Sea Run Browns; Preferred habitat

[alanb_ct]

Due to some personal things going on, I don't have too much time to fish right now. I kept it local this weekend and visited the stream where I learned how to fish for trout. You can easily figure out this location, but I didn't want to post in the general area since it is only about 30cfs typically and cannot handle any pressure.

The river is a small tributary of the CT river and is a stream that harbors sea run browns and wild brook trout. There are no dam obstructions here, save for a few low roll dams the fish can easily ascend. This stream was also a historic Atlantic Salmon nursery.

I fished the uppermost part of their journey. At this point, they cannot go any further because of this:


I will tell you that fishing bait here is DEADLY, especially any sort of bait derived from the ocean, as the fish here are used to feeding on it in the lower reaches of the system. I fished flies of course and had modest success, catching three fish, but I know there are a lot more.

The reason I know the fish are here is because I could see them. Where? Trying to ascend the waterfall! I am not kidding! Here is my attempt of photographing one in the air (missed it)

I saw at least three 8-12in browns trying to swim up that strong column on the left; it was amazing. This is the only place I have ever seen this. It is really snaggy here, and this is where I fished

After about an hour I finally hooked a sea run. Stupidly, I did not take a picture because I figured I would get more and maybe larger ones. The one I landed was about 10in long but fought the equivalent of a 15in stocker, no kidding, even taking drag from my Ross Evolution! It took me over a minute to land it. It was fat, coppery brown with red dots and reddish fins.

After that one I caught a 6in wild brookie and then (disappointingly) caught a stockie brown here

The stockie was about 12in but came in without a whimper.

I know the mouth of this creek harbors some large sea run browns, about 3lbs, because I have seen them caught through the ice in the winter. The area where they live is sort of a cranberry bog and basically impossible to fish in moving water. Further out from here, the river is littered with small stripers.

Sorry I missed the money picture; I will try to go back and catch it again. If you ever hook a CT sea run, you will know it; they fight as strong as any wild fish I have ever caught.

Tight lines.

[Davyfly]

Alan, this reminds me of the rivers back in Wales, beautiful. I have watched many Atlantic Salmon move up falls like this and they an do it way better than Sea Trout due to the stiff wrist in the tail, it does not collapse, a trouts will.
As a matter of interest how far is that falls from the confluence with the salt.
As a rule ST run into the river at the same time, spawn and return to the Ocean, unlike Atlantics that an remain in freshwater for months before they spawn.
Wales has some great Sea Trout rivers and that fish became a passion of mine.
They are way more wary than a resident river Brownie no doubt of that and way more difficult to catch, particularly during day light hours.
We would fish during the night to catch these fish.

During the day they hide, at night they move into the tails of the pools of where there is well oxygenated water and there you have a very good chance to hook them.
Never cause your shadow to fall on the water, that's a no, no.
Some nights they will hit surface fished flies big time, others no interest, wet flies an be killer for these guys.

Davy.

[alanb_ct]

Thanks Davy, I should really fish there at night and try to target to larger fish.

I just checked Google Earth. This waterfall is about 8 miles from the CT River. I believe the CT River is still considered "brackish" water at that point. From there, the CT River travels about 10 miles to Long Island Sound and the pure salt. I believe the CT sea runs travel to the ocean estuaries only and no further. While there, they feed on our abundant shrimp and bait species such as mummichogs. It is a little know fact that CT has many rivers once teeming with big sea run browns.

I used to ice fish a lot when I was a teenager. The mouth of this river freezes during really cold winters but is quite shallow at low tide, less than 4 feet. It is easy to see the fish here through the hole in the ice. Several times while fishing for perch I saw large browns swimming by, but they always seemed skittish. My father's friend, a really expert bait fisherman, was able to get several of them, around 20in.

If the resources allowed, I believe CT could establish some world-class sea run fisheries. Long Island Sound is teeming with food for these big browns.

[alanb_ct]

Davy,

Further, I was just thinking since the latitudes between Wales and the NE US do not differ much, that may explain the similarities in the geology and the rivers. Thanks again.

[SlowNDeep]

Alain,

Try dark zoo's to mimic the mummichogs - or a darker than normal McCunes Sculpin.

Before I learned to FF, I used to use broken back rapalas with good success for SRBs in CT streams.

I think the SRBs feed heavily on those slow baitfish in the brackish water and they'll hit anything that looks like them.

Also, we never had any real success on sunny days either, but would usually do well in a light rain with good cloud cover.

[Davyfly]

Alan,

That is typical of Sea trout they will feed close inshore in the near vicinity of the rivers they were born. Bait fish and sandeels are favourite food sources along with crustaceans.

I have fished many river estuaries for sea trout in the past around the UK and Irish coast, and there are days you will have a ball, others not a sniff.

It may well be worth trying that there. I am not sure what time of the year the ST run the rivers to spawn, in Wales it is in June time onward.

Here are the name of a couple of very good wet flies for these guys. Hook sizes from 6 to 10.

Teal Blue and Silver
Peter Ross
Silver Invicta
Mallard and Claret
Teal and Black
Alexandra
Muddlers, with gold or silver bodies.
Haslam, which is also a great Brownie fly

Small HW tube flies are also well worth using.

Give it a go Alan for the ST. I know you might not care to do it but ST are a great fish to eat.

PP. There will be flies on the way to you this week.

Davy

[Magnet]

And don't forget the most auspicious "Muddler Daddy"

[AaronJasper]

That silver Invicta doesn't catch anything... why would you even list that there ;D

[Davyfly]

Magnet, come to think of it l do not recall using that for ST, but no reason why it would not work.

It does for me Aaron !! with a Gantron Arc Crome tail even more deadly, now that is going to open up a whole can of worms for you and others, as few are aware of Gantron to day as you cannot buy it !

DW

[alanb_ct]

Davy:
Thank you very much! I am going to talk to a CT fisheries biologist I know and ask some further questions about the sea runs. I know one stream where they are studying them carefully. There are historical records of large (8lbs +) CT sea run browns.

Eddie:
Thanks for the advice, I can envision one spot where streamers might produce.