Farmington river TMA expansion

**Magnet** · 02-09-2011, 06:04 PM

I just recieved the news letter from the FRAA. In it they mention the the TMA expansion is going ahead but the state wants to remove the barbless hook provision over the whole TMA. It makes no sense what so ever. It seems like an attempt to apease the bait fishermen. We will have alot of belly up trout floating down the river with mangled lips. The very idea of catch and release is to release them with the least amount of harm as possible. Seconds count. Most of us can unhook a fish with one movement and not even lift it out of the net. The hearing on this is MARCH 16TH at 6:30 at the Elm st DEP office in Hartford. Write to the DEP or show up to voice your opinion at the hearing.

**Magnet** · 02-09-2011, 08:17 PM

I will email Andy Butler of FRAA to find out an address and who we can send a letter or email to at the DEP. I think if they get enough response about the barbed hook issue they may rethink it.

**frankm205** · 02-10-2011, 09:38 AM

Any idea what the new TMA boundaries will be?

**Magnet** · 02-10-2011, 12:04 PM

Winter Midge Fishing

I copied the remarks of Andy Butler who is he president of the Farmington River Anglers Association from his most recent FRAA news letter. This organization is the most important component of the success of this fishery. I urge all who enjoy the unique Farmington River fishery to go to www.fraa.org and join this proactive organization. Through the FRAA our collective voices can be heard.

Monday, January 24 2011
TMA expansion finally moving forward but....

The FRAA's meeting last night featured Neal Hagstrom from the DEP discussing the state of the fishery on the upper Farmington. As usual, Neal did a great job of summarizing the fall shocking results which showed that the fish are doing very well in the TMA. The average size fish is around 13" with many fish reaching around or over 16". The numbers indicate that there is at least 1 16" fish (or larger) for every 25 feet of river in the TMA, making it highly likely that you will be casting over one of these guys every time out. Can't beat that so close to home!!

The numbers of wild fish appears to have declined, possibly due to the low water for most of the summer. Only time will tell if this trend will continue. The DEP will continue to stock the 1000 big fish around opening day, and that number will stay the same with these fish being spread out over the (hopefully) expanded TMA in the future. Neal also informed us that since 2008 that they have been crossing wild browns from the Farm River in East Haven with the Farmington river brood stock to increase genetic diversity in our population. Hopefully this will prevent some of the inbreeding problems encountered with the closely related brood stock. These fish show a line (or two) of big red spots down the sides and also a bit of red on the top of the tail. Keep an eye out for these traits. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I have seen these characteristics in some of the TMA fish I have caught over the last couple of years.

The TMA expansion appears to be moving forward with the last public hearing scheduled for March 16th at 6:30 pm at the DEP headquarters on Elm St. in Hartford. The proposed expansion would increase the permanent TMA up to the abbutments at the tail of Whittemore, and would make the rest of the river from the dam down to the Rt 177 bridge seasonal TMA. This means that from Sept 1st until opening day, the entire 21 miles of river from the dam to Unionville would be catch and release only and open all year round!! From Opening day until Sept 1st there would be a 2 fish, 12" limit in those areas outside the TMA.

The one problem with the expansion proposal is that the DEP wants to eliminate the barb-less only provision in the permanent TMA. This seems counter-productive to releasing the fish as safely as possible, as it takes much longer (with more handling) to unhook the fish. The FRAA made it very clear that we are not in favor of this part of the proposal and that we would speak out against it at the upcoming public hearing. If you feel as strongly about this issue as we do, then we need as many people as possible to speak at the hearing, or to write in supporting the TMA expansion but calling for re-instatement of the barbless only provision. The logic behind this provision was to standardize the rules on the river to reduce the confusion that multiple laws generate. The way we see it is that the Farmington is a special and unique fishery in the NE and that it should be protected to the best of everyone's abilities. If this requires certain areas to have special regulations then so be it. We need as much support as possible to see this through and as we receive more info we will pass it along. Stay tuned.

Andy Butler
FRAA president
Uu

**paddy** · 02-12-2011, 05:16 PM

FRAA meeting this week, Wednesday 16th Unionville Senior Center.

Barbed and Barbless issue is touchy on many sides. Most of us Flyfishing folks use barbless and know the benefits. According to the Neal during last month's FRAA meeting, State DEP folks do not want to require all fishermen to use barbless if the TMA is extended to the Trophy Trout TMAs above and below the Catch & Release TMA for a full 21 miles down to Unionville Rt177 bridge. It would be hard to enforce because there have been cut backs in the DEP while the funds from fishing and hunting are going to general fund and not conservation because of the economic times. Ever since moving here to CT, I have yet to see a DEP person while out fishing or hunting through the years. The only time I have seen any DEP person, is when I went out looking for redds in the fall with Neal.