Courtesy Connecticut DEP

INLAND REPORT

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is generally fair, with reports from Lake Saltonstall, Candlewood Lake, Lake Waramaug (a 6-lb bass among the catches), Winchester Lake,Bantam Lake (catches include a 20-inch plus bass), Crystal Lake (Ellington), Long Pond (recent catches do include an 8.28 lb largemouth), Pachaug Pond, Farmington River (Simsbury), Glasgo Pond, Powers Lake, West Hill Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc and Lake Zoar. Mansfield Hollow Reservoir and Stillwater Pond were reported to be slow last week. Other areas reporting some bass action include Cedar Lake, Dog Pond, Bishop Pond, Billings Lake, Wyassup Lake, Amos Lake, Hopeville Pond, Moosup Pond and Park Pond.

SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing is good at Candlewood Lake and very good in the upper Housatonic River. Some catches also reported from Lake McDonough, Highland Lake, Lake Zoar, Bantam Lake, Rainbow Reservoir, Squantz Pond and the Willimantic River.

NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good at Bantam Lake, Lake Lillinonah and Winchester Lake.

WALLEYE catches reported from Lake Saltonstall, Squantz Pond and Mashapaug Lake.

Good CHAIN PICKEREL action reported from Lake Waramaug (including a 22-incher) and Wononskopomuc Lake.

SUNFISH have been providing excellent summer time action throughout the state. Use worms, grubs, jigs or small poppers for them. Local ponds are usually good sunnie locations, for larger areas try Winchester Lake, East & West Twin Lake, Tyler Lake, Silver Lake (Meriden), Beseck Lake, Rogers Lake, Black Pond (Woodstock), Wood Creek Pond, Winchester Lake, Park Pond, Quinebaug Lake, Bishop Pond and Batterson Park Pond.

CONNECTICUT RIVER — Flows are back up to more typical late August levels. Night fishing for CATFISH (7 lb and up fish) is working well, with good action on cut bait (chunking), good spots to find fish include near brush piles adjacent to deeper holes and on the outside of bends. Try live lining a sunfish for some good action. CARP are being caught and released on barbless hooks in good numbers with home-made “Boilies” being the preferred bait. NORTHERN PIKE are being caught again. Coves are best, and give the Salmon River area a try. LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing has been tough for many anglers, try during the outgoing and slack tides. SMALLMOUTH BASS action (including several nice 20 inch plus fish) reported in the upper river (upstream of Hartford). Try the confluence with the Farmington River.

TROUT Continued...

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Rivers & streams — The recent cool rains improved conditions for trout fishing in many areas, with increased flows and moderated water temperatures. As summer (and many summer hatches) is winding down, fly anglers should definitely be including terrestrial fly patterns in their arsenal. Good reports for trout from the West Branch and mainstem Farmington Rivers.

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

Farmington River — Trout fishing continues to be good on the river. Flows are clear and remain low, currently 63 cfs at Riverton, with the Still River providing another 38 cfs below Riverton. As Colebrook Reservoir remains low (the West Branch watershed did not receive as much precipitation as other areas in southern New England) and another extended period of dry weather is currently forecast, anglers can expect flows to remain low.

Hatches/patterns include the Trico (Trycorythodes stygiatus, #22-26, morning; spinner mainly), Ephemerella needhami (#22-26, early morning to early afternoon), Leadwing Coachman (Isonychia bicolor, #10-12, fast water, afternoon/evening in the Riverton area), Blue Wing Olives (Drunella sps. & Baetis sps.;#20-24, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #16-22, all day; green #22-26, evening; summer pupa #18-20 morning), Midges (#22-32, morning), Cahills/Summer (Stenonema ithaca, #12-18, evenings), Black Ants (#14-20, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#16-18, mid day), Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid, day after rains), Stone Hopper (#8-12, mid day) and Golden Drake (Anthopotamus distinctus, #10-14, late evening).

Housatonic River — The cool weather and rains earlier this week have improved conditions on the Housatonic River. Morning water temperatures have moderated, currently in the mid 60s (and rising some during the day) and flows are clear and moderate, currently 270 cfs at Falls Village and 480 cfs at Gaylordsville. With warmer temperatures and dry weather currently forecast for the next week, anglers should expect low flows and warmer water temperatures to return.

