Nutmeg Chapter Trout Unlimited

Written by NutmegTrout21727Oct, 2017

Grant to help restore Mill River

The Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited has received a grant for restoration of the Mill River and been entered in the Embrace A Stream Challenge, a new online contest sponsored by Orvis and Trout Unlimited. From Nov. 6-12, the chapter has a chance to win its share of $50,000 in cash prizes to help fund the Mill River Conifer Revetment Project, an initiative to restore the Mill River in Fairfield County.

In early October, the Nutmeg Chapter received an $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.

From Nov. 6-12, anyone who visits embraceastream.org and makes a donation of as little as $10 to support Nutmeg TU’s work will help it unlock prizes ranging from $250 to $5,000. Nutmeg TU is competing in this contest with more than 40 other Trout Unlimited chapters from across the country.

“We’re excited to have the chance to raise even more money to restore and improve the Mill River in the Embrace A Stream Challenge,” said Rich Rosen, Nutmeg TU president. “But we need the help of all of our community members to win. If you care about clean water, and share our love for the Mill River, please help our more than 300 local members and volunteers by donating to this important project.”

The Mill River Conifer Revetment Project will focus on a section of stream that runs along Congress Street in Fairfield, where the river is more than 40 feet wide in some places, when it should average 15 feet. TU volunteers and their partners will narrow the stream channel and stabilize the banks using conifer revetments to prevent future erosion and ensure that the stream at the site and downstream can support excellent trout habitat.

The Mill River is currently home to some of the highest densities of wild and native trout in the state, but TU and other experts believe that the fishery can support even more trout with habitat improvement. Pending before state officials is a regulation change that would make the stretch a catch-and-release only area dedicated to wild trout.

The site is near the Merritt Parkway and a heavily used service area, and frequently needs litter removal in addition to replacing invasive species with native fauna, which Nutmeg TU has been doing, in cooperation with the Town of Fairfield, for four years.

Embrace A Stream is a matching grant program administered by Trout Unlimited that provides funds to local chapters and councils for coldwater fisheries conservation. Since its inception in 1975, the grant program has funded more than 1,000 individual projects for a total of $4.4 million in direct cash grants. Local chapters and councils contributed an additional $13 million in cash and in-kind services to EAS funded projects, for a total investment of more than $17 million. The Embrace A Stream Challenge is a new national online contest sponsored by Orvis and Trout Unlimited to connect people who care with a chance to support improvements to the rivers and streams in their communities.

“This year, more than 40 local Trout Unlimited chapters from across the country have brought forward plans to take care of the rivers that they love to fish,” said Russ Meyer, chairman of the Embrace A Stream grants committee, a group of Trout Unlimited volunteers who review and approve all grant applications. “The Embrace A Stream Challenge gives everyone in your community the chance to join us in supporting this important local project.”

The Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited serves more than 300 members in Southwestern Connecticut. Nutmeg TU works with partners to restore local rivers, engage area youth in outdoor education and protect trout streams that are a mere stone’s throw from Manhattan, specifically the towns of Fairfield, Westport, Weston, Easton, Redding, Trumbull, Monroe, Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford and Shelton.

Nutmeg TU meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month, September through May, at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport. They are open to the public free of charge. The Nov. 21 meeting features Greg Myerson, who holds the world record for the largest striped bass.

Trout Unlimited is the nation’s largest coldwater conservation organization, with more than 300,000 members and supporters dedicated to conserving, protecting, and restoring North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. Visit TU online at tu.org.

Written by NutmegTrout21727Oct, 2017

Local rivers stocked with trout

UPDATE: The Mill River, the Saugatuck River fly fishing area and the Mianus River TMA have all been stocked with trout, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reported on Nov. 1.

ORIGINAL POST: The Mill River in Fairfield and Saugatuck River in Westport should soon be stocked, according to the Connecticut Department of Fish & Wildlife. Most of the trout stocked will be rainbows, not browns as pictured.

Cooler weather has allowed the fall stocking program to get into full swing, according to the latest weekly fishing report. Click here to read it.

Stay up to date with daily stocking posts on Facebook, the DEEP’s interactive trout stocking map, and its stocking report.

Written by NutmegTrout21727Oct, 2017

Sewage spill soils Sunnyside Boat Ramp

The release of 5 million gallons of raw sewage into the Naugatuck River in Waterbury washed up at the Sunnyside Boat Ramp on the Housatonic River in Shelton Thursday, Oct. 26.

Dozens of fish were killed because of the spill, blamed on a power failure.

Heavy rains washed the sewage, which has been getting caught on rocks and the shore of the Naugatuck, into the Housatonic River.

Click here to read the Shelton Herald’s coverage.

Written by NutmegTrout21719Oct, 2017

State seeks input on water plan

The draft of the Connecticut State Water Plan has been available to the public for review and comment since late July. The state’s Water Planning Council is developing the plan to help provide planners, regulators and lawmakers with guidelines to make decisions on future water management policies, laws and regulations.

