G lacial Connecticut

A lot happened this past weekend, not all good, but I shall spare the bad and post the good.  My fiance and I moved to Portland, CT this past September and I'll just say don't move to this town, it's no good, and also don't eat apple pie it's no good too.  After talking about hiking great hill which overlooks great hill pond for months, we finally said let just do it.  Our hesitation initially rested upon the fact that we did not know where the trail head was, and on Friday we would also be dog sitting for a pudgy King Charles Cavalier named 'Charlie".  After locating the trail head, we both agreed if Charlie was showing signs of exhaustion we would simply turn around and hike to the look-out at a later date.  Fat Charlie could not wait, his excitement to be outside was immeasurable.  Yes, he was panting before the hike began, but only with anticipation of going somewhere.  He knows that look, and once he sees it, there is no turning back.  

The trail head greets you with a dedication to the founder of the trail and parks of Portland, CT as part of an initiative to protect beautiful land in the United States headed by President Roosevelt.  I have to thank our past President for not allowing it to be turned into a massive rock-crushing site as Great Hill was Glacially stripped down to its granite core.  The proof is in the gravel road (unpaved) leading to the base of the hill/mountain.  With Charlie now hooked into his leash, we were off on the pleasant and flat trail as the base of the hill.  Note: flat entrance trails always mean steep mountain trails.  As we approached the first mountain spring, Laura (fiance) picked Charlie up to avoid getting his long white coat all muddy.  About 100' down the trail, we came to the next spring, set with stepping stones to navigate the otherwise deep black mud.  Laura asked do you think if I guide him over here he can... and Charlie was knee deep in the mud pushing forward with no regard to Laura's rear seat tidiness.  She looked at me with the awe-f-it face and we continued on.  We crossed a number of other muddy areas before the ascent, and Charlie was well on his way to being the happiest dog on earth.  I said to her, I don't always walk dogs, but when I do, I walk the dirtiest dogs on earth.

Laura and Charlie at the Lookout

Charlie, huffed and puffed his way up the steep climb to the top.  He stopped only to greet another couple on their way down, who said, "I hear panting."  But his greeting was brief as he was determined to get to the lookout.  He did not hesitate at all, pushing the whole way.  I give that chubby dog a lot a credit, he maintained his excitement all the way up, and would do so on the way back home.

The top of Great Hill, opens up nicely with views to the South as pictured of United Aircraft's Pier extending out into the Connecticut River, the cut-out just behind it being Hurd State Park, and the Second point on the East being George Dudley Seymour State Park.  To the west you can see most of downtown Middletown including the Arrigoni Bridge.  Definitely, a pleasant surpire in our own backyard.  There are many more trails to explore in the area and I'm certain they hold some more treasures that will be discovered in the near future.

Saturday, I had invited my little brother Andy over to go fly-fishing in the morning.  He had an outfit of fly gear from my Uncle Dave a guide and awesome fly fisherman.  So the outfit was nothing short of awesome gear, however the point was that Andy was going on his first river, with no experience, and the goal for me was to get him to catch 1 fish.  Based on the success I had on the Salmon river the weekend before I decided it would be the best fit for this objective.  I drove us into the TMA area, passing the lines of cars along the paved section of this river onto the dirt access road to a less fished area.  The lack of rain has certainly lowered the water levels, even more than my last post, and spots that had been pools holding trout were no longer holding trout.  Regardless, we would fish the area anyways, I wanted Andy to understand some key things about fishing rivers with the fly rod.  

First I discussed fishy waters, rapids, mid stream rocks, cuts, pools, and the like and how to get your fly into each.  Secondly I talked about how to do this with minimum effort, while maximizing the time his fly could spend in each area.  The river is your friend, and it is your enemy.  I told him, your waders enable you, especially with the water as low as it is to position yourself in the best spots to target certain areas of the river. I had him experiment with three presentations, and he took to it much quicker than I expected.  Within the first hour, he had two strikes but no fish.  

