The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has released its 2021-25 Salmonid Action Plan, which outlines the direction it will take managing trout and salmon.

The purpose of the plan is to provide a suite of actions that will maintain and improve recreational salmonid fishing and to conserve wild populations in Connecticut. Looking ahead, the Fisheries Division will be more adaptive and responsive with salmonid production, distribution, and conservation in order to meet the changing desires and preferences of Connecticut’s residents. The plan focuses on four themes:

DEEP said the document is an Action Plan, which is a compilation of tangible items to consider and implement. These actions are presented by theme, goal, and objective.

This plan differs from traditional Fisheries Management Plans, which describe how fish populations are manipulated through a variety of techniques including regulations (seasons, gear, size limits) and stocking.

Click here to read the plan.

Greetings,

It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a year since the world ground to a virtual halt. Everyone has suffered, but hopefully the virus will soon be tamed.

Fortunately, fishing can be a socially distant sport, allowing us to get some exercise and fresh air.

Although we did manage to get in a few Nutmeg fishing trips, our conservation efforts have gone by the wayside until we can safely gather.

Thanks to Mike Piquette and Gian Morresi, we were able to monitor water temperatures in the Mill and Pequonnock Rivers, providing useful data which may help with future projects. We also won an Embrace a Stream grant from Trout Unlimited and Orvis, which will provide us with a Habitat Improvement Plan for the Mill River section along Congress Street in Fairfield.

On hold have been our revetment project, tree plantings, invasive species removal, macro invertebrate studies and river cleanups. Some of the rivers are getting trashy. While we cannot do a TU sponsored cleanup yet, if family members want to get out and pick up trash, just let us know where and when and send us a few pictures. The Mill along Congress and Park avenue can use some TLC.

Some of our Zoom meetings have been great, but of course they are a poor substitute for the real thing. We will resume our Port 5 meetings as soon as we can. If you have taken an interesting fishing trip and want to share you with the chapter, we’d love to have you speak to the group.

Since we can no longer raise funds at our meetings, we have started to sell our donated inventory on eBay. David Ader has taken up the challenge and sold our first rod in one day. If anyone has used gear they would like to donate to the chapter as part of our fund-raising efforts, please let us know. We will do all the work and give you a receipt for the IRS. Also, be on the lookout for a sweepstakes for a Winston 5 wt. rod.

Let us know if you want to get involved. We have spots on the Board or you can do a one-off project. Phil Jacques has retired from the board after more than a decade of service. We appreciate all he has done and continues to do for TU. Ed Grzeda has agreed to take over the Treasurer’s position, following Phil and then Jerry Goldstein.

In 2021 we plan to expand our reach to youth, veterans, and inner city. Please join us to help grow our membership and reach all members of our community. All volunteers are welcome.

I feel like spring is around the corner (even though it is in the low 30s as I write this) and can’t wait to get vaccinated and be able to join you all on the rivers, work together to improve the habitat of local rivers and have some fun along the way.

I want to also thank all of our board members for their support, ideas, enthusiasm and volunteer hours. Jerry Goldstein – Vice President; Jack Kovach – Communications, Meetings and Chair of the CT Council; Ed Grzeda – Treasurer and Membership; Gian Morresi – Conservation; David Ader – Assistant Treasurer; Alex Ziemkiewicz – Raffles;  and non-Board member Joe Lanese – TIC Coordinator. Please contact me or any of the other board members with your thoughts.

Wishing you all a great 2021, complete with health and perhaps a few fish in the net.

Rich Rosen

Nutmeg President

The start of the new year means it’s time to get a new fishing license in Connecticut.

Licenses run Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, regardless of when they are purchased. An inland license with a trout and salmon stamp is required to fish special waters such as trout management areas, and a marine license is required to fish salt water (south of the first bridge upstream from the Long Island Sound. A combination license is available, and also requires a trout stamp.

Anglers 65 and older can get a license free of charge, but must renew it every year.

Any active, full-time member of the armed forces may be issued a fishing and/or small game firearms license for the resident fee. Credentials indicating active full-time membership or separation subsequent to the issuance of the license and prior to its expiration date must be carried while fishing or hunting.

