, warm daytime temperatures and tropical-like rain reduced thickness even more. Many larger lakes and ponds were blotched with pools of open water often with unbroken stretches of it near their banks. Farther north though, both in the northwestern and northeastern parts of Connecticut, safer ice could be found.

The coves, often fished along the Connecticut River and tucked in and away from most views of passersby, were producing some northern pike and yellow perch. Earlier in the week, ice was still solid enough for some careful drilling. The recent action was spotty with catches made using live shiners and tip-ups as well as jigging sticks and grubs. A few anglers finding open water brought out their spinning gear and tried their hand at catching a bass or two–largemouth, that is. Also obliging were some hungry pickerel more than willing to latch onto a shiner, spinner, or small spoon. Incidentally, striper buffs are continuing to fish. Action is almost non-stop in the rivers, though ratcheted down a notch or two."