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imsafanct · Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 118

We didn't catch a lot of fish, but we made the trip from White Oak back to Wethersfield Cove about 3 times as fast as our last attempt. Bill got his 3.5hp gas engine back from his buddy and WOW what a power/speed difference between the gas engine and the trolling motor we've relied on for so long. This same trip back took us over 1.5 hrs. last Summer. Yesterday we were back in 30 mins.

We launched in Wethersfield Cove just before 6 AM yesterday morning, fished the North end of the cove then headed out to the river and fished it down to White Oak. I dropped a fish early in the Cove and had a couple other good hits on a black/blue spinnerbait before we got to the river. As soon as we made the turn South onto the river, Bill had a 25" + pike follow his crankin' rap right to the boat, hit the lure and then spit it all within a second or two. Too bad; it was a very nice fish.

We didn't have any more luck until we got into White Oak, where I grabbed a very nice crappie on the same black/blue spinnerbait. We would have stayed longer in White Oak but the floating cottony pollen kept jamming in our guides and spools. Ever seen it "snowing" on a perfectly sunny 70 degree day?

We called it a wrap at White Oak and headed back to Wethersfield Cove and fished the same North section that we fished in the morning.

Again, more follows by what I believe were largemouths, barely visible in the slowly clearing water, chasing my perch X-Rap 12. I hung my black/blue spinnerbait in a high branch and left it there, switching to a chartreuse spinnerbait which landed me a largemouth around 2 pounds.

That was it. By then it was 2 PM and we threw in the towel and headed to Buffalo Wild Wings.

Barely any fish, but a very positive day getting used to the gas engine and being very pleased with it's performance. Plus I committed to spinnerbaits for most of the day with success.

-Eric

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

imsafanct · Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 118

Phil,

Did you two have any luck? Where'd you fish, and what were you targeting? We're going North this coming Sunday for smallies. Can't wait!

-Eric

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

Bob and I spent almost 12 hours on the water, yesterday, from 7:45 am to 7:15 pm. We launched into the Connecticut River at Haddam Meadows State Park, headed downriver to Salmon Cove, went 1/4 mile up Salmon River, headed back to the Connecticut River and motored up to Dart Island State Park. The water temperature ranged from 60 to 66 degrees. We didn't see any beds anywhere, not even in the flats of Salmon Cove. The fishing was very slow, but it was a beautiful day. Bob caught three largemouth bass, one smallmouth bass and one chain pickerel. I caught two black crappie, one yellow perch, one channel catfish and one largemouth bass. My largemouth bass was the lunker, but it weighed only two pounds, seven ounces. The crappie were 11 and 12 inches long. Not giants, but keepers, if you like eating crappie. The bite really didn't pick up until after 3:00 pm, well after the slack low tide hit at 10:51 am. I had never seen the current so weak in the Connecticut River.
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imsafanct · Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 118

Interesting Phil. Bill went with another buddy to Salmon Cove Saturday evening and grabbed 2 largemouths, so it was slow for him too. I've been hitting the Putnam bridge tunnel at Keeney 3-4 mornings a week for 30-45 mins., before work. I got my first pike on Friday on a crankin' rap and one largemouth this morning on my Yozuri. I love that Yozuri! The mosquitos are insane there!

-Eric

DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT