05-06-2005, 09:49 AM
[font "Times New Roman"]Weekly Fishing Report - Week of May 2, 2005 [/font] [font "Times New Roman"][#004080]INLAND REPORT[/#004080]![[Image: browntrt.gif]](http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishimag/browntrt.gif)
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[font "Times New Roman"]TROUT[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Rivers & streams - Anglers are reporting good trout fishing (and some large fish) from a number of areas throughout the state including the Farmington (16-18” browns), Housatonic (18-22” browns), Blackberry, Norwalk (27 trout for one angler), Fenton, Pootatuck, Bantam, Naugatuck, Hammonasset, Pomperaug, Shetucket, Saugatuck, Mianus, Farm, Mill, Scantic, Natchaug (13.6 lb brown for Gordon Bacash, Jr.), Five Mile, Yantic, Hop, Mt. Hope and Willimantic Rivers, and Leadmine, Oxoboxo, Indiantown and Kettletown brooks. Earthworms or a mealworm/corn combination are working for bait anglers. Fly anglers are using Winter/Summer Caddis (#18-22, early morning, minor hatch), Blue Wing Olive (#16-20, late morning-early afternoon), Blue Quills (#16-20, early afternoon) and Quill Gordons (#16-18, early/mid afternoon). Hendricksons (#12-14, early afternoon) are in full hatch now (hot on the Housatonic and Farmington)![/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Farmington River is currently 52°F and quite fishable clear flows (250 cfs at Riverton plus another 200 from the Still River). The Housatonic River is in the low 50°F range with about 1,200 cfs of slightly off color water flows. Areas to try this weekend include the East Aspetuck, West Branch Farmington, Little, Naugatuck (upper including the TMA), Nonewaug, Pomperaug, Pootatuck (lower) and Weekeepeemee Rivers, and Hop, Leadmine, Pond, East Branch Salmon and West Branch Salmon Brooks in western CT, and the Hammonasset, Hockanum, Hop, Jeremy, Middle, Natchaug, Quinebaug, Salmon, Shetucket, Skungamaug, Still (Eastford.), Tankerhoosen and Yantic Rivers, and Bigelow, Broad (Preston), Chatfield Hollow, Choate, Crystal Lake, Kitt and Pattaconk Brooks in eastern CT.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Lakes & Ponds – Excellent trout fishing was reported from many lakes and ponds throughout Connecticut including Squantz, Beach and Hewett Ponds, Wonoscopomuc, East Twin, Alexander, Candlewood (several browns in the 3-5 range), Highland and Hancock Brook Lakes, Saugatuck Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (6.6 lb brown at the outlet) and the Stratton Brook, Wolfe Park (Great Hollow pond), Southford Falls and Chatfield Hollow [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/troutprk.htm"]Trout Parks[/url]. Areas to try this weekend include East Twin Lake, Highland Lake, Ball, Ender's, Mohawk, Mt. Tom, Tyler, Christensen’s and West Side Ponds, and Black Rock Flood Control Impoundment in western CT, and Amos, Bashan, Billings, Cedar, Gardner, Pattaconk, Quonnipaug and Wyassup Lakes, Beach, Beaver Brook Park, Black (Meriden/Middlefield), Day, and Valley Falls Park Ponds, Walkers Reservoir, and the Chatfield Hollow and Horse Pond [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/troutprk.htm"]Trout Parks[/url] in eastern CT.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is producing a number of jumbo bass as fish move onto staging areas in preparation for spawning. Good to excellent catches reported from Hatch, Beach (9.1 lb beauty.), Mudge (7 lb bass.), Halls and Long Ponds, Lakes Lillinonah, Zoar, McDonough, Williams and Saltonstall, Pickerel, Highland, Cedar (6.5 lb bass.), Pattaconk (5.5 lb), Candlewood (9.63 lb beauty, also 4 other largemouth over 6 lbs), Gardner, Hancock Brook, Congamond, Amos, Oxoboxo, Coventry, Roseland (7 lb) and Bantam Lakes, and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (6.6 lb). Best fishing is in shallow coves. Good SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported at Candlewood (6.1 lb smallie, plenty of catches in the 3-4 lb range), Highland (4 lb) and Gardner Lakes, Squantz Pond, West Hill pond and Beach Pond.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Connecticut River – STRIPED BASS are now in the river up to Enfield. Legal size fish are now mixed in with the schoolies. DEP reminds anglers that an Inland fishing license is required to fish in the CT River north of the I-95 bridge in Old Lyme/Old Saybrook. Sand and blood worms are working. NORTHERN PIKE catches reported in Windsor and White Oaks Cove.