shad fishing reports connecticut river

Their staff of experienced fly fishing guides are well suited for both wading and drift boat trips. In that year the "Policy Committee for Fishery Management of the Connecticut River Basin" was formed in response to the passage of the 1965. Thanks for the story. The shop is open every day from 9am to 5pm and is a certified repair center for Shimano, Avet, Penn, Accurate and Tsunami reels and also offers rod repair as well. Whatever you like to fish for, this is the time to go. Connecticut River. Carp and bowfin will follow not far behind. we are having a very uncommon winter here i nthe north east , temps are well above normal and it's getting the spring run started !!! Fishing below Holyoke, you can catch dozens of shad on a good day. The shad run is on in the Connecticut River. Long Island Sound water temperatures touched the 50s which bode well for blackfish (tautog) as well as the striped bass bite and balls of baitfish. Please see ourPrivacy Pagefor more information. The Salmon River joins the Connecticut River 18 miles upstream of the Long Island Sound. The Fisherman Dream Boat Fishing Challenge, The 13th Annual SWLCC Used Plug Swap & Sale. I am starting to think about what to chase this week end. Late report. It could catch big brookies and rainbows there, or dinner plate sized bluegills in the Vermont sections of the river. Use the lightest line you can find for the size fish available in your region. If youd like to book a guided trip and support a good cause at the same time, look to the Connecticut River Conservancy. The fishing is great in each state along the way, with hot spots spread throughout. Some shad have also been reported. He wanted bucks for the smoker. Better bass action can be found to west where the Housatonic River is still the best bet The shop is now open seven days a week for the season and Andrew encourages anyone who stops in to check out the new rod room that has been added to the store. The traditional Pheasant Tail Nymph is a good choice of fly when fishing the upper Connecticut River tailwater. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fishing Media: Videos, DVDs, Books, Magazines, etc. Local trout fishing is still going strong and many of the local streams are still coughing up plenty of stockies. Local tog fishing should be picking up soon and lots of baits are effective for early season blackfish without the usual interference fish that have yet to take up residence. Most recent Connecticut River Basin Fishway Passage Counts. The Connecticut River is no exception. 866-347-4836. Just a great time for Shad fishing! It has provided food, income, and culture to native tribes and settlers for hundreds of years. Lets fix this now so we dont pass this problem on to the next generation. Hell be back fishing the week of May 20th and dates for prime weekends are already booking fast. And ten minutes after I started my casting practice, one of the regulars got into it for a brief tussle with a small buck, which was promptly released. Some of their River Stewards are licensed guides and can take clients out on different parts of the Connecticut River. Connecticut; Massachusetts; New Jersey Northern; New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont; New York - Long Island; Captain Gerry from Drifter Charters said they are looking forward to another season on The Drifter and it wont be long until the boat is back in the water. We cover the states hospitals, the states psychiatric care system, the Green Mountain Care Board, insurers, state health care policy, Medicaid and Medicare. All Outdoors: Camping, Hiking, Photography, Mushroom Hunting, etc. The rivers and bay water temps have climbed into the mid 50's. Shad fishing continues to improve throughout the Susquehanna River with lots of hickory shad and some American shad too. Fishing Media: Videos, DVDs, Books, Magazines, etc. Anyone with hot spots for me? This area holds both big stocked and wild trout, and even landlocked salmon. In the Connecticut River, shad have migrated as far north as Bellows Falls, Vermont (272 miles from Long Island Sound), navigating three dams along the way via fishways. The Connecticut River 'normally' averages 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at this time of year; however, the river is currently at only 9,000 cfs. If we dont act now to help sustain this fishery for our children, the next opportunity wont come until they are our age. 2023 HG&E Shad Derby Dates: May 13, 14, 20, 21 Time: 9 am - 5 pm* These hard-fighting fish can be caught in a variety of ways, making them a favorite among both fly and conventional anglers. Hatches on the river are strong enough to draw the attention of almost every fish in the river sometimes. Andrew said he wouldnt be surprised if he hears about the first local shad caught this week considering the forecasted warm temperatures. If you have never fished for shad before maybe this should be the first year. A 5% passage rate is unacceptable. The low flow may increase the warming of the water and allow migrating fish, such as river herring and American shad, to get upstream more quickly and easily. Each obstacle they encounter threatens their opportunity to reproduce and sustain populations of this native fish in local rivers. By the time I left about 6:20 pm, only 3 shad had been hooked. Welcome back to the channel, LOL! Other freshwater bites anglers reported on this week included pre-spawn large and smallmouth bass, calicos, and carp. Fishing spots, fishing reports and regulations in. Could anyone tell me what is the best place? Your email address will not be published. Bait like sand and blood worms have continued to work well on shallow water mud flats and beaches adjacent to large estuaries, bays and harbors. Copyright 2023 On The Water, LLC. Over the coming two months, the fishing will get even