Thanks to our presidents resourcefulness the chapter will be having fly tying sessions during the month of February. They will be held at the Southbury Stop & Shop, exit 15 off I-84, in the meeting room on the 2nd floor. Everyone, young or old, beginner or expert is welcome to join in. Bring your vise and materials or you can come to watch and learn. Maybe even borrow a tiers gear to try one of your own. If you don’t know how to tie it’s a great opportunity to learn………There is no cost AND free coffee. The dates are Feb. 14, 21, and 28. the time is 7:00P.M. to 9:30 P.M. Come and join the fun!!!!!!

Fly casting seminar at Newtown Bait & Tackle, Rt. 25 Newtown, April 14, 2007. Hot dogs and burgers. Casting seminars/reps. from Thomas and Thomas, Sage, and TFO all at no cost. What a price!!!!

The date for the trip to Connetquot is October 12, 2007. Sign up quick……..space is limited to 32 people and the cost of the day is $65.00. In case you’re wondering, the park increased admission.

Atlantic Salmon Research Part II
by Bob Gregorski

Last month I presented background information regarding fishing for broodstock Atlantic salmon. Here’s more information collected from successful anglers since 1992.

Most use fly rods that are 7, 8 or 9 weight ranging from 8 to 9 feet in length with matching weight lines and reels. A few have landed salmon using 6 eight outfits that weighed less than ten pounds is water that had little to moderate velocity. It is not advisable to go ultra-light. A determined 10 to 24 pound salmon could peel all the line and backing off the reel and perhaps break the rod.

Note: Extra large guides and tiptop is a wise choice for fishing in December-March. Small guides and tiptop freeze more quickly than large ones. Winter steelhead anglers have experienced icing and know how troublesome it is to stop after every few casts to break the ice off guides and tip.

Most anglers use a single action reel; some use one with anti-reverse. The later saves knuckles from being bruised when a salmon decides to peel line off the reel. Large arbor reels help retrieving line quickly. A good to excellent drag system is important. On my first hook-up with a wild salmon in Nova Scotia, the ten-pound fish blew out the drag on my Orvis multiplier reel. I was lucky to land the fish on the broken reel. It wasn’t an appropriate reel. A good to excellent drag will improve the hook-up to landing ratio.

There is no commonality with lines. Floating, floating with sink tips, intermediate and full sinking are used. The middle two are more popular. Weight may not be added to the leader, so getting a fly down deep requires some sinking of at least the first few feet of fly line.

Leaders vary in length fro 6’ to 9’. It’s not wise to use a leader longer than the rod. The line/leader connection may get caught at the tiptop. I believe salmon are not leader shy. Some anglers use a leader tapered to 6, 8 or 10 pound tippet. Some use straight fluorocarbon leader. One of the three salmon I landed recently one was caught on a fly at the end of 6’ of 10 pound straight fluorocarbon leader; the other two on a 9’ straight fluorocarbon leader.

Atlantic Salmon Research Part II Continued
by Bob Gregorski

The advantage of shorter leaders is the fly sinks more quickly. If you are fishing Catch & Release, it’s not wise to use light leaders; it takes much longer to land a fish. Exhausting a fish is not good for its health.

I discussed fly patterns last week, now here are some suggestions how to fish them effectively. Nymphs are dead-drifted by casting up-stream and following the fly and line downstream until it completes its travel. Many strikes come at the end of the travel as the fly starts to rise in the water just before it is retrieved. Other wets including woolybuggers may be cast across the current and worked with a jerking motion or dead drifted. It depends on river flow and depth. Bucktails and streamers can be cast across the current, the line mended until the fly is headed down stream. They are worked to imitate a swimming baitfish.

It’s important to watch where you believe the fly is moving. Some fish will follow or swirl behind the fly indicating their presence. When a fish is seen, fish the area well. It showed an interest. Try the same fly for a while. If there is no action, then change flies.

Hooking an Atlantic salmon takes some skill and lots of luck and landing one takes skill. If you play a salmon correctly, you need not use a net. Most broodstock salmon anglers do not carry a net. The tale-tell sign of a novice is an angler carrying a trout net.

When you hook a salmon, look for the quietest water where you plan to land it. You are in charge; you are much larger and smarter. Don’t let it run out many yards of line. Let the combined action of the flexibility of the rod and reel drag tire the fish as quickly as possible. Lead it up to the shore where it is shallow. Grab it in the narrow section just before its caudal fin (tail) or grab it inside its mouth using your thumb and index finger. Use a glove when doing the later and stay clear of the hook. Gently remove the hook. Thank Salmo salar for the pleasure of its company and release it. Good luck!

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.