Many years passed before I caught a bigger trout than this beauty.
This old photo isn't dated. I would guess late 60's to early 1970's. It was then the biggest trout I had ever landed. I had it mounted and it hung on my wall on our three-season porch in Manchester for the 20 years we were there.
The pipe in my mouth puts it prior to 1974. That's the year I stopped smoking. The tent was our first camping shelter. We purchased it when the kids were little after a disappointing "vacation" to New Hampshire that cost a bundle and ended early when the kids became sick from a dirty swimming pool and the cabin we rented was full of little critters crawling around at night. After two nights, we packed up, headed home, stopped at Morsan's Camping store in Milford and purchased our first camping gear. That began a lifetime of family camping adventures, most of them at good fishing locations.
This particular trip took us to our all-time favorite camping spot, Nickerson Park Family Campground, located on Rte. 198 in Chaplin, CT. The campground is still there and thriving, and that particular site is located at the far end of the camp.
It was always a productive area for fishing, but this particular morning in late April or early May found me casting the upper section where the river reverses itself in a double curve before heading straight down to the main camping lodge.
I was fishing with spinning gear and my lure was the flexible plastic Mepp''s Minnow. It was a little bit bigger but less heavy than other lures in my box and could be worked just off the bottom depending on how deep the water and how fast the current, making it a favorite for early-season trout fishing. 
Todd with a nice rainbow in 2018. He caught it at the lower end of the campground.
Todd with a nice rainbow in 2018. He caught it at the lower end of the campground.
That trout hit hard and offered a valiant battle before I guided it into my net with shaking hands. It was by far the biggest trout I had caught in my lifetime.
Nickerson Park became our seasonal campground for the rest of our camping lives and continues to be the summer camping spot for my son Todd and his family. Owners, Mr. & Mrs. Chris Nickerson have been life-long friends.
The Natchaug River also remains one of the State's top trout streams. The section flowing through the campground is a Trophy Trout Management area, while the State Park a couple of miles upstream of the campground offers family fishing and a five-trout limit. Several other spots along the length of the river offer easy access and good fishing as well, while nearby alternatives for bass, pike and panfish include Hall's Pond and Mansfield Hollow.
Family camping, fishing and the great outdoors provide a fabulous form of entertainment in these days of the Pandemic all less than a couple of hours from the New York border.
30
No comments:
Post a Comment