The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is wrapping up its fall stocking program for 2018.
Trout have been stocked in major destination rivers such as the Housatonic and Farmington, as well as closer to home in the Saugatuck River.
Surplus broodstock salmon have been stocked in rivers including the Naugatuck, destination for a Nutmeg TU trip with Mianus TU on Nov. 17.
Click here to read the latest update from the DEEP.
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.
Looking for a new (but old), simpler way to fly fish? Learn about Tenkara from Chuck MacMath when Nutmeg TU meets Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.
Tenkara is a method of fishing said to have originated in Japan about 400 years ago that only uses a rod, line and fly. The line is fixed and there is no reel. Rods are quite long to keep as much of the line off of the water as possible thus eliminating drag and creating a better presentation of the fly.
Chuck said he started about three years ago.
“It seemed intriguing, it was something different and no one I knew of was doing it,” MacMath said. “That’s the kind of stuff I like.
“I also like the simplicity of it,” Chuck added. “There is more of an emphasis on technique than gear. There is s saying in tenkara that the more you know the less you need.”
Chuck participates in every type of fishing available.
“I own a fleet of boats which includes a float tube, kayak and rowboat, all rigged for fishing, and a 17 1/2-foot Tracker bass boat,” Chuck said.
“Let’s not forget ice fishing also,” he added. “I’m a member of many local rod and gun clubs. I’m a certified CARE instructor for the Connecticut DEEP, and I tie my own flies and build my own rods.”
Nutmeg TU meets at Port 5, 69 Brewster St. in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, Pizza and beverage are available for purchase.
Future meetings feature John Jinishian of Alaska’s Wild River Guides on Tuesday, Nov. 20, and the annual holiday potluck party on Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Trout will soon have a better home in the Mill River thanks to a conifer revetment project.
Volunteers from Nutmeg and Mianus TU joined others in the water to anchor last year’s Christmas trees, donated by the Town of Stratford, along the banks to reshape the river.
Funds came through the Embrace A Stream program, a collaboration of Orvis and national TU, and local showings of the Fly Fishing Film Tour.
Work will continue, with continued removal of knotweed, planting of more native species, and another revetment with 2018 Christmas trees.
The summer is over and the fall stocking should begin soon, along with the fall migration of the Stripers, Blues and Albies. I can hardly wait.
The Nutmeg Board of Directors is working hard to put together a year of activities that will interest everyone. We had a fantastic turnout of 19 volunteers to anchor recycled Christmas trees in the Mill River along Congress Street. Stratford supplied the trees, Fairfield brought them to the location and TU, under, Jeff Yates’s guidance, got it done. Thanks to everyone who participated. It was great fun. Hopefully after a few floods, the embankment will start to rebuild as the sediment gets trapped in the tree branches.
Our chapter’s focus has been on monthly meetings, fishing trips and conservation.
Meetings – This season we plan to have speakers on salt water fishing, Tenkara, fishing in Alaska, local river tips, fishing safety and matching the hatch.
Trips – Let’s fish together. Join us on the LI Sound shore, the Saugatuck, the Farmington , the Mill, the Pequonnock and the Naugatuck rivers as we share fishing secrets of these wonderful fisheries.
Conservation – We will continue with our tradition of having a fall and spring river cleanup. We’ll continue our work on the Mill with some rock rolling in the winter, some tree planting in the spring, and another conifer revetment section next summer. We would like to introduce bug science to measure the progress we are making to the water quality of the Mill.
The more volunteers we get, the more we can accomplish, whether it’s more fishing, more conservation projects or more outreach.
We are currently seeking new board members who can help us in the areas of communications and fundraising. We are also looking for a treasurer.
Not everyone wants to be a board member but perhaps you want to lead a fishing trip, speak at a monthly meeting or lead a river cleanup. Just drop me a line; we welcome your involvement.
Looking forward to seeing you this season.
Rich Rosen
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.
Volunteers are needed on a major project that will improve trout habitat in the Mill River, one of the most valuable and storied wild trout streams in New England.
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.
Work will begin at 9 a.m. Volunteers should park in the dirt area across Congress Street from the river. Please be careful crossing. We should be done by noon.
Those who wish to volunteer are asked to click here to RSVP to Nutmeg TU President Rich Rosen.
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.
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.
Parts of the waterfront in Fairfield and Bridgeport will soon be getting new recycling tubes for the safe disposal of the monofilament fishing line, which can strangle or disable birds who get caught in it, as recently happened at the Bridgeport-Fairfield line.
A team of volunteers is building and installing the tubes. Madeline Dennis Raleigh of Black Rock In The Know has been instrumental in planning the project; the Ash Creek Conservation Association is raising money to fund the bin construction.
In addition to the Connecticut Audubon Society, other participants include the City of Bridgeport, the Town of Fairfield and the owners or occupants of the land on which the bins are being placed.
Click here to read about the death of a young osprey.
Click here to read what groups are doing to prevent such tragedies.
Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has designated Saturday, Aug. 11, Free Fishing License Day.
The Aug. 11 issue of the DEEP’s weekly fishing report offers ideas on where and what species to target.
To fish for free, anyone, resident or non-resident, can obtain a free one-day fishing license — good for both the inland and marine districts — through the DEEP online sportsmen licensing system or at any venue that sells fishing licenses.
The designated “Free Fishing License Day is one of DEEP’s initiatives designed to connect people with outdoor activities and Connecticut’s natural resources.
“Free Fishing License Day” reflects how fishing is much more than catching fish. For many, the quality time spent connecting with friends and family outdoors is priceless,” said Susan Whalen, DEEP Deputy Commissioner. “Many of those who took advantage of the previous ‘Free Fishing License Days’ have either fished as a youngster or have held a fishing license in past years. We know that once people come out and fish our many lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and Long Island Sound they will be amazed at how much they have been missing.”
The seventh annual Saltwater Fishing Day event will be held Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fort Trumbull State Park on the Fishing Pier in New London, sponsored by DEEP’s No Child Left Inside and the Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) programs. There will be fishing and crabbing opportunities for the entire family. State agencies and other organizations will provide educational activities throughout the day. State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police will have a saltwater fish exhibit and be on hand to answer questions. CARE will feature a touch tank with live marine species.