Windham County Observer

Putnam's Ike Waltons Eagerly Await
Fly-Casting, Angling Season Opening
April 15, Scan Old And Likely Haunts

Sportsmen See Prospects Of Substantially-Increased Recreational
Opportunities, As They
Study
Advance
Announcement By
State's Fisheries And Game Board-Additional Streams And
Ponds To Be Made Available For Regulated Fishing, Old Popu-
lar Ones Have Been Stocked With Fingerlings Of Various
Finny-Family Types-Some Fundamental Rules Interpreted.

Putnam's Ike Waltons, and they
are legion, already are sorting out
their tackle, pensively wandering
through stores in search of new gad-
gets and mentally ogling old favorite
haunts and prospective new ones,
while eagerly awaiting official open-
ing April 15 of the 1944 fly-casting,
angling season. Pre-seasonal an-
nouncement by the State Fisheries
and Game Board, with its outline of
substantially-increased opportunities
to be made available, has but
served to whet enthusiasm of the
sportsmen. In addition to the stress-
ing of some fundamental regulations,
the announcement refers to the ad-
dition of some new streams and
ponds, as well as the stocking with
fingerlings of the best-known fresh
water family types of many bodies
of water popular through the years.
Some disappointments and head-
aches will result, through the report-
ed temporary closing or curtailment
of privileges at some places that
have proved popular in past years.
Increased fishing opportunities
have been developed, with more un-
der way, in northeastern Connecti-
cut through the personal interest be-
ing shown in development of this
territory by Dr. John E. Flaherty of
Rockville, a member of the State
Board. For years past an annual
spring Ike Walton visitor to this
part of the state, knowing most of
the streams and pools by heart, he
has become recognized as the state's
leading angler, both in practice, as
well as theory. Largely through his
progressiveness, many of the rich-
ly-stocked streams and ponds in
Yale Forest have been opened to
the public, under a daily permit and
state-regulated system.

The announcement, just issued by
the State Board, and self-explana-
tory, gives much essential data to
guide the angler. An excerpt lists
special regulations, as they apply to
bodies of water in Windham and
Tolland, points most likely to be
visited by sportsmen from this area,
provided they can get by their re-
spective Ration Board, and obtain
the necessary transportation. Ex-
cerpts from the State Board an-
nouncement follow:

Stream Fishing-The stocking
program of the State Board of Fish-
eries and Game to prepare streams
for the season opening April 15 is
now in progress. Stream anglers
will be limited to ten trout or five
pounds and one trout, legal length
six inches. Many streams not in-
cluded in the State's leasing program
are stocked and are open to anglers.
Streams posted as private are not
eligible for stocking by the Fish and
Game Department.

Fly Fishing Only at Housatonic
Meadows-Restriction on Spinners.
The Housatonic Meadows State Park
area of the Housatonic River is re-
served for fly fishing only. On State-
regulated trout streams only one
spinner or spoon not longer than 3/4
inch without weights or sinkers may
be used. Sinkers or weights pro-
hibited either as part of other arti-
ficial lures or in connection there-
with. Exception: One split shot or
equivalent not larger than BB may
be used in wet fly fishing.

Pond Fishing-Trout-The follow-
ing ponds have been stocked with
trout and will be open on April 15:
East Twin Lake, Salisbury; Millane's
Pond, Cromwell; Schreeder Pond,
Killingworth; Ball Pond, New Fair-
field; Crystal Lake, Ellington-Staf-
ford; Lafayette Pond, Somers, and
Walker Reservoir, Vernon.

Scheduled for later openings are
Lake Wononscopomuc, Salisbury,
May 15; Cream Hill Pond, Cornwall,
May 15: West Hill Pond, New Hart-
ford, May 27, and Quassapaug Lake,
Woodbury - Middlebury, May 27.
Catch limits are decreased and
length limits are increased on cer-
tain ponds. Details are given in the
lists below.

Pickerel, yellow and white perch,
calico bass and bullheads are all
legal on the opening date of April
15. The new length limit of 16 in.
on pickerel established by the last
session of the legislature is designed
to protect the spawning reserve of
this popular species. The bass sea-
son is not scheduled to open until
July 1.

