ANOTHER ANGLE    Bob Gregorski

TROUT NOT STOCKED 2017

 The Connecticut DEEP will be stocking over 530,000 catchable size trout (average size of 12 inches) into Connecticut’s lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams this spring (before opening day and until mid-May).

This number is about 90,000 less fish than the number stocked last year, which will bring some changes to our stocking program in order to minimize the impact on anglers and make the most efficient use of the trout we have available. The Fisheries Division regrets the inconvenience this may cause to some anglers, and we advise all to be aware that a total of 67 of the following waters or sections of waters will not be stocked during 2017. Get realtime stocking information on our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/ctfishandwildlife.

The following are located in the western area of the state: Bantam River, Fly Area-

Litchfield, Morris, Beaver Brook -Barkhamsted, Belcher Brook- Berlin, Birdseye Brook (Mohawk Ski Area)- Cornwall, Bladens Brook Seymour, Burlington Brook Burlington, Carse Brook Sharon, Coppermine Brook (upstream of TMA)-Bristol, Howells Pond Brook- Hartland, Indian Hole Brook- Shelton,Lake Waramaug Brook-Warren, Long Meadow Pond Brook- Naugatuck, Long Swamp Brook-Middlebury, Marshepaug River-Goshen, Mill Brook-Cornwall, Mohawk Brook-Cornwall, Pootatuck River (upper section)-Monroe, Race Brook- Orange, Sprain Brook-Washington, Woodbury, Ten Mile River- Cheshire, Southington and Willow Brook- Cheshire.

SURVIVOR-STRAIN BROWN TROUT

The hatchery staff continue to rear Survivor Brown Trout at Burlington State Fish Hatchery.

Elastomer tagging material has been received and plans are being formulated for the marking of 5,000 Farmington River Survivor yearling Brown Trout this year.

This task is manually intensive and often requires 10-12 staff-days to complete. For 2017, yearlings will be marked with a right orange tag.

The larger Farmington Survivor Browns slated for stocking in spring of 2018, will be marked later this spring as time permits.

The Age-2 Survivor Brown scheduled for stocking in mid-April 2017 were marked last spring with a Left Red tag.

Kinneytown Fishway  2017

The first fish reported last year at the Kinneytown Fishway in Seymour on the Naugatuck River

was on April 22 (2 Alewife & 1 Sea Lamprey). Thus, the first 2017 report could be in mid-April.

The final 2016 report of Kinneytown Fishway was July 5, 2016.

Kinneytown — 3 American shad,  5 alewife,   0 herring,  11 Gizzard Shad,  0 stripers,  44 lamprey, 0 sea run trout and  1 American eel

Steve Gephard, DEEP Anadromous Biologist, saays DEEP Fisheries will plan to transplant shad and alewives in the Naugatuck River, as we they done annually for many years.

Fishing Reel Maintenance

 Fishing reels and lines take the greatest abuse during the fishing seasons and while in storage.  This particularly true if the equipment was used in marine waters. Fishing reels can be the most expensive piece of angling equipment that needs continual maintenance.  Most avid anglers who fish freshwater and saltwater may use a variety of equipment as I do (trolling, spin casting, fly casting and surf casting).  Reels and lines get the most abused by the elements and anglers. If saltwater reels are not washed and lubricated properly after use in marine waters they can be ruined.

When I purchase a new reel, I make a point to save the booklet that came with it. The manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines should be followed. This is particularly important with the drag system. Cleaning and/or lubricating a drag improperly may ruin it. The following are general guidelines for most reels.  After removing the line, wash the exterior surfaces. I use a mild soap and warm water.  Inspect the external parts for scrapes on the finish, wear, loose or worn parts and damage.  Line rollers and guides should be smooth.  Bail return springs, drag knobs, level wind guides should operate smoothly.  Clean, then lubricate.

Disassemble the reel following the manufacturer's schematic.  If you don't have it, make notes about how it came apart.  Take photos of various views of the reel. Keep every part in a container. This is particularly important for drag washers. They have to be put back in the proper order. Clean all the grime, sand, and whatever, from the internal workings using cotton swabs, pipe cleaners or tiny, paint brushes.

After all parts are spotless, lubricate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Put the line on only after it has been checked and after all the cleaning and lubricating has been done.  Reel protectors/covers are a good thing to use. An old sock can do the job. I keep a record of when the reel was cleaned and lubed and place a sticker with the date and pound test; my fly reels are marked with date, line type and weight.

A good practice for all reels is to wash and dry them after each use and keep them in a reel case.  If a reel is dropped in sand/soil, it should be washed clean immediately.  If a reel gets dunked in saltwater, it should be rinsed in warm freshwater ASAP.  Keep your reels in good shape and they will last a long time. My Mitchell 300 spin reel, which I bought second hand in 1955, is still cranking.

Fishing Lines  

Here are a few suggestions about fishing lines. Fly lines should be cleaned before being dressed.  Soaking a line in the kitchen sink in a bath of warm soapy water works. After a soaking, pull the line through a paper towel. The grime will show on the towel. Soak more if necessary.  Then dress the line if needed.

Spinning, trolling and casting lines should be checked for strength. The covering on trolling lines should be checked for fraying and strength and wire lines for knots and kinks.  Spinning and casting lines used for one season or more should be changed. To save money some anglers replace only the section that gets used and abused.  However if you will be pursuing trophy-size fish it's a good practice to replace the entire line.  Don't replace the line until the reel has been cleaned and lubricated. Fishing reels can be the most expensive piece of angling equipment that needs continual maintenance.