Where are the fish after the floods?

• Late-season storms could offer a boom -- far from the potential bust that had many anglers concerned. Heavy rains and flooding pushed some trout out of main river channels and into reservoirs, downstream ponds and small streams. That could have harmed the supply, especially if large numbers of confused trout were stranded where food was limited and they were vulnerable to birds or more aggressive fish.
• But when the rains stopped, the fish had a chance to settle into their new surroundings. That should make for good pickings in many non-traditional fishing spots, while trout in the main rivers will be easier to catch as the high waters recede in the next several days.
• Niantic River: Jack Balint of the Fish Connection in Norwich did some scouting Wednesday along the Yantic River, in order to know how to advise his customers regarding their choices of opening-day fishing holes. He said the Yantic River looked fishable in the areas he scouted upstream from the dams in Gilman. Earlier in the week, when the nor’easter was at its peak, the Yantic was a number of feet over its banks in the flats and farmers fields near Route 2. This river stabilizes quickly, and he believes it will be running high, but should be fishable by Saturday.