CTFishTalk.com: Hopeville Pond 9/26/10 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Got to Hopeville at 8 a.m. Way later than "usual" for me, but since it's a state park/campground I decided to follow the rules and arrive when the park opens to the public on weekends. Turned out no one was there to take my 9 bucks and I could have showed up at 3 a.m. wearing an outfit made entirely of sleigh bells if I wanted to. I hate following the rules, only to find out I didn't have to. The park gate/boat launch access road supposedly closes for the season on September 30th.

My intention was to catch my first pike. Of course I didn't want to get skunked either so I started off by throwing a black/red 7" T-rigged worm into the bassy looking areas, which were pretty much everywhere. About 2 hours in, I hooked into a lovely little bass. Best fighter of the year by a long shot. When I got it to the boat I wanted to weigh it, but my spring scale is garbage. So I measured it (21.5 inches) and put it on a stringer, then started looking for the 2 gentlemen who arrived at the launch right after me. They were fishing for pike ahead of me, but I found them pretty quickly. 4 lbs. 12 oz. according to their Berkley digital. Didn't beat my PB, but my best for the year by a pound.

After landing that as my first fish of the day, I no longer wanted to fish for pike. However, I was reppin' the eastern CT Pike Party so I started throwing the spinnerbait anyway. The 2 aforementioned guys caught nothing, but when they headed for the launch around 1 p.m. they shared some pike wisdom and their remaining shiners with me. At one point the spinnerbait/shiners routine got monotonous, so the black worm made another appearance. I caught this, then returned to the pike plan.

Hopeville Pond is a widened section of the Pachaug River, so it starts off wide and gets narrower and shallower until it becomes a little stream, and eventually it meets Pachaug Pond at a waterfall. There's lots of twists and obstacles to navigate around, but it was beautiful...perfect paddling trip for kayaks and canoes. The pigeons freaked out every time I went under a trestle. I would have thought they'd get used to boats passing through. Here's some photos I took on the way to the waterfall.

OK, the whole point of going all the way to the waterfall was for pike. I figured they'd be there because Pachaug Pond is stocked with them. My theory is that the dumb pike don't look where they're swimming and end up going over the waterfall. Turns out I was right. If I didn't scare them into hiding with my oars, you'd be looking at a photo of a metric assload of pike swimming around in stained water next to a waterfall. I could have just caught them from shore instead of boating for 9 hours. I threw the yellow spinnerbait a few times, dragged it slowly through the weeds and within 2 minutes, I had a pike in my net. 26 inches and pretty cute. I was expecting it to thrash around like a dramatic pickerel, but it didn't. Theoretically, this pike was one of the stupid ones, so maybe he doesn't know what's expected of him. Fought like a glorified trout with a rating of 70% basspower (BP.)

I could have caught endless pike there if I wanted, but I had to head back to the launch before dark. Took me an hour using 5th speed most of the way. Oh, and I got pelted by acorns, which hurts a lot even though it's kind of funny. Razz

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Kira

*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*

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

But, damn, now I have to go all the way back there. I've been on Hopeville Pond twice and have no idea where that waterfall is. I went up to the dam on the north end with Flipper, ahem, The Pike King, but never got to the culvert underneath Bidgood Road on the south end. I assume that you headed south past Bidgood Road to get to the waterfall. I wonder whether The Pike King has ever made it down to "Pike Falls".
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SWfish · Joined: 31 Aug 2010 Posts: 21

Nice report...I like the ones that make me laugh. Great pictures too.

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

I caught my new personal best largemouth bass on Thursday, which was 20 inches long and 4 pounds 4 ounces. Then I caught my first northern pike on Friday, which was 23 inches long. So on Sunday, you go to Hopeville Pond and catch a 21-1/2 inch long, 4 pound 12 ounce bass and a 26 inch pike. I'm really not competitive, but I'm still gonna start calling you Ethyl Merman Mad

:

http://s0.ilike.com/play#Ethel+Merman:Anything+You+Can+Do:448431:s162742.14293.16595.1.2.248%2Cstd_b22a4e419b3048fbad46137d0f8cb4a8
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Nice report, Kira!! Looks like a beautiful place. So does that mean we can't fish Hopeville after Sept 30th? Or does that just mean we have to use another access point?

