CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #15 8/9

LARGEMOUTH BASS anglers are reporting good catches from many waters across the state. Areas to try include Upper Moodus Reservoir, Lake Housatonic, Mansfield Hollow Resrvoir (night),Wononscopomuc, East Twin, Red Cedar, Candlewood, Bashan, Crystal (Ellington), Quonnipaug, Gardner, Mamanasco, Tyler, Waramaug, Uncas and Bantam Lakes, and Messerschmidt, Fitchville, Ashland, Glasgo, Batterson Park, Mudge, Ball, and Mono Ponds. Mixed reports from Pachaug Pond and Lake Zoar.

SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing reported as fair at Colebrook Reservoir, Lake McDonough, Lake Housatonic, Candlewood Lake, Gardner Lake, Mashapaug Lake and Coventry Lake. Housatonic River smallie fishing slowed some last week, but is picking up again.

NORTHERN PIKE – Some good pike catches reported from Pachaug Pond, Lake Lillinonah and Bantam Lake, also some good action for smaller fish (14”-18”) reported at Winchester Lake.

Some WALLEYE catches reported from Lake Saltonstall and Squantz Pond.

CALICO BASS action is reported from Silver (Meriden), Coventry and Highland Lakes, and Dog, Park and Pachaug Ponds.

CHAIN PICKEREL are being found in Lake Wononscopomuc, Lower Bolton Lake, Coventry Lake, Dog Pond and Halls Pond.

Good places for YELLOW PERCH include Wood Creek, Mudge, Dog and Squantz Ponds, and Red Cedar, Tyler, Candlewood, Winchester, Wononscopomuc, Coventry and Wyassup Lakes.

SUNFISH can provide excellent summer time action for the entire family. Your local neighborhood ponds are often a great choice, larger water bodies to try include Babcock Pond, Wood Creek Pond, Wauregan Reservoir, Bishops Swamp, Silver Lake, Billings Lake, Tyler Lake, Winchester Lake and Lake Kenosia.

Connecticut River – CATFISH (some catches in the 7 lb range) are consistently being taken on fresh/frozen cut bait, try the deeper holes.

NORTHERN PIKE fishing typically slows with the higher summer temperatures. Look for pike at the confluences with tributaries.

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing remains fair to good, best in some of the lower coves.

Look for SMALLMOUTH BASS north of Hartford, some fair to good action reported from the Enfield area and near the mouth of the Farmington River.

STRIPED BASS action remains good in the lower river on tube & worm, live eels & hickory shad.

TROUT: Rivers & streams - Trout fishing in the West Branch Farmington River TMA remains great! Anglers can also find some nice trout in a number of other areas including the Salmon and Natchaug Rivers. Even with some recent rains, flows do remain low in a number of rivers including the Fenton, Willimantic and Mt. Hope Rivers in northeastern CT and the Housatonic River in the northwest. Low flows and hot summer conditions make early and late in the day the best fishing times. Summer is also a good time to try terrestrial fly patterns.

Anglers are reminded that the thermal refuge areas on the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers are currently closed to fishing and will reopen on September 1. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths of posted tributaries to these rivers.

Farmington River - Flows, temperatures and hatches continue to provide consistently good conditions for catching trout. Flows are clear and moderate (about 300 cfs at Riverton, plus an additional 20 cfs from the Still River). Morning West Branch water temperatures are in the lower 60’s °F. Insect hatches continue to include Needhami (#22-28, mid morning), Isonychia (#10-12, fast water, evening), Blue Wing Olives (Baetis; #22-28, mid-late afternoon), Sulphurs duns (#16-20, mostly upriver, morning; afternoon to early evening for spinners), Cahill/Stenonema (#12-18), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-20 morning), Midges (#22-28, morning), Black Ants(#14-20, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#16-18, mid day), Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid), Stone Hopper (#8-12, mid day) and Golden Drake (Potomanthus, #10-14, late evening). Evenings can bring out a mixture of every bug on the water.

Housatonic River trout fishing has slowed, with many trout in the thermal refuges. Flows continue to be clear and very fishable, but also remain low (even with some recent rain), currently about 260 cfs at Falls Village and 360 cfs at Gaylordsville. Morning water temperatures in the TMA are currently ranging in the low to mid 70’s °F (74 °F on Thursday, 8/9).

Under these conditions, ANGLERS SHOULD TAKE EXTRA CARE WHEN HANDLING TROUT THEY PLAN TO RELEASE! IT IS AN EXCELLENT TIME TO SWITCH TO SMALLMOUTH BASS IN THE

HOUSATONIC RIVER. We have been in the White Fly hatch, but it is winding down. Try a White Wolf (#10-12). Other insect hatches include Sulphurs (#14-16, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#18-24, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#12-14 evening), Light Cahill (#12-16, evening), and Black caddis (#16-18, early morning & evening). Don’t forget streamers (morning & evening). Patterns to try include White Zonkers, Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). For terrestrials, try Black/Cinnamon Ants (#18-22, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#14-18, mid day), Stone Hopper (#8-10, mid day) and Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid).

Lakes & Ponds – Good reports for trout from Crystal Lake (Ellington, try at 24-26 feet), East Twin Lake, Highland Lake, Alexander Lake, West Hill Pond (try corn/mealworm at 25 feet), Beach Pond and Long Pond.

STRIPED BASS fishing remains good at the usual spots: the reefs off Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef, the Race, the Sluiceway, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef, Falkner Island area, the reefs off Branford, Milford Harbor-Charles Island area,

Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground area, and the Cows off Stamford. Live bait (menhaden, hickory shad, eels, and scup) is the ticket for scoring on “cow” stripers especially during the “dog days” of summer. Just remember to use non-offset circle hooks to avoid gut hooking fish. Best time to fish is from dusk to dawn.

BLUEFISH fishing remains good at the Race, Plum Gut, Bartlett Reef, Hatchett Reef, Connecticut River from the Baldwin (I-95) Bridge to the breakwaters (DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier), Long Sand Shoal, Sixmile Reef, Southwest Reef, the reefs off Branford, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground area, Penfield Reef, and the Norwalk Islands.

SNAPPER BLUEFISH fishing is good with most fish measuring about 4 to 5 inches in length.

SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing is on the slow side. Best chances are to fish deep water (60 to 90 ft.) for trophy size doormats. Fluke spots include the Stonington area, Latimer Point, south shore of Fishers Island (Isabella Beach), Black Point area, Falkner Island area, and Charles Island to Stratford Point.

SCUP and TAUTOG fishing remains good on the local reefs. Scup measuring up to 15 inches in length are not uncommon.

HICKORY SHAD remains consistent in the Niantic River between Rte. 156 and the railroad bridge and off the DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier in Old Lyme.

Reports of WEAKFISH are coming in from the Milford-Stratford area, and the Falkner Island area to the reefs off Branford.

BLUE CRABBING is good along the coastline and will only get better as the season progresses.