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Written by NutmegTrout21712Apr, 2015

Pizza and movie night April 21

Nutmeg TU will hold pizza and movie night Tuesday, April 21, at 7 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport.

The movie will be Once in a Blue Moon.

Once in a Blue Moon unravels the mystery of an event that occurs briefly once a decade. This strange and unreal journey takes us into some of the most remote and beautiful parts of New Zealand as we follow one angler on the fly fishing adventure of a lifetime and a quest to document and unravel a childhood mystery. As part of an unpredictable chain of events, a mass flowering of the ancient New Zealand Beech forest leads to an excess of seed production. Mice and rodents fuel on this abundance and reproduce in numbers reaching plague proportions. Incredible footage follows these rodents as they then embark on a strange migration, attempting to swim across the expanse of New Zealand’s rivers and lakes. There they fall prey to the largest predators in the lake – monster Brown trout. Gorging themselves on swimming mice, these fish become extremely aggressive and grow to epic proportions. For a fly fishing angler, this is the stuff dreams are made of. This bizarre phenomenon has remained a mystery…until now. Stunning cinematography, never before seen underwater footage, fantastic fly-fishing and amazing trout behavior will take you deep into the tale of the fabulous and mysterious “Mouse Year.”

Written by NutmegTrout21701Mar, 2015

Next meeting to be held March 24

Due to the third Tuesday of this month falling on St. Patrick’s Day, March’s membership meeting will move to the fourth Tuesday of the month, March 24, 2015. This change only affects this March’s meeting.

Mike Humphreys DEEP Inland Fisheries Biologist for the western district, our district, will speak. Of most interest to our chapter, he will present findings from his 5 year study of the effects on trout survival in the Housatonic TMAs from run of the river and different stocking programs, and changes in wild trout management areas, which will include planned changes to the regulations governing sections of the Mill River. Mike will also discuss the Farmington River.

This should be a most informative meeting. Please update your calendars with the change to March 24, 2015 for this meeting. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Port 5 in Bridgeport

Written by NutmegTrout21708Feb, 2015

Open up to tube flies Feb. 17

Salmon fishing expert Ben Bilello will open our eyes to tube flies at the next Nutmeg TU meeting Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St, Bridgeport.

European anglers have used tube flies for decades. Despite their advantages, tubes are much less frequently used in North America. As time goes on, tube flies are becoming more popular in our fresh and saltwater fisheries. This presentation will outline when, where and how to use tube flies.

Topics include:

Tube fly advantages
Comparisons of tube/hook sizes and weights
Tube fly styles
Fishing surface and subsurface tubes
Hook selection
Rigging
Tube fly and hook storage
Tube fly tying tools and materials
Tying tips and techniques

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 pursued wild Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Russia; landlocked salmon in New York and Vermont, and broodstock Atlantic salmon 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,” the largest illustrated compendium of Atlantic salmon flies published to date.

Ben’s work can be seen at his website www.benbilello.com/salmonflies and on his salmon fly blog www.theleaper.blogspot.com.

Ian-Scott Devlin will talk about stripers and salt water fishing equipment and tactics at the Dec. 16 meeting of Nutmeg TU.

Written by NutmegTrout21703Dec, 2014

Devlin shares striper secrets Dec. 16

Ian Devlin will share his knowledge of striper fishing in the Housatonic and salt water fishing in the Sound at the Nutmeg Trout Unlimited meeting Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St, Bridgeport.

If there is time after the presentation, Ian also would like to give an in-depth overview of fly lines (tapers, stiffness/limpness for different temperatures), and when to use a line that floats or sinks or something in between. Proper leader tapers and construction/knots for saltwater angling may also be covered.

Ian has been a guide for more than 20 years in both Florida and Connecticut, specializing in fly casting and plug. He holds a current fly rod world record for bluefish caught in 1999 on 20 pound weight tippet.

He has worked in fly fishing retail for more than 25 years including four different shops in both Connecticut and Florida.

Lou Tabory certified Ian as a FFF fly casting instructor in 1996. He learned to routinely cast 100 foot or more at the early age of 15 years old.

His Devil N’ Blends synthetic blend fibers that he makes since 2000 have been purchased by people from all over the planet (literally South America, Australia, Europe, Japan, and all over the USA). He has been tying flies for warm freshwater, and mostly saltwater since for many years.

