CTFishTalk.com: Mattabesset River 08/28 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Fishface (aka Tim) and I decided to check out the Mattabesset River in the afternoon, yesterday. We planned a one-way trip down the river from the canoe launch next to the Dunkin Donuts at 24 Shunpike Road in Cromwell to the boat launch on the Connecticut River at the State Wildlife Area, so we shuttled one of our cars to the lot down there before we launched. We put in at about 3:30 PM, about an hour before the high tide. It was a beautiful, clear sunny day. The water was clear, tea-stained and shallow, and was gently flowing upriver. Here's a map of where we paddled:

Here are a couple of photos of the canoe launch:

After we launched, we headed upriver just a bit to the Newfield Street overpass. We saw a lot of wood on the bottom, and spotted some yellow perch and small keeper largemouth bass. I threw a wacky Senko and my little white lipless crankbait at them. However, although the perch liked to hit my crankbait, they somehow managed to avoid getting hooked by it. BTW, has anyone else noticed how yellow perch like to attack a lure with a wingman? Anyway, after 30 minutes of failing to get the attention of the fish that we could see, we decided to head downriver. We paddled past the canoe launch and into the jungles of Africa. Yes, the river at the top is small and overhung by big trees. It was like a cross between the Jungle River Cruise at Walt Disney World and a mangrove swamp. We fished as we paddled, but without success. We worked our way down the river and began to come out from underneath the trees as the river began to grow:

It's a gorgeous, scenic river. As you head downriver from Shunpike Road, you go from the jungles of Africa and mangrove swamp to your typical small Connecticut river to a wide open expanse of tall fields of wild rice. Here's the bottom of the rootball of a downed tree that formed a wall mural along the river:

I didn't get any photos of the rice fields, because it I thought it was a little too challenging for my VGA cellphone camera to capture. I'll bring my SLR the next time I'm there for sure. Tim and I spotted turtles, all kinds of birds, including a pair of swans with an adult-sized gray cygnet, and pissed off beavers. Small, silver baitfish constantly leaped out of the water all over the place. Although Tim and I both threw crankbaits that closely matched the leaping baitfish, we failed to spot a lot of fish. Tim caught a 12 inch largemouth bass and a couple of small yellow perch, and accidentally caught a bluegill when he dangled his baitless red wacky-rig hook in the water. I got the skunk for the entire length of the river. It was a longer paddle than we anticipated. I was totally unprepared (sorry, SeaDog1) and didn't bring even a flashlight with me, and night fell hard and fast. We powered past the rice fields and down to the mouth of the river, where I told Tim that I was going to catch a smallie off a bridge piling, as DV (aka Derek) had taught me on the Connecticut River. Tim probably thought that I was full of it. But, sure enough, I took station downriver from the railroad bridge piling, cast my crankbait upriver and across the piling, and landed a 16 inch, 1 pound 5 ounce smallie. It was too dark for a photo by then, but trust me, I had a huge, relieved grin on my face. We double-timed it up the Connecticut River to the boat launch ramp at the Connecticut River State Wildlife Area in the dark. Unlike I, Tim came prepared with a suction-cup mounted navigation/bow light. Luckily, only one powerboat passed us and only in the distance in the main channel of the river as we finally approached the boat launch at about 8:00 PM.

Thanks, Tim, for a terrific paddle. Well, other than when I hooked the braided line on my wacky rig with the treble hook on my crankbait and had to cut and re-tie both rigs. And when I dumped a half a gallon of water into my kayak. And when I failed to catch anything for four hours. And when I had to paddle up the Connecticut River in the dark. Very Happy

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

Sounds like a real adventure!! Especially after the one we had that morning on the Farmington. I'm glad I couldn't join you Wink

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

Phil thanks also, great paddle. I'll add that the place holds more fish than we caught unfortunatelly not having enough time to put into all the spots needed.
Next Time.

tim

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Nice report guys. I told you it was a very scenic river......and at times very productive depending on the locations fished.

Jim
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pikePERSUADER1 · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 521

yeah, definitely a cool place to fish, a buddy of mine has taken some BIG PIKE from there, including a 42'' this summer and a nice walleye as well

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

A 42 incher during the Summer? Shocked

Now THAT I'd love to have seen! I think that SkeeterJim might have seen it, too. Hopefully, I'll get to see it next year.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Oh Phil!

Check out the post I just made under Ice Fishing -> Big Fish Exclamation

Maybe this will convince you to get into Ice Fishing Exclamation

SeaDog1

pikePERSUADER1 · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 521

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pikePERSUADER1 · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 521

cant wait for the ice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! big pike in the north side of keeney, and the females are all trying to pack on pounds for the spawn!!!