CTFishTalk.com: Bantam Lake 05/04 - Connecticut Bass Fishing Reports ( CT Bass Fishing Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

TurtleKiss (aka Kira) and I fished Bantam Lake from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. The day was mostly sunny and breezy. The water temperature ranged from 55-1/2 to 61 degrees. the water was murky with only a couple of feet of visibility.

I didn't write up any reports, but on 04/23, I fished a bass boat tourney at Amos Lake. My partner and I were the only boat out of six who had to do The Walk of Shame to the weigh-in, because we didn't catch any keepers. We did, however, catch three short largemouth bass, one chain pickerel and two trout. We threw everything but what we should have thrown; lures that drag on the bottom. On 04/30, I fished a kayak tourney on Rogers Lake that went much better. I caught 18 largemouth bass, of which eight were keepers. All were caught with wacky-rigged Senkos slowly fished on the bottom around cover. Slowly was key, because quickly would get you a chain pickerel. One poor guy caught 15 pickerel and no bass. Although I caught twice as many bass as anyone else, my keepers were on the smaller side and I only took fifth place out of 28 kayakers. The point I'm trying to make is that, right now, you need to fish on the bottom.

At Bantam, after catching only a rock bass with a wacky-rigged Senko thrown next to a floating dock, I decided to fish the bottom with a jig. I don't remember ever catching a fish with a jig, before, but know that black jigs hopped across the bottom are a good pre-spawn presentation. To make a long story short, I caught two keeper largemouth bass with the jig, so it's my new favorite lure Laughing

:

As Kira and I worked our way around the lake, I began throwing a wacky-rigged Senko, again. As if to say, "Hey! I'M still your favorite lure!", the Senko caught me this:

The "It's Not a Pike!", five pound, 11 ounce, largemouth bass was my first 5+ pounder for the year. Whoo hoo! Very Happy

We ended up with three more keepers in the two pound range, several shorts, several rock bass, a couple of chain pickerel and this small northern pike:

Toward the end of the day, the wind rose up to a steady 15+ miles per hour, which made loading the boat onto the trailer a challenge. All in all, though, we had a pretty good day.
_________________
Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

MattyBass · Joined: 12 May 2017 Posts: 1

I fish Bantam all the time. Try Bass Tender Tube Melon Pepper color with 1/4 oz Tender Tube hook. It's what I throw for 95% of my casts up or anywhere really. Especially this time of year it is super effective, a bass killer!

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

bass tracker · Joined: 17 May 2012 Posts: 84

Nice job Phil!