He is a keen observer of the various skiff types and is designing his skiff from scratch; likely his biggest project to date.

He has also developed fly rods for G. Loomis.

Photography is becoming more than a pastime, and he plans to integrate it into more trips.

Ian is an avid birder and nature enthusiast, and recognizes the value of coastal cleanups.

Lastly, Ian tends to think outside the box and often tries new ideas keep him on a progressive path to innovation.

Written by NutmegTrout21715May, 2014

Jimmy O to talk rigging May 20

Jimmy O of Jimmy O’s Bait & Tackle talk about rigging gear for salt water fishing final general meeting of the season for the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited Tuesday, May 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport. The meeting will include hands-on demonstrations.

Pizza and raffle tickets will be sold at the meeting.

Jimmy O talked about striper fishing at the April 15 meeting. The May 20 meeting is not a continuation, and you need not have attended April’s talk to enjoy and learn on May 20

James Orifice, sole proprietor of Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport has been serving the marine industry for over 20 years. Since its inception in 2001, Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle has grown to become a resource for year round fishing needs by offering an assortment of competitively priced fresh and saltwater bait and tackle. Our inventory includes a variety of fresh, frozen, and offshore bait, saltwater and freshwater rods from different manufacturers, reels, rod and reel combos, line and leader products, a large selection of lures and jigs, terminal tackle, lure bags/tackle boxes, accessories such as cutters, pliers and knives, nets, and traps. Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle also operates as an official weigh station along with fishing license registration services.

As a longtime Fairfield native, Mr. Orifice possesses an in-depth knowledge of the area and is often referred to for his expert advice. Over the years, Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle has fostered strong ties to the community and has been involved in numerous youth fishing derbies in the town of Fairfield. Additionally, Mr. Orifice has held many position titles such as past President of the Westport Striped Bass Club, past Commander of the Bridgeport Boat Owners Association, affiliation with the Fairfield Boat Owners Association as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Parks and Recreation from Southern Connecticut State University.

The success of Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle is attributed to a fundamental business philosophy that is customer oriented. Jimmy O’s Bait and Tackle continuously expands its inventory to appeal to a broad base of customers and strives to provide the latest fishing equipment and accessories.

Jimmy O’s Bait & Tackle recently moved to 3295 Fairfield Ave. in Bridgeport.

More information can be found at the store’s Facebook page.

Lou Zambello will discuss “Tactics to Successfully Fly Fish each of the Northern New England Seasons” at the March 18 meeting of Nutmeg TU.

Written by NutmegTrout21702Mar, 2014

Zambello to share tips on fishing New England’s seasons

Maine guide and author Lou Zambello will travel to Connecticut Tuesday, March 18, to discuss “Tactics to Successfully Fly Fish each of the Northern New England Seasons” at the next meeting of the Nutmeg Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Port 5 Naval Veterans, 69 Brewster St., in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport. Like all Nutmeg TU meetings, Zambello’s talk is open to the public.

Zambello recently published a book, “Flyfishing Northern New England’s Seasons,” available at amazon.com.

Zambello has fly fished northern New England for more than 30 years and has been a registered Maine Guide for over 10 years, guiding primarily in the Rangeley area.

He worked at LL Bean for more than 14 years and got the opportunity to fish with and learn from a number of fly fishing legends, such as Dave Whitlock and Dick Talleur.

He has traveled throughout the United States and the world to pursue his passion including Labrador, Newfoundland, Russia, the Bahamas, the Southeast U.S., Southwest U.S., Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and other destinations.

Lou writes a monthly column for the Maine Sportsman magazine and will soon appear in other fly fishing magazines.

He has several other book projects in the works including a how-to catch trophy brook trout book.

Lou has been fortunate enough to catch a number of salmonids exceeding 8 pounds, including brook trout, Atlantic salmon, brown trout, steelhead and rainbow trout.

Lou’s wife, Lindsey, and their three children all fly fish.

More information about Lou Zambello can be found at http://www.mainelyflyfishing.com.

Information about Nutmeg TU Chapter 217 can be found at nutmegtrout.org.

Written by NutmegTrout21713Nov, 2013

Nymphing demystified on Nov. 19

Bill Keister will take the mystery out of using nymphs to catch trout at the Nov. 19 meeting of Nutmeg Trout Unlimited 217.

The meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Port 5 Naval Veterans, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport.

