The Yale Fishing Club sponsors numerous events throughout the school year.  Our calendar varies year to year, but below are some of our regular events. 

Group Trips

Capt. Tom Migdalski frequently invites small groups of club members to join him on his boat to chase bluefish, striped bass, blackfish, and false albacore on Long Island Sound.  Coach Migdalski is an expert when it comes to fishing the Sound, having published two books on the topic.  He usually puts us on a lot of fish!  These trips are our most frequent outings, and they play the most important role in bringing club members together.

Black Hawk II Charter Trip

Each year, the Fishing Club charters the Black Hawk II party boat for a day of fishing for blues and stripers on Long Island Sound.  In years past, we’ve taken as many as 30 club members on the trip, making it our biggest saltwater outing of the year.  Held in the early fall, the Black Hawk II trip culminates with an award presentation for those the fishermen who caught the biggest three fish.   

For more information on the Blackhawk, visit the website: http://www.blackhawksportfishing.com/

DOT-E-DEE Charter Trip

For a number of years, Captain Kerry Douton has brought
a handful of club members on an annual fall trip on one of his
charter boats, the DOT-E-DEE or the new JB Boat, out ofNiantic,
CT. Capt. Kerry, owner of J&B Tackle, always puts us on a lot
of fish-big blues, stripers, even the occasional sea bass.  More info
on the DOT-E-DEE and JB Boat is available here:
http://www.jbtackle.com/dot_e_dee.asp
http://www.jbtackle.com/jb_boat.asp

Additional Trips

Over the years, numerous other guides who are friends of the Yale Fishing Club have generously hosted club members on guided saltwater trips.  Captain Ned Kittredge of Watch-Out Fishing Charters (www.watchoutfish.com) has taken a number of Yalies out on his 33-foot center console, chasing monster stripers or tuna off the Massachusetts coast.  Few fishermen in New England take tuna and striper fishing as seriously as Captain Ned.  Captain Dixon Merkt (www.captdixon.com), a saltwater fly-fishing and light-tackle specialist, has also played host to the Club.  In the early season, Captain Dixon specializes in chasing schoolie stripers in the Connecticut River -- to catch a half-dozen on the fly in a quick 30 minutes is a thrill that's tough to match. During the summer, Captain Dixon specializes in fishing the boulder-studded islands and rips of eastern Long Island Sound.

Fly-Tying Course

Each winter, the Yale Fishing Club sponsors a six-week fly-tying class, which meets weekly (Mondays from 4:00-6:00 PM) on the fourth floor of the Payne Whitney Gym in New Haven.  For nearly 20 years, the course has been taught by Ken Mackenzie, a local expert, who donates his time to the club. (Before Ken took over the class, Harry Townshend and Ed Migdalski instructed the sessions.) It's a great opportunity to learn to tie flies-we begin with the basics, and the club provides all the materials.  Besides, there isn't much fishing to do in the middle of a New England winter. 

Edward C. Migdalski Pond

Located at the Yale Outdoor Education Center in East Lyme, CT, the fly-fishing-only Edward C. Migdalski Pond is stocked annually with roughly 500 brook and rainbow trout.  The annual Opening Day at the pond is held each year on a Saturday in early April.  The club provides continental breakfast and pizza lunch, as well as fly-casting lessons during the day.  Student club members are free to fish the pond whenever they like.  Faculty, staff and alumni are also able to purchase annual memberships for the Pond.  The sale of these memberships, along with donations, is crucial to our ability to stock and maintain the pond.  For information about purchasing a membership, contact club advisor Capt. Tom Migdalski at [email protected] or see the "Joining" heading on this website.

The pond is available during specific times, which usually start on the first Saturday of April and continue until the first freeze. Club members with pond permits are free to fish our waters anytime during open hours. Trout are the prime target during April and May; for the rest of the warm-water season, bass and bluegills become the primary quarry.

Our program also has a collection of fine outdoors books in the Yale Fishing Club Library. Most of the texts are located on the fourth floor of the Payne Whitney Gym. The remainder of the collection, donated by Edward C. Migdalski, reside in the Yale Rod & Gun Clubhouse at the Outdoor Education Center.