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Written by NutmegTrout21708Oct, 2018

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

Written by NutmegTrout21713Sep, 2018

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.

Josh Lockwood, grandson of Nutmeg TU member Phil Jacques, landed this fish, held by Nutmeg TU member Dave Edgeworth, who guided the recent trip to the Farmington.

Written by NutmegTrout21716Jul, 2018

Nutmeg TU visits the Church Pool

Nutmeg TU member Dave Edgeworth recently led a trip to the Farmington River, starting at the famous Church Pool.

Josh Lockwood, grandson of Nutmeg TU member Phil Jacques, landed an 18-inch trout with a hook jaw, estimated to weigh about 2 pounds.

More outings on the Farmington are coming soon.

Tristan Wilgan is hooked up during Nutmeg TU's annual visit to the Limestone Club Wednesday, May 23.

Written by NutmegTrout21706Jun, 2018

Nutmeg visits Limestone Club

Nutmeg TU held its annual trip to the Limestone Club in Canaan, Conn., Wednesday, May 23.

Thanks to Limestone Trout Club for hosting Nutmeg Trout Unlimted’s annual day of fishing the Limestone ponds. A great time was had by everyone.

Special thanks to our Limestone host Dean Keister, who also put on a fish feeding demonstration to show us how they keep the trout at Limestone healthy and fed in still water ponds.

Also thanks to our lunchtime chef, Ken Sabol, both of Limestone and a member of Nutmeg Trout Unlimited, for a great meal.

The annual Limestone Trout Club trip is always well attended and highly anticipated and enjoyed. Limestone Trout Club is a great bargain to join for those looking to fish big trout. For more information and to check out their new and massively informative website go to www.LimestoneTroutClub.com.

If you missed Nutmeg member Ed Grzeda’s expert angling techniques at Limestone yesterday you can get another chance to learn from him this Saturday. Ed will be leading our fishing for stripers on the Housatonic this Saturday at 11 a.m. off the Audubon Center at Milford Point. For more information on joining this trip, and to sign up, go to https://www.nutmegtrout.org/fish-lower-housy-saturday/.

Written by NutmegTrout21706Jun, 2018

Nutmeg demos casting, awards rod at Monroe derby

Nutmeg TU members attended the 15th annual Monroe Police Fishing Derby Saturday, May 16, at Great Hollow Lake in Wolfe Park.

After Monroe Police awarded prizes to the kids who caught fish, the chapter held a drawing for a fly fishing combo. Jerry Goldstein presented the prize to the winners, the Gordon Family of Monroe.

Fred Lord led a fly casting demonstration, giving some hands-on instruction toAngelo Palange and Angelo Palange, Jr.

Nutmeg TU members and participants watch Fred Lord demonstrate fly casting at the 15th annual Monroe Police Children’s Fishing Derby.

Sonny Yu will explain catching shad with a fly rod at the next meeting of Nutmeg TU Tuesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Briidgeport.

Written by NutmegTrout21704May, 2018

Learn to fly fish for shad May 15

Sonny Yu will share his passion for Fly Fishing for American Shad at the next open meeting of the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited, 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport.

The talk is open to anglers of all styles, spin or fly, and one need not be a Trout Unlimited member to attend.

The annual American Shad run is historic in Connecticut and many anglers look forward to it each spring. The shad swim up the Connecticut River and its tributaries and anglers await opportunities to hook into these aggressive fish which would test their backing.

Sonny grew up fishing, and his love for the sport brought him to the Chicopee River in Western Massachusetts, where he encountered fly fishing and American shad. He purchased a fly rod combo, slowly learned the essentials of fly fishing, and never looked back.

Sonny has written an ebook to share his passion to chase American Shad with the fly rod. His ebook contains all the essential information which includes detailed instructions and maps to successfully catch shad with a single-handed or two-handed fly rod. In addition to his ebook, Sonny also offer shad flies and guide service during the shad run, and enjoys introducing others to the fishery.

At the end of the presentation, Sonny will hold a free drawing and one lucky angler will have a chance to win a copy of his ebook and a half dozen shad flies.

More information about Sonny Yu and his fishing adventures can be found through his website, http://www.flyfishingshad.blogspot.com./

Easton teens and Joel Barlow High School seniors Stephan Dow and Michael Waugh recently organized an led a cleanup of the Mill River. — Easton Courier

Written by NutmegTrout21704May, 2018

Easton teens clean Mill River

Two teenagers from Easton, both fly anglers and members of the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited, recently organized a cleanup of the Mill River.