The annual fishing pamphlet giv-
ing a summary of laws and regula-
tions issued by the Fish and Game
Department will be in the hands of
town clerks shortly after April 1.
Following is a list by districts of
streams and ponds under special reg-
ulations. Waters not included in
this list are subject to dates and lim-
its as established by law.

L-length, DL-daily catch limit.
"no limit"-no limit on length or
daily catch, *-State-owned, -
State-regulated.

District V-Tolland Area
Streams:
Broad Brook, Roaring Brook, Scan-
tic River. Willimantic River.
Ponds:
*Bolton Notch Pond, Bolton, April
15-February 9 except for black bass.
Black bass, L 12 in, DL, 6. Yellow
perch, L 8 in, DL 10. Bullheads, DL
15.

Crystal Lake, Ellington-Stafford,
April 15-October 3- except black
bass. Trout, L 8 in., DL 5. No limit
on any other species. Boat liveries.
Motors permitted.

#Fresh Water Pond, Enfield, April
15-October 31 except for black bass.
For children under sixteen years of
age only. No boats permitted. Yel-
low perch, L 7 in., DL 10. Calico
bass, L 17 in., DL 5. Pickerel, L 12
in, DL 10. Black bass, L 12 in., DL
5. Bullheads. DL 10. Sunfish, DL
10.

#Lafayette Pond, Somers. April
15-July 15. Fly fishing only. No
boats permitted. Trout, DL 5.

Mashapaug Lake, Union, July 1-
October 31. Boat liveries. Motors
permitted.

#Staffordville Reservoir, Stafford
From April 15 to October 31 except
bass. Black bass, L 12 in., DL 6.
Yellow perch, L 18 in., DL 10. Bull-
heads, DL 15. Motors permitted.

#Tankerhoosen Lake, Vernon,
April 15-October 31 except
for black bass. Black bass, L 12 in.,
DL 6. Yellow perch, L 8 in., DL 10.
Bullheads, DL 15. Motors prohibit-
ed.

# Waumgumbaug Lake, Coventry,
April 15-February 9 except for black
bass. No limit on calico bass. Ice
fishing Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Sundays only. Boat liveries. Mo-
tors permitted.

Willimantic Reservoir, Bolton-
Coventry-Vernon, April 15-October
31 except for black bass. Black bass
L 12 in., DL 6. Yellow perch, L 8 in.,
DL 10. Bullheads, DL 15. Boat liv-
eries on lower pond. Motors limited
to 6 h.p.

District VI-Windham Area
Streams:
Bigelow Brook, Blackwell's Brook,
Little River, Natchaug River, Snake
Meadow Brook, Fenton River, Mt.
Hope River.
Ponds:
# Alexander's
Lake,
Killingly,
July 1-October 31. No limit on yel-
low perch and white perch. Motors
restricted to 12 cubic inches. Boat
livery. Picnic Area.

#Crystal Pond, Eastford-Wood-
stock, July 1-October 31. Black bass,
L 12 in.. DL 6. Yellow perch, L 8
in., DL 10. Bullheads, DL 15. Boat
livery. Motors permitted.

Hall's Pond, Eastford, April 15-
October 31 except for black bass.
Black bass, L 14 in., DL 10. Boats,
motors, picnics permitted.

Lily Pond, Thompson, April 15-
October 31 except for black bass.
Black bass, L 12 in., DL 5. Calico
bass, L 7 in., DL 5. Yellow perch,
L 17 in., DL 10. Bullheads, DL 10
Sunfish, DL 10. For children under
sixteen only. No boats permitted.

# Little Pond, Thompson, April 15
October 31 except for black bass
Black bass, L 12 in., DL 6. Yellow
perch, L 8 in., DL 10. Bullheads
DL 15. Boat liveries.

#Prentice Pond, Putnam. April
15-October 31 except for black bass.
Black bass. L 12 in., DL 15. Calico
bass, L 7 in., DL 5. Yellow perch,
L 7 in., DL 10. Bullheads, DL 10.
Sunfish, DL 10. For children under
sixteen only. No boats permitted.

#Roseland Lake, Woodstock, April
15-October 31 except for black bass.
Boats permitted. Boat livery. Black
bass, L 12 in., DL 6. Bullheads, DL
15.