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Opening Day of Trout Season? Not So Fast!

Right about now, anticipation would have been building for the upcoming Opening Day of trout season. For years, it had been celebrated on the third Saturday of April. For the past couple of years, it was changed to the second Saturday of April. Then, last year, Public Act 21-12 lifted the prohibitions on closed trout waters, but left regulations such as catch and release in place, thereby allowing for, in essence, an open season for trout.

While anglers were able to fish those areas and others for trout, including the Trout Management Lakes that permitted fishing, through March 31, many anglers were confused by the various rumors and misunderstandings of when trout season actually opened. Cutting to the chase, it’s technically open now and has not closed since last year, when the public act was initiated, also keeping certain management regulations in place. If, after the recent public hearing, plans continue to eliminate Opening Day, then expect that the effect will trickle down through all sorts of recreational and business sectors.

While at first glance the thought of being able to fish for trout year-round without a closure may sound appealing, the social and economic effect will be felt in a negative way. Families and friends will miss out on a nearly century-old tradition, while businesses from restaurants to hotels, including those that serve the fishing community, together with charitable fundraisers, could realistically suffer. There is even the potential of lost revenue from the sale of inland fishing licenses that could adversely affect budgets, projects, and programs, as well as lost tax revenue from other sales and services. The list goes on.

We have all experienced waiting in anticipation for a scheduled event to arrive. The wait seems never-ending and sometimes lasts for a week, month, or even a year. When it finally does arrive, all involved look forward to a good time with family and friends. In the case of Opening Day of trout season, it’s a rain or shine (and sometimes snow) event.

Activities such as scouting out the waters, putting one’s gear in order, meeting at the shops to bolster tackle boxes, acquiring bait, and of course swapping tale after tale will be a thing of the past. Even if plans were adjusted to meet at a future specified date and the weather turns sour somehow, that new date just never seems to come around. And when life on the salt takes over, that’s it for the sweet water until perhaps the fall. Unfortunately for many, the lack of a traditional Opening Day will turn out to be another loss and another lost memory. Old habits and traditions die hard and, particularly in this case, even harder.

On the Water

Long Island Sound caught a break through mid-week as high pressure took hold and seas remained rather calm. Those days saw springlike air temperatures reach into the high 50s and low 60s. A couple of low pressure and associated frontal systems then passed, greeting the weekend as scattered precipitation entered the picture and gusty 20-knot winds developed. A secondary cold front developed, followed by a brief warm one. Nearshore water temps remained around 39 degrees, attempting to make inroads into the 40s as daylight continued to stretch later into the day.

As the green of St. Patrick’s Day flowed during celebratory events, so did shades of it appear in our local budding flora. Signaling a gradually rise in temperatures, our flora and fauna are displaying signs of a fading winter and a rebirth of spring.

Activity in the Sound is stirring quite noticeably as life within the fin, feather, and fur-bearing families hunt for food. Although the main forage is mostly fish, there are also mollusks, crustacea, and microorganisms being readily consumed. Spring migrations of shad, alewives, blueback herring, and soon-to-come Atlantic menhaden are upon us. Seabirds have been quite busy foraging spans of partially exposed, seaweed-covered rocky outcrops at low tides. And of course, our seal population has been busy bulking up during high tides and lazily basking on rocks during low.

In all probability, strolling along an active river, one will see the work of busy beavers in the form of gnawed trees and beaver dams, something that is good for them, but unfortunately not so for the fish heading upriver or the angler attempting to hook one. The upside is that many of these rivers and streams have been stocked with trout or are in the process thereof. Hammonasset River is one such waterway where the fishing has been productive and the habitat inviting and, at times, challenging. Like several other stocked waters (including trout parks), brookies, browns, and ‘bows have bent rods and turned the heads of onlookers.

As the weather, water flows, and levels moderate, bait and lure options broaden. Inline spinners have been excellent, as were flies, swimmers, and scented baits. A few of the warmer days saw a few hatches materialize, whereby dry flies and floaters were the ticket. In other cases, fishing the near bottom with nymphs or slow-sinking swimmers or spinners (as well as baits) became the best of the options. Worms also have been producing, considering we recently experienced the Full Worm Moon.

Rivers and streams not only have been having pre-spring activity, but several of the lakes and ponds have shown decent bites, as well. Added to the mix of the trout family, more bass action has been taking place along with pickerel, yellow perch, some pike, catfish, and black crappie. Making casts for white perch, broodstock Atlantic salmon and searuns are worth the effort.

Hearing Held

The Zoom public hearing hosted by the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) seeking input regarding potential changes to the inland fishing regulations was held on March 16. Most of the input regarded year-round trout fishing, thus eliminating Opening Day. Shared were angler survey responses from March 22, 2021 to April 5, 2021. The majority of the 5,061 responses related to year-round trout fishing received by DEEP wanted some sort of Opening Day, a catch-and-release season, a closed season, reduced creel limit, and a different management plan for wild trout from stocked trout.

Comments were heard from various recreational anglers and interested parties. Paul Radicchi made a point of how important the long-standing tradition of an annual Opening Day of trout season was to family and friends and should definitely remain intact. Another suggested that the first two weeks of trout season should be dedicated to catch and release only, while a third suggested that fishing with lures and flies would have a lesser effect on harvest mortality during that same two-week period.

Prior to ending the session, there was a brief question and answer period with Supervising Fisheries Biologist Mike Beauchene in which anyone in attendance could make inquiries or add additional statements for the record. Those wishing to email a comment may do so no later than 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 1. Email comments to william.foreman@ct.gov.

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 permits, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days at 21 Boston Post Road in 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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