Stephan Dow and Michael Waugh, with volunteers the recruited and led, removed some 360 pounds to trash from the river.

Click here to read a story from The Easton Courier.

Nutmeg TU thanks Stephan and Michael for their efforts.

Ryan Welsh and David Ader, who netted the fish, display Ryan's first trout and first fish on the fly rod during a Nutmeg TU outing in the Doc Skerlick Area of the Saugatuck River on March 31.

Written by NutmegTrout21727Apr, 2018

Good day on the Saugatuck

Nutmeg TU recently hosted one of its fishing trips, held almost monthly, this time on the Saugatuck River in Westport.

David Ader and John Kovach of Nutmeg led the trip, and father and son due of Joe and Ryan Welsh of Shelton both had success in the fly-only area along Ford Road.

Joe Welsh caught this brown during a Nutmeg TU outing on the Saugatuck River March 31.

Written by NutmegTrout21727Apr, 2018

Nutmeg TU board meets May 1

Want to help shape the present and future of Nutmeg TU? Come to the next Board of Directors meeting Tuesday, May 1, at 7 p.m. in the Shared Space Study Room at the Fairfield Library, 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield.

The board plans the programs, speakers, cleanups, fishing trips and other activities of Nutmeg TU. Help is needed in all aspects of running the chapter, and on levels from volunteer to coordination to chairman.

Contact President Rich Rosen at rhrosen@aol.com for more information.

Board meetings are over by 9 p.m. and are held the first Tuesday of the month.

Written by NutmegTrout21705Apr, 2018

Casting clinic, cleanup, celebration Saturday

Whether you can volunteer for an hour, the day, or just want to check out the events, join Nutmeg TU at the Pequonnock River Fest at Beardsley Park in Bridgeport on World Fish Migration Day, Saturday, April 21, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. We just really want people to see the grounds, the fish ladder, the river and the environment we’re working on, and learn to cast and fish a little.

Nutmeg TU President Rich Rosen outlined events in a letter:

Hi all,

On Saturday April 21, Nutmeg Trout Unlimited and Beardsley Zoo are holding a Pequonnock River Festival in celebration of World Fish Migration Day.

Volunteers are needed to make this day a great success.

At 9:00 am we will meet at Beardsley Zoo’s Hanson Pavilion and fan out from there to start the cleanup. (Tree planters will be starting at 8:00). Hanson Pavilion is inside and to the right of Beardsley Zoo’s parking area.

Nutmeg TU activities include a Pequonnock River Cleanup, Nature Walk/Insect Discovery, Fly Casting Clinic and Fishing. The Zoo’s activities include Tree Planting, Fish Ladder Tours and a Birds of Prey Encounter.We need your help to volunteer. If we have enough volunteers we can add additional kid-friendly activities. If you can volunteer for the day, or part of it, please email me with your contact information and when you can volunteer.

Here is our World Fish Migration Day schedule of activities:

- 8-10:30 a.m.: Tree Planting: Led by Zoo volunteers (CDC) & GroundWorks Bridgeport.
- 9-10:30 a.m.: Pequonnock River clean-up: Led by Nutmeg TU
  - - - Beardsley Park (starting at the island and moving north).
- 9:30 (or 10), 10:30, 11:30: Tours of Fish Ladder in small groups, led by the Zoo.
- 10:30-11:00 AM: Pequonnock River Nature Walk – led by TU
  - - - Includes Study of River Macroinvertebrates & how they relate to River Health & Fishing
        (Macroinvertebrates are flatworms, crayfish, snails, clams and insects & more)
- 11-11:15 AM: Birds of prey Animal Encounter – led by the Zoo.
- 11:15-12 PM:
  - Fly Casting workshop (or straight to fishing for the experts) – led by TU.
  - Backyard Bass (CDC volunteers)
- 12-1 PM: Fishing (fishing can continue after 1 but TU volunteers may leave) – led by TU.

If you are interested in volunteering please email me at rhrosen@aol.com and let me know which activity you want to help with. We also need volunteers to tie some Wooly Buggers for the fishing session. Wooly Buggers can be brought on the 21st or to our next chapter meeting on April 17th.

This is a day for fun and learning. Bring your spouses and kids and to celebrate and enjoy the Pequonnock River.

Regards,

Rich Rosen

President

Nutmeg Trout Unlimited