Phish · Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 454 Location: West Hartford

Nice toad, Kira.

Flipper · Joined: 21 May 2010 Posts: 347 Location: Enfield

Nice job, Kira! I have not been anywhere near that far up on Hopeville. I have made it to just before the first bridge, so that was quite an adventure for you. Were there any good sized pike (+30") that you saw near the falls? Some of the campers at the place I stay on Hopeville say the pike fishing is pretty good way up there. I keep saying I am going to take the journey, but it's hard to leave a spot when you know fish are there.
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I feel another Pike Challenge coming, but on Hopeville Pond. Of course, the crown is be yours FOR ALL ETERNITY, but loser buys the beer of dinner would work for me.
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SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

WHOA

there Phil!

I'll concide that Flipper earned the title "Pike King" -for this year-
(if someone doesn't catch a bigger one in 2010).

BUT!?? -> "FOR ALL ETERNITY Question

" -> NO WAY, UH-UH, NADA, Oh! HELL NO -> That would be giving a Man or Woman deity (God like) status and there isn't a single human being, living or dead, that deserves that add-on.

Yeah -> I know, it's suppose to be a joke.
But BS can and does go overboard with some of his inane comments Exclamation

Did I say inane -> I meant insane!!!!!!!! Laughing

With all due deserved respect -> All hail Flipper the "Pike King" Exclamation

Best regards, Mr. Green

SeaDog1

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi Kira!

That was a GREAT report!
The pictures where FANTASTIC!
So GLAD you had a Wonderful day! Very Happy

Best regards,
SeaDog1

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

My route went south under Bitgood Rd. twice and under Voluntown Rd. once. If you put 944 Voluntown Rd. in Google Maps you'll see an access road that will take you right to the waterfall area. This road also allows shore access to the stupid pike in Pachaug Pond before they go over the falls and sustain further brain damage. The pike I saw swimming around were all juvenile, but clear as day until I spooked them with my oars (the waterfall was pushing my boat into rocks so I had the motor tilted up.) The pike I caught was hiding in deeper water with no visibility. I seriously doubt that many motorized vessels can/will make it to this spot. The channel is wide enough but there are fallen trees to go under and a few underwater rocks to go around...but it's worth trying.

I don't know how the gate situation works. The DEP site doesn't list Hopeville State Park as one that allows off-season camping, and the page has conflicting info. You have to pass through 2 gates to get to the launch. The first is the main gate and the 2nd is the campground gate.
"The main gate opens on the first day of April, and closes on the last day in October. The recreational field area is open all year round."
"The camping season begins in mid-April and ends September 30, when the campground gate closes."
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325218&depNav_GID=1650
I have a friend who lives in Jewett City who will probably be able to check the situation for me.
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Kira

*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*

Pauleye · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 129

You and PECo provide the best reports I've seen on any forum. Thanks for the information. I will not be attacking said spots with my arsenal. But, I did learn that incoming turbulent water provides a cooler, well oxygenated refuge for pike. This info can translate to any water.

I also learned that I am incredibly stupid. I fished Hopelessville for pike in the past and caught none. Stupid fish, stupider fisherman.

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

Pats · Joined: 21 Apr 2010 Posts: 5

Congrats on your first pike.You made the right move going up river to avoid the kayak race. As far as the gate goes they shut it at the end of September but you can open it up to use the ramp until the end of October.

Bass Sniper · Joined: 05 Feb 2010 Posts: 255 Location: west haven

"I propose a little tourney. Flipper and Sniper vs all yakkers that have the hoohaas to take us on! Pike only - winners shall be called Pike Kings on this website from now till eternity. Any takers? " <--- Quote from Flipper, not Bass Sniper.....

Not quite as inane, i mean insane a comment as "woah better bring a boat theres no ice up there anymore!"

Check your reading glasses gramps......

Further more, I truely dont apreciate your constant attempt to make petty attacks on me unprovoked.
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