Candlewood Lake Fishing

How Much Does Your Fish Weigh?
Fish can be injured when weighed with portable scales. To estimate the weight of your fish, simply take a length and girth measurement (in inches), and use the following formulas. Remember, these are only estimates!

How Old is Your Fish?

Freshwater Records

Tips for Better Catch and Release

Artificial Lures (swimming plugs, surface poppers, jigs, etc.) are often rigged with multiple treble hooks. One disadvantage of these rules is that a fish struggling to escape capture will often hook itself with the remaining treble hooks, leading to additional injury. Anglers should try to use lures with a single hook if possible, or replace treble hooks with steel hooks (not stainless), or reduce the number of treble hooks on the lure.

Bait Fishing is a popular technique. However, the baited hook is often swallowed by the fish so that the hook is deeply imbedded in the stomach ("gut"). To reduce "gut hooking" a fish, anglers should set the hook immediately before the bait can be completely swallowed, or by using a single steel treble hook. When a fish is "gut hooked" the best solution is to cut the line as close to the hook eye as possible. This helps to prevent severe damage to the fish's internal organs, which can occur while trying to remove a hook. If the hook is not stainless steel, it will eventually corrode due to the fish's stomach acids.

Fishing tools used in hook removal can be extremely useful. Tools including needle nose pliers, hemostats, hook degorgers, and wire cutting pliers can be very helpful in reducing hook removal time.

Handling Methods depend on fishing technique used, how the fish is hooked, and size of the fish. Ideally, the fish should not be removed from the water. If fishing from a boat, try to prevent the fish from banging against the side or thrashing around the deck. Improper handling can cause internal injuries, skin abrasions, scale loss, or removal of the protective slime layer that prevents infection. When handling a fish make sure that your hands are wet to reduce slime loss.

To Release the Fish, grasp the tail firmly and place the fish back in the water and slowly move the fish back and forth. This motion will cause water to flow over the gills, restoring oxygen to the blood stream. Recovery time will vary according to size and health of the fish. As a general rule, the longer the fish fights and the higher the water and air temperature, the longer it will take the fish to recover.

Bait and Tackle Shops

Housatonic Meadows Fly Shop
13 Route 7
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754
(860) 672-6064

Candlewood Bait & Tackle
2 Germantown Road
Danbury, CT 06810
(203) 743-2221
http://www.candlewoodbait.com

The Valley Angler
56 Padanaram Road (this is route 37)
Danbury, CT 06811
(203) 792-8324

Jim’s Bait and Tackle
391 Norfolk Road
East Canann CT 06024
(860) 824-5773
http://www.jimsbait-tackle.com

Backcountry Outfitters
8 Old Barn Road
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-3377

Bantam Bait & Tackle
587 Bantam Lake Road (this is route 202)
Litchfield, CT 06759
(860) 567-8857

Classic & Custom Fly Shop
190 Main Street
New Hartford, CT 06057
860) 738-3597

Dean's Sporting Goods
261 New Milford Turnpike, Rte. 202
Marble Dale, CT 06777
(860) 868-0713

Armoury Inc.
233 Litchfield Tpke Route 202
New Preston, CT 06777
(860) 868-0001

Newtown Bait & Tackle
78 South Main Streeet
Newtown, CT 06470
(203)-426-6629
http://www.newtownbaitandtackle.com/

Cannan Valley Shop
11 Railroad Street
North Canaan, CT 06018
(860) 824-7778

Mike's Gun's & Tackle
141 Main Street
Oakville, CT 06779
(860) 274-0371

Up Country Sport Fishing
352 Main Street, P.O. Box 70
Pine Meadow, CT 06061
(860) 379-1952

O'Hara's Landing Marina
254 Twin Lakes Road
Salisbury, CT 06068 (860) 824-7583

Trip’s Bait and Tackle
7 Willow Street
Torrington, CT 06790 (860) 489-8747

Fall Mountain Outfitters
1218 East Main Street #202
Torrington, CT 06790 (860) 496-1199