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]A 38-lb striped bass was recently caught in Lake Housatonic. This fish is assumed to have been introduced illegally to the Housatonic River system above the dam. DEP reminds anglers that it is illegal to transplant/stock fish without a permit issued by DEP. Unauthorized introductions of fish can (and have) negatively affect the state’s aquatic resources including its popular fisheries.[/#ff0000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]Boating Access Notes: [/#ff0000]Launching from the Lattins Cove boat launch on Candlewood Lake remains difficult due to low water levels.[/font] [font "Times New Roman"][#004080]MARINE REPORT[/#004080]![[Image: stb2.gif]](http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishimag/stb2.gif)
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[font "Times New Roman"]The water temperature in Long Island Sound (LIS) has warmed up and is in the mid 40’s to 50°F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions:[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][url "http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1"]http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1[/url]![[Image: arrow7.gif]](http://www.dep.state.ct.us/images/arrow7.gif)
[url "http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/"]http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/[/url][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Also remember to check the CT [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/angler.htm"]Angler’s Guide[/url] page 52 for tidal information and page 50 for saltwater trophy fish award info.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Striped bass fishing is improving on a daily basis. Any of the tidal rivers and coves will be holding school stripers including the shallow coves in the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, and Thames River especially from Norwich Harbor to Gales Ferry. Don’t forget about Harkness Memorial and Rocky Neck State Parks which offer good shore fishing access. Other spots include Millstone Point, Niantic River, and the lower Connecticut River including South Cove, Great Island (the Woodlot) and North Cove during an ebb tide. Sandy Point (“the Sand Bar”) in New Haven Harbor has heated up and is worth a shot. Also the Devon power plant just north of the I-95 Bridge (Housatonic River) by the State Boat Launch, Bond’s Dock, and the Fred Kaeser Fishing Pier (off Birdseye St.) in Stratford, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), Penfield Reef, Ash Creek in Fairfield, Saugatuck River, the Norwalk Islands, and Stamford and Greenwich Harbors are good springtime striper haunts.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Winter flounder is fair at best. Flounder spots worth trying include Bluff Point State Park, Pine Island area at the mouth of the Thames River, Niantic Bay, lower Housatonic River, and the channels leading into Norwalk Harbor.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Summer flounder is slow-just a little too early.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]SPECIAL NOTE:[/#ff0000][/font] [font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]THE [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/marineinfo/saltregs.htm#Blackfish"]TAUTOG[/url] FISHING SEASON IS CLOSED MAY 1 – JUNE 14.[/#ff0000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#009999]Interested in participating in the Marine Volunteer Angler Survey? Please see page 41 of the 2005 CT Angler’s Guide for contact information. Your participation is critical to effective fisheries management of your marine fishery resources. Thank you.[/#009999][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]For information regarding [#000000]size and catch limits[/#000000] on common marine fish species, please see the [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/marineinfo/saltregs.htm"]Current Marine Fisheries Recreational Regulations[/url][#0080ff] [/#0080ff][#000000]page.[/#000000][/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"][url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/weekly/fishadv.htm"]Weekly Fishing Report[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/index.htm"]Bureau of Natural Resources[/url][/font][/center] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Send comments or questions regarding this site to[/size][#800000][size 2] [url "mailto:dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us"]dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us[/url][/size][/#800000][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Copyright 1998-2004 Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection[/size][/font]
