Naugatuck Report - October 29, 2016 - First Guided Trip of the Season

Josh's boots were barely wet before he caught his first Atlantic salmon!

     I don't usually post updates about my guided trips, but the first trip of the season was one for the books. I think most of us who have fished for Atlantic salmon, be they broodstock or wild, realize that any day with a hook up is a good day. Maybe that's different if you're fishing the Ponoi River or have access to a prime holding pool somewhere in Eastern Canada. But, for most of us public water guys, one fish per day is pretty good. 

     

     It's the same for broodstock salmon fishing. One hookup is a solid day. If the fish is landed, even better. Two hookups is a good day. Three hookups is a great day. Anything over three is exceptional. Based on conditions (falling and clearing water, warmer day, overcast, etc.), I had a hunch yesterday would be an exceptional day. I would never say it out loud for fear of the trip not living up to expectations. But I had that feeling in my gut. 

     Between two anglers, we had five hookups with four salmon landed and safely released! It was both anglers first day of Atlantic salmon fishing, which made it all the more exciting. Andrew fished all day. He hooked four salmon and landed all but one. All four fish took a sz. 8 Mickey Finn. Josh joined us after lunch. He wasted no time at all, hooking and landing his first salmon within 20 minutes of starting! Josh's fish was the outlier of the day, haven taken a sz. 4 Green Machine w/white tail. 

     That was the third day I have been out on the river so far this season. Between myself and the one guide trip, we have hooked a total of sixteen salmon hooked with only one fish lost. We got a late start to the season, but we are making up the time extremely quickly!