Publisher: Cathy Unger
Contributors: John Ploski, Glenn LaFreniere, and Bob Gregorski

Monthly Meeting

The April monthly meeting will be on Wednesday 4/7/10 from 7 pm - 9 pm at the Naugatuck Savings Bank, 87 Church St., Naugatuck, CT. The speaker will be Tim Barry, DEP Fisheries Biologist. Barry will give an overview of the state's Inland fisheries programs including pre-season trout stocking. The public is invited to attend free-of-charge.

A board meeting will be held at 6:30 PM before the regular meeting. Glenn has met with Army Corps and the agreement between the Chapter and Army Corps will be official by April 1, 2010.

Alaska Trip -The Opportunity of a Lifetime

There is an opening for a trip to the St. Marie Lodge in Alaska this summer from July 9-18. We are getting a special deal because of the bad economy. Normally the trip costs $6,000 per person. We are going for one full week with everything included meals, lodging, fly rods, flies etc.for only $1,900. If you are interested, take a look at their website www.lakemarie.com. Then call Al Concilio (203) 729-0846. Bob Nikituk is part of the group.

The breakwater near the Hole In The Wall on Niantic Bay is a good place to fish in the spring & fall. Photo by Bob Gregorski Opening Day Preparation by Bob Gregorski Opening Day is approaching fast. Some anglers do not check their equipment before their first fishing experience of the season. Big mistake! I've seen reels that did not work, nets and bait buckets with holes in them, waders that leaked and lines that were frayed and broke when the first fish was hooked to name a few. Get ready before you fish and be sure to have a 2010 license. Reminder-Seniors (65+) must renew their lifetime licenses annually. Reels and lines get the most abused by the elements and anglers. Saltwater reels can be ruined after fishing in marine waters if they are not washed and lubricated properly. When I purchase a new reel, I make a point to save the booklet that came with it. The manufacturer's guidelines should be followed. Cleaning and/or lubricating a drag improperly may ruin it. The following are general guidelines for most reels. After removing the line, wash the exterior surfaces. I use a mild soap and warm water. Inspect the external parts for scrapes on the finish, wear, loose or worn parts and damage. Line rollers and guides should be smooth. Bail return springs, drag knobs, level wind guides should operate smoothly. Clean, then lubricate. Before taking a reel apart, I get a small box that the reel will fit inside. That way all the parts remain in one location, and it minimizes making a mess with grease and oil. Then get the appropriate size Phillips or flat head screwdrivers and nut drivers, a few cotton swabs, pipe cleaners, tiny stiff paint brushes, clean cloths, paper towels, reel grease and oil. Disassemble the reel following the manufacturer's schematic. If you don't have it, make notes about how it came apart. Keep every part in the box. Trust me. This is particularly important for drag washers. They have to be put back in the proper order. Clean all the grime, sand and whatever from the internal workings using cotton swabs, pipe cleaners or tiny, paint brushes. I wipe off whatever I can, then spray some silicon on the appropriate parts and then do a thorough cleaning. After all parts are spotless, lubricate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Put the line on after all the cleaning and lubricating has been done. I keep a record of when the reel was cleaned and lubed and place a sticker with the date and pound test; my fly reels are marked with date, line type and weight. A good practice for all reels is to wash and dry them after each use and keep them in a reel case. If a reel is dropped in sand/soil, it should be washed clean immediately. If a reel gets dunked in saltwater, it should be rinsed in warm freshwater ASAP. Keep your reels in real good shape and they will last a long time. My Mitchell 300, which I bought second hand in 1955, is still cranking.

Youngster Ties Flies by Bob Gregorski “What do you like about tying flies”, I asked nine-year-old Andrew Hanley? He looked up from his fly tying vise momentarily stopping with a half-hitch knot and said, “I find it fun. It’s better than playing video games”. “ I love being outdoors hunting and fishing”, he added. The Oxford boy, the youngest member of the Naugatuck-Pomperaug Chapter Trout Unlimited, has been learning to tie flies this winter in a program sponsored by the Chapter. Hanley is the only youth to take advantage of this enjoyable learning experience. He may take after his outdoorsman grandfather Ray Hanley of Southbury. We adult members of the Chapter are delighted with Andrew’s love of the outdoors and related activities. The general consensus of members is it’s refreshing to see youngsters involved in a life-long, outdoor sport. A few members have taken Hanley under their tutelage. So he’s learning different ways to tie a variety of fly patterns. After a few years experience, Andrew could end up being an excellent fly tier. Note: FREE FLY TYING CLASSES --The Naugatuck-Pomperaug Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be holding fly tying classes at the Southbury Stop & Shop from 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. on the following dates: March 24 and 31. Classes are free and open to the public. If you have your own gear bring it. If you don't have fly tying equipment or supplies, you may use the Chapter’s. Now is the time to fill your fly box for next season. Stop & Shop is off exit 15 West/East on RT. 84 in Southbury. For more information call Dom Falcone - 860-274-4103 or visit www.tunaugpomp.org.

Andrew Hanley ties another creative "dressed hook". photo by Bob Gregorski

Pomperaug Watershed Fishes With the Opening Day of the 2010 inland fishing season on April 17 and before thousands of trout are stocked into the Pomperaug River Watershed here is what fishes you may expect to find before Opening Day. Source of data: Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition. Data was edited and reformatted by Bob Gregorski. Pomperaug River - A total of 21 species were sampled in the main stem of the river. Note: Statistics were determined by species found only in the locations sampled. Cutlip Minnow (20%), White Sucker (19%), Blacknose Dace (18%), Creek Chub (18%), Tessellated Darter (10%), Longnose Dace (9%), Fallfish (2%). A Subtotal of 96%. Each of the following species comprised less than 1%: Common Shiner, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill Sunfish, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, Brook Trout, Pumpkinseed, American Eel, Redfin Pickerel, Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, Golden Shiner. Weekeepeemee and Nonnewaug rivers - A total of 21 species were sampled in the Weekeepeemee and Nonnewaug rivers. Note: Statistics were determined by species found only in the locations sampled. Blacknose Dace (66%), White Sucker (11%), Longnose Dace (7%), Brown Trout (5%), Creek Chub (5%), Brook Trout (2%), Tessellated Darter (2%) for a Subtotal of 98%. Each of the following species comprised less than 1%: Common Shiner, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill Sunfish, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, American Eel, Redfin Pickerel, Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, Golden Shiner, Cutlip Minnow, Fall Fish.