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[/font] [font "Times New Roman"]TROUT[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Rivers & streams - Anglers are reporting good trout fishing (and some large fish) from a number of areas throughout the state including the Farmington (16-18” browns), Housatonic (18-22” browns), Blackberry, Norwalk (27 trout for one angler), Fenton, Pootatuck, Bantam, Naugatuck, Hammonasset, Pomperaug, Shetucket, Saugatuck, Mianus, Farm, Mill, Scantic, Natchaug (13.6 lb brown for Gordon Bacash, Jr.), Five Mile, Yantic, Hop, Mt. Hope and Willimantic Rivers, and Leadmine, Oxoboxo, Indiantown and Kettletown brooks. Earthworms or a mealworm/corn combination are working for bait anglers. Fly anglers are using Winter/Summer Caddis (#18-22, early morning, minor hatch), Blue Wing Olive (#16-20, late morning-early afternoon), Blue Quills (#16-20, early afternoon) and Quill Gordons (#16-18, early/mid afternoon). Hendricksons (#12-14, early afternoon) are in full hatch now (hot on the Housatonic and Farmington)![/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]The Farmington River is currently 52°F and quite fishable clear flows (250 cfs at Riverton plus another 200 from the Still River). The Housatonic River is in the low 50°F range with about 1,200 cfs of slightly off color water flows. Areas to try this weekend include the East Aspetuck, West Branch Farmington, Little, Naugatuck (upper including the TMA), Nonewaug, Pomperaug, Pootatuck (lower) and Weekeepeemee Rivers, and Hop, Leadmine, Pond, East Branch Salmon and West Branch Salmon Brooks in western CT, and the Hammonasset, Hockanum, Hop, Jeremy, Middle, Natchaug, Quinebaug, Salmon, Shetucket, Skungamaug, Still (Eastford.), Tankerhoosen and Yantic Rivers, and Bigelow, Broad (Preston), Chatfield Hollow, Choate, Crystal Lake, Kitt and Pattaconk Brooks in eastern CT.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Lakes & Ponds – Excellent trout fishing was reported from many lakes and ponds throughout Connecticut including Squantz, Beach and Hewett Ponds, Wonoscopomuc, East Twin, Alexander, Candlewood (several browns in the 3-5 range), Highland and Hancock Brook Lakes, Saugatuck Reservoir, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (6.6 lb brown at the outlet) and the Stratton Brook, Wolfe Park (Great Hollow pond), Southford Falls and Chatfield Hollow [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/troutprk.htm"]Trout Parks[/url]. Areas to try this weekend include East Twin Lake, Highland Lake, Ball, Ender's, Mohawk, Mt. Tom, Tyler, Christensen’s and West Side Ponds, and Black Rock Flood Control Impoundment in western CT, and Amos, Bashan, Billings, Cedar, Gardner, Pattaconk, Quonnipaug and Wyassup Lakes, Beach, Beaver Brook Park, Black (Meriden/Middlefield), Day, and Valley Falls Park Ponds, Walkers Reservoir, and the Chatfield Hollow and Horse Pond [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/troutprk.htm"]Trout Parks[/url] in eastern CT.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is producing a number of jumbo bass as fish move onto staging areas in preparation for spawning. Good to excellent catches reported from Hatch, Beach (9.1 lb beauty.), Mudge (7 lb bass.), Halls and Long Ponds, Lakes Lillinonah, Zoar, McDonough, Williams and Saltonstall, Pickerel, Highland, Cedar (6.5 lb bass.), Pattaconk (5.5 lb), Candlewood (9.63 lb beauty, also 4 other largemouth over 6 lbs), Gardner, Hancock Brook, Congamond, Amos, Oxoboxo, Coventry, Roseland (7 lb) and Bantam Lakes, and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (6.6 lb). Best fishing is in shallow coves. Good SMALLMOUTH BASS action reported at Candlewood (6.1 lb smallie, plenty of catches in the 3-4 lb range), Highland (4 lb) and Gardner Lakes, Squantz Pond, West Hill pond and Beach Pond.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Connecticut River – STRIPED BASS are now in the river up to Enfield. Legal size fish are now mixed in with the schoolies. DEP reminds anglers that an Inland fishing license is required to fish in the CT River north of the I-95 bridge in Old Lyme/Old Saybrook. Sand and blood worms are working. NORTHERN PIKE catches reported in Windsor and White Oaks Cove.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]A 38-lb striped bass was recently caught in Lake Housatonic. This fish is assumed to have been introduced illegally to the Housatonic River system above the dam. DEP reminds anglers that it is illegal to transplant/stock fish without a permit issued by DEP. Unauthorized introductions of fish can (and have) negatively affect the state’s aquatic resources including its popular fisheries.[/#ff0000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]Boating Access Notes: [/#ff0000]Launching from the Lattins Cove boat launch on Candlewood Lake remains difficult due to low water levels.[/font] [font "Times New Roman"][#004080]MARINE REPORT[/#004080]
