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TROUT

Rivers & streams – Flows continue to clear and drop to more comfortable levels following last weekend’s storms. Good reports last week from the West Branch Farmington River, Housatonic River, Hammonasset River, Salmon River, Eightmile River (Lyme), Farmill River, Willimantic River, Shetucket River, Saugatuck River, Naugatuck River, Pomperaug river, Natchaug river, Hawleys Brook, Latimer Brook, Macedonia Brook, Roaring Brook and Bigelow Brook.

Farmington River – West Branch flows have cleared and dropped to fishable levels, currently 325 cfs at Riverton with the Still River providing an additional 210 cfs. Water temperatures are currently in the low to mid 60’s °F. Hatched include Vitreus [a.k.a. pale evening dun] #14, from 5:00pm to dark, Isonychia (#10), Tan Caddis (#16-18) good all day, Sulfurs, (Invaria #14-18 hatches mid-day and Dorothea #18-20). The fish show a preference for the males (#20). Current patterns include March Brown nymphs (#10-14), Gray Fox (#14, afternoon), Blue Wing Olives (#18-22, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #16-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#22-32) and Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #14-16, afternoon & early evenings).

Housatonic River – Flows have been high, but continue to clear and drop back down to fishable levels (currently about 1,320 cfs at Falls Village and 1,750 cfs at Gaylordsville). Morning water temperatures have also dropped, and are now in the low to mid 60’s °F. Major insect hatches are here and will begin to provide excellent fly fishing especially when the spinners start up. Alder/Zebra Caddis (#10-12) are hot right now, Sulphurs (#14-16), Blue Wing Olive (#18-22, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia (#12-14 evening, just starting), Cahill (#12-14), Adams (#12-14, evening), March Brown (#10-12) & Gray Foxes (#14-16) are producing. Green caddis (#14-16, early morning & evening) are also on the water. Midges and early stoneflies are also being seen at the mouths of tributaries

Anglers are reminded that the thermal refuge areas on the Housatonic, Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers are now closed to fishing and will reopen on September 1. There is no fishing within 100 feet of the mouths of posted tributaries to these rivers.

Lakes & Ponds – A number of lakes and ponds throughout the state are providing good trout fishing (and some nice catches) including Saugatuck Reservoir (7.4 lb, 25” brown trout), Mashapaug Lake, East Twin Lake, Highland Lake, Ceder Lake (26.5” brown), Crystal Lake (33 trout for two anglers), Wononscopomuc Lake, Coventry Lake, Mt. Tom Pond, Beach Pond, West Hill Pond and Candlewood Lake. Anglers will also find some extra trout in three of the state’s lakes. To facilitate hatchery operations, 400 Seeforellen-strain brown trout from the Kensington Hatchery were stocked out this week. These fish, averaging 3.3 lbs each were released into Mashapaug Lake (100 trout), Black Pond (Woodstock, 100 trout) and West Hill Pond (200 trout).

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally good with reports from Lake Saltonstall, Crystal Lake, Mamanasco Lake, Bashan Lake, Quaddick Reservoir, Coventry Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Westside Pond, Ball Pond, Uncas Lake, Wonoscopomuc Lake, Lake Waramaug, Aspinook Pond, Pattagansett Lake, Highland Lake, Jurovaty Pond (Bishop Swamp), West Hill Pond, Zeiner Pond, Bantam Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Pattaconk Lake and Billings Lake. Mixed reports from Beach Pond, Silver Lake and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, and slow fishing reported from Gorton Pond.

SMALLMOUTH BASS – Good reports for smallies from Candlewood Lake, Lake Lillinonah, Highland Lake, Colebrook Reservoir, West Hill Pond, Lake Lillinonah, Highland Lake and Squantz Pond. Smallmouth fishing is reported as fair at Coventry Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Rainbow Reservoir and Beach Pond.

CATFISH – Catches reported from Lower Bolton Lake and Keney Park Pond. Other locations recently stocked are Bunnells Pond (Beardsley Park, Bridgeport), Mohegan Park (Norwich), Black Pond (Middlefield/Meriden), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden/New Haven), Quonnipaug Lake (Guilford), Silver Lake (Berlin/Meriden), Pattaconk Lake (Chester), Maltby Lakes 2 & 3 (Orange/West Haven) and Lakewood Lake (Waterbury).

NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good in Bantam Lake, Winchester Lake, Pachaug Pond and Mansfield Hollow Reservoir.

KOKANEE, try pink & red beads tipped with a trout worm at West Hill Pond at 3 colors of lead line (20’).

WALLEYE action reported from Lake Saltonstall, Mashapaug Lake, Saugatuck Reservoir (several in the 7-8 lb range) and Squantz Pond.

CONNECTICUT RIVER – STRIPED BASS are moving out of the river (although anglers are still finding a few nice catches in the upper river). Schoolie size (16-25”) and adult stripers are providing more consistent action in the lower river and mouth. Top water plugs (clear water) and soft plastics (stained water) early and late in the day. NORTHERN PIKE catches (pike up to 15 lbs) reported from Wethersfield Cove, White Oaks Cove, Keeney Cove, and the from Portland Bridge area to Haddam (smaller fish). CATFISH (Cats up to 9 lbs) are being taken on big chunk bait and whole panfish. The cooler water this week has slowed action a bit. SMALLMOUTH BASS are providing some nice action north of Hartford. LARGEMOUTH BASS action remains fair with several bass in the 4-5 lb range among the catches.

FISHING ACCESS & BOAT LAUNCH INFORMATION

Due to inappropriate off-site parking by some users of the state boat launch at COVENTRY LAKE, once capacity is reached at this launch, further use of the launch will not be allowed until a parking space or spaces become available.

DEP recently completed a reconfiguration of the state boat launch at HIGHLAND LAKE. The new layout is expected to greatly improve traffic flow and increase maneuvering room within the launch. There will now be 27 parking spots available for vehicles with boat trailers.

Anglers are reminded that the entire “seawall” area extending from the handicap-accessible fishing pier to the permitted swim area at SQUANTZ POND is now closed to all public access.

MARINE FISHING REPORT

Water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) are 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

http://marine.rutgers.edu/mrs/sat_data/?nothumbs=1

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

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

STRIPED BASS fishing is fair to good. Best times are early morning (before dawn) and after dusk. Live bait is the ticket but make sure to use non-offset circle hooks to reduce gut hooking. Striper spots include the reefs off Watch Hill, the Race, Sluiceway, Plum Gut, Thames River, Millstone Point, Niantic River, Black Point, Connecticut River (Essex down to the breakwaters), Long Sand Shoal, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef, Cornfield Point, Falkner Island area, New Haven Harbor (Sandy Point), Housatonic River (Milford Point), Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, and the Norwalk Islands.

BLUEFISH fishing spots best bets include the Race, Sluiceway, Plum Gut and the upper Thames River where schools of bunker are being chased.

HICKORY SHAD fishing remains fair in the Niantic and Connecticut Rivers.

SCUP (porgies)

fishing is just fair on the local major reefs.