CTFishTalk.com: How bad ass is your state of CT? - Connecticut General Topics ( CT General Topics ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

StinkyMatt · Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Posts: 7

Hey guys,

Wife and I finally made the decision to move out of California. After some research we decided to move to CT. We are trying to narrow down the areas we may look at.

Please tell me about your part of the state, what type of fish? rivers? Lakes?
I like all kinds of fishing but have done a lot of kayak fishing last few years.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Matt

As a thank you I attached some fish porn.

Sea Duck · Joined: 18 Nov 2012 Posts: 89 Location: Above grade

Based on the pictures I would advise you to stay in California and we will be there shortly. Those are some nice catches.

You will probably need a coastal town. Access is limited to residents in most municipalities and unless you can afford a home in every town...
Below high water mark is public trust area but parking and launching will be limited by your residence, and if you fish at night it is further restricted unless you have a boat, as marinas have 24 hour access. Most beaches are town parks and they close the parking lots. Everything west of New Haven is pretty crowded, hence, restrictive.

East of that I can only guess. Some very big striped bass are caught as you travel east and approach the CT river and "The Race" or eastern inlet from the atlantic and mid summer fishing is better in the salt in general the further east you go. You are also closer to offshore access if you want to do that. It is less populated and you can also go north for inland fishing. It sounds better than the Housatonic River area I live in but my business is here.

As most places, more people means less access to nature, but more access to jobs. The coast is pretty populated end to end, so it really depends on where you need to be and the type of fishing you hope to do. For me, access to JFK airport and my clients puts me in Fairfield county. The fishing is great, sometimes, and lousy others. The other end is better access to better water, but too remote for my needs. Would probably move close to RI if I could.
Good luck with the move.
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Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

Sea Duck said it right about saltwater fishing.

As for freshwater fishing within 30 minutes from the shore, there's a number of trout stocked lakes, rivers, and ponds in Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Smallmouth fishing is very good too.

If you'd rather take a kayak out on freshwater, there's 5 lakes in Fairfield County that prohibit gas motors and are very good for kayaking. A few other lakes have quieter inner areas that don't get much boat traffic but still produce fish. These smaller lakes hold a combination of largemouths, crappie, and sunfish with a few having other species such as yellow perch, trout, and chain pickerel.

Small shore access freshwater ponds are more common upstate while most in the southern part of the state are private residential. You can find a few in the southern part of the state if you use Bing 3D Map and Google those lakes that you see. That's how I was able to find a nice largemouth pond near me.

Mr.Cranky · Joined: 26 May 2012 Posts: 57

Dude!! You actually CHOSE to move to CT? What attracted you to our state?

How many kids, what ages? Check carefully in to the school situation no matter where you move to.
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Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

That's some nice fish porn! I see you've got the yaks, so there's a ton open to fishing. This state is so damn small you can it doesn't matter where you live, you can get to a variety of fishing. We do have some great school systems. It's probably one of two states you can move to and be taxed the same as CA, so that won't be a shock! If jobs allowed for it, I'd be living Saybrook or east. Great places to do some salt water kayak fishing. I love Stonington, but wouldn't want an hour+ commute. I'm sure you'll find plenty of folks to point you in the right direction or join you for some fishing when you get settled in.

Tight Lines,
RNA
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StinkyMatt · Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Posts: 7

Ct school are actually regarded pretty highly. I got a couple kids so the schools will be a consideration.

Both my wife and I are teachers so I am afforded a lot of water time.

At this point not decided on anything in particular area wise. I now drive close to an hour each way to fish, just damn tired of that.

I know for sure that I don't want to fish for 12-14 inch planted trout.

Very interested in learning more about striper and pike fishing.

Thanks guys for any insights.

Sea Duck · Joined: 18 Nov 2012 Posts: 89 Location: Above grade

You will have to learn to love bluefish here. You will hate summer otherwise. Fluke are another great and delicious option. Bluefish can best be caught at dusk and dawn and usually with top water plugs. For most of us shore bound types. striper fishing is at night. This end of the Sound , the western part, has 7'-10' tidal differential depending on the moon phase so some nice currents can be found to attract bass and enhance the kayak experience as well.
28" is keeper striper size here. Spring and fall, almost to the astrological definitions, are prime months for surf casting or kayak and keeper and larger are not uncommon during those months. Rivers can hold bass through the winter, mostly smaller but as long as it is above 25 degrees, it is a good time for bass... in open water...not ice fishing, but that is an option for deep winter. We get a pretty good Atlantic herring run in winter as well. In summer we work extra hours to free up spring and fall. Check out the fresh water forum here to see about pike. I believe much of the best fresh water is up the CT River valley.
Most people are pretty tight lipped about specific locations which is a good practice as access is limited but wherever you land you will find your way to fish.
Long story short...best fishing is in colder weather. Summer is good for sailing though.
Best,
SD
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Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

Striper and pike fishing is best on the CT River year round.

Nice thing about the CTR is the river is lower tidal all the way to Enfield, which means if you were to launch somewhere down around Essex or Old Lyme you can do a combination of freshwater and saltwater, depending on the journey you're willing to put in.

