Conn Post 3/31/06

• Anglers will see plenty of activity from the state Department of Environmental Protection over the next few weeks. Hatchery personnel have been stocking the catch-and-release year-round trout fishing areas, as well as stocking trout in preparation for the April 15 season opening. Marine fisheries managers also have been hard at work preparing new saltwater fishing regulations.
• Earlier this week, the department announced it will extend the closure of the marine alewife and blueback herring fisheries. This action began in 2002 with an annual review of the population. The population remains well below the desired levels forcing the ban's extension. While these fish can provide recreational fishing opportunities, they were more often used as striped bass bait.
• The above prohibition does not apply to the landlocked alewife populations in Amos Lake, Ball Pond, Beach Pond, Candlewood Lake, Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Lake Quassapaug, Lake Quonnipaug, Rogers Lake, Squantz Pond, Uncas Pond and Lake Waramaug. Alewives in these lakes may still be taken by angling and with a scoop net.
• Trout fishing season will open in two weeks. Until then, anglers may fish for trout in the trout management areas on the Hammonasset River in Madison, Housatonic River in Cornwall and Kent, Mianus River in Greenwich, Mill River in Fairfield, Naugatuck River in Thomaston, Saugatuck River in Westport, and the West Branch of the Farmington River in Barkhamsted. Consult the state Anglers' Guide for directions to the specific management areas.
• The TMA trout fishery is strictly catch-and-release. All hooked fish, even the big ones, must be released immediately. Many of the TMAs are restricted to fly-fishing. Tie your flies with barbless hooks to aid with the live release. Change the treble hooks to single hooks when using artificial lures in the non-fly areas. Then crush the barb flat to create a makeshift barbless hook.
• Saltwater anglers are starting to enjoy striped bass. The warmer weather has sparked the bass into feeding on the helpless river herring and alewives. Anglers have been scoring with lures that mimic these baitfish. Some of the better bass lures are soft plastic shad, Sea-Match Herring, Fin-S Fish, Rat-L Traps and hard plastic or wooden minnow lures. Small mackerel chunks and large sandworms are also enticing striped bass strikes.
• Winter flounder season opens this weekend. With luck, you should be able to catch a few flounder in Norwalk Harbor between the Maritime Center and Peach Island, the mouth of the Saugatuck River, around Cockenoe Island, in Bridgeport Harbor around Pleasure Beach, in the lower Housatonic River between Short Beach and Bonds Dock, at the mouth of Milford Harbor, in Morris Cove and off the fishing piers at Fort Hale and Lighthouse Point.
• Whether you are fishing from shore or from a boat, always use a chum pot. Boaters can simply drop the pot off the anchor line at the bow of the boat. Then fish off the boat's stern. From shore, toss the pot out on a long rope. Try to fish down current of the pot. Sandworms, clam bellies and shrimp tails are good flounder baits. Ground clams mixed with cornmeal, frozen into a solid block, make an excellent chum pot base. [— FRANK MCKANE JR. ]