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| Pictures
from the Connetquot Trip (click here
for pictures) |
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FLY OF THE MONTH: Hook: # 16-20 curved light wire |
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Fall
Fishing
By Bob Gregorski In Connecticut, September marks the beginning of the some hunting seasons, the fall trout stocking and peak saltwater fishing season for several species. Cooler weather means more hikers and mountain bikers on woodland trails. Many paddlers will continue to be on the waters in their kayaks and canoes all month. The Fall Turkey, Deer Bow hunting and gray squirrel seasons start for those hunters who wish to pursue these game animals. The Opening Day for most small game species is October 18. Hunters should refer to the 2008 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide for season dates and bag limits. On the fishing scenes, some lakes, ponds, rivers and
streams will be stocked with trout or the first time since Memorial
Day. Trout seekers should have good trout fishing for several weeks
in the waters that have been stocked. Black bass, walleye and northern
pike along with most species of fish begin to put on the feed bag in
preparation for fall and winter. September is a great time to fish marine waters. On the saltwater scene, anglers can target: bluefish, stripers, false albacore, Atlantic bonito, porgy, fluke, black sea bass, tautog (split season) and hickory shad. Two fish that some anglers seek from shore are snapper
blues and hickory shad. Snappers are 6-8 inches long and feed heavily
before migrating southward. Any light-weight fly or spinning outfit
will do. Tiny flies, lures and bait fish (usually sold frozen) will
catch snappers. The Snapper-Popper is one of the most popular lures
used to catch these hard fighting small fish. As the Snapper-Popper
is reeled in, snappers The bag limit is ten blue fish per angler per day regardless of size. Anglers who harvest these small blues have said they are delicious. Unfortunately it takes six to ten to make a meal for one person. The down side is – every one that is harvested translates to one less 3 to 4 pound chopper next season. |
Fall Fishing Contiuned
Popular snapper locations include the DEP piers in Old Lyme and Old Saybrook, lower sections of the Connecticut, Niantic, Thames and Housatonic rivers, jetties at Rocky Neck and Hammonasett State Parks and most coastal harbors, estuaries and beaches. In the fall, some anglers target hickory shad for sport
or to use them as bait for large stripers. I’ve caught hickories
on a day that there were members of several age classes; they ranged
from 10” to 17” however, most were 12”-15” long
and weighed 1.0 to 1.5 pounds. The Connecticut record weighed 3.25 pounds.
These “mini, tarpon-like fish” hit and fight hard, Use light spin or fly tackle. Spinning line 4 or 6
pound test with willow leaf with split shot up ahead or small jig head
(1/8-1/16 ounce) with plastic curly tails or bucktail jigs will catch
lots of shad. Fly rodders use 5 wt. to 7 wt. outfits, 6-pound tippets Technique; In waters that are moving, cast directly across and let the lure or fly drift or use a slow retrieve. In quiet water, cast and retrieve fast in warm water and more slowly in colder water. Taking youngsters fishing for hickory shad is a lot more exciting for them than fishing for snapper blues. Both species fight hard, but the shad are much larger and do aerial displays, which every one likes to see, and the larger ones will make your reel drag sing. Locations: In the fall, schools of hickory shad have
been feeding in the lower sections of the Connecticut and Mystic Rivers
and in the Niantic, Lieutenant, Black Hall, West (Guilford),Back, Pawcatuck,
Saugatuck, Hammonaset, Mianus and Housatonic Rivers and various bays
and estuaries. In Rhode Island, they may be present in the larger salt
ponds, Narrow River and areas in Narragansett Bay.
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| Trout Unlimited's Philosophy We believe that trout and salmon fishing isn't just fishing for trout and salmon. It's fishing for sport rather than for food, where the true enjoyment of the sport lies in the challenge, the lore and the battle of wits, not necessarily the full creel. It's the feeling of satisfaction that comes from limiting your kill instead of killing your limit. It’s communing with nature where the chief reward is a refreshed body and a contented soul, where a license is a permit to use--not abuse--to enjoy--not destroys our cold water fishery. It’s subscribing to the proposition that what's good for trout and salmon is good for the fishermen and that managing trout and salmon for themselves rather than the for the fishermen is fundamental to the solution of our trout and salmon problems. It's appreciating our fishery resource, respecting fellow anglers and giving serious thought to tomorrow. submitted by Dom Falcone |
Chapter “logo”
hats are now available for $15.00
Choice of colors Forest green or Safari tan. Can be purchased at monthly meeting |
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Connecticut Trout Unlimited Website Our Connecticut Trout Unlimited council has launched a website aimed at helping bring our chapters together statewide. The web site has a large amount of information and links to each chapter in the state. Take a look, it is well worth it. |
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| Trout Unlimited's Mission To
conserve, protect and restore North America's trout and salmon fisheries
and their watershed. |
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September 2008
