April 1, 2016
As I write this first overdue piece for 2016, it’s a warm, blustery day in Central Connecticut. The weather forecasters are broadcasting the potential for measurable snow Sunday into Monday while stating it’s not an April Fool’s Joke.
To the West, New York State opened its fishing season this morning. Every year, I give serious consideration to joining the crowd at the Opening day celebration in the Catskills borough of Roscoe New York. Something always seems to come up that deters me from making the 3 hour trip to Trout Town USA. My interest is primarily to watch the hundreds of anglers that assemble for the time tested tradition of the first casts into the famous convergence of the Beaverkill and Willowemoc Rivers know as Junction pool. The tradition’s roots go back to the early 1900’s where the legend of the two-headed trout was born. Junction Pool is the home of the mythical two-headed trout that will swim through eternity around the pool trying to decide which branch to take. Every year local and state dignitaries, and living legends of the fly fishing community gather before the 7:30 AM start to take their first casts of the season. The ceremony which rivals Puxatawny’s Groundhog celebration begins with a proclamation of good fishing. Connected to the region are numerous past and present fly-fishing legends that include Theodore Gordon, Rube Cross, AE Hendrickson, Joan and Lee Wulff, Harry and Elsie Darbee, Walt and Winnie Dette, and others. Following the traditional first casts, the crowd heads for the customary breakfast and storytelling.
Although I have yet to attend the Trout Town USA Fishing Season Opener, I am a dedicated long time participant in the Connecticut Opening Day ritual. According to worn black & white photos, my dad I introduced me to opening day at the ripe age of 4 years old. Over the past 58 years, I missed being on the river for the third Saturday in April 6:00AM start, only twice. Those misses occurred in the spring of 1972 when I was a freshman at Florida Tech University. The other time was ten years ago when I took my son for a college visit. I’ve started the first day of fishing season in just about every weather condition from blowing snow, rain, and wind, to exceptionally cold or warm temperatures. One year against my wife’s and doctors recommendations, I fished with my left hand in a cast. Up until the advent of online registration, a trip to the town clerk’s office to purchase a license is one of my memories that seemed to heighten the anticipation. The license was a small rectangular card that was folded to fit into the clear, weatherproof, plastic, holder. The license was pinned to a hat or fishing vest and worn as a badge of honor. Some fifteen or more years ago the plastic sleeve was eliminated and the license printed on paper. Now a days, Connecticut like most states require anglers to purchase the license on line and print it themselves.
For me and my dad, the pre-season routine started with checking out our equipment usually in mid-March. Everything was checked and rechecked for any flaw that would warrant a new rod, reel or waders. Trips to a fishing emporium, for terminal tackle, and gadgets, increased my excitement.
On eve of the first day of fishing, all our equipment including a complete change of clothes was gathered and stored by our kitchen door. My mother packed us lunch which was placed in the refrigerator. A reminder note to not forget the bag of sandwiches was left in a conspicuous place near our pile of gear. The alarm was set for three-thirty AM, and we were out the door by 4. Although we tried to be quiet, something was usually dropped, or there was some other noisy commotion that kept my mother from falling back to sleep.
The opening day rite included a full sit-down breakfast at a favorite restaurant that was opened early to cater to the small hoard of opening day fishermen. For many years we began the season at a bridge pool on Sandy Brook in Colebrook Connecticut. We usually arrived at our favorite spot by below the bridge about 45 minutes before the legal start of 6AM. After rigging our rods and pulling on hip boots, we sought out a spot away from other early bird fishermen. Anticipation and shivering went hand to hand as I waited for the fire horn to sound marking the start of a new fishing season. First casts often resulted in a tangle with another angler across the stream, sometimes the cast was well placed resulting in the first trout of the season.
Usually by 8:30 or so we drove to a spot on the Farmington River, but not before stopping at the Hitchcock Chair Company Derby in Riverton, to check out the circus of anglers standing shoulder to shoulder trying to catch one of the large trout released stocked the day before, in the large deep pools above and below the Riverton Bridge. The heaviest trout checked into derby headquarters won the lucky angler a handcrafted wooden rocking chair donated by the Hitchcock Chair Co. I recall seeing Governor John Dempsey fishing at a spot reserved for him, his family and his State Police driver. Governor Dempsey was an avid angler who during his tenure supported the state fisheries budget and helped to find funds to build a second hatchery in the eastern part of the state.
We generally fished until about noon, had lunch a streamside if we didn’t leave the bag of sandwiches behind at home. The last segment of the opening day ritual was to stop for ice cream at the Guida’s Dairy store on Farmington Ave in New Britain on the way home.
The last time my dad was able to fish opening day was in the mid 90’s with his grandson; together we introduced my six year old son to the traditions of opening day. These days, I still get up at an early hour, trying not to disturb my wife too much, and head out to the Farmington. Even though I try and get out a few times to the TMA on those warm winter days that falsely signal an early spring, the anticipation is still high. Preparation begins in January tying flies, and gazing through the stack of catalogues which begin appearing in the mail during the Christmas shopping season. I have my own locations where I make the first casts of the new season, but always drop a fly in the bridge pool on Sandy Brook where years ago, my dad and I would start the season year after year. I still have a big breakfast, except I eat at mid-morning when I need to thaw my feet.
Last year, the Connecticut DEEP ended the tradition of the 3rd Saturday April Opening Day by moving it up a week to the second Saturday. Their reasoning was the keep state fishermen from crossing the border in to Rhode Island for their traditional opener a week earlier. Over time I will come to accept the new date. This year the Opening Day of Fishing fall on April 9th. I can be found at my special spot on the Farmington River about 5:30AM eager to make the official firsts casts of the season.
I wish all anglers, light winds and tight lines.
Captain Bob Salerno
Northeast Angling Adventures 