CTF name: Huskybass
Real name: Mike Briglia
Age: 42
Current city: Glastonbury, CT
Hometown: Newtown, CT
Family members: Wife Beth, Son Carter (age 7-1/2)
Occupation: Director of Broker Development

1. You've been doing more ice-fishing over the years. When did you first try it? What are you finding you like about it?
I tried ice fishing about 5 years ago and would do it a couple of times each winter, but usually just tagged along with a group of guys that really knew what they were doing. I enjoyed being out there, but just didn’t have the passion for ice fishing that I had for open water fishing. That all changed in early 2007 when my friend Neal convinced me to give ice fishing a try for real. He let me borrow his Vexilar FL-18 flasher and provided lots of guidance on jigging which helped in a big way. Now I really enjoy ice fishing as much as open water fishing. I bought a Vexilar FL-20 Flasher and it is a huge help since it tells you whether you are on fish, where they are located in the water column and how they are reacting to your bait. I think I have caught 12 different species through the ice. I like that fact that its fun to catch anything through the ice and that its satisfying to be out there catching fish all by yourself or as part of a group. Ice fishing really makes winter a lot more enjoyable for me.



2. You caught a near record CT state record-breaking false albie last season. What are the details on the fish...how, where, when, etc?
Even though I am primarily a freshwater bass fisherman, fishing for “albies” is my favorite type of fishing. They are so strong and run so fast, that its hard to imagine having more fun with light tackle. The day that I caught the big false albacore was fantastic. It was early November and I was fishing with my friends Neal and Gordon in the Waterford area and we each caught at least a couple dozen albies on spoons, soft jerkbaits and topwater baits. There were many big albies in the mix and we kept the biggest one as we thought it might be a state record. That one was caught on a Storm Chug Bug that I was burning along the surface. That albie weighed 14-12 on the scale at the Fish Connection in Preston, which tied the CT State Record caught in 2000. After that, we went and found a certified scale and the fish weighed 14.06 pounds, not a record, but still a great fish.



3. You've been doing some group spring bass fishing trips up in Maine. What can you tell guys who have never experienced bass fishing in Maine?
The bass fishing in Maine is OUTSTANDING. There are so many lakes up there that receive very little fishing pressure and contain good populations of Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass. Most of the fishing I have done in Maine has been for Smallmouth, but there are plenty of opportunities in Maine to catch great Largemouth Bass. The waters are clear and Rocky and you have them virtually to yourself. In May or June, you will see more loons than you will other fishermen. The scenery is also great. We split a house 8 ways which makes things very affordable and everyone catches plenty of bass. The evening cookouts and tales of the day’s fish stories around the fire pit are great too. There’s nothing better than sharing the day’s events with your fishing buddies while enjoying a nice steak, cold beer and a cigar while sitting around the campfire.



4. You've posted reports of fishing with your son. How is a day on the water with your son different than a day fishing with a friend?
I love spending time on the water with Carter. He will be 8 this summer and is into many activities including Cub Scouts, Soccer, T Ball, Karate and Tennis. Getting Carter out on the boat with me gives us some great one on one time together. I always make sure that he brings his Gameboy along with him, and we pack plenty of drinks, snacks and sandwiches. Carter is a competitive little guy and he almost always outfishes me. He doesn’t fish nearly as often as I do, so it’s his day on the water. I just play guide and he catches almost all of the bass, which is fine with me.



5. You're well known for enjoying targeting smallmouth bass. What are some of the things about smallie fishing that you enjoy over going for largemouth bass?
I guess it just comes down to the fact that Smallmouth pull harder and jump more than Largemouth, plus they never quit fighting, even after you get them in the boat. They might not be as big on average as Largemouth, but what they lack in size, they certainly make up for in strength and attitude.



6. What are some of the things you enjoy about catching largemouth?
In a tournament setting, many times it’s the heavier Largemouth that you need to win a tournament. Also, Largemouth are so widely available throughout the Northeast that its pretty easy to find lakes and ponds that hold numbers of quality Largemouth. Largemouth can also be caught on a wide variety of artificial lures and night fishing for them can be very productive.



7. Do you have a dream fishing trip or destination you'd like to visit?
Two places that come to mind are Lake Simcoe in Canada and Lake Erie in Western, NY State, both of which contain large numbers of trophy Smallmouth. I have never fished either body of water.

One other place that I would love to return to is the Everglades. I really enjoy fishing those canals for a variety of reasons. The scenery and wildlife viewing are both great, and the variety of species you can catch in the canals is amazing. In a day, its possible to catch a dozen different species of fish in the canals including Largemouth, Snook, Oscars, Peacock Bass, Mayan Cichlids, Bowfin and Gar.



8. What is your most memorable fishing experience?
This is the toughest question of all, because its hard to pick just one. Some that come to mind are tournament fishing with my buddy Al, the spring trips to Maine and Vermont, great days smallmouth fishing on the Quabbin Reservoir in Massachusetts and trips south to Pickwick Reservoir and the Everglades. Plus catching Albies has to rank right up there.



9. You dabbled in the tackle business a few years ago. Describe what you learned from that experience? Do you still do any collecting/selling of tackle?
I guess I learned that at least for me, fishing is best left as just a hobby. I really don’t collect any tackle just for the sake of collecting, but I do have thousands of bass fishing lures. Maybe 5% of these baits ever see the water, as I tend to rely on a relative handful of favorite baits.

10. Do you have any fish-that-got-away stories that still haunt you?
I really don’t have any that I dwell on. I do remember I had a big largemouth of about 4 ½ pounds come unbuttoned when it jumped during a night tournament at Beach Pond. That Largemouth would have culled a much smaller bass and given us about 28 pounds. My buddy Al and I weighed in 25-2 that night and came in second to a team that had 26-2. I think there were ten or 11 limits that weighed over 20 pounds that night, it was an amazing night and an amazing weigh in. By the way, Mitch had Lunker that night with a 7-pound largemouth.



