Wanna go fishing? Nutmeg TU leads trips to spots near and far all year long, where you can learn spots and tactics from members and friends.
More details on additional trips will be posted soon.
Nutmeg TU resumes monthly meetings Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport.
In addition to an update on recent programs and upcoming activities, Jimmy O of Jimmy’s O’s Bait & Tackle in Bridgeport is scheduled to share fall fishing tips for the Long Island Sound. Jimmy’s visit last spring drew one of the largest crowds of the year for Nutmeg TU.
Nutmeg TU holds regular meetings on the third Tuesday of each month from September through May, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Port 5.
Board meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Fairfield Library. Watch our calendar for updates.
UPDATE: There will be no smallmouth fishing on Saturday, Aug. 18, due to water levels.
Instead, there will be a morning stream tour along the river showing where to park, the best fishing access areas, and tips and tactics to help you succeed in future bas outings.
The group will meet at 9 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot just north of 696 Kent Road in New Milford, meeting on this gravel road just past that address. (If you cross the Housatonic River and pass the Gaylordsville Fire Dept. on your right you’ve gone too far!)
After fishing, you are welcome to join in a streamside lunch.
Visit mianustu.org to register so there is an accurate head count.
An effort to restore one of the most valuable and storied wild trout streams in New England is under way, and volunteers are needed for the next step.
On Aug. 19, the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited, working with the Town of Fairfield, will reshape the Mill River along Congress Street. Once a meandering stream, the waterway was straightened due to development. Using a technique known as conifer revetment, turns and pools will be restored to a river known as one of the best wild brook trout habitats in Connecticut.
Once a meandering stream, the waterway was straightened due to development, which reduces the health of the stream and the habitat for trout and other aquatic life. Using a technique known as a conifer revetment, turns and pools will be restored to a river known as one of the best wild brook trout streams in Connecticut.
Conifer revetments use discarded natural Christmas trees to shore up the banks, collect sediment and reroute the river. Volunteers anchor now-dead evergreens in the water along the banks. There they will trap sediment and build up the bank, extending land into the water and creating a curve in the river.
“This is a great opportunity for volunteers to get their hands dirty and see the direct impact of their efforts as we work to improve the quality of the Mill River as a wild trout stream,” Nutmeg TU President Rich Rosen said. “Already we have mitigated the Knotweed problem and planted native trees and shrubs to help bring the river back to its natural state. We look forward to seeing more, larger fish making their home along Congress Street.”
In the fall of 2017, the Nutmeg Chapter received a $670 grant from the Embrace A Stream program to support removal of invasive species and shoring up of the banks of the Mill River near the Easton-Fairfield border, along Congress Street in Fairfield.
A short time later, donors contributed another $1,860.69 toward the Mill River restoration in TU’s Embrace a Stream Challenge, which rewarded chapters with bonuses for reaching certain milestones and soliciting donations..
Money was also raised when Nutmeg TU collaborated with the Candlewood Valley and Mianus chapters on showings of the Fly Fishing Film Tour in 2017 and 2018.
Details on where to meet and how to volunteer will soon be posted, but save the date of Sunday, Aug. 19.
Nutmeg TU member Dave Edgeworth recently led a trip to the Farmington River, starting at the famous Church Pool.
Josh Lockwood, grandson of Nutmeg TU member Phil Jacques, landed an 18-inch trout with a hook jaw, estimated to weigh about 2 pounds.
More outings on the Farmington are coming soon.
Join Nutmeg TU for a morning of exciting fishing on one of the best rivers in Connecticut, the Farmington River, on Sunday, June 24, starting at 8 a.m. You may come earlier if you wish, I will be at the river setting up and getting some quick fishing in.
We will be meeting up in the Church Pool parking lot: look for the Nutmeg TU banner and a silver Subaru Forester.
Open to everyone, beginners and experienced anglers alike, this trip is a great way to learn the river. Spinning or fly fishing, all are welcome. If you are new to the river or fishing, I will show you techniques and strategies that will have you catching trout in no time. If you are more experienced, I will have maps of spots you can fish.
Following fishing, everyone is welcome to meet up at the Parrot Delaney Tavern in New Hartford, next to the Ovation factory and the famous Ovation Pool fishing hole. BYOL (Buy Your Own Lunch)
Please RSVP to David Edgeworth so we know who to expect. Text or Email
(203) 627-5817 or email Eggsofan@hotmail.com
Looking forward to see you
Fish On!!
Dave Edgeworth
All anglers are welcome to fish Lake Saltonstall with the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited Friday, June 8.
Meet at 6:30 a.m. at the main entrance, where $5 day passes will be purchased and boats will be rented.
