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04/19/2018 12:00 AMTrue to form, the opening day weekend of trout season came in with a flood of fishers who finally saw the temperature break 65 degrees, followed by a blustery 20-degree drop. Aisles were practically filled non-stop, while anglers ratchet-jawed about the past, present, and future—mostly talking about fishing, although other conversations seemed to sneak in and draw attention. Talk of the good fishing spots, hot lures, best baits, how the storms would affect the rivers, and, of course, the new trout and salmon stamp could be heard.
Mixed within the throng of sweet water anglers where those who were determined to test the briny, now that their vessels were probably the cleanest they would be all season. Water temperatures were gradually rising and, if one was willing to do a little rock turning, invasive Asian crabs could be gathered and dropped on the deeper offshore reefs for ’togs. For those less energetic, clams and sea worms would work, as well.
For many trout anglers, the evening could not pass fast enough. With the gear all organized, even pre-rigged to avoid the hassle of fumbling in the wee hours of a lightless morning, thoughts of what may have been forgotten (a license, maybe) flew by. Morning came, parking problem solved, and the ritual of finding a spot to start the fishing day began. Of course, even if you settled in with enough casting room to maneuver, by 6 a.m., you probably didn’t have much elbow room to spare.
The first cast morphed into a gauntlet of lines criss-crossing the river. Every year, there always seems to be one or two novices who try to go against the flow and invariably tangle with several lines, at least one of which has a fish in tow. Occasionally, there comes along an angler who makes the lines-in at 6 a.m. seem immaterial and just enjoys the amusing activity that unfolds. There was plenty of that, too.
Meanwhile, back at the shop, it was business as usual, but more hectic than usual! Early on, as expected, the contest scale sat rather quiet, while fishers were either trying to strategically pry a trout loose from the cover of a recently fallen tree branch or casting to another likely spot. Rumors of a breeder or two were caught from a recently stocked trout park, although early fish weighed were far from that mark.
Most trout weighed were between 10- to 12 inches and headed for a freshly caught evening meal, but in the field, results were mixed with the parks, management areas, and the more popular rivers having the best results. By day’s end, it was small fish that topped the scale for big prizes in this year’s annual Codi and Bubba Memorial Trout Contest. Sgt. David Krug of the Army National Guard, a Preston resident who served in Kuwait and Afghanistan and is predominately a largemouth bass fisher, took top honors with his 12.5-inch, 0.79-pound brown trout. Four year-old Lana Carter of Guilford took second place with her 11-inch, 0.59-pound rainbow, and fellow Guilford resident Joshua Carter, 8, captured third place with his 11-inch, 0.55-pound brookie. A hearty thank you goes to all participants and contributors who helped make this year’s contest another success.
On the Water
Leading up to the weekend, fishers were primed for a turn to much better weather. We had a few spring showers, some bouts with the wind, and, finally, daytime air temperatures that broke 60 degrees, while the nights hung in the 40s. This was a tease since the latter part of the weekend dipped back to the 40s! Long Island Sound, though, continued to edge upwards to 43 degrees and calmed down from its erratic sea conditions.
Although the movement in water temps didn’t do much to increase fish activity, we did see more striped bass action along the shores, harbors, and tidal rivers. Winter flounder catches improved in the bays and in some channels, while periodic schools of baitfish seemed to pop up from time to time. Even more ’tog pullers ventured out, testing the walls and inshore reefs hoping to hook into a white chin that might be migrating closer to shore; most remained offshore. Now that the weather seems to have broken, more work can be done on vessels as more are being readied for splash down.
With the opening of trout season, fishers have been out on the sweet water and turning their attention to browns, rainbows, and brookies. Traditions and rituals are hard to break and, when young fishers-to-be or those who have passed the initiation stage are involved, it is important to pass on the knowledge.
River flows and levels have moderated to rather fine fishing conditions. In places where downed trees and debris obstructed the waterway, attempts were made at clearing them and often with good results. Catch and release areas continued to be fished regularly right up to and including opening day, while other stocked areas remained dormant until then.
Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.
For all things fishy including the latest gear, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better...
Tight Lines,
Captain Morgan
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