DEP Freshwater Weekly Report #6 5/28/09

TROUT
Rivers & streams - Anglers can expect fishing to be outstanding this weekend with fishable flows and good weather forecast. DEP’s spring stocking program is wrapping up, but with nearly 700,000 catchable-size trout stocked this spring, there will still be plenty of trout throughout CT waiting for anglers. Some success is being found using worms, & corn/mealworm combinations. A number of major insect hatches are getting started.

Good reports last week from the West Branch Farmington River, Farmington River, Housatonic River, Saugatuck River TMA, Pootatuck River, Salmon Brook, Quinebaug River, French River, Pomperaug River, Coginchaug River, Crystal Lake Brook, Mill River TMA, Willimantic River TMA, Blackberry River, Coopermine Brook, Eightmile River (Southington), Farm River, Hammonasset River, Natchaug River and Yantic River.

Farmington River - Fishing continues to be good, especially in the West Branch. Conditions remain good for fishing with flows currently clear and moderate (360 cfs at Riverton, plus an additional 80 cfs from the Still River). Water temperatures are in the low to mid 50’s°F. Hatches/patterns include Viterus [a.k.a. pale evening dun] #14, Tan Caddis (#16-18), Emerald Caddis (#14), Blue Quill [a.k.a. paralep] #18 & the Quill Gordon (#14), March Brown nymphs (#10), Gray Fox (#14, afternoon), Blue Wing Olives (#16-24, mid-late afternoon), green caddis (#22-26, evening), Midges (#22-32) and Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings).

Housatonic River - Trout fishing continues to be excellent and conditions for the weekend should be great for fishing. Flows are currently moderate and very fishable, 850 cfs at Falls Village and 1,350 cfs at Gaylordsville. Water temperatures are in the upper 50’s to low 60’s °F. Major insect hatches are here and will provide excellent fly fishing especially when the spinners start up. Current patterns include Sulphurs (#14-16), Isonychia (#8-10), Blue Wing Olive (#16-20, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Cahill (#12-14), Adams (#12-20, evening), March Brown (#10-12) & Gray Foxes (#10-12) and Green Caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening). Midges and early stoneflies (#6) are also being seen in the river at tributary mouths.

Lakes & Ponds – It’s big fish time! Anglers can expect many of this season’s big trout to be caught into mid June. Places to try include Mashapaug Lake, Highland Lake (fish at 25-30’), Crystal Lake (Ellington, fish at 20-22’), West Hill Pond, (fish at 20-25’), East Twin Lake (browns, at 20-30’), Saugatuck Reservoir (24” brown among the recent catches), Candlewood Lake (including a 5-lb brown), Mt. Tom Pond, Black Pond (Woodstock), Amos Lake, Beach Pond, Long Pond and Rogers Lake.

Trout Parks - These areas are designed to be easy to fish, with excellent access and amenities such as picnic areas nearby, and are stocked frequently. The Black Rock Pond, Wolfe Park (Great Hollow Pond), Southford Falls, Chatfield Hollow, Natchaug River, Day Pond, and Mohegan Park Pond Trout Parks were all stocked this week.
Areas stocked this week in western CT - The East Aspetuck River, East Branch Salmon Brook, West Branch Salmon Brook, Shepaug River, Colebrook Reservoir, West Branch Reservoir, West Hill Pond, Hop Brook Lake, Highland Lake, East Twin Lake, Lake McDonough and Wononscopomuc Lake.

Areas stocked this week in eastern CT – The Eight Mile River, East Branch Eight Mile River, Hammonasset River (including the TMA), Salmon River (including TMA), Blackledge River, Jeremy River and Natchaug River.

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally reported as good to very good. Areas to try include Amos Lake, Highland Lake, East Twin Lake, Candlewood Lake (recent catches include a 7.1 lb beauty), Lake Lillinonah, Hanover Pond, Pickerel Lake, Cedar Lake, Hatch Pond, Columbia Lake, Hopeville Pond, Winchester Lake, Lake Saltonstall, Middle Bolton Lake, Quaddick Reservoir (excellent fishing reported), Shenipsit Lake, Quonnipaug Lake, Lake Wintergreen and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir. Slower fishing reported from Pachaug Pond, Gardner Lake and Long Pond.

SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Highland Lake, Candlewood Lake (excellent action on 2-3 lb smallies, several more 6-lb plus fish also reported), Coventry Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Lake McDonough, Beach Pond, Mashapaug Lake, Bashan Lake, Wyassup Lake and the upper Housatonic River.

NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good in Bantam Lake and Winchester Lake.
KOKANEE - Try East Twin Lake or West Hill Pond at 3 colors of lead line.
WALLEYE are being reported from Lake Saltonstall.
PANFISH season is starting throughout the state as these tasty fish show up in big numbers. The shallows areas are the place to fish. Try a pond close to you. Use worms, grubs and any type of inexpensive fishing pole or drop line and give these easy to catch fish a go. Kids love this non-stop action and it will keep them occupied for hours.

CATFISH – DEP expects to stock approximately 5,300 adult catfish( 14-18 inch fish averaging 2 lbs apiece) and 10,000 yearling catfish (9-12 inch fish) next week. The adult catfish will be stocked into five of the Urban fishing Areas, Lakewood Lake, Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Park Pond (Hartford), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven) and Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich). The yearling catfish will be released into Black Pond (Middlefield), Maltby Lakes 2 & 3 (Orange/West Haven), Lower Bolton Lake (Bolton), Pattaconk Lake (Chester), Quonnipaug Lake (Guilford), Silver Lake (Meriden) and Lake Wintergreen.

CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are throughout the , with anglers enjoying very good action during the holiday weekend. School-size (16-25”) fish and adults up to 48” are here. Surface poppers are providing some exciting action under clear water conditions (trolling tube & worm and casting soft plastics work best in stained water). Some anglers have started using hickory shad (very successfully) as bait, however, anglers are cautioned to ensure that they have correctly identified the fish used for bait. DEP has received reports of anglers misidentifying river herring (alewife and blueback herring) as hickory shad. There has been a full closure on the taking of river herring in place since 2002. NORTHERN PIKE can be found in the coves and in the mainstem from Hartford down to Haddam (smaller fish). CATFISH (some over 10 lbs) are being taken in the mid to lower river area on chunk bait, coves are very good places to try now.

TIPS & TRICKS
CARP – Recently caught fish came in on worm/corn combination or boilies covered in glug & oatmeal.
CATFISH - Live or freshly frozen baits like big golden shiners, bluegill, perch, eel & crawlers have been producing well. Large bait can be chunked and fished right on the bottom. Target the outside bends in the river where the water is deep.
LARGEMOUTH BASS – Successful lures include silver-blue Shad Rap, medium live minnows, Ozmo, plastic crawfish, drop shot and plastics on light jig heads. Green pumpkin, green stew, melon belly and black neon colors are working well.
SMALLMOUTH BASS - Slow rolling a spinnerbait over weedy flats, and occasionally throwing top water baits are working.
WALLEYE – Some fish have been caught on white bucktails with a curly tail grub, live herring, jerk baits & stick baits fished shallow. Work the lures slowly around the boulders.