Our guest speaker this month is Tim Wildman, Senior Fisheries Biologist with the  CTDEEP.  Tim will speak on the CTDEEP Sea-run Brown Trout program including recent attempts to increase numbers of fish available for anglers through importing a different strain of European fish than had been previously used. Please join us on Thursday, February 14th at the Quinnipiac River Watershed Association building at 540 Oregon Road in Meriden for a very informative presentation and some good fellowship! Food is available at 6:30 followed by a short business meeting, program updates, and raffle prior to the speaker. We hope to see you there.

Our speaker this month will be Paul Dinice. 

Paul has been gracious enough to provide this Bio and overview of his Presentation: 

I’m 64 years old and have resided in Derby, CT all my life.   I began spin fishing and fly fishing at a very early age, all thanks to an uncle who took all the family kids fishing on his one day off a week.  In 1980 my fishing focus turned exclusively to fly fishing.  In 1985 I made my first foray into salt water fly fishing.   I live a stones throw from the Housatonic River and Naugatuck Rivers.   I’m a member of virtually every fly fishing club and organization in CT.  I’m also very much involved in numerous environmentally based organizations such as Trout Unlimited, Connecticut Audubon Society, and the Coastal Conservation Association.  I’ve made numerous written contributions to newspapers, local club newsletters, and periodicals.  My “home” club/organization is the Housatonic Fly Fisherman’s Association.  For the past 35 years I’ve written “Fly of the Month” section of the HFFA news letter and website.  I contributed to a book entitled “Over-Winter Striper Secrets” by Captain Al Anderson.   The contributions included photographs and writings which were incorporated in the section on fishing the Housatonic.  My ‘closer crab” pattern appeared in the 2012 Winter edition Fly Tyer Magazine.   I’ve also organized numerous small fly fishing expo’s here in CT.  I’m a member of the Derby Inland Wetlands Commission and have been employed by the Town of Orange as the Zoning Administrator for the past 38 years.

Fly Fishing for Small Mouth Bass on the Housatonic
 
This is an underappreciated fishery.  Learn about the behavior of ‘smallies’ and how it can assist you in catching this great game fish.  Many believe that pound for pound this is the strongest fresh water game fish available.  I’ll cover fishing tactics and techniques, best times to fish for small mouth bass, and the flies to use.  Fishing for this species is just a whole ‘lota’ fun and can assist you in improving your fly fishing skills and knowledge of the Housatonic River. 
 
 
We hope that you will join us this month for this great presentation and fellowship with folks who have an interest in coldwater fisheries conservation.  We will have pizza at 6:00, meeting will start at 7:00.  BYOB or soft drink of your choice.