Category: News

Written by NutmegTrout21718Nov, 2019

Redds survey moved to Friday, Nov. 29

A chance to learn about the salmonid life cycle and how to help find trout nesting sites, or reeds, has been moved to Friday, Nov. 29, at 9 a.m.

Click here for a video.

We’ll meet at the Mill River WTMA (Wild Trout Management Area) in Easton, at the bottom of the big hill on South Park Avenue by the bridge.

Please bring polarized sunglasses to see through the glare of the water, a snack and drinks, waders (though we’ll try to stay out of the water as much as possible) and a cell phone. Please plan to spend up to a couple of hours doing this.

Accomplished lifelong conservationist Mike Piquette will be leading this, and it’s a tremendous learning opportunity open to all TU members. We hope that once you have participated you will consider joining us on doing yearly redd counts in late fall/early winter.

The event was scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 24, but postponed due to water conditions.

  • What is a redd?
    Redds are spawning sites of salmonids (in Connecticut that mostly means wild brown trout and wild & native brook charr.) Favored locations in rivers and streams where they bury their eggs in depressions in the gravel created by kicking the gravel up with their tails. They are fairly easy to spot when river conditions allow it.
  • Why do this?
    Redd counting a very useful fishery management tool for anglers, conservationists and regulatory bodies. It provides the following information*:
    • A record of the spawning range in each year under specific flow conditions
    • A comparison between years, allowing trends to be identified over time
    • Identifies obstructions to fish passage
    • Identifies areas of clustered spawning
    • Identifies under-utilized spawning habitat
    • The identification and later assessment of gravel cleaning sites
    • Provides spawning data for the interpretation of fish population surveys
    • Enhance awareness of wild brown trout and native brook charr spawning within the Mill River

Click here is an example of a TU Redd Count report.

*Source: http://www.casterbridgefisheries.co.uk/environmental-monitoring/redd-counting/

Written by NutmegTrout21710Nov, 2019

The Clean Water Rule is under attack

The Clean Water Rule is under attack, leaving headwater streams and wetlands vulnerable. If you have a few minutes, check out this blog entry by Chris Wood, TU’s President and CEO: We fish here so you can fish there (https://www.tu.org/blog/we-fish-here-so-you-can-fish-there/). Or if in a rush, just go to https://standup.tu.org/ to contact your member of Congress and tell them to defend clean water protections.

Written by NutmegTrout21710Nov, 2019

Steve Culton talks wet flies Nov. 19

Steve Culton of currentseams.com will discuss wet flies with Nutmeg TU on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport.

Pizza is served, and beverages can be purchased through Port 5.

Wet flies have been taking trout for centuries — and the fish aren’t getting any smarter. More and more anglers are discovering that a wet fly is often the best way to match a hatch. Explore the wonders of the wet fly as we cover basics like wet fly types, leader construction, where to fish wet flies, and how to fish them.

Steve Culton is a Connecticut fly fishing guide and instructor, fly tyer, and freelance writer. His work has appeared in Field & Stream, American Angler, The Flyfish Journal, The Drake, Flyfishing & Tying Journal, Eastern Fly Fishing, Fly Rod & Reel Online, and the Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide.

Currentseams.com is a library for my articles, stories, fly tying, fishing reports, videos, my guide service The Fisherman LLC, and more.

Written by NutmegTrout21710Nov, 2019

Campville trip for salmon Nov. 16

Come fish the Campville section of the Naugatuck River with Nutmeg Trout Unlimited.  The Naugatuck River, Campville section is one of the places CT DEEP stocks bloodstock Atlantic Salmon in the fall.  The upper Naugatuck River winds its way through heavily wooded portions of the Mattatuck State Forest and other public lands. In the Campville section, the river is smallish with some deeper runs and pools as well as plunge pools and waterfalls below which the Atlantic Salmon tend to hold up.  This area is also stocked with Trout, so Salmon are not the only game in town.

When:  Saturday, November 16 at 10 AM.  

Where:  Campville Section of the Naugatuck River off Exit 41 of Route 8.

Directions:  From Route 8 North, take Exit 41.  Turn right onto Campville Road which becomes Northfield Road then goes over the river.  At the T intersection, turn left onto Valley Road and park at the numerous spots along the road before Campville Hill Road.  River will be on your left.  

Regulations:  Must have current CT Fishing License with a Trout/Salmon Stamp.  

Must use a single fly or lure with a single free-swinging hook only; no treble hooks.  Additional weight may not be added to the line.  Fishing is catch and release at this time; DEEP has extended the catch and release date for Salmon to December 15 this year.  

