Atlantic Salmon Research and Experimentation
by Bob Gregorski

The most asked question of anglers who have caught Atlantic salmon broodstock in the Naugatuck River is – What fly or lure did you use? At least 90 percent of the salmon anglers are fly tossers. So, what fly did you use? The second most asked question is – Where did you catch it? Since most successful anglers will share those answers, here’s the background of why 10 percent of the anglers catch 90 percent of the fish.

Since the first stocking of Atlantic broodstock into the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers in 1992, many anglers and I have been experimenting with different flies and fly fishing techniques. This was a new fishery. None had existed in the state before that initial stocking. In the early years of the experimental program, fly fishing was the only method anglers could use. What flies would catch salmon and what size rods, reels, and lines would be best for this new sport were questions all salmon seekers asked. Where did they stock them was the second.

Some of us had fished for wild, riverine Atlantic salmon in Maine and/or in Canada. Those were wild fish that lived most of their lives in the Atlantic Ocean where they fed on a variety of Marine fishes. After three or four years at sea, they entered the Connecticut River and swam upriver to historic spawning grounds. But, they were trapped during their migration and placed in hatcheries where they were spawned artificially. After they spawned, they were no longer needed. Thus came the Atlantic salmon broodstock fishery program in Connecticut.

The progeny of those captured wild salmon were raised in hatcheries until they were ready to breed. That is when they are three or four years old. Thus Atlantic broodstock are many generations removed from wild salmon. They have lived their entire lives in a hatchery until released into the wild.

The number of broodstock that have been stocked annually has varied. It depends on availability of broodstock, post-spawning mortality, two or three year old salmon will not produce eggs or milt or were not needed and fish available from the federal salmon hatchery in Bethel Vermont. The number stocked in the Naugatuck River has ranged from a 169 the first year to about twelve hundred. This year, about 750 fish were stocked into the Naugy, About 350 came from DEP’s Kensington Hatchery; they averaged almost 10 lbs per fish. The other 400 salmon were in the 3-10 lb range. A few massive fish that weighed 20-24 lbs.

So, what flies would catch salmon, and what size rods, reels and lines would be best for this new sport? Anglers tried trout, steelhead and traditional Atlantic salmon flies. After an angler caught a salmon, the word spread quickly about what fly was productive and what equipment was used. That was the beginning of the research and experimentation.

Here’s a synopsis of what flies and equipment has worked for me and what I have learned from other successful anglers.

Productive flies as reported by other anglers include: Grey Ghost, Black Ghost, Mickey Finn, Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear, Blue Charm, Jock Scott, March Brown, Popscicle, Commet, Woolyworm, Matuka, Flat Master, White Marabou and woolybugger, hellgrammite, Clouser, beadhead and stonefly patterns. The list is lengthy. I estimate at least 100 different patterns have hooked a broodstock salmon.

My Personal Experiences: the basis of my experimental work and research are entries in my Fish Catcher Journal (FCJ) and recollections since the fall of 1992. I have been lucky to have hooked ab out 300 salmon and landed at least 100. The average has been one landing per three hook-ups. Included in the average are the unusual six for six in three hours in 1996 and three of fishing recently. More typical is no hook-ups in more than half the outings.

I have hooked salmon on at least 20 different patterns in sizes #16 to #1/0. The flies I have hooked the most salmon with are ones that Bob Carreiro or I created. They are the Yellow Perch, Bruised Butt, Softy, Naugy Ghost, No Body, and Charlotte. The Butterfly, Brown Bomber (dry fly), girdlebugs and a variety of other flies, most mentioned above, have hooked at least one salmon.

So fly tossers, try your favorite patterns or create new ones. You won’t know what Salmo salar (the leaper) will grab in its jaws until you’ve tried your dressed hook. The salmon harvest regulation now in effect through March 31, 2007 is one salmon per day per angler.

Ernie Beckwith, the director of DEP Fisheries Division at the time bestowed the honor of stocking the first Atlantic salmon to me. It was an honor and privilege. Some of us Trout Unlimited members had worked extremely hard to improve the quality of the water and riparian habitat in the Naugatuck River since the early 1970’s. It was truly a memorable day to stock what was one of the worst polluted rivers in the country with the prized Atlantic salmon.

The salmon harvest regulation now in effect through
March 31, 2007 is one salmon per day per angler.

Next month I will give my analysis of flies and equipment, why they work and the techniques to use them.

ATLANTIC SALMON

Last week the DEP completed its 2006 fall broodstock
Atlantic salmon stocking. Approximately 300 fish were
released into the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers,
bringing the total for the season to nearly 1,500
broodstock salmon stocked into the two rivers. Nearly
700 of these fish were from DEP’s Kensington Hatchery;
they averaged almost 10 lbs per fish. The other 800
salmon were from the federal fish hatchery in VT and
are generally in the 3-10 lb range.

ATLANTIC SALMON fishing in the Naugatuck & Shetucket Rivers is picking up and is rated good to very good. Anglers are reporting catches from the Naugatuck (fish up to 30”) and Shetucket (some around 12 lbs) Rivers. Fishing should improve further as flows continue to moderate. Remember, there are some massive fish are in the 20-lb plus range waiting for anglers. Hooking into
one of these can be the thrill of a lifetime.

Anadromous Species: Atlantic salmon (23), Atlantic salmon (released broodstock 46), American shad (1,777), alewife (594), blueback herring (11), gizzard shad (63), sea lamprey (3,863), striped bass (17), sea-run brown trout (21), white perch (0) and hickory shad (0).

There were 15 non-diadromous species of fish recorded; the four most prevalent were white sucker (1,884), smallmouth bass (349), sunfish (140) and carp (84). The Catadromous American eel (733)

Kinneytown Fishway
The following species were counted at the Kinneytown Fishway on the Naugatuck River. The fishway was not monitored 24 hours a day, so the counts reflect only the fish that were seen; white sucker (1,421), American eel (555), smallmouth bass (127), carp (31), brown trout (26), Atlantic salmon (broodstock) (26), gizzard shad (17), rainbow trout (13), sea-run brown trout (11), sea lamprey (5), striped bass (5), sea-run tiger trout (4), river herring (3), largemouth bass (3), American shad (2), brook trout (2), walleye (1).

Our Connecticut Trout Unlimited council has launched a website aimed at helping bring our chapters together statewide. The website has a large amount of information and links to each chapter in the state. Take a look, it is well worth it.