Naugatuck salmon trip canceled
The salmon fishing trip and cleanup with Mianus TU scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17, has been canceled due to the weather forecast and high flows.
What’s it like to fish Alaska?
Is fishing Alaska on your bucket list? Get a glimpse at fishing Bristol Bay and other legendary waters from Nutmeg TU member John Jinishian on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport.
Jinishian is general manager of Alaska’s Wild River Guides, a small, float-based fly fishing company.
His talk will celebrate the love Alaska’s Wild River Guides have for the fish, the anglers, the still pristine rivers of Bristol Bay, the wildlife and the environment. After a series of introductory slides the show follows the format of a weeklong river trip on the Kanektok, or Togiak or Goodnews Rivers. We operate seasonally in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, specifically on the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.
“We strive to put you in the mind of the angler as we move through the the wilderness we travel through and the waters we fish. We are seeking to increase awareness of the fishery that will be impacted by the proposed Pebble Mine,” Jinishian said. “While we are not in the immediate area of the proposed project, the waters that we call home each season will be undeniably affected. It is our hope that we can raise awareness about the incredible fishery that is at stake in addition to showcasing the unique wilderness rivers and fly fishing expeditions we lead each summer.”
Born and raised on the shores of Long Island Sound, John grew up fishing for striped bass and bluefish in his home waters. He worked in at his local fishing shop, Westport Outfitters for five years, where he taught fly-casting instruction, tied flies, and began shore guiding in saltwater.
John attended the University of Vermont where he was the president of the UVM Fly Fishing Club and cultivated a passion for freshwater fishing.
John earned his USCG captain’s license in 2012 and began guiding during the summers in the Norwalk Islands on his 25-foot center console. He still guides Connecticut during the shoulder seasons when he is not guiding elsewhere in the country.
In 2013, John was named one of the first ambassadors for the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester, Vt. From 2013- 16, John worked to build the fly reel manufacturing company 3-TAND as a product specialist and sales representative.
John has been a contributing author for Anglers Journal since 2014 and his published works cover a wide range, including Alaskan wilderness explorations, Great Lakes steelheading, and East Coast Striper fishing.
In 2015 and 2016, John produced and directed films that were accepted into the International Fly Fishing Film Festival.
In 2014 John began guiding fly fishing float trips for Alaska’s Wild River Guides, where he now serves as general manager.
During the spring and fall of 2017, John began running social media operations and guiding for the Bighorn Angler on the Bighorn River in Montana.
John has worn many different hats in the fishing industry but he finds his sense of home chasing fish with a fly rod in the saltwater or exploring the Alaskan Bush.
State reports strong saltwater fishing
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says tog fishing is strong in the Long Island Sound, with solid striper fishing in the Housatonic River and in Long Island Sound off local towns.
Click here to read this week’s fishing report.
State stocks trout, salmon
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.
Fish with us around Connecticut
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.
- Oct. TBA – casting clinic
- Oct. 21, 11 a.m. — Stripers, Compo beach
- Nov. 17 – Naugatuck salmon, join up with Mianus TU to Campville
More details on additional trips will be posted soon.
A simpler way of fishing topic Oct. 16
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.
Volunteers use Christmas trees to reshape the Mill
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.
Nutmeg TU wants you
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
Learn local fishing trips Sept. 18
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.
Volunteer to help the Mill River Aug. 19
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.