Sports

Bluefish, Striped Bass In Hot Pursuit Of Baitfish In Major Tidal Rivers

Here's your marine and inland fishing report for this week.

From the CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection: 

Marine Fishing Report


Surface water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) remain in the low to mid 60’s °F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions:

http://www.mysound.uconn.edu/stationstat.html

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AN/330.html

TAUTOG (blackfish) and SCUP (porgy) fishing continues to be good at any of the breakwaters, reefs, wrecks, and areas with structure throughout LIS! Fall fishing is about at peak!

The major tidal rivers are still holding bunker (Atlantic menhaden) and other baitfish and that’s where you will find BLUEFISH and STRIPED BASS in hot pursuit! The lower Connecticut River from the Baldwin Bridge down to the breakwaters has been the hot spot. It is prime time for surfcasters to hit the beaches and coastal state parks for excellent fishing action!

HICKORY SHAD fishing remains excellent in the Connecticut River especially by the DEEP Marine Headquarters fishing pier.

BLACK SEA BASS fishing remains good on the local reefs and areas with gnarly bottom. Best time to fish is a half hour before and after slack tide.

Check out our Coastal Access Guide at http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/ for more shore fishing locations close to home!

Inland Fishing Report

TROUT

TROUT STOCKING – DEEP’s fall trout stockings were completed last week. A total of 29,000 trophy and adult sized trout into selected waters throughout the state this fall. Approximately 12,800 were trophy size brown trout (all greater than 12 inches in length) and the remaining 16,200 adults were standard size (9-10 inch) rainbow trout.

RIVERS & STREAMS - Conditions should be fairly good this weekend for fishing, flows are on the low side in a number of rivers and streams (see stream flow graphic on page 4) but very fishable in most areas and the forecast is for comfortable weather. Fair to good reports last week from the Salmon River, Shetucket River, Moosup River, Blackberry River, Mill River, Housatonic River, West Branch Farmington River, Farmington River and Naugatuck River.

Streamers and nymphing have been productive. Typical streamer colors are white, yellow & brown and patterns include Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn, and Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10). Typical nymphs to bottom bounce with Caddis pupa (#14-16), Serendipity (#14-16), Pheasant Tail (#12-20), Prince (#6-18), Golden Stoneflies (#8) and Hare’s ear (#8-20).

Farmington River Fishing continues to be good, and conditions should remain good for the weekend and beyond. West Branch flows are at easy to fish levels (currently a bit on the low side, with 112 cfs at Riverton and the Still River adding another 40 cfs). Hatches/patterns include Isonychia (#12-14, parachute style), Blue Wing Olives (#18-24, mid-late afternoon), Ants (#16-24 on rainy days), Caddis (tan #18-20, all day; brown #16-18), Midges (#20-32, morning) and Rusty Spinner (#12-24, morning).

Housatonic River – Trout fishing continues to be very good. Flows are clear, moderate and very fishable, currently 440 cfs at Falls Village and 559 cfs at Gaylordsville. Morning water temperatures are in the low to mid 40’s°F (warming some in the afternoon). Hatches/patterns include Blue Wing Olive (#18-20, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#10-12 evening), Midges (#20-26) and Black caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening), Flying Ants (#14-18) and Light Cahill CDC (#12-14).

LAKES & PONDS Variable fishing success has been reported by anglers as the fish settle into their fall behaviors, reports are from East Twin Lake, Crystal Lake (Ellington; fish the edges in 2-3 feet of water), Highland Lake (fish at Taylor Brook & Sucker Brook inflows and along the edges), Mohegan Park Pond, Black Pond (Middlefield), Squantz Pond and Beach Pond (near the beach & north point).

LAKE & POND BATHYMETRIC MAPS

Bathymetric maps of many of Connecticut’s public access lakes and ponds can be found online at:

www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/fishing/general_information/lakebathymetrymaps.pdf

Both plain line maps and maps overlaying an aerial photo available.

