CT DEP 8/29/05 - Weekly Fishing Report

1. INLAND REPORT :Good reports for LARGEMOUTH BASS from Lake Zoar, Lake Lillinonah (four 4+ lb bass for one tournament), Highland, Mashapaug, Candlewood, Cedar, Crystal, Bashan, Wyassup, Chamberlain, Congamond (5 lb bass), Amos (5.12 lb bass), Billings, Wonoscopomuc (33 fish) and Quonnipaug Lakes, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (good action, no big ones), and Ball, Pachaug, Huntington State Park, Glasgo, Avery, Mudge, Stillwater and Squantz Ponds.
2. Some SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported from Mashapaug, Candlewood, Coventry (4 lb smallie) and East Twin Lakes, Squantz Pond and the Housatonic River (excellent). Smallmouth fishing at Lake Lillinonah was slow.
3. Good numbers of WALLEYE (early morning to sunrise) are being reported from Coventry Lake and Squantz Pond (17-22” fish, 5' off the bottom).
4. NORTHERN PIKE (target cooler water) fishing is reported to be good at Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake and Pachaug Pond. Some catches also at Hopeville and Ashland Ponds.
5. Good reports for YELLOW PERCH (fishing throughout the day) from Candlewood, Crescent, Gardner and Crystal Lakes and Squantz Pond.
6. CATFISH (some in the 24-26" range) continue to provide good action on portions of the Connecticut River (the Hartford-Cromwell area was slow last weekend).
7. STRIPED BASS action (mostly schoolies) is good in the lower river on tubes and worms as well as on bait.
8. Fishing for SUNFISH is an excellent (and traditional) late summer activity for the entire family, good reports include Wood Creek Pond, and Crescent, Billings, Crystal (Ellington), and Mamanasco Lakes. Use worms, grubs, jigs or small poppers for them.
9. TROUT:Rivers & streams - Fly anglers should definitely include terrestrial fly patterns in their arsenal. Despite some recent precipitation, many streams remain relatively low.
10. Trout fishing remains good on the Farmington River. Labor Day weekend anglers can look forward to even more fish in the Farmington River as DEP EXPECTS TO STOCK 1,200 SEEFORELLAN - STRAIN BROWN TROUT for the holiday weekend! Morning water temperatures continue to range from the upper 50’s°F (above Riverton) to low 60’s°F (West branch TMA). Flows are clear but remain low (about 125 cfs just below the Still River in Riverton). Hatches include the Trico (#22-28, morning), Needhami (#22-26, early morning), Isonychia (#10-12, fast water, evening), Blue Wing Olives (#22-28, mid-late afternoon), Sulphurs duns (#18-20, below the dam due to low temperatures, morning; afternoon to early evening for spinners), Caddis (tan #16-18, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-20 morning), Midges (#22-32, morning), Cahills/Stenonema (#12-18, evenings), 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).
11. Both fishing and water temperatures have improved somewhat on the Housatonic River, although conditions are still not good for trout. Flows are clear but remain low (about 210 cfs at Falls Village). Morning water temperatures in the TMA have been ranging from 68 to 72°F. ANTS are on right now. Hatches include white fly (#10-14, producing evening action), Blue Wing Olive (#18-22, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#12-14 evening), Light Cahill/Stenonema (#12-16, evening), and Black caddis (#16-18, early morning & evening) with some Alder Flies in the Bull's Bridge (warmer water) area. 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). Streamers are generally a good choice (try White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, Grey or Black Ghosts).
12. Lakes & Ponds – Good late summer trout fishing can be found at a number of lakes and ponds including Crystal Lake (Ellington), East Twin Lake (18 fish from 2:30 am to 5:30 am for one angler, at 42 feet), Highland Lake (10 fish at 25 feet), West Hill Pond (worms at 3 colors of lead line), West Side Pond and Beach Pond (21 trout).
13. MARINE REPORT:The surface water temperature in Long Island Sound (LIS) ranges from the high 60’s to the low 70’s °F.
14. STRIPED BASS fishing is fair to good on the major reefs but should improve as fall approaches. Slow trolling the tube and worm or fishing with live baits (scup, menhaden, hickory shad or eels) have been effective for “cow” bass.
15. STRIPERS and BLUEFISH can be caught off the Watch Hill reefs, Ram Island Reef, the Race, Plum Gut, Thames River, Bartlett Reef, Black Point, the humps south of Hatchett Reef, Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef, the reefs off Madison and Branford, New Haven Harbor, Charles Island area, Penfield Reef, and around the Norwalk Islands. School stripers can caught in tidal rivers and coves.
16. SNAPPER BLUEFISH fishing is about at peak and fish range in length from about 5-8 inches.
17. SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) fishing remains hit or miss. Fluke areas include: the Stonington Harbor area, lower Mystic River, Groton Long Point, Black Point, Sound View Beach, Connecticut River, Long Sand Shoal, Six Mile Reef , Falkner Island, New Haven Harbor, and around the Norwalk Islands.
18. TAUTOG (blackfish) is fair and SCUP (porgies) fishing is good at any of the rock piles located in LIS. Monster scup exceeding 15 inches in length are not unusual.
19. The Niantic River and Clinton Harbor is fair for HICKORY SHAD.
20. Reports of TUNA in eastern LIS are still being reported with anglers seeing fish breaching.
21. BLUE CRABBING has improved dramatically along the coastline especially in the Guilford to Madison area, Westbrook and from the Connecticut River and tidal creeks to the east.