“Is nymphing a mystery? Could your nymphing be more effective?” Keister writes. “The presentation is conducted as workshop where interaction is encouraged. The program starts with definitions and explanations of long line and high stick nymphing. Particularly effective flies are described. Rods, lines, leaders, strike indicators and methods to get flies down are covered. The importance of drag free drifts is explained. The causes of drag are described. Casts and method for eliminating drag are covered. Questions will be answered at any time during the presentation.”

Bill Keister is a Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) certified Master Casting Instructor (MCI). He ties his own flies and makes most of his fly rods. He has caught trout and salmon in Labrador, Newfoundland, Kamchatka, the Kola Peninsula, Alaska, Chile and three additional Canadian provinces and fifteen US states. Each spring he catches 200 to 300 fish nymphing on Connecticut’s Salmon River.

Written by NutmegTrout21706Oct, 2013

Nutmeg TU meets Oct. 15

Nutmeg TU 217 will resume regular meetings Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at Port 5 in Bridgeport.

Chris Cryder, Special Projects Coordinator for Save the Sound, will discuss “The Forage Fish that Feed the Sound’s Ecosystem.”

Connecticut, Cryder said, is a leader in opening riverine habitat for migrating forage fish such as river herring and shad. To date, 43 fish ladders have been built (such as Save the Sound’s latest on the Pequonnock) and 12 dams have been removed.

However, when the juvenile river herring that are born in Connecticut rivers and streams return to the ocean to mature, they are being incidentally caught and killed in great numbers in the commercial trawling industry for Atlantic herring. There are methods that can be employed to minimize the bycatch of river herring, but currently forage fish do not have adequate protections under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the law that governs fisheries in U.S. Waters.

“We believe this needs to change,” Cryder said.

Nutmeg TU members will learn about the status of forage fish in Connecticut, hear updates on restoration work on the Pequonnock River (and others), and hear how they can assist with strengthening the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Chris Cryder has worked for Save the Sound, a program of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, for the past seven years. He has managed habitat restoration and green infrastructure projects, and has coordinated land preservation and watershed planning initiatives. He coordinated the Pequonnock River Initiative in 2010-11, which resulted in the creation of an EPA watershed-based plan for the river.

Cryder has a biology degree from The Pennsylvania State University, and a master of health services administration from The George Washington University.

He resides in Old Saybrook.

A blog by Cryder can be found at http://greencitiesbluewaters.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/the-forage-fish-that-feed-the-sounds-ecosystem.

Antoine Bissieux, “The French Flyfisherman”

Written by NutmegTrout21708Mar, 2013

Learn nymphing with ‘The French Flyfisherman’ March 19

Antoine Bissieux, “The French Flyfisherman” will discuss fising with nymphs at the next meeting of Nutmeg TU Chapter 217 Tuesday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at Port 5.

A 2012 Orvis-endorsed guide, Bissieux leads fly fishing trips on the Farmington River in Connecticut, the Battenkill River in Vermont, and other places where you can cast at a fish.

After teaching thousands of beginner anglers and guiding at the Orvis fly fishing flagship school in Manchester, Vt., he now focuses on the Farmington, offering guided trips, classes, instruction all catered to each fisherman’s expectations. All levels and abilities are welcome.

The French Fisherman can also be heard on National Public Radio.

More information can be found a bissieux.com.

Written by NutmegTrout21725Feb, 2013

Nutmeg TU explores veterans service project

Nutmeg TU is looking for volunteers to help take veterans fishing.

National is launching TU’s Veterans Service Program, involving those who have served the country in conservation projects and fly fishing instruction.

Currently there is a program called Take a Vet Fishing at First Branford Congregational (www.firstcongregationalbranford.org/vets.html), led primarily by Hammonasset TU volunteers. That meets quite a distance from Fairfield County; they have so many vets go there for winter fly tying and for warmer-season fishing that they have a constant need of volunteers.

On Thursday, Feb/ 21, from 10 a.m. to noon, voluuntters from the Farmington Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited will be joined by volunteers from Candlewood Valley TU in the third floor conference room at the Newington Health Center of the Veterans Affairs, 555 Willard Ave.Newington, CT (860-666-6951). Anyone interested should contact Gian Morresi at 203-763-4015 or gmorresi@gmail.com.

Port 5 Naval Veterans, new home of Nutmeg TU meetings (see related story) takes blind veterans fishing once a year.