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Latest Bites - October 2019
Get your 2019 Fishing Licenses  online anytime .  100% of your investment in licenses, tags, permits, and stamps comes to the Bureau of Natural Resources in support of Fisheries and Wildlife programs. 

Another NEW Bowfin State Record - Congratulations Jack Dugay (detail below).

Fall Trout Stocking is underway.  The Fisheries Division is stocking 60,000 trout this fall (as environmental conditions permit). Keep in touch via the current stocking report, Facebook, or by the interactive trout stocking map.

Opening Day for the Tautog (Blackfish) fall season is Thursday, October 10.

Stay alive to fish another day with Life Jacket Safety Tips from Captain Keith Williams of CT EnCon Police.

Some of you may have recently become aware of an online survey being conducted by researchers at UConn and CT Sea Grant concerning tautog recreational fishing regulations in Long Island Sound. While CT DEEP supports this research project and encourages CT anglers to participate, we would like to assure anglers that there are no plans to change tautog regulations in the near future. Current regulations will remain in place until the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission conducts its next tautog stock assessment (currently scheduled for 2021). If you have questions about the survey, or would like to take the survey, please contact Eric Schultz at eric.schultz@uconn.edu  

Fishing Guide Cover Contest Deadline is November 1.  The last chance to enter your family fishing shot to make the cover of the 2020 Fishing Guide is coming soon.  Don't delay- email your high quality, colorful, and exciting photo to deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov
 

Trout and Salmon Fishermen 
We Want to Hear From You!

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (DEEP) Fisheries Division is pleased to invite all interested people to attend one of the public discussions focused on the State's recreational trout and salmon fisheries. The purpose of the meeting is to obtain ideas and concerns specific to recreational fishing for trout and salmon via face-to-face conversation.

"Informed conversations between our passionate and loyal anglers and the Fisheries Division are essential to ensuring we are managing these fisheries in the most relevant and meaningful manner, consistent with the preferences and desires of the people we serve," said Peter Aarrestad, Director of DEEP's Fisheries Division.

Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation about the Fisheries Division's management of trout and salmon to date and then expand to discussion on four key focal points related to trout and salmon fishing:
  • What makes a good fishing trip?
  • What is the Fisheries Division doing well?
  • Where can the Fisheries Division improve?
  • What actions could be taken to increase the number people fishing?
All people are encouraged to provide their perspectives. At the conclusion of all of the meetings, comments will be compiled and considered to help inform the Fisheries Division's development of a statewide trout and salmon action plan.
To help determine the level of attendance and ensure sufficient accommodations for all, we are asking likely attendees to RSVP in advance using the link for the corresponding meeting. RSVP can also be made by calling the Fisheries Division at 860-424-3474 or by email to mike.beauchene@ct.gov

Doors will open 30 minute prior to the start of each meeting.

October 5 @ Quinebaug State Trout Hatchery, 3-5 pm RSVP  There will be an optional behind the scenes tour starting at 1:30- meet in the Hatchery lobby.

October 7 @ Sessions Woods WMA Burlington, 7-9 pm RSVP

October 10 @ CT Forest and Park Assoc., Middlefield, 7-9 pm RSVP

October 18 @  Quinebaug State Trout Hatchery, 3-5 pm RSVP

October 21 @ Kellogg Environmental Center, 7-9 pm RSVP

October 22 @ Franklin Swamp WMA, Franklin, 7-9 pm RSVP

Land Your Family on the 2020 Fishing Guide Cover
Deadline is November 1
We are currently looking for the best "Family Fishing" photo for the cover of the 2020 CT DEEP Fishing Guide.  Please visit our web page for  contest details.  Photos to contend for the cover should be high resolution, colorful, and represent the great fishing Connecticut has to offer.  We especially want to see the family together as a group in the photo.  Email your entries to deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov 
TIPs of the Month!
False Albacore/Bonito  Luckily for us, each fall beginning in August anglers along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coast have two fish species closely related to the larger members of the tuna family accessible near shore - False Albacore and Atlantic Bonito. Don't let their smaller size fool you! I n a matter of seconds, t hese fast swimmers can leave even a seasoned angler "spooled" and in disbelief. Regardless, fishing for these speedsters requires very little specialized gear, so here are some tips that will help tip the odds in your favor.

Both spinning gear and fly gear can be used effectively. As with tuna, these fish have very keen vision so use of fluorocarbon leader is a must with 15 to 20 pound test being sufficient. 

Spinning rods should be in the 7 foot range and light enough to be able to cast lightweight lures such as Deadly Dick, Hopkins or any number of slim profile lures designed to mimic anchovies as this is their favorite food. Spin fishermen can also gain a bit of advantage by using a casting bubble which will allow a fly to be attached to end of the leader. Fly guys are fine with an 8 to 10 weight outfit and in most cases an intermediate sink line is fine. If you are fly fishing you will want a reel with an excellent drag and plenty of backing as a 10 pound Albie can make a couple hundred yards of line disappear in very short order.

