It seems like the Connecticut DEEP has stocked more trout in the Farmington River than the human population of some western states. The Housatonic smallmouth action has been nothing less than exceptional. So why am I sitting here in a kayak throwing poppers to hungry bream and rock bass? Simple. I wanted something different.
Instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with other anglers, driving an hour to get to good water, worrying about water temps or reading flow levels, I threw the kayak on the car and was floating within 15 minutes.
This end of the Housatonic is known more for pleasure boats and water skis, yet the inlet leading to the public launch is relatively quiet. Only an occasional boater, returning from a day on the water, asks me how I’m doing.
And I am doing great. Bream and rock bass are hitting the balsa poppers so hard that two of them were reduced to hook and rubber legs. The water is calm, relatively clear, and the takes are easy to spot. I paddle almost effortlessly into small coves, cast, and wait for strikes.
Just like upstream, where the trout are waiting, the fall scenery is part of the experience.
Regardless of where you are and what you’re fishing for, hope you can get out and enjoy some fall fishing.
Enjoy!
Leave a Reply