CT DEP Weekly 5/10/06

1. TROUT: RIVERS & STREAMS - Trout fishing is rated good to excellent with reports from the Norwalk, Farmington (20”brown), Salmon, Blackledge (7 lb, 26” brown), Rippowaum, Mianus, Naugatuck, Wepawaug, Housatonic (22” brown),Scantic, Shetucket, Willimantic, Tankerhousen, Mill and Branford Rivers, Sandy Brook and Salmon Brook. Anglers are finding success using worms, and corn/mealworm combinations. Farmington River water temperatures are in the low 50’s °F, with clear flows of 150 CFS (Riverton) and an additional 90 CFS from the Still River (as of 5/11). Successful fly anglers are using Rusty Spinners (#16-18), Mahogany Duns/Blue Quills (#18-20), Tan Caddis (#14-18) and Winter Caddis (#18-22). Good evening spinner falls of Hendricksons (#12-14) can still be found. Nymphs (#18-22) are always a good go-to fly. Try Bead Head, Midge Pupa, Brassie, Zebra Midge or Copper John patterns. Streamers are also producing. Use White Zonkers and Buggers (#4-12) as well as Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghost.
2. Housatonic River morning water temperature is 59°F with 770 CFS of slightly off color flows at Falls Village and 2,050 cfs at Gaylordsville. Expect flows to increase this weekend due to the predicted heavy rains. Adams (#12-14) in the evening are producing. Some Blue Wing Olives (#20) are on the water with Green Caddis (#14-16) starting to show up. Anglers using Pheasant Tail (#12-26), Copper John (#12-18) and American Pheasant Tail (#12-18) are finding nymphing to be very productive. Try streamers (Yellow/White Zuddlers or Gray Ghost) around 6:30 pm.
3. Anglers Can Expect Good Fishing in western CT at the Farmill, West Branch Farmington, Farmington, Mad, Mill (Hamden), Naugatuck, East Branch Naugatuck, West Branch Naugatuck, Norwalk, Pequonnock, Quinnipiac, Still (Colebrook) and Muddy Rivers, and Hall Meadow, Kent Falls and Sandy Brooks. In eastern CT, good fishing can be expected at: Branford, Coginchaug, Farm, Fenton, Five Mile, French, Jeremy, Moosup, Mount Hope, Natchaug, Pachaug, Quinebaug, Salmon Rivers and Chatfield Hollow, Hunts, Latimer and Whitfords Brooks.
4. LAKES & PONDS – Good reports for trout from Colebrook Reservoir (20” brown), Saugatuck Reservoir (4 lb brown), Mashapaug, Crystal (6.5 lb trout), Candlewood (2.5 and 3 lb browns among the catches), East Twin (15 fish for one angler), Quinebaug, Gardner and Amos Lakes, and Squantz, West Hill, Great Hollow, Christensen’s and Peck Ponds. Beach Pond reported to be slow.
5. Anglers can expect good fishing in western CT at Upper Fulton Park Pond, Stillwater
6. Pond, Nells Rock Reservoir, Colebrook Reservoir, Lake McDonough, Hop Brook Impoundment, Mad River Impoundment, Lake Winfield, and the Black Rock, Wolfe Park (Great Hollow Pond), Southford Falls, Stratton Brook and Wharton Brook Trout Parks.
7. In Eastern CT, good fishing should be expected at: Lake Saltonstall, Crystal,
8. Mashapaug, Quonnipaug, Shenipsit, Wangumbaug (Coventry) and Uncas Lakes, and Bigelow, Black (Meriden/Middlefield), Dodge, Hewitt Fly, Lantern Hill, Long, Millers, and Moosup Ponds, and the Chatfield Hollow and Horse Pond Trout Parks.
9. LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is picking up. Areas to try include Moodus Reservoir, Lake McDonough (5.99 lb bass), Lake Saltonstall (good), Amos, Bantam, Cedar, Uncas, Billings, Bolton (fair), Tyler, Rogers (fair), Columbia, Pattagansett (fair), Candlewood (slow, some in the 4-5 lb range), Highland and Gardner Lakes (good), Ball, Morey, Glasgo, Gorton (mixed results), Mudge, Hopeville (spotty), Batterson Park and Pachaug Ponds.
10. SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from Lake Housatonic, Colebrook Reservoir, Mashapaug Lake (mixed results), Candlewood Lake (EXCELLENT, many smallies in the 3-4 lb range) and Gardner Lake (slow).
11. Some KOKANEE SALMON are being caught at West Hill Pond.
12. NORTHERN PIKE catches reported from Pachaug Pond and Bantam Lake.
13. WALLEYE are being reported from Lake Saltonstall (good, but a bit spotty, a 6.3 lb walleye among the catches), Coventry Lake (23” walleye) and Squantz Pond.
14. CHAIN PICKEREL are being caught at Lake Wonoscopomuc, Billings Lake, Gardner Lake, Gorton Pond and Messerschmidt Pond.
15. CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are in the river from Haddam to Windsor Locks. Mostly school size (16- 25”) fish. Adults up to 48” are showing up. Sand and blood worms are working. A reminder to anglers that an Inland fishing license is required to fish in the CT River north of the interstate route 95 bridge in Old Lyme/Old Saybrook.
16. SHAD are reported in increasing numbers in the river up to the confluence of the Farmington River.
17. NORTHERN PIKE action reported in Wethersfield and Crow Point Coves. LARGEMOUTH BASS Long Pond (6.33 lbs, Lois Ercoli of Middlebury).
18. STRIPED BASS fishing in the tidal rivers and harbors remain good to excellent for schoolies. The usual spots for school stripers include the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, Thames River, Niantic River, Connecticut River by Great Island, Sandy Point area in New Haven Harbor, Housatonic River from the Devon power plant to the Derby Dam, and around the Norwalk Islands. Larger legal size (28 inches and greater) stripers can be found out on the local reefs and rip areas of LIS.
19. SUMMER FLOUNDER have arrived in eastern LIS. However, Montauk Point, New York is the hot spot. Other locations worth a shot are the south side of Fishers Island, the Ruins, Gardiners Bay, Peconic Bays, and the Bloody Grounds off Black Point.
20. BLUEFISH have been reported in the Race, Plum Gut and off Millstone Point.
21. There are rumors of WEAKFISH being caught in New Haven Harbor and the Milford area.
22. WINTER FLOUNDER fishing is fair in the Niantic Bay area, and Norwalk Harbor.