CTFishTalk.com: Mount Tom Pond and Bantam River 10/19 - Connecticut Bass Fishing Reports ( CT Bass Fishing Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Daryl and I decided to check out Mount Tom Pond yesterday. I pedaled my Hobie and Daryl paddled a kayak. Yes, I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to see Daryl's new boat (to him), M.O.B.D., in action today. The forecast was for one mile per hour winds at daybreak, building to eight miles per hour by noon, so we headed out early. We were on the water around 7:30 am. The air was cold and there was very little wind. The water temperature was only 51 degrees, but it increased to 54 degrees by noon. The water was a little bit pea soup stained, but was clear down to about two feet.

About two minutes after we launched from the beach at Mount Tom State Park, I caught a 12 inch brown trout on a little white lipless crankbait while trolling it north along the eastern shore. I wasn't expecting to land a fish so quickly and wasn't prepared to take a photo. As brownies go, it was not a particularly pretty fish. After I caught it, I thought that we'd have a productive day. Unfortunately, I didn't catch another fish for the rest of the day and Daryl got skunked. Although we saw trout or salmon rising all over the place all morning, they were not interested in anything in our tackle boxes. We threw wacky Senkos, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, swirly-tail grubs, jigs and spoons, but the fish just weren't interested. At one point, I drifted over a school of a couple dozen 18+ inch brown trout in about four feet of water in the southwest corner of the pond, but they ignored me. A shore fisherman told me that they wouldn't bite because they're pre-spawn, but I think that it's just the season for fly fishermen to outfish the baitcaster and spinning reel guys.

Shortly after noon, Daryl and I decided to head over to Bantam River to get out of the wind and try to change our luck. We did get out of the wind but, unfortunately, we failed to change our luck. Daryl got close to getting the skunk off of his boat with a little chain pickerel, but it spit the hook right next to the boat. We paddled all the way down the river from the canoe launch on Whites Wood Road to the beaver dam near the mouth of the river at Bantam Lake:

If I had put the 300 millimeter lens on my camera instead of the 70 mm lens, I would have been able to post decent photos of the bravest blue heron that I've ever seen and the first mature bald eagle that I've seen in Connecticut. While it's unfortunate that Daryl and I had almost no success today, fortunately, it was a beautiful day to just be out on the water:

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Fishface · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 308 Location: New Britain

Nice job guys at least you were able to get out.

Tim

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

Sorry to hear you had a rough day out there.

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

Yeap, Tim, I know how lucky I am.

BTW, Daryl and I strapped his kayak to my Hobie on the trailer. The D-rings that I installed on the trailer deck helped a lot. But on the way home, one of the straps loosened up enough for us to lose one of the S-hooks from the strap. Embarassed

Luckily, the kayak didn't appear to have shifted.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

steven1smith · Joined: 05 Apr 2010 Posts: 206 Location: South Windsor

Looks like a nice day. I would rather get skunked than go to work or school.
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Catch and release only.
A 4lb bass is not going to grow to 8lbs on your wall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxCdnQ8WEfQ

asianfisher · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 920

lmao i lost a kayak when i met up with RobO early summer.... RT. 9 flyin on the highway cause my ass was late.......

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

steven1smith - Put your best effort into work or school now and you'll end up with more time to fish. And cut your hair! Very Happy

asianfisher - Yeap, I heard that story. Surprised

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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

Daryl · Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Posts: 70 Location: Simsbury, CT

Phil, I must have had a brain fart and released that strap when we got to my house, because the S-hook was inside the kayak! The only way that would have happened was if I put it there, otherwise it would be on the road somewhere.

The report that Phil put up pretty much sums things up almost to the letter! What a beautiful day, I love kayaking in the foliage and watching all the wildlife. The Bald Eagle was a real treat, that's only the second time I have seen one in the wild, both times it was in Connecticut though.

I had a great day kayaking and fishing in all the beauty of Mount Tom Pond and was thrilled to experience the Bantam River for the first time. I can't wait to hit that place up in the Spring. Also hooking up with Phil for some fishing was a welcome breath of fresh air. It's nice to spend time and converse with someone who has the same passion I do for the sport. Thanks again for the comradery!

I would have commented sooner but I have had a lot of unexpected surprises around the house this week, including a detailed re-organizing of all my belongings while my lease company makes some "repairs" to my townhouse.

On a lighter note, the forecast for Friday looks great, and I had to take the day off from work to handle things around the house, but may be able to sneak off for a few hours of kayaking from 1pm-5pm, Nod Brook maybe? I gotta shake this skunk!

I'm definitely heading out Sunday in the MOBD to tear up some lakes in CT this time. If all goes as planned I will have my 3 month Temp Boating Certificate by this weekend. So watch your back when you hear the hum of the trolling motor, because it might be Daryl and "My Other Brother Daryl," heading your way!

Oh yeah, here's a pic of Peco in Action!

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Daryl

"Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers." - Herbert Hoover