[/font] [font "Times New Roman"]The water temperature in Long Island Sound (LIS) has warmed up and is in the mid 40’s to 50°F. Check out the following web sites for more detailed water temperatures and marine boating conditions:[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][url "http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1"]http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1[/url]
[url "http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/"]http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/[/url]
[/font] [font "Times New Roman"]Also remember to check the CT [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/angler.htm"]Angler’s Guide[/url] page 52 for tidal information and page 50 for saltwater trophy fish award info.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Striped bass fishing is improving on a daily basis. Any of the tidal rivers and coves will be holding school stripers including the shallow coves in the Pawcatuck River, Mystic River, and Thames River especially from Norwich Harbor to Gales Ferry. Don’t forget about Harkness Memorial and Rocky Neck State Parks which offer good shore fishing access. Other spots include Millstone Point, Niantic River, and the lower Connecticut River including South Cove, Great Island (the Woodlot) and North Cove during an ebb tide. Sandy Point (“the Sand Bar”) in New Haven Harbor has heated up and is worth a shot. Also the Devon power plant just north of the I-95 Bridge (Housatonic River) by the State Boat Launch, Bond’s Dock, and the Fred Kaeser Fishing Pier (off Birdseye St.) in Stratford, Bridgeport Harbor (Seaside Park), Penfield Reef, Ash Creek in Fairfield, Saugatuck River, the Norwalk Islands, and Stamford and Greenwich Harbors are good springtime striper haunts.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Winter flounder is fair at best. Flounder spots worth trying include Bluff Point State Park, Pine Island area at the mouth of the Thames River, Niantic Bay, lower Housatonic River, and the channels leading into Norwalk Harbor.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]Summer flounder is slow-just a little too early.[/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]SPECIAL NOTE:[/#ff0000][/font] [font "Times New Roman"][#ff0000]THE [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/marineinfo/saltregs.htm#Blackfish"]TAUTOG[/url] FISHING SEASON IS CLOSED MAY 1 – JUNE 14.[/#ff0000][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][#009999]Interested in participating in the Marine Volunteer Angler Survey? Please see page 41 of the 2005 CT Angler’s Guide for contact information. Your participation is critical to effective fisheries management of your marine fishery resources. Thank you.[/#009999][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"]For information regarding [#000000]size and catch limits[/#000000] on common marine fish species, please see the [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/marineinfo/saltregs.htm"]Current Marine Fisheries Recreational Regulations[/url][#0080ff] [/#0080ff][#000000]page.[/#000000][/font] [center][font "Times New Roman"][url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/weekly/fishadv.htm"]Weekly Fishing Report[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/index.htm"]Bureau of Natural Resources[/url][/font][/center] [font "Arial"][size 2][url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/index.htm"]Home[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/aboutdep/contact/contact.htm"]Contact Us[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/search2.htm"]Search[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/survey/survey.htm"]Feedback[/url] | [url "http://www.dep.state.ct.us/legal.htm"]Website Legal Info[/url][/size][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Send comments or questions regarding this site to[/size][#800000][size 2] [url "mailto:dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us"]dep.webmaster@po.state.ct.us[/url][/size][/#800000][/font] [font "Arial"][size 2]Copyright 1998-2004 Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection[/size][/font]
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