Naugatuck Report: October 2024

 

Carter's Bug (sz. 8) and Salmon

Boy it's DRY out here. Bone dry. The last time the water was this low was back in 2016. I look forward to our local salmon fishery pretty much every fall, however, it's pretty hard to get excited about fishing when the river is this low. I like swinging wet flies and tubes on a two-handed rod, but I don't need to fish a two hander to have fun. I honestly don't have a preference between a single-handed rod and a two-handed rod. That said, it would be nice to have a bit of current to work with. I'm not crazy about frogwater Atlantic salmon fishing, regardless of tackle. 

Despite the conditions, it hasn't been all doom and gloom. This season's silver lining has been how amped up the salmon have been to dry flies. I have caught plenty on dries in the past, but this is the first season where I've actually had more action on dry flies than wet flies/bucktails/tubes. I realize the weather will get cold and the dry fly fishing will end but, as of last week, they're still willing to play ball with dry flies. 

I've been using two dry flies this season: The Carter's Bug (as tied by the late great master, Bryant Freeman) and the Newfoundland Bee Bug (pattern below). All the action I've had on dries this season so far has been on flies sizes 8 and 10. 

Welcome bycatch 

The other bit of excitement was catching a really nice brown. This fish was actually laying in some of the little bit of current actually there now. The trout ate a size 10 Cascade, which happens to be the only wet fly with which I've caught a salmon so far this season (lost one on a size 12 Ally's Shrimp). As soon as I felt it tug, I knew it was a big brown and not a salmon. It put a heck of a bend in my 9' 6wt rod. One salmon landed on the Bee, one lost the Bee, one landed on the Cascade, plus this brown on the same Cascade. That was a really good day! 

Anyway, back to the dry flies...I'll post the recipe for the Bee Bug below. Both it and the Carter's Bug are fairly simple ties...much easier than tying Bombers or the deer hair bodied Wulff Bombers so popular in Quebec. Try them out and let me know how you do! 

The Bee Bug in action

Newfoundland Bee Bug

Thread: Black

Tail: Black deer hair

Body: Alternating bands of black and yellow deer hair, spun and clipped 

Hackle: Brown, palmered the length of the body 

2024 CT Broodstock Salmon Update

2024 salmon survey info

It's almost that time of year again. As I write this, the first round of broodstock salmon have been stocked in the lakes. With a little rain, hopefully the rivers will see fish soon. I wanted to go over one big piece of news at the before the season gets underway. 

The DEEP is conducting a survey of 1,300 tagged Atlantic salmon this season. I have always wondered how many upper Naugatuck salmon I have caught while fishing the lower Naugatuck. Until now, there was no way to know how and when they moved. With angler input, some of these questions will hopefully  be answered. 

Each of the 1,300 salmon will have a tag with a four-digit number. Once your salmon is landed, take a quick look at the number. I plan on remembering the number, then texting it to myself after the fish is safely released. I would rather not take a picture of the tag, thereby prolonging the safe release of the fish. 

After noting the tag ID number, it can be submitted one of three ways. There is a survey app which can be accessed via a QR code, it can be called in to DEEP, or it can be emailed. Look at the graphic above. All three methods are clearly outlined. From what I have been told, this graphic will be on signs, posted along the river. 

Please consider submitting this info to DEEP. I think it will go a long way towards improving the fishery for everyone. I'm looking forward to submitting my first salmon tag ID number in the very near future! 

I will be guiding and am available for trips as soon as the season starts. The low water might open up some dry fly fishing opportunities, so that is definitely something I'm looking forward to! Tight lines! 

 

One of the 1300 tags used to track salmon movement this season