better as the water warms back up. Practice catch and release: Striped bass populations have been under pressure in recent years due to overfishing and environmental factors. George I'm so glad to see you back for the spring and really look forward to your reports all season long. Striper fishing should get better soon as well as resident fish are on the move and fresh fish shouldnt be too far off. Hi Ryan.. American eel live their adult lives in our rives and migrate out to sea to spawn. But theres also a ton of saltwater news, with schoolie bass making it as far as Newport, some new tog news and a growing haddock bite north of Cape Cod. The American shad is a fish native to Connecticut. They can be caught on flies, lures, and bait. Since late 2012, five hydroelectric facilities in the heart of the Connecticut River have been in the process of renewing their operating licenses, which are issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If you have a minute, please check it out and vote for us! Shad are the larger cousins of river herring, spending most of their adult lives in marine waters and moving in from the ocean to spawn in freshwater in springtime. The weather was great. VTDigger publishes Vermont business and economic news. Use the right gear: For conventional anglers, Light to medium spinning or baitcasting gear is typically used to target stripers. The most consistent striper fishing still lies to the west but that wont be the case much longer. Shad, I notice are slimy, like pickerel. If one anadromous species is making the move, certainly others are on the verge. Our education reporter is Tiffany Pache. Anglers who are familiar with Connecticut River and want to make a . On the freshwater side of things, trout fishing continues to produce great action for many anglers taking advantage of good fishing conditions. I talked to Rich at Fishermans World who said word was that striped bass fishing was keeping the majority of local anglers busy. 1999 Lobster Mortality Report . 6:40 PM I meet Mike and Ven after a somewhat treacherous hike. Anglers were buying clams and green crabs and taking them to shallow w Captain Bob of the Sunbeam Fleet reports Capt. Introduced to the West Coast. The shad run up the Connecticut is blocked by the Windsor Dam just north of Hartford. The Connecticut River has been producing fish too. Tickets will go on sale soon, so be sure to check our website. Perfect. data-event-category="Navigation header guest". Jigs and soft plastics fished near the bottom can also be effective. There has been a variety of bait in the area, likely none more important to spring stripers than herring. A section of the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts. Swing by the shop and see for yourselves. Looking for the best flies for fly fishing? I have been hammering the shed in Lowell at The Falls for the last 3 days. It is starting. Anglers are using sandworms, looking for that first local bass of the year. You can catch a 30 pound striped bass near the mouth. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission. Continue to test and gather information to ensure these facilities do not continue to cause delay, injury and mortality of these ecologically important species. Captain TJ Karbowksi at Rock and Roll Charters told me hed been working on the boat daily and was looking forward to the coming season. Cape Cod Fishing Report- April 13, 2023. . Unlike the sea lamprey in Lake Champlain, sea. Shallow water flats, estuaries, bays and harbors are still the best bet for locating hungry bass. Minor runs also occur in the Quinnipiac, Hammonasset and East rivers. Hed been selling sand and bloodworms to anglers looking to tangle with their first bass of the year. Live bait such as eels, bunker, and herring are all popular choices. This area holds both big stocked and wild trout, and even landlocked salmon. The Leesville Dam on the Salmon River in Connecticut is monitored only for Atlantic salmon. The last time these hydro facilities were licensed was 1979. Tickets will go on sale soon, so be sure to check our website. The shad stack up in large numbers in May. Some of the diehards were out targeting winter flounder over the last week and they hadnt heard back at the shop if theyd been successful or not. Fish that do survive incur injuries as they pass downstream through the turbines. "); Some of the features on CT.gov will not function properly with out javascript enabled. Ive been going out over the last few weeks fishing near the Connecticut River and on the river itself. Striped bass and bluefish are the primary targets here in spring, early summer, and fall. Get a lightweight rod and line. Mouth slightly larger than other herring (end of jaw to middle of eye in juveniles and to back of eye in adults). This horseshoe-shaped pond was formed when the river cut a new channel during postglacial times. Five Mile is a 48-acre pond located immediately north of Route 20A in a highly urbanized section of Springfield. 3rd.May, 4:30 pm after work, at the Wall. Pike and bass will move into the shallows. He said overall, there had been some good enthusiasm amongst trout anglers this year and theyd heard of plenty of good sized fish from those returning to shop. Where the Connecticut River empties into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook, CT, is a great brackish water fishery. Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters told me he is excited to announce that this season his team will be running three boats, the Conch 27, Pathfinder 23DV and the Jones Brother 23 so they can better accommodate clients and take on more bookings. The American shad is the largest of Connecticuts herring species. Access is from Mountain Road off Route 202. 