Connecticut
Connecticut Fishing Report- April 25, 2024 – On The Water
Connecticut Fishing Report
Matt at Black Hall Outfitters in Westbrook told me that he had a slight, but noticeable, uptick in tautog action in the central sound this week, including some relatively easy limits in 15 to 25 feet of water. Small orange jig tipped with a crab was the ticket, and as the water temperatures slowly tick up, it should only improve for the last few days of the season. School to just over slot-class bass are around in better numbers, especially around the tidal creeks and herring runs. If you’re out there on a full sun day, with a decent surface temperature, you’re apt to find some fairly reliable topwater action. If they’re not biting topwater, you should be able to fool them on Fin-S fish or GT paddletails. The herring numbers seem to have increased quite a bit, find the ospreys and you should find the herring and bass. Matt hasn’t spent as much time in the sweetwater this week, but reports are good for big largemouth on swimbaits and jigs, while trout action is as steady as ever.
Heather from the Blackhawk in Niantic reports, “It’s almost time!! We can’t wait to start fishing! Our season will start on Friday, May 3. Tickets will be posted online on Monday night at 8 p.m., just like in past years. Be sure to check out our calendar so you see what’s coming up! We continue to book private charters, so be sure to email the office to get your date on the calendar. We are humbled to once again be in the running for the best charter boat in the “Best of the Best” contest. We would be honored if you’d vote for us! We look forward to seeing everyone soon!”
Captain Mike Roy at Reel Cast Charters said that the fishing took another turn for the better this week. The stripers are responding well to smaller-sized soft plastics fished on jigheads, but a few more are willing to take topwater offerings each day. Mike is still targeting resident fish, as they wait for fresh fish to really show themselves along the local river mouths. Most of the bass are school class up to 30 inches with the occasional 15-pound class fish mixed in. They also did a bit of togging this week to keep things interesting and were able to get their limits for the table. Captain Mike and his team have openings over the next two weeks, which should be primetime. Give him a call today to book your spot.
Captain Chris of Elser Guide Service told me that he started to put more time into fishing the Housatonic this week and fishing continues to improve in select locations. Herring are evident, but not obvious, so it’s key to hone in on their location to find quality fish in the 30-inch-plus range. On the freshwater scene, the Hendrickson hatch has kicked off, so the dry-fly enthusiasts are thrilled! Chris likes to experiment with different patterns and find what will produce, when a traditional dry fly doesn’t. Lately, this method has worked well with large parachute patterns. He also added that if you’re a wild trout enthusiast, they may be picky during this hatch, but it is your best chance to get a big fish on a dry fly!
Tyler at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk reports that they’ve heard of their first reports of early migratory striped bass in the far western sound this week. Boats that headed west found fresh fish on the troll between Greenwich and Execution Rock. This first big wave of fish in the Sound will slowly bleed into local waters over the course of the next few weeks and it won’t be long until the local reefs and rockpiles are covered in larger stripers. For those who don’t want to wait any longer, there are plenty of resident bass in the local rivers, coves, and harbors. Small soft plastics and swimming plugs are doing the most damage, especially in the rivers, but sandworms and even mackerel chunks are taking their share of fish too. The blackfish bite has been good enough for April but is a tad inconsistent. Many anglers are reporting a good bite one day, followed by a skunking the following day. Staying mobile and actively searching for where they are is the key to success, and it definitely seems good enough to give it a shot before the season closes out. Trout fishing in the local streams is improving as the flows improve, while the Saugatuck Reservoir is starting to wake up, with some better walleye and smallmouth reports this week.
Connecticut Fishing Forecast
With a slight uptick in temperature combined with one of the driest weeks we’ve had in months, it feels like we’re finally approaching the precipice of the winter leaving us and the spring run taking off.
A few more warm days this week equaled some more encouraging tautog reports from the Western Sound and Central Sound. There isn’t much consistency in the tautog bite, with reports varying from day to day, but it seems that if you get out before the close of the season, you should be rewarded. This is especially the case for the anglers that are willing to be mobile and bounce around. As these tautog make their way into our territory, they’re moving around constantly, so anglers need to be willing to do the same.
Holdover striped bass action has been excellent across the state all season, and another good push of river herring has brought some of the bigger fish out and kicked up activity levels. Bass can be found throughout the river runs and are also being caught in good numbers on the beaches along the mouth of the tidal rivers, so basically anywhere a bass could intercept a river herring, you’re likely to find one. We’re still a few weeks away from the true peak “spring run”, but there are certainly fish to be had at the moment. The Connecticut River is still a bit cold and dirty, but I think we’re only a few days away from some awesome bass fishing up and down said river. This is especially the case when you consider the shad fishing. Reports from the last few days have gone from nothing to steady action in all the usual hotspots, so shad anglers should be busy this weekend, and striper anglers should take this as a sign that the bass bite is ready to blow up. The trout streams have settled nicely and that fishery is as consistent as it gets at the moment.
Connecticut
A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present
When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.
Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.
That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.
Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.
FAST FACTS:
Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors
Location: Darien, Connecticut
The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.
LIVING ROOM
Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.
The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.
A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.
DEN
An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.
Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.
DINING ROOM
The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.
Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.
PRIMARY BATH
Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.
In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.
WORKSTATION
Smart features make family management a cinch.
To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.
About the Designer
Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.
Connecticut
Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings
The Hartford community is grappling with two police shootings that happened within eight days of each other. Both started off as mental health calls about someone in distress.
People came together to remember one of the men killed at a vigil on Wednesday evening.
With hands joined, a prayer for peace and comfort was spoken for the family of Everard Walker. He was having a mental health crisis when a family member called 211 on Feb.19.
Two mental health professionals from the state-operated Capitol Regional Mental Health Center requested Hartford police come with them to Walker’s apartment on Capitol Avenue.
A scuffle ensued, and police said it looked like Walker was going to stab an officer. The brief fight ended with an officer shooting and killing Walker.
The family is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.
“All I will have now is a tombstone and the voicemails he left on my phone that I listen over and over again at night just so I can fall asleep,” Menan Walker, one of Walker’s daughters, said.
City councilman Josh Michtom (WF) is asking whether police could have acted differently.
“To me, the really concerning thing is why the police were there at all, why they went into that apartment in the way that they did, in the numbers that they did,” he said.
The president of Hartford’s police union, James Rutkauski, asked the community to hold their judgment and wait for a full investigation by the Inspector General’s office to be completed.
A different tone was taken in a statement released about another police shooting on Blue Hills Avenue on Feb. 27.
Rutkauski said the union fully supports the officer who fired at 55-year-old Steven Jones, who was holding a knife during a mental health crisis.
In part, the union’s statement says that Jones “deliberately advanced on the officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. This was a 100% justified use of deadly force.”
The Inspector General’s office will determine if the officer was justified following an investigation.
The officer who shot Jones was the fourth to arrive on the scene. Three others tried to get him to drop the knife, even using a taser, before the shooting.
“It just feels like beyond the conduct of any one officer, we have this problem, which is that we send cops for every problem,” Michtom said. “I don’t know how you can de-escalate at the point of a gun.”
Jones died from his injuries on Tuesday.
The union’s statement went on to say that officers should not be society’s default for mental health professionals. The statement said in part, “We ask for renewed commitment from our legislators to remove police from being the vanguard of what should be a mental health professional response.”
The officers involved in both shootings are on administrative leave.
Connecticut
Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today
Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.
“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network. “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.
“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”
In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care.
“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”
Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut.
“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”
“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”
Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!
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