CT Fish And Game Fishing Report - June 30 2016

[Smallie_Stalker]

INLAND REPORT

LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as good to very
good. Places to try include Mashapaug Lake, Colebrook
Reservoir, Congamond Lakes, Lake Saltonstall, Lake
McDonough, Highland Lake, Winchester Lake, Bantam
Lake, Candlewood Lake, Lake Wononskopomuc, Batterson
Park Pond, Black Pond (Meriden), Lake Lillinonah,
Breakneck Pond (great hike in location), Griggs Pond, Lake
Waramaug, West Hill Pond, Park Pond, Crystal Lake
(Ellington), Gardner Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Stillwater
Pond, Winchester Lake, Squantz Pond, Maltby Lake 2 & 3,
Wood Creek Pond, Pachaug Pond, Ball Pond, Quonnipaug
Lake, Silver Lake (Meriden) and Halls Pond.

Tournament angler are from Amos Lake (good for
largemouth, 4.82 lb & 3.56 lb lunkers), Beach Pond (fair
fishing, but mostly post-spawn fish and thin, caught
between 8 and 18 feet, 5.96 lb lunker), Gardner Lake (fair
to good fishing, 4.38 lb lunker), Pachaug Pond (slow to fair,
anglers had to work for their fish, but some nice fish
weighed-in, 5.1 lb, 4.39 lb, 4.38 lb, 4.3 lb & 4.1lb lunkers),
Pattagansett Lake (fair to good evening & night, 3.2 lb
lunker), Candlewood Lake (fair fishing, 3.87 lb & 3.58 lb
lunker), Highland Lake (fair to good fishing, "lots of keepers
caught", 5.41 lb lunker), and Lake Lillinonah (fair for
largemouth, 4.43 lb lunker).

SMALLMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as fair (hopefully
improving). Try out at Mashapaug Lake, Lake McDonough,
Highland Lake, Bantam Lake, Candlewood Lake, Lake
Lillinonah, Naugatuck River, and the Housatonic River.
Tournament angler reports are from Beach Pond (very
hard to find smallmouth), Gardner Lake (not many),
Pachaug Pond (the usual several smallies caught during the
tournament), Candlewood Lake (fair action, 4.13 lb & 3.47
lb lunkers), and Lake Lillinonah (fair for smallmouth, 3.41 lb
lunker).

NORTHERN PIKE fishing is reported to be good when using
large live golden shiners. Places to try for "Northerns" this
weekend include Lake Lillinonah, Winchester Lake, Bantam
Lake, and Connecticut River Coves.

KOKANEE are being caught at West Hill Pond (3 colors).
Beads, Mooselook Wobblers, DB Smelt, Flash King lures
(blue & silver) are producing. Try fishing corn over lights at
nights.

WALLEYE are being reported from Batterson Park Pond,
Squantz Pond, and Beach Pond.

CHANNEL CATFISH are providing decent action on live
shiners, chicken livers, and chunk bait from the Connecticut
River Hartford to Haddam, Lower Bolton Lake and Batterson
Park Pond.

PANFISH are providing excellent summer time action. Any
local pond open to fishing near you will give you some
action. The kids love this non-stop action and it will keep
them occupied for hours. Any type of inexpensive fishing pole or drop line is all you need to catch these fish.
Suggested locations include: Tyler Lake, Batterson Park Pond, Amos Pond, Barber Pond, Baummer Pond, Black
Rock Lake, Burr Pond, Dooley Pond, Halls Pond, Lake of Isles, Lower Fulton Park Pond and McGrath Park Pond.
Check out and download the FREE- CARE "Let's Go Fishing" Workbook available on the DEEP website at
www.ct.gov/deep/care

TROUT-LAKES & PONDS – There are big trout around or anglers to catch. Some lakes to try include: East Twin
Lake, Mashapaug Lake (riggers @ 20-25'), Colebrook Reservoir (riggers @ 25'+, Mooselook silver/blue) , Lake
McDonough (7-8 colors), Valley Falls Park Pond, West Hill Pond, Highland Lake (4 colors), Beach Pond (early @
20-25'), Long Pond (Kobra 14), Crystal Lake (Ellington; 7-8 colors, troll @ 2mph), Mohawk Pond, Beach Pond,
Black Pond (Woodstock) & Bigelow Pond.

include: Light Cahill (#10-14), March Brown nymphs (#10-12), Gray Fox (#14, afternoon), Blue Wing Olives
(#18-24, mid-late afternoon), Caddis (tan #14-18, all day; green #22-26, evening), Midges (#20-32), Blue Quill
(#16-18) and Pale Evening Duns (Epeorus vitreus #16-18, afternoon and early evenings) and the ole reliable red
and black ant.

Housatonic River – Water temperatures will be rising for the
foreseeable future (low flow and warm sunny days). As such
many tout will be seeking out the tributaries and thermal
refuges while water temps are out of their comfort zone. These
areas are critical to their survival when going gets rough. Water
clarity is clear. Water temperatures are currently in the high
60's with flows at a very low 266 cfs at Falls Village and 342 cfs
at Gaylordsville.
Hatches/patterns: Major insect hatches are here and are
providing excellent fly fishing, but mostly in the late evening for
trout. Try poppers for Smallmouth Bass during the day, they will
provide non-stop action and help hone your skills.
Other flies include: Alder/Zebra Caddis (#8-10) is underway
(should last up to 4 weeks) and will produce some great fishing.
Alder flies are very active during hot days. Additional bugs
include the Sulphurs (#14-18, evening), Blue Wing Olive (#16-18,
cloudy days, early morning; spinner fall in evening), Isonychia
(#10-12 late afternoon & evening, just starting), Light Cahill
(#12-14, evenings), Adams (#12-16, evening), March Brown
(#10-12, afternoon) and Gray Foxes (#14-16). Black Caddis,
Green caddis (#16-18, early morning & evening) are on the
water.

Anglers are reminded that the thermal refuge areas on  – Rivers are at or near record low levels statewide.

Fish should be concentrating in pockets of deeper water and deep runs (more typical of late
summer). Good catches of Rainbow Trout reported in the Naugatuck, Natchaug, and Salmon rivers. Just
about all types of gear are working well. Mealworms, night crawlers, live minnows, small castmasters and
phoebe goldfish, and many dryflies and nymphs.

Farmington River - Fishing continues to be excellent with the
"survivor browns" providing a thrill to those who connect (16-20
inches). There are also plenty of rainbow and stocked browns ready
to please. West Branch flows are clear and moderate (currently 247
cfs at Riverton, with the Still River adding 18 cfs). Water
temperatures are in the low 60's°F (much colder above the Still
River confluence in Riverton).
Hatches/patterns include: Isonychia (#12-14) working their way
upstream, Vitreus [a.k.a. pale evening dun] (#16-18, from 5:00pm to
dark), Tan Caddis (#16-18, good all day), Sulfurs, (Invaria #16-18,
hatches mid-day and Dorothea #16-18).