CTFishTalk.com: Farmington River - Tariffville to Simsbury - 07/24 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Derek (aka DirtyDawg10) and I decided to join Tim (aka Fishface) on the Farmington River this morning. We met at Tariffville Memorial Park around 5:30 AM and worked our way upstream to Simsbury. We got a later start than we had planned, because Tariffville Road (aka Route 315) was closed between Route 10 in Simsbury and Elm St in Tariffville. While Tim had to take off before noon, Derek and I stayed on the water until 12:30 PM.

The morning started out nice and cool. The water was clear down to three or four feet and the current was slow. However, once the sun came up, it was hot and muggy. Ugh!

The fishing wasn't fast, but it also wasn't unproductive. I'll let Tim and Derek tell you about their monster fish, but I ended up catching four largemouth bass, two smallmouth bass and one fallfish. Yes, that's right, one fallfish.

My first two fish were caught near where we launched. The first was a 10 inch largemouth bass with a wacky-rigged 5 inch pumpkin/red flake Senko. Next, I caught a little 8 inch smallmouth bass with the same bait.

After we headed upstream a little bit, I caught an 18 inch, 3 lb largemouth bass with a Yum 4 inch mardi gras (aka watermelon/purple flake) tube on a 1/8 oz Arkie jig head. I hope that Derek got a photo of that one.

As we worked our way further upstream, I caught another little 8 inch smallie with a wacky-rigged watermelon/red flake Dinger and a 13 inch largemouth bass on a wacky-rigged 5 inch pumpkin/red flake Senko.

After Tim paddled past us on his way back to the launch, Derek and I took our time working our way back. I decided to troll my lipless white crank bait and caught a 13 inch fallfish:

What's a fallfish? Here's a description that I found on the web:

Fallfish are the largest members of the Minnow family in the Northeast. Fallfish reach size typically between 12 to 18 inches long. They occur abundantly in the St. Lawrence River basin to Virginia, east of the Alleghenies. There prefered habitat is clear, swift streams, rock pools and in clear lakes. The male fallfish build a mounds of gravel often as large as 3 feet high and 6 feet wide to protect the eggs. Fallfish taste terrible but are caught and released by anglers.

Finally, across from the launch and just as Derek said that he had to head in, I caught another 18 inch, 3 pound largemouth bass, but this time with a wacky-rigged 5 inch watermelon/laminated pearl Dinger. I hope Derek got a photo of this fish, too, because I caught it in the same general area as the other 18-incher and I can't help but wonder whether they're the same fish.

If you want a nice relaxing paddle, I highly recommend that stretch of the Farmington River. It's very beautiful. The only thing that was out of place was the noise from the adjacent Simsbury Airport. But it really wasn't too bad. I'll be back again for sure.
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DV · Joined: 05 May 2010 Posts: 229 Location: East Windsor

Looks like a good trip, having never caught largemouth up there I am surprised. But again, I always concentrated on the river just south of that .

How did you like your hobie?

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

DV

I haven't taken her out yet. I plan to take her out on her maiden voyage with my wife following along in my little kayak. What do you think of "The Other Woman" as the name for my boat?

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

No monsters here. It was a fun trip though. The water was pretty calm and the water temp was between 69 and 70deg. I didn't end up with any great quality fish but I ended up getting 7 LMB...an 11" and 10" LMB on a purple senko w/ emerald flake and a 12", 11", 12" (14oz), 14" (1lb 5oz) and a baby 9" on a watermellon/pearl yum dinger. They were all caught under cover on the banks. I didn't have any luck on the tubes I was using.

Phil and Tim both caught the monsters. I got pics of Phil's fish but unfortunately Tim's fish decided it wanted to go swimming again before I could get over to him for the pic. Here's Phil's fish...and from what I can tell they do look like the same fish if you look at the markings. You be the judge...

Here's the first 3lber...

Here's the second...

DV · Joined: 05 May 2010 Posts: 229 Location: East Windsor

Lol. Well phil I'm not so sure your wife is going to be exicited when she calls and you say your out with another woman.

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

I'll be damned. I caught the same fish twice today!

Catch and release, baby!
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chumley · Joined: 25 Sep 2007 Posts: 210 Location: tolland ct

sounds like a decent day,phil my i suggest the yankees hat for better quality photos!!! lol
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SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hey Phil!

Remember where you caught that FallFish.
Freeze and save them for Pike bait during ice fishing season.
Because big pike bait will be hard to find and expensive come winter.

SeaDog1

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

Heres my report I started off with a 3/8oz Pumpkinseed spinnerbait with some sucsess a 12" LMB, then a 8"SMB also on the spinnerbait a 9 or 10" Crappie. When the spinnerbait bite slowed I switched to a Black w/Blue flake 5" Senko. Caught a few between 11 & 13". after Phil caught he called me over to where he and Derek were fishing after he caught the 3.1 lber, I asked Phil if I could have one of his tube (mine were at home) so he gave me one. I came across this 10' x 10' patch of ivy. It looked like a section of wall from Wrigley Field, but there was nothing behind it and the only ivy I saw in the strech we fished. So I yelled over to Phil that this spot will hold fish, it did I got a 22.5" LMB that tipped the scale at 3.14 lbs. That gave a killer fight in the river. Had to get it quick because of major timber in the water. Being that I was fishing 8lb Mono. Like always. It was a great day, fishing with Phil and Derek is always a pleasure. The only bad part other than the crazy heat. I lost my fishing glasses that I have had for like 15 years. They were Strike King glasses but the had glass lens that I like to use. I got my moneys worth.

Tim

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

That big boy you caught was actually 3lbs 14oz (3.875lbs) don't give up weight that easily Wink

It was a pleasure fishing with you again I just wish I got a pic of that guy before he jumped ship (kayak). We'll just have to do it again soon.

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

Tim actually did turn around in his kayak and tell me that there would be a big bass underneath the ivy wall. It was on the sunny side of the river and we had been having some success throwing our lures into shaded water underneath overhanging trees. I paddled over to the shady side of the river and several minutes passed before Tim yelled that he had a fish on.

When I first saw the largemouth bass splashing around, I thought it looked like a 16- or 17-incher. But, Tim, I think it was 20-1/2 inches, not 22-1/2 inches. In any case, it was a nice fish. I told Tim that he would drop it when I handed it back to him after weighing it. The lesson I learned is to always use a fish gripper when passing fish around! Very Happy

My faith in tubes on jig heads has grown immensely. We used Yum 4 inch mardi gras (watermelon/purple flake) tubes on 1/8 oz Arkie jig heads. We pushed the jig heads into the tubes and pushed the eyes of the jig heads through the sides of the tubes about 5/8 inch from the top of the tubes, leaving the hooks exposed:

One of the things I like about the Arkie jig heads is that they have flexible hooks. When you get snagged and use heavy braid like I do, you can pull free every time, because the hook will straighten out and release. You just have to straighten it out again and you're good to go.
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