Conn Post 5/12/06

1. State anglers are enjoying one of the better spring fishing seasons. To date, rain has only been an occasional nuisance and temperatures have been mild. This week anglers found trout, walleye, largemouth bass, winter flounder and striped bass responding nicely to both live bait and artificial lures.
2. The state Department of Environmental Protection did its part to advance the spring trout season by stocking the Naugatuck River between Litchfield and Beacon Falls, the Farmington River both downstream and upstream of the Trout Management Area, Muddy River, Quinnipiac River, Picketts Pond in Osbornedale State Park, Far Mill River, Nells Rock Reservoir, Pequonnock River in Beardsley Park, the Trumbull Valley section of the Pequonnock River, Lake Winfield, Upper Fulton Park Pond, Hop Brook Flood Control Impoundment, Prospect Town Park Pond, Colebrook Reservoir, Lake McDonough, Hall Meadow Brook, the east and west branches of the Naugatuck River, Stillwater Pond, the Farmington River between Route 177 and Route 4, the Mill River in Hamden, Norwalk River, Mad River, the Mad River Flood Control Impoundment, Sandy Brook and Still River.
3. Also, as part of the DEP's "No Child Left Inside" program, hatchery workers stocked all the state trout parks earlier this week. Good trout fishing is now available at Black Rock State Park Pond, Stratton Brook State Park Pond, Southford Falls State Park Pond, Wharton Brook State Park Pond, Kent Falls State Park, Mill River Trout Park in Sleeping Giant State Park and Great Hollow Pond. Remember, trout parks have a two-fish daily creel limit to help conserve fish so more people can enjoy them.
4. Last week, 84-year old Robert Frigo of Milford caught a tagged 19-inch rainbow trout at Maltby Lake #2. He used Berkeley Power Bait. Jordan Buturla of Fairfield landed a 4.92 pound Seeforellen brown trout at the Saugatuck Reservoir. Buturla opted for a live minnow as bait.
5. Over the past few weeks, walleye have been making fishing memories at Squantz Pond, Gardner Lake and Lake Saltonstall. Fishing buddies Barry Gallo of West Haven and Glen Brown of Milford had walleye brags this week from Lake Saltonstall. The pair caught four walleyes ranging in size from 25 to 22 inches. Their heaviest fish tipped the scales at 6.3 pounds. Bruno Pelsis of New Haven caught three walleyes, including a 4.9 pound beauty.
6. Long Island Sound is providing good angling with winter flounder and striped bass. Anglers are reminded that blackfish and porgy seasons are closed. Flounder season closes at the end of this month. Fluke season opened last weekend, but very few fish are being caught right now.
7. Striped bass action in the tidal rivers and harbors is good to excellent. These fish range in length from about 14 to 20 inches with the occasional 30 incher thrown in for good measure. The better reports are coming from the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Niantic River, Connecticut River, the Quinnipiac River, the west side of New Haven Harbor, the entire Housatonic River from the Derby Dam to the Stratford Shoal, Southport Harbor and throughout the Norwalk Island chain.
8. Winter flounder fishing is fair at Bluff Point, around Pine Island, in Niantic Bay and Norwalk Harbor. The Hel Cat II reported a good week with nice catches of cod, hake, pout and mackerel.
9. Tom Wilson of Milford reeled in a huge 13.88 pound weakfish last week. He caught the fish off the Walnut Beach fishing pier on a piece of squid. Stratford Bait & Tackle verified the catch. Shawn Lariccia of Milford also visited Walnut Beach where his mackerel chunk fooled a 33 inch, 15.60 pound bluefish. [Frank McKane, Jr.]