11. You're known for throwing the plastic fluke a lot. Describe some of the versatile ways a person can use that bait.
The Zoom Super Fluke is a bait that I have a lot of confidence in. It can be retrieved quickly along the surface or fished with varying twitches and pauses. It can be worked erratically without moving it very far, which sometimes can be a key to triggering bass that are not actively feeding. The other great thing about these baits is that they seem to be equally effective on Largemouth, Smallmouth, Striped Bass, Albies, Snook, etc. It seems that any fish that feeds on 4” to 5” baitfish will fall for these baits.

12. What are some of your most effective night fishing strategies for bass?
I love to fish at night for bass. The crowds and commotion are gone and the bass seem to feed more readily after dark. I try to keep it pretty simple after dark as far as lure choices go. My favorite technique after dark is to use a black 3/8 ounce to ½ ounce spinnerbait with a single Colorado blade that gives off a strong thump. If bass won’t chase a spinnerbait after dark, I tend to fall back on a large Texas rigged soft plastic bait like a 7” worm or a Zoom Brush Hog. I also started using large wooden swimbaits after dark last summer with some success.



13. For a guy just getting into bass fishing in CT, what top 3 tips can you give him for catching more and bigger fish?
1. Try to fish with some experienced bass fishermen. Most are happy to share what works well for them;
2. Buy quality gear, especially line, hooks and reels. Make sure your hooks are sharp and your line is fresh and strong. You don’t want inferior equipment to possibly cost you the bass of a lifetime;
3. Use the weather to your advantage. Cloudy and/or rainy days and windy days can really be a big help. Also, low light periods can be great to fish in.

14. You're married, have a son, and work full-time, yet still find a way to put a lot of time in on the water. What tips can you give for others in a similar situation who want to get in their fishing time?
I’d say to find a few places close to home where you can get out one or two nights a week, even if its just for an hour or two. Also, if night fishing appeals to you, it can be a whole lot more satisfying than watching television. Also, try to involve your kids in the outdoors. To me there’s nothing better than seeing a kid smile when they are reeling in a fish.

15. You've gone fishing with a lot of different CTF members. And, you've gone fishing with guys from other sites, such as nybass.com. What would you say to a guy who is hesitant to fish with new people?
Nearly all the people that I have fished with from CTFisherman and NYBass have been great. I have had the opportunity to fish with lots of different people, and you can learn something useful from most of them. Everyone has their strengths and sometimes you can gain appreciation for a “new” bait or technique while watching someone use it successfully. I can say that I am definitely a better fisherman than I would have been if I hadn’t fished with, and learned from, so many good fishermen.



16. What are some of the obvious things you see new or inexperienced fishermen overlook when targeting bass?
I think that lots of guys pound the bank way too much and don’t fish enough deeper water or offshore structure, especially in clear lakes and ponds where bass tend to spend lots of time in deep water. The fish along the bank see lots more baits than the fish that relate to an isolated offshore hump or rock pile. I also think that many guys use tackle which is much heavier than they need for our northern bass. The vast majority of my bass fishing is done with lines that are rated from 5 pound test to 12 pound test, which is sufficient in our waters, unless you are fishing heavy cover or thick vegetation, then its time to break out the heavy gear.

17. What kind of music do you enjoy?
I really enjoy Rock music and Jam bands. Some of my favorite bands are Van Halen, U2, The Grateful Dead, The Alman Brothers, Dave Matthews Band, Steely Dan, the Counting Crows, and Guns N Roses. There is a local band named RANE that I really enjoy going to see play live.



18. What fishing technique would you most like to improve on this year?
One thing that I have really needed to work on for a long time is fishing a jig. I have fished with a handful of really good jig fishermen and based on their results, I have seen that the jig is a powerful tool. I am hoping that this is the year that it clicks for me.

19. Do you think a CT state record-breaking bass is out there? If so, what is it going to take to catch it?
Great question. The state records for both Largemouth and Smallmouth have stood for a long time and neither will be easy to beat. Very few Largemouth over 12 pounds have been caught in the Northeast and to beat a 7-12 Smallmouth in CT would be an amazing feat. That said, some of our waters have amazing forage bases and anything is possible. If I had to guess, I would say that the best chance of breaking either record would be by a guy fishing large live bait, either just prior to the spawn or in fall when the bass are bulking up for winter.



20. What is one of the most positive experiences you've had as a result of being a CTF member?
I had the opportunity to make many new friends through CTF and have participated in a number of tournaments, group trips, outings, Game Dinners and Banquets. Each year I look forward to the Game Dinner, its just a great event and a feast like no other I have experienced. Plus the money that’s raised goes to great causes.

But the one experience that stands out to me is the generosity of CTF members toward a little boy that none of them have ever met. A few years ago my friend Joe’s son Aiden was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. He was 6 years old at the time and was facing a long, involved treatment process including surgery and chemo therapy. Through the generosity of a few dozen members of CTF and some other friends, we were able to send Aiden a care package while he was in the hospital consisting of nearly $1000 worth of various fishing tackle, plus a custom fishing rod built by Ray Z, and $175 to fund a father- son day of fun at a local attraction. Those gifts really helped brighten Aiden’s spirits and when I saw him this past fall he told me that he loved to go through the tackle several times a day while he was in the hospital. Aiden has made a very good recovery and is back to riding an ATV and fishing with his dad. I still get inquiries from CTF members 2 plus years later asking what they can do to help out. It doesn’t get much better than that.