Find the bait and the birds and you'll find the fish. This can be easier said than done, but you can up your odds with some time on the water and a little knowledge of your local area. Look for areas like breachway mouths, break walls, steep beaches and pronounced points or areas that concentrate current and often, concentrate bait fish. And, when the anchovies are around, you will want to mimic this species as closely as possible because even at 20 miles per hour, these fish can be picky. If you see fish come up and refuse your fly or lure as they often do, try dropping down in size, change color or change the speed of your retrieve.
 
Blackfish (Tautog) stick close to various types of structure, such as boulders, reefs, jetties, and wrecks. To catch them, you will need to find good structure and get your bait right on top of it. It helps to be impatient here - if tautog are around and hungry they usually won't be shy. This means that if you aren't getting any bites after a few casts it's time to move on.

Tautog are exceptionally strong fighters. Given the chance, they will pull your rig into nearby structure and break your line in the process. For this reason, a strong and stout medium to fast action rod is your best bet for getting them in the net. A popular setup is a basic two-hook rig baited with green crabs, which are readily available at most bait and tackle shops during the fall. For line, 30 - 50 lb braid with a heavy monofilament or fluorocarbon leader will help you pull fish out of jagged rocks and boulders with a tightly set drag.

The fall season in Connecticut opens on October 10 and runs until November 28.  Each fisherman can keep 3 fish per day provided they are at least 16 inches in length.  Good luck and Good eats!
Fishing Spot of the Month
The Housatonic River is known as one of Connecticut's iconic trout fishing rivers.  Winding it's way south from the Massachusetts border to Long Island Sound, the "Housy" has something for everyone.  October is arguably the best time of year to spend a day (or more) on the River.  Route 7 parallels the river providing scenic vistas of the valley it has carved.  Other activities include hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail, visiting Kent Falls State Park and Great Falls, a natural drop in river elevation and a spectacular cascading waterfall.  

The fishing is equally, if not more impressive.  The river has a variety of character from slow impoundments harboring Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Common Carp to brisk white water and rapids that are home to Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout.  There is a fly fishing only section as well as catch and release for trout and/or bass in the corresponding management area.     
New State Record Bowfin
They say "records are made to be broken," definitely true for the state record Bowfin during 2019.  On September 15, Jack Dugay landed this 9.0 pound and 29.5 inch Bowfin from the Connecticut River in Glastonbury.  We have had several records this year, each eclipsing the previous fish.  Congratulations to Jack (for now -LOL).
Youth Fishing Passport's Fishing Challenge
There is still plenty of great fishing to be had and time to get or renew the Youth Fishing Passport for your budding fisher-folk under the age of 16.  The Fishing Challenge is a scavenger hunt to see if you can catch all of the fish on the scorecard.  Email your successful catches along with the angler's conservation ID to get credit.  The Top 4 (most number of species on the scorecard) will be acknowledged at our annual angler recognition ceremony. 
Youth Fishing Passport
2019 Fishing Guide in Espanol
The Fishing Guide for 2019 has been printed in Spanish and is now available at many locations around the state or online.
This Month's Mystery Fish 
Email your guess to DEEP.inland.fisheries@ct.gov 
The Trout and Salmon Stamp
With approval by the Legislative Regulations Review Committee on February 27, 2018, Connecticut has a Trout and Salmon Stamp.  100% of the money invested in this stamp is guaranteed to support fisheries programs.  Please visit our FAQ page or email deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov with questions.  A summary is provided below.

Anyone age 16 or older including everyone who is age 65 or older who chooses to do one or both of the following must purchase a trout and salmon stamp:

1. FISH in one of the following areas:  Trout Park, Trout Management Area, Wild Trout Management Area, or a Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Area.

2. HARVEST (keep) trout, Kokanee Salmon, or Atlantic Salmon anywhere in the state (except for waters stocked at no expense to the state).

The fee is $5.00 for age 18 and older and $3.00 for those 16-17.  The stamp is good for the calendar year (expires on December 31).

The Trout and Salmon Stamp will print on your fishing license as an additional privilege.
Mystery Fish Revealed
Last month's  Mystery Fish  was the Grey Trigger Fish (Balistes capriscus). The Grey Triggerfish occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia (Canada), southeast to Bermuda, and south to Argentina, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico. Preferring hard bottoms, reefs, and ledges, the Grey T riggerfish can weigh up to 13 pounds and grow to a maximum length of approximately 30 inches.  "Triggers" feed primarily on benthic invertebrates such as shrimp, crabs, sea urchins, and bivalve mollusks using their  strong jaw and specialized teeth to crush and chisel holes in their hard-shelled prey.
License Fees Fund Hunting & Fishing Programs

Each time you purchase a license your contribution goes to support hunting, fishing, and open space right here in CT. 

So, the next time you see a bald eagle, harvest a white-tail, pheasant, or turkey, or catch a brown trout or striped bass, give yourself and your fellow sportsmen a pat on the back!

You are making a difference and we thank you for your support!
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