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is slowing, generally reported as fair, with reports from Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Kenosia Lake, Bantam Lake, Saugatuck Reservoir, Quaddick Reservoir, Mono Pond, Mamanasco Lake, Congamond Lakes, Candlewood Lake, Seymour Reservoir #2, Red Cedar Lake, Bashan Lake and Lake Waramaug. Tournament angler reports are from Candlewood Lake (on the slow side), Mashapaug Lake (fair action, but only smaller fish, average weight was 1.25 lbs per fish for one tournament), Pachaug Pond (fishing was general fair at best, with 3.13 lb and 4.5 lb lunkers), Hopeville Pond (a bit slow, but with a 4.73 lb lunker),

SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as fair to good at Shenipsit Lake, Rainbow Reservoir, Candlewood Lake and Highland Lake. Some catches also reported from Coventry Lake, Bashan Lake, Lake Lillinonah and West Hill Pond. Anglers are also still finding some action for smallies on the lower Farmington River, Quinnebaug River and Naugatuck River. Tournament angler reports are from Candlewood Lake (fishing was good for those familiar with the lake, others found it tough to fair, several smallmouth in the 3-4 lb range reported) and Mashapaug Lake (a few, with a 2 lb lunker).

WALLEYE are reported from Coventry Lake and Batterson Park Pond. NORTHERN PIKE fall bite is here! Anglers should target Bantam Lake (near the river), Mansfield Hollow

Reservoir, Winchester Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Pachaug Pond and Hopeville Pond.

ATLANTIC SALMON catches have been reported from all four areas stocked this fall (Naguatuck River, Shetucket River, Mount Tom Pond, Crystal Lake). Anglers are reporting that they are having to work to find consistent action. For a summary of Atlantic salmon fishing regulations see below.

Large CHAIN PICKEREL continue to be reported from Wononskopomuc Lake. CARP are fishing very well in Mirror Lake (catches include 23 lb, 25 lb, 27 lb and 30 lb fish), the Quinnipiac

River and Batterson Park Pond.

PANFISH are providing mid-fall time action. Use worms, grubs, jigs or small poppers for them. Areas to try include Quinebaug Lake, Schreeder Pond, Roseland Lake, Leonard Pond, State Line Pond, Peck Pond, Perry Pond, Park Pond, Norwich Pond, Morey Pond, Mono Pond, Coventry Lake, Glasgo Pond, Mamanasco Lake, Lake of Isles, Kenosia Lake, Dog Pond, Lake Hayward, West Twin Lake, Griggs Pond, Winchester Lake, Black Pond (Woodstock), Silver Lake (Meriden), Wood Creek Pond, Bigelow Pond and Bishop Swamp. Get out and enjoy the foliage.

CONNECTICUT RIVER

Flows remain comfortable for boating and fishing, and continue to be a bit lower than is typical for mid- October. BLACK CRAPPIE action was good last week in Wethersfield Cove. Anglers will find action in the coves while using small shiners. NORTHERN PIKE fishing was reported as very good. Try Chapman’s Pond, and the Haddam Meadows, Rocky Hill and Middletown areas. CHANNEL CATFISH are providing excellent good action in the Middletown to Haddam area. Try chunk & cut-bait on the outside edges of the channel, downstream side of brush piles and in the coves throughout the river. SMALLMOUTH BASS action is producing fish in the Higganum to Chapman’s Pond section of the river. Some LARGEMOUTH BASS action reported from the Middletown to Salmon River cove area, but anglers did have to work for their catches.

NOTES & NOTICES:

BESECK LAKE A 13 foot drawdown to facilitate dam repairs began October 4. BURR POND (boat launch). The boat launch on Burr Pond (in Burr Pond State Park- Torrington) is currently

scheduled to be closed for repaving from November 4th through November 15th.

CONNECTICUT RIVER (Haddam). The Connecticut Yankee-Haddam Neck Power Plant discharge canal has been closed to public access due to security concerns.

DRAWDOWNS (eastern CT)... “Winter” drawdowns of Bashan Lake, Beach Pond, Lower Bolton Lake, Middle Bolton Lake, Pickerel Lake and Mashapaug Lake have begun. Draw downs of Gardner Lake and Pachaug Pond are scheduled to begin next week.

