Conn Post 5/12/06

1. Rain and flooding has plagued anglers for two weeks. The run-off deluge is also having a profound impact on both the freshwater and saltwater fisheries. Anglers donning raingear and adjusting their fishing tactics to contend with the rain were able to catch trout, striped bass, pike and walleye this week.
2. Trout fishing in the rivers is very difficult as nearly every trout stream in the state has high, muddy water. Because of the high water flows, anglers need to fish in river spots where the current is ob-structed by solid objects, such as bridge abutments or old mill dams. The trout congregate behind these objects as they seek refuge from the current.
3. Brightly colored lures help at-tract the trout in the muddy water. For example, paint your split shot bright yellow or attach colored beads to your bait hooks. Yellow and red colored Mickey Finn streamer flies can be highly produc-tive right now. Spoons with reflec-tive prism tape are great trout lures too.
4. In spite of the tough fishing conditions, the state Department of Environmental Protection did con-tinue with its stocking program. This week, trout were released into the West Branch of the Farmington River, the entire mainstem of the Farmington River, Pomperaug River, Lake Mohegan, the Mill River Trout Management Area in Fairfield, the open sections of the Mill River, Wepawaug River, Shepaug River, East Aspetuck River, the Bantam River Fly Fishing Only Section, the open sections of the Bantam River, Butternut Brook, Macedonia Brook, the Hop Brook Flood Control Impoundment, the East Branch of Salmon Brook, West Hill Pond and Hogsback Reservoir.
5. Also, this week the DEP stocked its special "Trout Parks" for the last time this spring. Fish were delivered to 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.
6. Elsewhere, sweetwater anglers found largemouth bass biting well at Moodus Reservoir, Lake Salton-stall, Bantam Lake, Billings Pond, Tyler Pond, Highland Lake, Gard-ner Lake, Ball Pond and Mudge Pond. Smallmouth bass action is excellent in Candlewood Lake and Squantz Pond. Northern pike fish-ing is fair at Pachaug Pond and Bantam Lake. Walleye continue to cooperate at Lake Saltonstall and Squantz Pond.
7. Kyle Benjamin, age 6 of New Haven, caught a 5.3 pound large-mouth bass this week at Lake Sal-tonstall. Derek Halliwell of Milford landed a 5.8-pound walleye and Robert Vasilescu of Shelton had a 5.9 walleye. Both walleye came from Lake Saltonstall.
8. Vast amounts of freshwater are flowing down the Housatonic River. This surge has pushed the striped bass and other marine fish out of the river. Until the river flows subside, the better striped bass action will be found off the beaches and points located far away from the tidal river mouths. Some noteworthy bass spots are the West Haven sandbar, Bradley Point, Pond Point, Walnut Beach, Gulf Beach, Seaside Park, Penfield Reef, Compo Beach and Calf Pasture Beach.
9. Summer flounder season is open, but anglers are finding very few 18-inch keeper fluke along the Connecticut shoreline. Your best option is to cross over to New York as Kevin Korchman of Fairfield did last week. While fishing off Port Jefferson, Korchman caught a 4.5 pound fluke. — FRANK MCKANE JR.