CTFishTalk.com: Scoville Reservoir - 09/16 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Yesterday, I checked out Scoville Reservoir in my little sink (i.e., sit in kayak) for the first time from 9 AM to 1 PM. "No gasoline motors of any kind" is posted at the entrance, but there's a steep, narrow, paved boat launch ramp with a floating dock next to it. It's a very scenic reservoir:

There's just a little bit of development on the north shore and, of course, there's the dam in the southwest corner. Here's a map of the reservoir that shows where I paddled:

In addition to exploring the reservoir, I also tried out a new spinning setup (i.e., Wright & McGill Tessera rod and Cabela's Prodigy 2500B reel) that I just picked up. When I launched, the air was chilly, around 60 degrees, the sky was partly cloudy and the wind was barely blowing out of the north. I decided to head clockwise around the reservoir and check out the dam first. I threw a small white and red "bleeding" spinnerbait and got no action. But I also had no snags and had to clear very few weeds or grasses from my lure. When I reached the southwest corner, I also began throwing a wacky-rigged pumpkin/red flake Senko, but got only a little panfish nibble. I worked my way up the west shore until I was just about even with the ramp. When I reached up to clear a little grass from my spinnerbait, I heard my new rod snap into two pieces about six inches from the tip. It, and a second one, are going back to Cabela's. I headed back to the ramp and my car to swap out the rod. On the other hand, I love the reel. It's much better than the Pflueger President 6730 spinning reels that I've used for the past couple of years.

When I re-launched, I decided to head to the north shore and trolled my little white lipless crankbait to the first island. I also threw my wacky Senko. This time, though, I had to frequently clear a lot of corkscrew stems and occasional grasses from my lures. Once again, I got no action. I headed over to the second island and got more nada. As I worked around the island, I stopped to talk with a guy in a little red sink whose name I later learned is Randy. He had been fishing along the east shore and was heading back to the ramp. He told me that he's a regular at the reservoir and that the fishing had been very slow that day. He appeared to be throwing Texas-rigged 10-1/2 inch Zoom Ol' Monster worms, and told me that he had caught only a one pound bass and a small pickerel. After he paddled away, I decided to head to the southern shore and work my way over to the coves on the east shore. When I got to the southern shore, I finally got a hit on my wacky Senko as it rested on the bottom. It was a little 14 inch largemouth bass. I normally wouldn't have taken a photo, but I wanted to send one as a birthday greeting to my mother-in-law:

I got no action as I headed into the shallow coves on the east shore. It gets very shallow back there and there are a lot of pads. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up quite a bit and was blowing out of the west, so I didn't have much of a chance to fish the pads. I spotted tons of small fish fry, and many juvenile bass and little yellow perch. I worked my way out of the coves, but got no action. By this time, it was 1 PM, so I decided to paddle back to the ramp and get off the water. On my way in, I stopped to speak with a guy whom I saw fishing in a tin can and whose name is Frank. He told me that he's a regular at the reservoir (he knew that it was Randy with whom I had spoken earlier) and, like Randy, fished mostly Texas-rigged worms. He said that he fishes mostly during the week and has caught more large fish after last year's drawdown than he did before it.

I'd love to spend more time at the reservoir and will be back for sure. I'll be sure to break out the Texas-rigged worms and maybe even a jig the next time I'm there.
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Nice report! That sucks about the rod snapping.

TurtleKiss · Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT

That supershallow area is bowfin territory. Not much else can live in there because there's so little oxygen in the slop. Bowfin are air breathers so they can tolerate it. The only thing I caught there was a pickerel. It's a nice place though, isn't it? Everyone tells me the bass are in the back coves. I checked out the north/eastern ones - quite a few giant boulders in shallow water when I went, but the structure appears to be leading up to that area near Munson Rd. (which I never explored either.) And I agree that T-rigged Ol' Monster worms are the ticket. I've been using 4/0 weighted swimbait hooks too...they cast far (12 lb. mono) and fall slower and you can get more tail movement with a slower retrieve. Ohhhh and they're terrific with superflukes too!
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JohnJ · Joined: 09 Jan 2010 Posts: 38

Fished Scovill in early june from one end to the other and even under the small bridge in the far corner to the shallow side. Thought we would do a lot better than two small bass. Threw everything at them but was disappointed in the results. There is some nice deep areas that should hold some trout because they stock it, but I probably won't be going back there for bass. Good luck to others that head in there.

davoforty · Joined: 29 Jul 2010 Posts: 32

A nice place to fish for bass is directly from the boat launch, look North. There is a cove next to the camp and if your facing the camp then it's the right cove. There are some nice bass in Scoville and also some nice perch. I caught a decent sized perch from shore (all i fish) and also cause a few big bass. I love fishing there.

As far as the West, i haven't caught anything of good size there. Fish on the East and I've had some positive results. It is a good place to fish though and nice water.

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

Thanks guys. I plan to head directly north from the ramp the next time I'm there. Even if the fishing's slow, it's a nice paddle/pedal.
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alan · Joined: 07 Feb 2013 Posts: 6

gosh all i ever catch there are sunnys. but I was out in the fall maybe the trout where gone by then haha. I was just there on sunday fishing below the over flow no luck either. just wanted to wet my line.

Dcplr434 · Joined: 18 Apr 2013 Posts: 13

Saw a guy there early last year with a 6+lb lmb early in the year cought off the small island at the corner, and I cought a 5+lb "pike-erral" as my buddy calls it as the sun was going down with a jerk bait mid summer