8th.May, Happy Mother's Day to the Mothers out there. Adult shad are green-gold, nearly two feet long and can weigh up to 5 lbs. The shad stack up in large numbers in May. Mothers Day was the magic time for roe shad to arrive in our area. Make sure to release fish quickly and handle them carefully to minimize stress and injury. Use barbless hooks. Catch and Release Only from September 1 to 6:00 a.m. 2nd Saturday in April. Shad migrate by the hundreds of thousands from the Atlantic Ocean up the Connecticut River each spring. Up to 5 pounds every fourth or fifth cast. Andrew recommended those who want to blackfish in the central and eastern sound keep an eye on water temperatures. It flows from the Canadian border in New Hampshire all the way to Long Island Sound. American shad is an economically and ecologically important migratory fish species that once supported a robust fishery in the Hudson River. Trolling is always a top producer. The river downstream from the dam in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is a very rich area. Depending on what part you fish and when, Connecticut River fishing can be very different. This is quite a bit north (upstream) from the Bethlehem area. You can learn how to get involved at www.ctriver.org/hydropower. The biggest issue was the wind gusts, it was cold. Minor runs also occur in the Quinnipiac, Hammonasset and East rivers. There are also quite a few Striped Bass swimming around. Look for areas with good water flow, structure, and baitfish. pageTracker._trackPageview(); A quick round-up of our 2022 year of fly fishing including all the destinations we fished, as well as a bit about what's in store for 2023. Tight Lines 8; Details; m shorty. My friend and I have been shad fishing the last two years up in NH/Me but the runs here are pretty small. The Westbrook location has hosted several seminars over the past two months and if youre interested in attending one, stay tuned as they plan to add more during the month of April. Western Long Island Sound has seen some solid bass and blackfish action while most activity in the central and eastern sound is still confined to tidal rivers and estuaries. And the shad are exhausted. I am thinking another week or two unless somebody connects big time. Word from Colin at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown is that trout fishing is excellent at many recently stocked places including Day Pond Trout Park and the Salmon River. Continue with the reports. The annual HG&E Shad Derby is one of the region's largest fishing events. Some adult shad migrate back out to sea after spawning, but spawning stress is great and dead shad are a common sight during late spring. And oftentimes the trout and salmon fishing is stellar up in New Hampshire. Trips will begin mid-May and some of the weekends are already booked for the season. Erin Mansfield is VTDiggers health care reporter. The Fisherman As always we love to teach so book a trip with us and take the knowledge back! Stripers continued to spread out in pursuit of various schools of ba Bobby Js said tog fishing was very good over the last week. Inland waters continue to be stocked with fresh loads of trout to meet the demand of anglers. Soft baits and crabs were the tickets to success. Henry Beard and Roy McKie. Technical Help, Test Posts, Feedback, Computer talk, etc. As the water begins to warm up, stripers, also known as rockfish or striped bass, become more active and start to move into shallow waters to feed. Here are a few thoughts on catching them. According to Andrew at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown trout fishing is excellent in all stocked waters. Shad populations in the Connecticut River have substantially decreased compared to historic levels due to factors like climate change, overfishing, river alterations, pollution, water. Fish were taking more top-water plugs this week but swimmers and gliders continue to be hot baits. Booking a trip with Lopstick is a good way to get to know the upper Connecticut River. In 2003, the American shad was designated Connecticuts State Fish. Until the mid-1700s, eating shad was considered disreputable, but the fish gained favor during the Revolutionary War as salmon numbers dwindled. Sinai, NY 11766 This post covers spots, species, fishing gear to use, and best time to fly fish the Maldives. The Farmington River joins the Connecticut River about 57 miles upstream of Long Island Sound. The Farmington river shad bite had produced a few fish and a push of shad should be coming soon. The shop sold plenty of green crabs last week to anglers looking to take advantage of the spring blackfish season. April 10, 2023 by Dave Anderson. You should be reaping the rewards very soon. They are fully stocked with trout lures, artificials baits, minnows, dillies, crawlers and meal worms along with plenty of terminal tackle, line as well as rods and reels. Here are some tips for a successful spring striper fishing trip: It was a big week for big largemouth bass as anglers across the region found success on aggressive, prespawn giants. DOI and the bureaus do not guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act. Would highly recommend them! Asked if hed heard any reports from anglers targeting lake trout recently stocked into Coventry Lake, Crystal Lake in Ellington, Tyler Pond, Squantz Pond, and Bigelow Pond, Colin answered that his buddy caught a 10-pound forkie one day at Coventry Lake and then blanked at the same venue the next day. Size. We've been booking lots of private charters- so if you want a specific date, email Heather as soon as possible to get your date on the calendar. We know this because we count the number of fish passing through these structures. Mostly in the tailwater stretch in New Hampshire, the Connecticut River holds brown, brook, and rainbow trout. Commonly 15 to 24 inches. The Fish and Aquatic Conservation program leads aquatic conservation efforts for the U.S. Another regular showed up as I was rigging up. Other freshwater