Andy using the current to present his fly

We would witness two separate hatches that resembled snow flurries.  During the second hatch, Andy hooked into the only trout of the day, a 12" rainbow, not huge but beautiful and important because it was the first.  He was able to touch it but it came off on its own at his feet.  Although the trout were not cooperating, we managed nearly twenty Atlantic salmon in the fast sections and had a blast watching these fish attack our offerings.  The last pool we fished was deep and slow, typically over-fished but we gave it a shot anyways.  I had Andy fish it completely from from to back, he ignored the first section despite the rising trout but I wanted him to fish it the way he wanted to.  He moved all the way to the end of the pool just before the rapids began and made a good cast perpendicular to the current and let his fly swing down current.  I heard him yell, "Oh take it, take it, Awwwwww, I pulled it out, he had his mouth open and I pulled it away anticipating the strike."  ... "Matt, cast right there, it's huge, it's freakin' huge."  I passed on the fish, and could only think maybe something good is about to begin.  Here, is the second hatch in video format that we witnessed during the day.

After the near hit, we talked about the day for a little bit, and made our way back to the car.  We had sandwiches on our minds, and well deserved as we had unknowingly fished for six hours.  We both thought it would be eleven a.m. when in fact it was 1:30p.m.  We were both hungry bears, and devoured sandwiches and salad back at home.  After a rest, we would try casting for bluegills at great hill pond with my friend Evan.  It would make for a great balance for Andy, as Evan had taught me how to fly fish almost six years ago.  

Poppers in the Spring.  I can't say enough about top water baits.  I don't care what you are catching, but anything top-water is nothing short of awesome.  As Dick Vitale would say, "Are you serious!"  "Ohhhhhhh, Ohhhhhh, OHHHH!" Top water baits are that much fun, and a (newly renamed) Bluegill-fin-tuna or Bluegill Marlin are the ticket to a great time during early Spring fishing.

Bluegill-fin-Tuna hate Poppers!

The Hump

Being educated on something is to see that thing in a more intimate and comfortable way.  That something could be an idea, a hobby, an issue in society, etc. but until we become educated in some respect about that idea or issue we remain distant, reluctant, and unwilling.  So how does this relate to fishing?  We just grab a rod and go right?  March on down to the old pond and cast a wormed-up hook out there with our trusty red and white bobber, right?  Maybe... 

I don't see fishing as being that simple, and I haven't for many years.  The "hump" I am referring to has nothing to do with some piece of structure located by our fishing electronics, and it is certainly not holding fish.  Rather, the "hump" is a knowledge gap which invariably gets in the way of actually going fishing in a new way.  Here's an example,  I am comfortable fishing for bass, pike, and trout.  I am not as comfortable fishing for striped bass, or fishing in general on large rivers, however I want to fish for striped bass, from the surf, or in the river.  So I get ready to do this, plan everything, get all my tackle ready, lures, lines, leaders all those things so nothing goes wrong at least mechanically... and then I find myself fishing for pike, bass, or trout because it is comfortable, because I am educated on it.

The information gap for me has to do with a couple factors.  My father taught me how to fish for trout and bass in fresh water.  I am grateful for this and will always be.  I learned to fish for northern pike because they were in the same water as the smallmouth bass I fished for growing up, but the transition to salt water has been more difficult because I lack the information base of a mentor and plainly speaking I am not familiar with it.  Another major factor is the perception of ourselves doing something we are unfamiliar with.  One huge hurdle was learning how to fly fish, telling myself, it is okay to look like an idiot on the water.  Yes, I was the guy with fly line tangled over my back because I didn't really know how to cast, but I got over that hump.

This year I am setting a goal to fish out of my comfort zone.  I recently joined the Connecticut Surfcasters Association in hopes of meeting a few people that can help me get over the "hump" and teach me some techniques, educating me on Striped bass fishing.  I am willing to learn, and willing to put in the time. 

Spring Fling

It has been one month since CT DEEP began the 2012 trout stocks across the state, and with the water levels the lowest I have seen during any end of Winter beginning of Spring period makes for an excellent opportunity to get out of the house and get a line wet.  Over the past two weeks, I have visited the Salmon River TMA four times as well as the Hockanum TMA just one outting.  With Day-light savings in effect, do not dismiss after work hours, even if it is just one hour.  Bottom line, the fishing is red hot, and  so are the hatches coming off the water.  Here are the numbers posted by CT DEEP last month.

