George I'm so glad to see you back for the spring and really look forward to your reports all season long. I hope to be able to meet you this year. To give you a little bit of first-hand intelligence I happened to fish one of the local coves on the middle portion of the Connecticut River today and we experienced a few fish breaking on the surface. I was told they were gizzard Shad by one of the local kayak Anglers with a lot more experience than myself in this particular location. I was not aware that gizzard Shad came in in the abundance that they evidently do, as I had assumed that it was a species that did not have a very large presence in this state. Not a lot of gizzard Shad pass through the gates of the local fish gates monitored every year based on my observations over the past few years. However, gizzard Shad are an interesting fish and a welcome sign of things to come. If one anadromous species is making the move, certainly others are on the verge.

We also saw the first Osprey of the year, my favorite bird.

It's here Brothers! The best of the best times of the year...

O'