CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #2 5/3

In-season trout stocking is well underway. With moderating flows and great weather predicted, fishing should be excellent this weekend!

1. TROUT: Rivers & streams - The recent rainy weather and high flows had put a damper on early season trout fishing, especially in larger rivers. However, flows continue to drop to very fishable levels and anglers are now reporting good trout fishing. Reports include the Natchaug (3.5 lb, 21” brown among the catches), Little, Norwalk, Salmon (18” brown), Mill, Hammonasset, Blackledge, Saugatuck, Pequonnock, Scantic West Branch Farmington (24” brown), Housatonic (some 18-24” browns), Naugatuck, Willimantic and Scantic Rivers, Sandy Brook and Salmon Brook. Bait anglers are having success using earthworms or a mealworm/corn combination. Successful fly patterns include Winter/Summer Caddis (#16-22, early morning, minor hatch), Blue Wing Olive (#14-18, late morning-early afternoon), Blue Quills (#16-20, early afternoon), Quill Gordons (#16-18, early/mid afternoon) and Hendricksons (#12-14, early afternoon). Spinner fall occurs around 6:30 pm.
2. Farmington River water temperatures are in the upper 40’s °F. Flows are clear and have returned to fishable levels, currently 345 CFS at Riverton and an additional 170 CFS from the Still River. Look for Hendricksons (#12-14, early afternoon), Blue Quills and BWO’s.
3. Housatonic River morning water temperature is 53°F (TMA area). Flows continue to drop and clear, now about with 1,700 CFS of off color flows at Falls Village and 2,450 cfs at Gaylordsville. With lower flows, and dry, seasonable weather, fishing should be good this weekend. Hendricksons (#12-14) and early caddis & stoneflies suggested here. Streamers (white/yellow) and nymphs are producing some large fish.
4. Anglers Can Expect Good Fishing in western CT on the Mill (Hamden, including TMA), Norwalk, Pequonnock, Pomperaug, Pootatuck (Upper), Saugatuck (including TMA) and West Branch Saugatuck Rivers. In Eastern CT, good fishing can be expected at the Blackledge, Coginchaug, Fenton, Five Mile, Moosup, Mount Hope, Natchaug, Quinebaug, Roaring Brook (Glastonbury), Salmon (including TMA), West and Willimantic Rivers, Chatfield Hollow Brook and Dickenson Creek.
5. Lakes & Ponds – Good trout fishing was found in many lakes and ponds throughout Connecticut with reports from Lake Wonoscopomuc, Lake McDonough, Crystal (Ellington), East Twin, Highland, Mashapaug, Coventry, Candlewood and Alexander Lakes, Beach Pond, West Hill Pond and West Side Pond. Anglers can expect good fishing in western CT at the Wolfe Park Trout Park (Great Hollow Pond), Wononscopomuc Lake, and Mohawk, Twin Brooks, Tyler, West Hill and West Side Ponds. In Eastern CT, good fishing should be expected at: Higganum Reservoir, Lake Saltonstall, Amos, Mashapaug, Wyassup and Rogers Lakes, Angus Park, Bicentennial, Bigelow, Branford Supply, Gay City, Long and Mansfield Training Ponds, and the Valley Falls Park Pond, Day Pond and Mohegan Park Pond Trout Parks.
6. LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is picking up as temperatures rise and fish begin to move onto spawning beds. Try Quaddick Reservoir, Moodus Reservoir, Mono, West Side, Messerschmidt, Pierrepont, Pachaug and Long, Ponds, Lakes Lillinonah, Saltonstall and Wonoscopomuc, and Crystal (Ellington), Maltby, Gardner, Bashan, Coventry (a 5.75 lb bass among the catches), Mamanasco, Amos, Bantam, Winchester, Highland and Winnemaug Lakes.
7. SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from Lake Lillinonah, Wonoscopomuc Lake, Gardner Lake (lots of action, no big ones), Bantam Lake and Candlewood lake (although a bit slower than last spring, still plenty of 2-4 lb smallies).
8. CHAIN PICKEREL are being caught at Upper Moodus Reservoir, Mono Pond, Gardner Lake and the Maltby Lakes.
9. BLACK CRAPPIE fishing is excellent at Kenosia Lake.
10. NORTHERN PIKE are showing up at Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake and Hopeville Pond.
11. Connecticut River – Flows continue to drop to safer levels. STRIPED BASS are in the river up to Enfield with some legal size fish showing up in the lower river. Sand & blood worms and plastics typically work well.
12. CATFISH are being caught in Wethersfield and White Oaks Coves.

MARINE FISHING REPORT :The water temperature in Long Island Sound (LIS) are in the mid to upper 40’s °F.

1. Striped bass fishing in the tidal rivers is good to excellent for schoolies. Places to go are the Pawcatuck River, Thames River from Norwich Harbor down to the Montville Power Plant, Hamburg Cove in the Connecticut River and by the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier down to Great Island (“the Wood Lot”), Sandy Point in New Haven Harbor, Bridgeport Harbor, Housatonic River up to the Derby Dam, and Norwalk Harbor.
2. Winter flounder fishing remains hit or miss but the better places are Bluff Point State Park (Poquonock River), Niantic River including the bay, the Brothers off Fourmile River, Housatonic River, and Norwalk Harbor.
3. Rumors of bluefish have been reported in New Haven Harbor and schools of Atlantic menhaden have been spotted also in New Haven Harbor and in the western part of LIS.