bites anglers reported on this week included pre-spawn large and smallmouth bass, calicos, and carp. An anglers guide to fly fishing Maldives. There is a boat launch in Lackawaxen Pa. and our Chalet ski community had its own launch further upstream where I launched my boat and then ran the rapids upstream to a slow stretch above a compression point. One reported a few fish were caught earlier, around noon-ish, a bronze back, a schoolie, and a shad. var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-677254-1"); We cover state elections, the Vermont Legislature, the governors office, state agencies and major political parties. VTDigger covers criminal justice issues including Vermont legal issues, Vermont courts and the Vermont Department of Corrections. The pike fishing can be excellent. Cars are lined up, fishermen are coming and going, and it feels more like Ive arrived at the Cape Cod Canal than the Connecticut River. Hes looking forward to another awes J&B said black fishing continued to improve this week as water temperatures increased along fish both fish and angling activity. The Angler's Guide to the Northeast. As Early Bird said many fond memories of fishing the Enfield Dam with my dad. All rights reserved. These look like a jig head but are usually much smaller. Anglers from both states will undoubtedly be out in full force for - what many consider to be - the unofficial start to the fishing season. Carp, smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, catfish, and striped bass can be caught here. . Marine fauna is very diverse, the landscape is fantastic and you can put in practice many different fishing techniques depending on the environmental conditions. Timing is everything, and what I ain't got. Your recon is much appreciated. Nightjack was great bring sunscreen and drinks and a positive attitude and you will have a great time! No boat livery. Fishways have opened up hundreds of miles of river to migratory fish in the Connecticut River watershed! Autumn is another phenomenal time of year on the river. That said, schools of spearing were sighted in the sound as well. A wide selection of gear and accessories focused specifically on the fresh and saltwater fishers, clamming and blue crabbers is available. Good fight. The goal is to provide safe, effective and timely upstream and downstream fish passage for migratory species, while allowing resident species to move around for spawning and rearing. despite the dog days of summer , especially with this serious heat we are pushing into the night and finding large bass willing to take artificials .. starting to see loads of rain bait pour into the local area just in the last week , great sign for a big time fall run ? var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-677254-1"); Member. Throwing big topwater plugs on spinning gear is also a fun way to catch Connecticut River stripers. I always, as a former shad fisherman, enjoy your reports each year. local waters are stacked with rain bait and the fish are moving in on them !! Connecticut River fishing is amazing. This commentary is by Kathy Urffer of Brattleboro, and a river steward for the Connecticut River Conservancy in Vermont and New Hampshire. This post covers the species, the spots, guides, and even more. Every year, for decades, hundreds of thousands of American shad have been successfully lifted via a fish elevator over the Holyoke dam, only to be stymied by the next obstacle upstream the Turners Falls dam. The Turners Falls Dam fish ladder in Massachusetts is 122 miles upstream of the Long Island Sound; The Vernon Dam fish ladder is located in Vermont, 142 miles upstream of the Long Island Sound. 2 lb. In addition, various trout derbies are taking place where more fish are being privately stocked. I always, as a former shad fisherman, enjoy your reports each year. Good for kids, and first time and casual anglers. Report Connecticut Fishing Report - April 6, 2023. 4.6 (7 reviews) Anyone interested in fishing Connecticut River or waters within the wider area around East Lyme should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. Bass and Blues are all over it and its gotten the attention of the false albacore who have flooded in to get on the action !! Karen at AW Marina told me they were back open this weekend and will be open weekends for the rest of the month while adding in weekdays as the eastern sound season gets going. On average, only 5 percent of those migratory shad are able to pass the Turners Falls dam and move successfully up the river to Vernon. I will be getting out there for sure this weekend to experience it first hand. These Connecticut River Basin Fishway Passage Counts are compiled by the U.S. Bellows Falls will wait to open until the Vernon fishway passes some fish. The fishing is as good as it is variable. Our seasonal hours have changed with limited disruption due to fisheries meetings, etc. 2022 In Review: What a Year For Into Fly Fishing! VTDigger regularly publishes stories about Vermont politics. Commercial fisheries developed in a few of the states rivers, but only the Connecticut River fishery survived after others collapsed due to the construction of dams. . I talked to Rich at Fishermans World who said word was that striped bass fishing was keeping the majority of local anglers busy. Trout are reacting differently to various baits and presentations depending on conditions so, it is recommended to take along a few alternative baits and lures to mix it up. Text and images adapted from Jacobs, R. P., O'Donnell, E. B., and Connecticut DEEP. Captain Mike Roy offers light tackle and fly fishing trips on the lower Connecticut River and surrounding Long Island Sound for striped bass, bluefish, and other species. 2010 CTF Game Dinner & Swap Meet: Feb. 13. 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shad fishing reports connecticut river