4.04.2020 Norwalk Keeper Bass by Shore

3.27.2020 Trout Fishing Fairfield County River

Updates for Striped Bass and Bluefish

"New regulations for 2020 season were set at the 78th annual meeting of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), with the approval of Addendum VI of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass.

STRIPED BASS

Now anglers are limited to a one-fish bag limit and a 28- to 35-inch recreational slot limit, for ocean fisheries. Chesapeake Bay states must implement a 1 fish bag limit with a 18” minimum size limit. States have until May 2020 to decide on their own regulations through conservation equivalency, if they so choose.

Starting January 2021, all bait fishing for striped bass must be done using circle hooks. This requirement is mandatory, regardless of any conservation equivalency measures develop by individual states."

-Field & Stream via Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Click here to read article from Field &Stream about updates to striper regulations

BLUEFISH

"Last week, fishery managers approved new regulations for the 2020 recreational bluefish fishery. These measures, which include a 3-fish bag limit for private anglers and a 5-fish bag limit for for-hire fishermen, represent a substantial reduction compared to the federal 15-fish bag limit that has been in place since 2000."

-Onthe Water Magazine

Click here to read On the Water Article on New Bluefish Regs

CAPTAIN'S LICENSE 2020

So pumped and honored to have earned this amazing credential.

Atlantic Salmon Fishing with James December

My good Buddy, James with a quality Atlantic, that took many casts to obtain.

CT Atlantic Salmon used to be plentiful a few hundred years ago before the industrial revolution when many factories made their home on the coastal rivers of CT, like the Housatonic and Naugatuck river.  Pollution and dams were the demise of the atlantic salmon along with other species.  My grandmother would tell me that you could walk down to the Naugatuck river, and depending on the day it would be a different color depending on what chemicals were dumped into the river on that day.  Since the early 1900s there has been a huge effort to clean up the river and restore it to a much more bearable state.  

In my high school days, once I found out that atlantic salmon were stocked into the Naugatuck River, I made frequent trips to seek out these once native species with little to no results.  My early days of fishing for these salmon was when I learned everything NOT to do...

• Do not use surfcasting gear
• Do not throw Striper plugs
• Do not use treble hooks
• Do not fish areas that they are not stocked
• Do not use huge lures

Little by little as time went by, I read more books on fishing for atlantic salmon.  I talked to people who had been doing this longer than me, and I kept going.  I have been fishing for these fish for almost 20 years.  I may only make 4-5 trips a year for them, but each year that passed I got a little bit closer to cracking the code.  

Here is what you should do...

• Change lures and flies often
• Fish areas that you know are stocked
• Keep moving
• If you find a fish and you can sight cast to it, keep casting
• Use 10-15lb test flouro
• Use light saltwater/medium freshwater gear (3000 sized reels and 10-15lb main line)
• Braid is OK
• Use the same lures and flies (streamers) that you would use for trout, just with a beefier hook
• Be sure to have a net-catching these things is hard enough-once you have one on, you want to land it
• Be sure to have a camera/phone ready
• Dress warm

Be sure to check out this article I wrote for the Flies and Fins Website circa 2008...

Fliesandfinsarticle on Fishing for Atlantic salmon

One of my first Atlantics caught back around 2008

Small Atlantic caught around 2015

Caught this guy around 2015 with my Dad

1ST ATLANTIC SALMON EVER 2008