CT DEP Weekly Fishing Report #23

• 2007 FALL TROUT STOCKING UPDATE: Fall trout stocking continues to be affected by extremely dry conditions/very low flows. For the second consecutive week, DEP has cancelled trout stocking in western CT due to very low flows.
• In eastern CT, no more rivers and streams will be stocked this fall, and those trout originally scheduled for rivers/streams will instead be stocked into lakes, ponds and Trout Park ponds. Coventry Lake (Wangumbaug Lake), Horse Pond, Beach Pond, Crystal Lake and the Mohegan Park Pond, Day Pond and Valley Falls Park Pond Trout Parks are the areas in eastern CT that were stocked this week.
• With flows in many areas well below typical levels and significant amounts of precipitation required to improve flow conditions statewide. Should these drought-like conditions continue, there will be numerous additional changes to DEP’s fall stocking schedules, possibly including the broodstock Atlantic salmon releases.
• Rivers & streams - Very low flows continue to plague the state. Northeastern CT is especially hard hit, with extremely low flows on many rivers and streams including the Willimantic, Natchaug, Fenton, Yantic and Quinebaug Rivers. Generally, matching the hatch is not as important at this time of the year.
  
• Streamers and nymphing are the way to go and often dominate the early morning and late evening. For streamers try white, yellow and brown colors. Patterns to try include White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn and Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). For nymphs, bottom-bounce with Caddis pupa (#16-26), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-18) and Hare’s ear (#8-20). Light line and leaders should work best in the current low flow, clear water conditions. Good reports from the West Branch Farmington (many large browns), Farmington and Housatonic Rivers.
• Farmington River – Trout fishing continues to be good. West Branch flows continue to be clear and have been reduced, currently only about 75 cfs at Riverton, with an additional 7 cfs from the Still River.
• Farther downstream, the East Branch is currently providing an additional 150 cfs (Lake McDonough release). Current hatches/patterns consist of Isonychia (#12-14, fast water, evening), Blue Wing Olives (#20-28, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-22 morning), Midges (#22-28, morning), Black Ants (#14-22, mid day in fast water), Summer Cahills/Stenonema (#14-22 in the evening), Black Beetles (#16-18, mid day), Flying Ants (#16-26, mid day, when windy/humid) and Stone Hoppers (#8-12, mid day). Tricos (#22-26) are still working in the upper West Branch.
• Housatonic River - Trout fishing remains good, although low flow conditions are concentrating fish and anglers. Flows remain clear and continue to decline, currently about 90 cfs at Falls Village and about 160 cfs at Gaylordsville. Morning water temperatures in the TMA are in the low 60’s °F, although temperatures may rise again with warmer weather predicted for the next several days. Current hatches/patterns include Blue Wing Olive (#18-26, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#10-12 evening), Sulfurs (#16-18), Summer Cahills/Stenonema (#12-14 in the evening) and Black caddis (#14-18, early morning & evening).
• Lakes & Ponds – Lakes reporting good trout fishing include Candlewood Lake (6 lb brown), East Twin Lake (13 trout for one angler, one 19” rainbow), Crystal Lake, Highland Lake and West Hill Pond.
• BASS fishing remains variable. Good reports for LARGEMOUTH BASS from Bashan, Andover, Highland, Hayward, Wintergreen, Lower Bolton (lots of action on smaller fish) and Cedar Lakes. Fishing reported as fair at Hopeville Pond, Quonnipaug Lake, Gorton Pond (bags include a 5.5 lb bass), Pachaug Pond (5.7 lb largemouth among the catches), Batterson Park Pond and Bunnells Pond, and slow at Lake Housatonic (but a 5.2 lb largemouth among the catches) and Beseck Lake. Mixed reports from Amos Lake and Bantam Lake.
  
• Good SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from Candlewood (including several 3-4 lb smallies), Highland, Mashapaug and Coventry Lakes.
• NORTHERN PIKE action reported from Bantam Lake, Hopeville Pond and Pachaug Pond.
• WALLEYE catches are reported from: Squantz Pond and Lake Saltonstall (6.7 lb walleye among the catches).
• CHAIN PICKEREL have been caught at Beardsley Park Pond.
• Connecticut River – NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported as good. Fish have been found in the Enfield area, Wethersfield Cove, and from Middletown (including a 32” pike) to the Haddam Meadows/Salmon River Cove area. BLACK CRAPPIE fishing is good to very good on small shiners in coves.
• CATFISH have slowed, but are still being taken (cut bait in the deeper holes and on the outside edges of the river). LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is slow. SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from the Farmington River confluence area, and a 4.2 lb smallie among the catches from above the Enfield Dam.
• STRIPED BASS fishing remains good at the usual spots the Watch Hill reefs, south side of Fishers Island off Wilderness Point, Ram Island Reef in Fishers Island, the Race, the Sluiceway, Plum Gut, Pigeon Rip (just north of Plum Island), Harkness Memorial State Park, 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 including Silver Sands State Park, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground area, Bridgeport Harbor, and the Norwalk Islands. Live bait, cut chunk baits, and the tube and worm combination has worked well for cow bass.
• BLUEFISH fishing remains good to excellent in the Race, Plum Gut, Thames River, Harkness Memorial State Park, Pigeon Rip, Bartlett Reef, Hatchett Reef, Connecticut River from the Baldwin (I-95) Bridge to the breakwaters, Long Sand Shoal, Sixmile Reef, Southwest Reef, Falkner Island area to the reefs off Branford, New Haven Harbor, Silver Sands State Park, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground area, Penfield Reef, Norwalk Islands and Stamford Harbor. Casting surface plugs or using chunk baits on three way rigs will score on big choppers!
• SCUP (porgy) fishing remains good to excellent and is about prime time for these hard fighting fish. Any rock pile or bottom structure will do.
• HICKORY SHAD fishing is good at the usual spots: The Mystic River, Niantic River between Rte. 156 and the railroad bridge, and the lower Connecticut River (from Essex down to the breakwaters) including DEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier.
• BLACK SEA BASS and TAUTOG (blackfish) can be caught off the major reef areas and rock piles in addition to scup.
• ATLANTIC BONITO and LITTLE TUNNY are racing around the Pine Island area, Little Gull Island, the Sluiceway, Millstone Point to Black Point, Hatchett Reef, Sixmile Reef, Charles Island area to Milford Point and around the Norwalk Islands.
• PEANUT BUNKER are everywhere along the coastline.
• BLUE CRABBING remains good to excellent with jimmies measuring in the 7 inch range being reported.