Hatches/patterns include the Leadwing Coachman (#10-12, main evening hatch), White Wulff (#10-12), Light Cahill (#12-16, evening), and Black caddis (#14-20, early morning & evening). Try Black/Cinnamon Ants (#14-18, mid day in fast water), Black Beetles (#14-16, mid day), Stone Hopper (#8-10, mid day) and Flying Ants (#18-22, mid day, when windy/humid, day after rains). Streamer (morning & evening) patterns to try include White Wooly Buggers, Muddlers, Micky Finn and Grey or Black Ghosts (#4-10).

Lakes & Ponds — Fair to good late summer trout action reported from Crystal Lake (Ellington), Beach Pond, West Hill Pond, East Twin Lake and Lake McDonough.

NOTES & NOTICES

♦The Bayberry Lane State Boat Launch Groton is closed for renovations to December 31st.

♦Due to scheduled dam maintenance projects, drawdowns of Moodus Reservoir (Lower & Upper) and Rainbow Reservoir are scheduled to commence immediately after the Labor Day weekend (9/4 – 9/6). It is anticipated that the affected boat launches will be unusable by many trailer boats once planned drawdown depths are reached. Continued...

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TIPS & TRICKS — SMALLMOUTH BASS

♦They can be found deeper than largemouth. 

♦They school by size. 

♦In high competition waters, they tend to be aggressive, so a variety of presentations will work. 

♦In low competition waters, they can be very finicky. Here, a slow, tantalizing presentation draws the most strikes. 

♦Smaller fish are more aggressive than large ones and generally inhabit shallower water. 

♦They are prone to spooking, even in waters where they are normally aggressive. 

♦Most are caught near the bottom. 

♦They love live bait. The very favorite live baits are the live worms.

♦Top water baits work well. Continued...

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♦Jigs tipped with a worm hooked in-line (weighted or not) or wacky style are effective in weeds or at the weed edges.

MARINE FISHING REPORT

Reminder to anglers: The DEP has received multiple reports of sand tiger sharks being caught in Connecticut waters this summer and would like to remind fishermen that THE TAKE AND POSSESSION (regardless of where taken) OF MANY SPECIES OF SHARKS IS PROHIBITED IN CONNECTICUT. These species include Atlantic angel, basking, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill, bigeye thresher, bignose, Caribbean reef, Caribbean sharpnose, dusky, Galapagos, longfin mako, narrowtooth, night, sand tiger, sevengill, sixgill, smalltail, whale, and white sharks. In addition, the commercial fishery for several additional species of coastal sharks is closed in Connecticut. Commercial fisherman should contact the DEP Marine Fisheries Division at 860-434-6043 for more information.

Surface water temperatures in Long Island Sound (LIS) continue to be in the low to mid 70s.

STRIPED BASS fishing remains good during the usual hours: from dusk to dawn. Live lining bunker, hickory shad, scup, or eels and cut chunk bait will work on those big cow bass.

BLUEFISH fishing remains excellent with choppers ranging in size from 4 to 16 lbs. The usual locations for stripers and bluefish include the reefs off Watch Hill, Ram Island Reef and East and West Clumps (Fishers Island Sound), lower Thames River, the Race (by Race Rock and Valiant Rock), outer Bartlett Reef, the Sluiceway, Plum Gut, Pigeon Rip, warm water discharge from Millstone Power Station, the “humps” south of Hatchett Reef, lower Connecticut River, Long Sand Shoal, Cornfield Point, Southwest Reef, Sixmile Reef, Falkner Island area, reefs off Guilford and Branford, New Haven Harbor, lower Housatonic River, buoys #18 and #20 off Bridgeport, Stratford Shoal/Middle Ground, Black Rock Harbor, Penfield Reef, Norwalk Islands, Cable and Anchor Reef, Smith Reef and Stamford and Greenwich Harbors.

SNAPPER BLUE fishing is fair to good in the tidal creeks. Snappers are about 5 to 6 inches in length.

SUMMER FLOUNDER FISHING SEASON IS CLOSED FROM AUG. 26 – MAY 14.

SCUP (porgy) fishing remains excellent on the any of the major reefs and rock piles throughout LIS.

HICKORY SHAD fishing is good in the lower Connecticut River at the Baldwin Bridge State Boat Launch/Fishing Pier and the DEP Marine Headquarters Fishing Pier.

BLUE CLAW CRABBING remains excellent in any of the tidal creeks along the coast.

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