The council members say the input of citizens “is crucial to the development and implementation of the plan to ensure it is fair and effective at balancing the needs of all water users while protecting a valuable resource,” according to the WPC’s page at ct.gov.

A public information meeting will take place on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center, 10 Woodside Lane, Westport. It will be hosted by State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, (D-136th).

The public comment period will be open until Nov. 20. A copy of the draft plan and instructions on how to provide comments can be found at ct.gov/water.

Written by NutmegTrout21719Oct, 2017

Fish off Short Beach Saturday

Whether you use a fly rod or spinning gear, join Nutmeg TU at Short Beach in Stratford Saturday, Oct. 21, when we fish the mouth of the Housatonic River.

High tide is 1 p.m., so we’ll start fishing at 2 p.m. on the outgoing tide.

Park near the water, straight ahead from the entrance to the Short Beach restaurant.

The Mouth of the Housatonic, between Stratford and Milford, offers multiple species an excellent estuary. Access is easy from Short Beach.

We recommend Waders, Wading Stick, and Wading Boots as we plan to wade into the river for the best fishing spots. The water will also be getting colder so you should plan to bring and wear layers.

Fly fishing should bring an 8- 9-weight rod. Intermediate sinking lines are ideal or floating lines for poppers. Standard flies include Clousers, Deceivers and other Saltwater baitfish patterns.

RSVP by clicking here.

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection photo

Written by NutmegTrout21715Oct, 2017

State starts stocking salmon

Connecticut has begun its surplus broodstock Atlantic salmon stocking program for the fall.

To learn how to catch salmon locally, hear Ben Bilello speak at the Nutmeg TU general meeting Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport. Click here for more details.

Trout are also being stocked around the state, according to the Oct. 12 fishing report from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Written by NutmegTrout21709Oct, 2017

Volunteers clean the Saugatuck

Local volunteers cleaned the Saugatuck River Saturday, Sept. 16 as part of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

Participants in the cleanup, sponsored by the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), met at Patagonia in Westport (a supporter of Nutmeg TU’s activities) for a pep rally and safety instructions before making the short walk to the river to begin their cleanup.

During the hour of combing the banks of the Saugatuck River, 115 volunteers picked up more than 100 pounds of marine debris. Using the “Clean Swell” app to track the type and amount of debris collected, the volunteers logged more than 500 cigarette butts and 300 pieces of plastic as well as paper, food, food wrappers, cans, and an old street sign.

The husband-and-wife team of Richard and Margaret Hyman of Weston led a group of local high school students.

Click here to read coverage in The Weston Forum.

Written by NutmegTrout21709Oct, 2017

Fall trout stocking begins

In its most recent fishing report, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced that temperatures have cooled enough to allow fall trout stocking to being.

Click here to read the latest fishing report.

Stay up to date with daily stocking posts on Facebook, the DEEP’s interactive trout stocking map, and its stocking report.

Written by NutmegTrout21709Oct, 2017

Learn to catch big salmon in Connecticut

Ben Bilello, who speaks around the Northeast on salmon fishing, will talk about opportunities to catch big salmon close to home at the next meeting of the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

The meeting will take place at Port 5, 69 Brewster St. in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Pizza is available at the meeting, and beverages can be purchased from Port 5. You may RSVP here.

There will also be a presentation on the dangers presented when overheated runoff enters trout waters.

For Connecticut anglers, broodstock Atlantic salmon fishing is one most reliable ways to catch a large fish in fresh water. For anglers who fish for sea-run Atlantic salmon in Canada or Europe, the broodstock fishery is a good way to practice presentation close to home. For anglers new to Atlantic salmon fishing, this fishery is a great way to learn the techniques used to catch Atlantic salmon around the world.

Bilello is guiding Nutmeg members on two trips this fall, and information on scheduling a trip with him will be available at the meeting.

When he’s not behind a set of drums in a concert hall, jazz club, or recording studio, Ben Bilello can be found either on the water or behind the vise. While he’s an avid trout fisherman and fly tyer, Ben’s true fly fishing and tying passion is the Atlantic salmon. Ben has spent several seasons chasing sea-run Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Russia; landlocked Lake Ontario Atlantic salmon in New York and broodstock Atlantic salmon at home in Connecticut.

A collection of Ben’s classic and artistic salmon flies are featured in Michael Radencich’s book “Classic Salmon Fly Patterns: Over 1700 Patterns From the Golden Age of Tying.” Ben’s work can be seen at his website benbilello.com/salmonflies.

The DEEP is stocking local waters. (DEEP Photo)

Written by NutmegTrout21728Sep, 2017

High temperatures put stocking on hold

The state DEEP, in this week’s fishing report, says that fall stocking remains on hold due to the record warm temperatures early this week.

The DEEP is monitoring the conditions and as soon as possible, trucks will be stocking.

Stay up to date with daily stocking posts on Facebook, the DEEP’s interactive trout stocking map, and its stocking report.