CTFishTalk.com: Launching on the CT river this saturday 5/1/14 questions? - Connecticut General Topics ( CT General Topics ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

ethan169 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 7

So its supposed to be nice this Saturday and Id like to get the boat on the river. I know we just had a bunch of rain the levels of the river were quite high last week. However they seem to be closer to normal now. Below the flood stage anyway.

I'm not sure where the best place to launch is. I'm planning on anywhere from Hartford and south. I wouldn't mind making my way towards the sound or at least the mouth of the river. Kind of get acquainted with the river.

Any suggestions on where to launch this early in the season? Am I crazy for doing this? It seems everyone I talk to says wow the river is realllll sketchy and the water is high right now. However those same people have either never been on the river /don't own a boat or haven't been on the river for at least 20 years and even then they only went once or twice....

Boat:
1985 Wellcraft Scarab 21' -Not really a fishing boat but we try anyway.

Navigational gadgets/information:
- Paper nautical chart of CT river form Hartford down to Old Saybrook
- Garmin GPS chart-plotter with depth sounder/ fish finder etc. The charts on the Garmin are "all coastal US". If I recall I saw it had the CT river from Hartford all the way down.

Im looking for some thoughts/input here for a newb on the river!

Thanks for any input!

Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

I don't know how the CTR can be below flood stage when we just had all this rain not too long after the river went back to normal stage.

anointed130 · Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 4:22 pm Post subject:

is it possible it will be normal by saturday?
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"Come after Me, and i will make you to become fishers of men"

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Dan1 · Joined: 06 Sep 2013 Posts: 31

It didn't go into flood stage, it will be high and moving fast but it isn't at flood stage. It is projected to peak tomorrow just below flood stage and start coming back down a bit. I personally don't launch when it is at "Action Levels", usually there is a lot of debris, current is moving pretty good and the fishing isn't that great.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=box&gage=hfdc3

ethan169 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 7

It says I need 3 posts before I can post a picture so this is #2...

ethan169 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 7

and #3

ethan169 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 7

Any on to my original post with pics..

Well. I agree we did get quite a bit of rain but I dont think it was anything compared to the rain/snow melting up north that we had several weeks ago. By now all the snow is melted (I think).

Here is the latest data I found on the USGS website. This gauge is

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Here is another graph showing the trend form 4/17 when the river was well over the flood stage (red line at 16')

These are both from the "CT river at Hartford" as you can see in the second graph.

I don't believe there is rain foretasted until Sunday sometime and since the afternoon time it hasn't been raining in Windsor so I would expect the river level to drop a little or at least plateau. Thats my reasoning anyway...

anointed130 · Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 4:51 pm Post subject:

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=box&gage=tmvc3

Thompsonville boat launch doesn't show a lot of action would that means its a little slower? I am trying to learn the river a little better myself
_________________
"Come after Me, and i will make you to become fishers of men"

Can i be a fisher of fish too?

~Tony~

ethan169 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 7

I live right on the other side of the river form that gauge (just south of the 190 bridge) and It is defiantly lower now then it was a week or 2 ago. However its usually quite shallow there. I have never really seen anyone out there in a powered boat. The launches there dont seem to get used much by boaters. Maybe fisherman and a few people just hanging out in their cars. Thats what Ive noticed anyway.

Id even be interested in driving down towards old saybrook and launching. Any thoughts on that area? I've never been to the launch but it seems pretty large and legit form the arial view on goggle maps. I'm sure the river is tidal down there. Ive also never been out on the sound!

Sorry for the questions but I like to be a somewhat cautious boater and now what im getting into first.

Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

I was out before the rain, and the levels were WELL below action stage. I'm still debating Saturday, as it was still muddy crap before all of this rain. Shad and herring are in, as are stripers, but with these conditions I'm not sure I want to run all over for a few fish. I'm not much of one for sitting and chunking.
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