General Information:  Salmon, particularly larger fish, are very powerful so you may want to consider scaling up your tackle.  For fly anglers:  a heavier rod, like a 7 or 8 wt. and a reel with a strong drag.  For spin/casting anglers:  a medium action rod in the 8 – 10 lb. class.  Or you can do what I do and fish a standard 5-weight trout set-up and hope for the best if you hook a Salmon!!  As there are plenty of deep spots in this section, a sink tip line can come in handy to get your fly down, particularly if the river is running high.  

Water (and possibly weather) may be cold so please dress accordingly.  

Hope to see you there!!  

Nutmeg TU Contact:  Alex Ziemkiewicz  agz3026@gmail.com or 203-209-6689.

Written by NutmegTrout21710Nov, 2019

Nutmeg TU seeks river stewards

Many of you have a favorite river and all of us are conservation minded, or we wouldn’t belong to TU. The Board of the Nutmeg chapter of TU is looking to pilot a program we are calling “River Stewards” and we are seeking volunteers to lead and help. How far we take the program will depend on member interest and participation.

The range of activities can be as simple as walking the river and reporting issues in the TU RIVERS app (to be discussed soon). From there the River Stewards could do stream cleanups, macro-invertebrate and temperature logging to measure the health of the river, or even go as far as remediation of problems identified. It’s all up to the volunteers to as to how much we do.
There are no obligations except to get involved and help us preserve and protect our local rivers and fisheries as you are able to.
These River Stewards will work with the chapter’s Conservation Chair and be provided with support and training such as (but not limited to) invasive species identification and removal, water temperature monitoring and more. 
If you want to find out more please contact Gian Morresi at gmorresi@gmail.com and he will contact you to discuss next steps.

Thanks Nutmegers
Best,
Gian203-243-4587

The DEEP found healthy populations of trout and smallmouth during electrofishing surveys of the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers (DEEP Photo)
Written by NutmegTrout21730Sep, 2019

DEEP wants to hear from anglers

The Fisheries Division of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is in the midst of mapping a path forward for trout and salmon fisheries here in Connecticut, with the goal of optimizing the quality of our salmonid fisheries and maximizing the utilization of fish produced at State Fish Hatcheries.

To that end, officials would like to meet with anglers and hear what you have to say. They will be hosting a series of discussions throughout the month of October.

These meetings are free to attend, however, to make sure we have adequate space for everyone we are asking for an RSVP.  You can use one of the links provided on the first page of Sept. 27 weekly fishing report (once the link opens, select the register button), call 860-424-4185, or email mike.beauchene@ct.gov

Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation about the Fisheries Division’s management of trout and salmon to date and then expand to discussion on four key focal points related to trout and salmon fishing: 

• What makes a good fishing trip?

• Where can the Fisheries Division improve?

• What actions could be taken to increase the number people fishing?

Written by NutmegTrout21728Sep, 2019

Volunteers turn out for Mill River project

Some 20 volunteers from around the area turned out Saturday, Sept. 14, to help Nutmeg TU continue its river revetment project on the Mill River along Congress Street in Fairfield.

Supported by a TU Embrace a Stream grant, the installation of discarded Christmas trees along the banks will reshape the river and create more habitat for trout.

Ed Grzeda captured these images of a productive morning on the river.

Written by NutmegTrout21728Sep, 2019

Ron Merly to share sea-run trout secrets

Ron Merly will discuss sea-run trout, where to find them and how to catch them on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport.

The talk, open to all, is hosted by the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited. It is open to fly and spin fishermen. TU membership is not required to attend.

The talk will be preceded at 6 p.m. by a fly tying demonstration by Eric Peterson of South Benson Outfitters in Fairfield.

The owner of Ron Merly’s Fishing Guide Service has more than 45 years of experience fishing the trout streams of Connecticut. He has been fly fishing since age 5, possesses excellent teaching skills and is an award winning outdoor writer whose credits include On The Water, Eastern Fly fishing, Trout and American Angler magazines.

He is the author of The Fly Fisher’s Guide to Connecticut, which gives tips on how to find water to fish.

Pizza is served, and beverages can be purchased from Port 5.

Written by NutmegTrout21728Sep, 2019

Nutmeg TU board meets Oct. 1

The Nutmeg TU Board plans events for Nutmeg TU Chapter 217. The board meets the first Tuesday of most months, usually at the Fairfield Public Library at 1080 Old Post Road in Fairfield. Meetings are open to all.

There are ways anyone could help the board improve Nutmeg TU activities. We are looking to expand outreach in a number of areas, including diversity and veterans programs.

We could use all the support we can get.