(2/17) the Salmon River TMA (2,170 fish) and the Yantic River TMA (1,500 fish) in eastern CT were stocked. The Moosup River TMA (800 fish), Hockanum river TMA (1,200 fish), Willimantic River TMA (815 fish) and the Hammonasset river TMA (1,410 fish) in eastern CT and the Naugatuck River TMA (1,450 fish), Sleeping Giant TMA (Mill River-Hamden, 1,050 fish) and the Mianus River TMA (1,160 fish) in western CT were stocked.

Morning Icicles Along the Salmon River

I would not hesitate to visit any of these Trout Management Areas (TMA), the numbers point to the Salmon River but you may wish to visit any of the others especially on a Saturday if you wish to keep the crowds to a minimum.  The weather has been awesome this past week, and the week ahead looks like it will easily rival all time warm temps for March.  One thing to consider for your outing is to dress for 5-10 degrees cooler temperatures, morning and evening temperatures are significantly cooler at this time of year, and most rivers tend to be in valleys (which is why there is a river there) that trap cooler air and the water temps remain at or below the 50 degree mark.  Shedding a layer in your vehicle is a lot easier than not bringing a fleece or coat left at home.  Just a handy tip, I have been using a pair of work gloves that I modified by cutting off the finger tips at the first knuckle for hand warmth and the dexterity to make a good fly-cast.  They are similar to the G-Tek nitrile palm coated nylon gloves, extremely thin and flexible, quick drying, and around 6 or 7 dollars at your local hardware store.

The Salmon River TMA spans from the CT Rte 16 bridge in Colchester upstream along the comstock bridge road, continueing along river road (a gravel road which is seasonally open) to where this road makes a 90 degree turn away from the river.  This stretch offers an excellent variety of trout fishing opportunities, from mild rapids, pools, and pocket water throughout this rock and boulder strewn river.
Pictured to the left the water levels are extremely low, but despite the low levels the fish are hungry!


The only fly I have been using has been a bead head woolly bugger.  It's body is tied in red with olive tail and hackle, and a small weighted head.  Fly casts across moving water have proved most effective, as long as that rapid is the closest to you. By casting across a rapid you can use your rod to lift or drop the line to create a different presentation of the fly.  Depending on the speed of that rapid you might want to lift your rod tip if it is extremely fast or drop it to utilize a slower current. My mind set has been if it looks fishy, it probably is.  If you cannot see the bottom, it probably is holding multiple fish.  If it is a rock with current on both sides, it is probably holding fish.  And if fast water meet slow water or vise-versa it is definitely holding fish.  Do not count out any spot as holding only one fish, even a single rock or boulder can hold and sustain the appetite of more than one trout.  I found three deeper pools that have a good current in them that have produced 10 plus fish.  By fish I do not mean netted fish, but certainly at least 10 opportunities to hook one.  The other method I have employed is to get on top of a rapid a rod length upstream of a boulder usually to one side of it also the length of your fly rod.  I then drop my fly into the water and work it down stream at ten second intervals.  By holding it suspended in the water it gives the trout time to determine that, yes, this is food and they will strike.  Often while holding it in one place for a while, if you are dropping the fly down stream 2-5 feet depending on structure they will strike on the sudden movement backwards.  So, watch your main fly line where it meets the water for a sudden pull downward, it is a fish strike.  The last method is also during this same pattern, I will fish a pool or area by letting out a few feet of line at a time, but if I choose to recast or redirect my line placement, I do not pull the line directly off the water.  Instead, pull the fly to the surface and coast it along the top of the water creating a wake with the fly.  I have not caught any fish with this method, however they have shot out of seemingly nowhere and made an attempt to take the fly. This method also evokes interest from larger fish.  By doing this you are locating fish that you may have overlooked, and after they have made the effort to attempt at your fly, they may be more willing to take the soft approach that I previously described.  Sunday (3-19-12), I netted 16 fish in four hours, with some nice Belgian Beer breaks in-between fish. If you are primarily a nymph fly fisher, you will not be disappointed.  There were plenty nymphers on the water and they were doing extremely well. Cheers and tight lines.

Brook Trout

Rainbow Back

Weasel family visitor