Lake Saltonstall is a popular but relatively popular fishing location with a great variety of fishing opportunities. Bass, Walleye, and more are abundant.
Arrive early as Boat Rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Boats will be available with batteries and electric motors for a fee. Shore and dock side fishing also available.
Permits and boat rental fees are purchased directly at boat shack at Lake Saltonstall and are issued by the Regional Water Authority. No wading is allowed.
Click here to watch an program about fishing Lake Saltonstall from Yankee Fisherman, hosted by Nutmeg TU member John Kovach.
Trip subject to weather. When RSVPing email to admin@NutmegTrout.org your Contact Information (Name, Telephone Number, & Email Address) so we can contact you in case of weather changes. RSVPs can also be submitted via Meetup.
Start your Memorial Day weekend, and the summer, casting in the saltwater with Nutmeg TU.
Ed Grzeda will lead a fishing outing in the Long Island Sound Saturday, May 26, open to both fly anglers and conventional fishermen. There is no charge and TU membership is not required.
The group will meet at 11 a.m. in the parking lot at Milford Audubon, 1 Milford Point Road, Milford. Click here to RSVP.
We will be fishing the outgoing tide; high tide is 9:45 a.m. Saturday.
The lower Housy has been fishing very well with both quantity and the occasional quality striper over 26 inches, Ed reports.
For fly fishing, Ed recommends an 8- to 10-weight rod with an intermediate and/or sink-tip line. Clousers and Deceiver-type patterns in almost any color — Chartruese/white, Blue/white, tan or olive/white will work on 12-20# tippet.
The water remains very cold, so waders are necessary. Also have sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen.
Anyone who arrives late, has trouble finding the group or needs information can contact Ed at (224) 234-3381.
WE HAD A LIMITED NUMBER OF OPENINGS & THEY HAVE BEEN FILLED. SORRY.
Please join us on one of our many other Nutmeg Trout trips.
Nutmeg TU has reserved the Limestone Trout Club in Canaan for Wednesday, May 23, 2018.
The fee is $50. Those who wish to attend should RSVP to Rich Rosen at rhrosen@aol.com.
Those wanting to car pool will meet at the Park and Ride near Rt. 8 and Hawley Lane; be there before 7 a.m. to carpool. Bring your gear, lunch, and beverages.
This event is rain or shine.
Ponds to Challenge All Levels
Limestone Trout Club offers six ponds from which anglers may choose. Two man-made ponds, Home Pools, are located near the clubhouse providing easy access well suited for the novice fly fisher. Another man-made pond, Spruce Pond, also located near the clubhouse, provides exciting dry-fly fishing when the trout are rising.
Three other large ponds were once limestone quarries. They are spring fed and quite deep, providing trout with yearlong refuge and fly fishers with sport throughout the season, both on top and sub-surface. Two of the ponds, Birch and Pine, may be fished from rowboats provided by the club. Cedar pond, the most challenging, has a number of ideal casting sites that add an exciting dimension to the Limestone experience.
The ponds are regularly stocked with rainbow, brown, and brook trout. An occasional stocking of tiger trout may surprise the angler with an unexpected fierce strike. Golden trout also may contribute to an environment unique to Limestone.
Guest anglers (and other visitors) can arrive at the club from 8 a.m. The gate will be unlocked so they should drive up to the Clubhouse. A club member will greet Nutmeg anglers.
• The insurance carrier requires all guests to sign a waiver which will be available at sign-in.
• There will be a still water orientation about 8:30 or 9:00.
• Fly Fishing only.
• Most of the fishing is from the shore. There are two lakes each with two row boats. No other watercraft are allowed. You cannot use your personal watercraft. You do not need waders but I suggest sturdy, preferably water proof shoes because of some marshy areas and the early morning dew.
• They have 3 deep (70+ feet) quarry ponds and 3 shallow ponds providing a variety of venues and conditions.
• While most members practice catch and release, catch and kill is allowed. We can cover the details at the briefing.
• They have a stove, refrigerator, and microwave in the Clubhouse. Also, grills with both propane and charcoal for your use (we have the fuel).
If others attend but do not fish, there are plenty of trails to walk, a comfortable club house to sit and read, and some antique stores within driving distance.
Want to help shape the present and future of Nutmeg TU? Come to the next Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, May 1, at 7 p.m. in the Shared Space Study Room at the Fairfield Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield.
The board plans the programs, speakers, cleanups, fishing trips and other activities of Nutmeg TU. Help is needed in all aspects of running the chapter, and on levels from volunteer to coordination to chairman.
Contact President Rich Rosen at rhrosen@aol.com for more information.
Board meetings are over by 9 p.m. and are held the first Tuesday of the month.