Issuance of a free license to the blind or intellectually disabled requires proof of disability in the form of a certificate provided by any person licensed to practice medicine in this state.

Any resident with the loss of a limb or the loss of the use of a limb and a doctor’s certificate may be issued a free license. Qualified nonresidents who are residents of states which allow CT residents the same privileges are also eligible.

Click here to visit the state Department of Environmental Protection site and purchase a licenses if you have not done so.

All of the money from sales of fishing licenses and trout stamps supports the DEEP and conservation.

Late last Friday afternoon, Alaska’s Governor Dunleavy announced that the State of Alaska will file an appeal in attempt to overturn the permit denial for the proposed Pebble Mine.

After the permit was denied in November 2020, Pebble quickly responded saying it planned to appeal the decision. Now, Alaska’s own governor is working on behalf of the disgraced Canadian mining company at the expense of Alaskans. 

Trout Unlimited is urging members across the nation to make their voices heard to stop the mine, which would irreparably damage the fishery in and around Bristol Bay. Those who live outside of Alaska are asked to send a note to your elected officials and ask them to support permanent protections for Bristol Bay.

We will be joining Mianus TU and Candlewood Valley TU for Tie One On at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on Zoom.

Each week a fly, paired with an adult beverage, will be demonstrated.

A schedule can be found, and registration is requested, by clicking on the buy tickets link on the schedule page. There is no charge.

The Jan. 19 fly is a Klinkenhammer, tied by Mark McBeth and paired with Bells Two Hearted IPA.

On Jan. 26, tie “Pheasant Tails 57 Ways” with Dave Surowiecki.

Trout Unlimited is inviting all to celebrate the denial of the Pebble Mine permit with bonfires Friday night, Dec. 11.

Meghan Baker of TU wrote:

This permit denial didn’t happen easily. It was only possible thanks to strong science that you elevated by making calls, writing your elected officials, calling out Pebble’s lies, and giving generously to our work. Thank you for helping stop Pebble.  

Any other time, you know we’d be having a big ‘ole party to celebrate this momentous milestone for Bristol Bay. But until we can gather safely, we encourage you to have a bonfire for Bristol Bay at your fire pit this Friday evening to commemorate the accomplishment we achieved together. (Follow local fire regulations.)

Email a picture of your bonfire (or tag @SaveBristolBay on social media) to be entered to win some sweet prizes!

Our fires will be lit to celebrate the win we’ve accomplished, but also to pause before we double down on the work ahead. We hope this bonfire will be a celebration for each of you, but that it will also reignite our spark for achieving durable protections so that Pebble can’t come back to threaten Bristol Bay in the future.

If you’d like to contribute to our next chapter for Bristol Bay as we pursue long-term safeguards for the region, please consider giving today. 

Thank you again for your generosity of time, energy and resources. We hope your Friday fire keeps you warm, makes you feel connected to thousands of other Bristol Bay enthusiasts nationwide, and gives you hope for the future of the most prolific wild sockeye salmon fishery on the planet.

About two hours away from us is one of the most historic, pristine and productive trout fisheries in the world.

Learn about the history, people and angling in the Catskills Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. on Zoom when Bruce Concors, producer of the 2019 film “Land of Little Rivers,” shares a glimpse at what makes the area and its people special. Click here Tuesday to join the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88052287953

According to the website for the film, landoflittlerivers.com:

Land of Little Rivers is a full length Documentary film focusing on the origins and modern era of fly fishing for trout. It is centered around the Catskills of NY State, its rivers and towns, as well as filming in the Adirondacks, Vermont and Pennsylvania. Going back to the late 1800’s and Theodore Gordon ( The father of American dry fly fishing), the film takes you to the early fisherman , fly tiers, rod makers, gin mills (such as the famous Antrim Lodge) and assorted characters who helped shape the sport. The past includes Theodore Gordon, Roy Steenrod, Rube Cross, Ed Hewitt, Sparse Gray Hackle, Harry and Elsie Darbee , Walt ,Winnie and Mary Dette, Art Flick, Lee Wulff and of course Joan Wulff and others who share their insights on the past, present and future of fly fishing. Also included are Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, President Jimmy Carter, Paul Volker and president John Adams.