Pike prefer cooler water temps even though they are a warm water species and can still be caught year round. Pike are also a very fast, aggressive fish that like bigger topwaters and spinners and will eat larger shiners and sunfish if you were to liveline.

As SD said, stripers are more active along the shore in the spring and fall. Once water temps go over 70, most stripers are out in the deeper waters, unless you fish the CTR.

Stripers grab lures and live bait by the face first. Live bait they like include shad, herring, and eels. Livelining eels later at night is popular. Cooler spring and fall months is when a topwater or plug is more productive. Once water temps get warmer in June and are starting to get cooler in September, bucktails and soft plastics bounced on the bottom are productive.

As SD also said, be ready for bluefish! Bluefish are one of the most fastest, most aggressive fish in the ocean. They have very sharp teeth and powerful jaws making them the "piranha of the sea". They will even hit a tin can if you skip it across the surface during a blitz. There's no size limit on bluefish but you allowed up to 10 per day.

Bigger bluefish are more active from mid May til early July and then again from mid September til mid November. During the warmer months you'll find mostly what we call tailor blues, which are bluefish ranging from 1 to 5 pounds. This time of year is when you have loads of snapper blues, which are baby bluefish. Lures imitating a smaller shiner work very well for them.

The taste of a bluefish is fishy and oilly. If you were to keep a tailor blue, then you'd get a better flavor. Bigger bluefish from 8 pounds and up have the stronger flavor. Panfrying the body of an 8" snapper or putting a few of them in the oven is good too.

Fluke are a type of flound also called the summer flounder. 2 different regulations here in CT are the vesel reg and shoreline recreational fisherman reg. Fishing from a vesel means the fish has to be 18" or bigger. Fishing from designated shorelines means you can keep fluke starting at 16".

Fluke give you a good fight and are a delicious fish. Bigger fluke like to feed on snappers and will also hit sandworms and squid strips. Smaller plugs imitating a shiner or small eel work too. Bouncing a small bucktail they also like.

One other fish you are bound to get this time of year on lures and bait is the sea robin. They are considered a trash fish around here and aren't good eating. They still give you a good fight, esp if you were using a lighter setup.

Porgy (aka scup) are mostly bottom dwellers are rock piles and wrecks. Small pieces of sandworms and squid and raw clams are the best baits to use.

Blackfish (aka tataug) are bottom dwellers around rock piles. They like crabs.

avidangler · Joined: 08 Jan 2013 Posts: 469 Location: Forestville

Just a few words.No one mentioned that there are also lakes and rivers here that hold 3 other species of fish.1 is (Walleye).There are a few lakes that have been successfully established through annual fingering stockings.Gardner lake,lake Saltonstall,Squantz pond,Saugatuck reservoir,Batterson park pond and a fee more that have begun to receive them.Also,the Connecticut river has a self-sustaining population in the northern reaches.

The second is the reintroduction of (Atlantic Broodstock salmon).Lakes and rivers like,Mount Tom pond,Crystal lake,lake Congamond that borders the Connecticut and Massachusetts border(stocked mainly by Massachusetts)and a few others.Also sections of the Naugatuck river and Shetucket river .You can also fish for them in the lower section of the Housatonic river.There are specific methods and times of the year that you can fish for them.

A third is West Hill pond and East Twin lake in the northern part of the state were they have introduced (landlocked kokane salmon)(sockeye).They are small only 1-2 lbs
I believe you can find a link to the Connecticut anglers guide here on the forum.It will list many other places that may help you.It will also inform you of the seasons and methods for these and other species of fish.
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StinkyMatt · Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Posts: 7

Good info guys, thank you.

Although we do have good fishing at times here in California there is a lot of BS to put up with here. From the super crowded freeways to long drives to get on the water to large amounts of public water being closed to all fishing.

Can't wait to get out East and learn some new tricks.

Tight lines, Matt

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi,

I would check what you will have to pay in taxes ... state and local.
Connecticut taxes are quite high !

Pauleye · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 129

East Lyme (Niantic). Excellent schools, great town services, charming Main Street, easy saltwater access, close to quality freshwater

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I feel strange discussing public education on a fishing forum, but here goes. Laughing

I moved to Avon, Connecticut, from Lake Forest, Illinois. The public schools in the northern suburbs of Chicago are far superior to the public schools in Connecticut. For example, foreign languages are taught earlier (i.e., starting in the second grade) and there are more choices (e.g., Chinese), music classes are taught earlier (i.e., starting in the second grade), physical education classes are held daily and driver's education is offered. Connecticut schools don't have the budget to offer this type of comprehensive curriculum, even in a town like Avon. The primary reason for this, I think, is the unwillingness of Nutmeggers to pay for the schools. It's hard to fault them for this, though, because the taxes here are ridiculous. Wink

Regarding fishing and kayak fishing in particular, Connecticut is terrific. There are many kayak fishing friendly lakes and rivers across the state. There is a great variety of fishing opportunities here, both freshwater and saltwater. I often catch half a dozen different species of fish in a day. And the fishing community is terrific, too, despite all of the yahoos who belong to this site. Laughing

No, seriously, the fishermen here are great. I know that I'm going to miss the fishing here when I eventually leave the state.
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