LAKE LILLINONAH (boat launch). The Lake Lillinonah state boat launch (Route 133, also referred to as the “Steel Bridge” launch) is closed for renovations. This closure is currently expected to last through December 31, 2013. Anglers/boaters can continue to access the lake using the Pond Brook state boat launch.

LAKE LILLINONAH (rowing regatta). A high school rowing event is scheduled for Saturday, October 26 from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm in the uppermost two miles of the lake (and up through Lover’s Leap to Addis Park in New Milford) Boaters should however use additional caution on the northern portion of the lake.

ROGERS LAKE. The lake remains (as of 10/17) down approximately one foot. Refill has begun, but may be slow, as the rate of refill is dependent on rainfall amounts in the watershed (and it continues to be relatively dry). The launching of trailered boats may be difficult at this level of drawdown and the launch may be unusable by larger boats or those with deeper draft.

WEST BRANCH RESERVOIR (Hogback Reservoir). The West Branch Reservoir was drawn down 70 feet to facilitate an inspection of Colebrook River Lake outflow structures (as of 10/22, refill had begun and the lake was down 65 feet. Refill is expected to take approximately four weeks).

LAKE ZOAR is currently drawn down approximately 4-5 feet with refilling scheduled to begin October 27th. LAKE LILLINONAH is currently scheduled to be drawn down beginning October 30th and ending November 17th. During these drawdowns, launching of trailer boats will be very difficult to impossible at the state boat launches.

FISHING SEASONS. Anglers are reminded that Thursday (October 31st) is the last day of the fishing season at several lakes and ponds scattered throughout the state, most notably LAKE WONOSKOPOMUC, GREEN FALLS RESERVOIR, BATTERSON PARK POND and SHENIPSIT RESERVOIR. Please refer to the 2013 CT Angler’s Guide for additional locations.

TIPS & TRICKS –FALL LARGEMOUTH BASS • Fall overturn occurs when the summer-warmed surface layer cools to the same temperature as the hypolimnetic (bottom) waters, allowing wind driven lake water to vertically mix. • Post fall turnover produces some the best largemouth bass fishing of the season. • It typically occurs when the surface temp stays under the mid 50’s°F for several days. • Fishing improves in less than a week. • The best fishing is when the surface is in the upper 40’s°F or less. • Jigs and drop shot fishing is the way to go. • Find groups of fish with a fish finder and concentrate your efforts there. • Try steep, rocky drop offs for best action.

Atlantic salmon fishing regulations and areas summary

Regulations for Atlantic salmon on the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers. In the Naugatuck, Housatonic and Shetucket Rivers, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon is one fish per day through September 30, 2013. From October 1 through November 30, angling for Atlantic salmon is restricted to catch-and-release only. From December 1, 2013, through March 31, 2014, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon will be one. During the open season in the rivers, the legal method for taking Atlantic salmon is limited to angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free swinging hook and no additional weight can be added to the line above the fly or lure. Also, from October 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in the designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock” Areas is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.

 On the Shetucket River, anglers can fish for salmon downstream from the Scotland Dam (Windham) to the Water Street Bridge in Norwich (the first bridge upstream of Norwich Harbor). The salmon are stocked into one designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock Area”, from the Scotland Dam to the Occum Dam.

 Anglers are allowed to fish for salmon in the Naugatuck River from the confluence of the East and West Branches (Torrington) downstream to the Housatonic River (Derby). Anglers may also fish for Atlantic salmon in the Housatonic River downstream of Derby Dam. The salmon are typically stocked into two designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas on the Naugatuck River, the “Campville Section” of the upper Naugatuck River from Route 118 downstream to the Thomaston Flood Control Dam (Litchfield-Thomaston) and the “Beacon Falls Section” of the lower Naugatuck, from Prospect Street (Naugatuck) downstream to Pines Bridge Road (Route 42 bridge, Beacon Falls). From October 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in these designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.

 The regulations for Atlantic salmon released into lakes and ponds are different from the regulations for salmon on the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers. In each lake, the regulations for methods, seasons and minimum lengths for salmon will be the same as for trout in that specific water body but the daily creel limit will be one salmon per day. (Please refer to the 2013 CT Angler’s Guide for trout regulations).


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