I heard from asianfisher (aka Billy) that TurtleKiss (aka Kira) wanted to fish at Nod Brook WMA today, despite the forecast of high winds. I hadn't been fishing for a few days, so I texted Kira, and she, Billy and I met up between the two ponds just before 11:00 am. They told me that DaveyDave (aka Dave) might show up because he heard that I always catch fall fish at Nod Brook and he needs some pike bait. The sky was mostly clear with scattered clouds and there was a steady 10 mile per hour south wind. Although Kira wanted to fish the upper (i.e., south) pond and look for Noddie (i.e., the 4-1/2 pound largemouth bass that she caught last November and DirtyDawg10 caught last January), I decided to put El Habañero into the lower (i.e., north) pond, because I know that there are big bass in there, too. Kira decided to humor me and launched Dinghbat into the lower pond, while Billy paddled his orange kayak. The three of us wandered around the entire pond. At first, I stayed alee of the wind along the south shore, while Kira headed to the center of the pond and Billy cruised north along the west shore. None of us found any fish and, eventually, we all met up in the middle of the pond. I decided to explore the north end of the pond and the dead end canal on the east shore, while Billy headed for the upper pond. Kira gave the middle of the pond a little more time, but had left for the upper pond by the time that I got out of the canal and back into the main body of the lower pond. At 1:20 pm, I finally got a bite on my wacky rigged five inch green pumpkin/red flake Senko:
Unfortunately, it was just a freakin' fall fish! Sorry, Dave, but I didn't save it for you. I was in the channel between the west shore and the island when a couple of guys started fishing from the west shore. Hey, Charles! Hey Greg! At 1:45 pm, not more than 10 minutes after they arrived, Charles (aka He Who Uses Spinning Rod and Reel Upside Down ) landed a lunker:
Unfortunately, I didn't have my digital scale with me. Although Charles' old spring scale showed that the bass was just under five pounds, I'm sure that it was over. It was a real fatty; a female for sure. He caught it on a rattling jerk bait using a slow and steady retrieve. He and Greg had to take off shortly afterward, just before the wind picked up to 20 miles per hour. It became too hard to fight the wind and fish at the same time in El Habañero, so I put ashore on the west shore. I tied on a four inch River2Sea Stock Trout Bottom Walker swimbait and began throwing it across the wind. At 2:15 pm, I got a bite and thought that I had finally gotten a bass:
Another freakin' fall fish! On a steady retrieve! Anyway, I kept at it and at 2:50 pm, I finally landed a keeper bass:
And 10 minutes later, I landed a short:
And a few minutes after that, Kira landed a one and a half pounder on the upper pond:
At 4:45 pm, I realized that I had to rush to get home and schlep my kids to their karate classes, so I loaded up and took off. The bass are definitely starting to feed more actively. I wish that I had been able to get the temperature of the water while we were there. Luckily, the weather forecast for tomorrow looks terrific. _________________ Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!
Joined: 01 Mar 2011 Posts: 65 Location: West Hartford, CT
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 9:36 am Post subject:
Nice fish Charles! Where is Nod Brook at by the way? The weather is supposed to stay pretty warm in the next week so if they fish are already getting more active I'd say its going to really pick up soon. Good fishing days ahead!
Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:48 pm Post subject:
It was a good day to have an anchor and a motor. I wouldn't say the fish are significantly active yet, but 2 bites/1 bass in 5 hours is better than nothing. My fish was not interested in staging yet, as I caught it in about 16-18 FOW. _________________ Kira
*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*
Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:49 pm Post subject:
Oh yeah...nice fish Charles! Why not move the handle on the other side of the reel instead of using it upside-down? Obviously your way works fine, but you'll have better leverage and sensitivity by holding the rod normal.
Do they even make righty and lefty spinning reels? Just checked 9 of mine and they can all be switched to either side. Tried to change my retrieve once last fall (right arm hurt) but my reaction time suffered big time because I instinctually reached for the handle on the left even though I was already holding the rod in my left hand. If you've been reeling with the same hand your entire life switching your retrieve is a great way to feel like an absolute moron while sober. _________________ Kira
*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~*
Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject:
Hey, Mark! Nod Brook WMA is between Route 10 and the Farmington River, right on the border between Avon and Simsbury. Unfortunately, it's usually closed on the weekend for hunting dog field trials but, for me at least, it's a great place to go that's within 15 minutes of my house. _________________ Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
The sky was mostly clear with scattered clouds and there was a steady 10 mile per hour south wind. Although Kira wanted to fish the upper (i.e., south) pond and look for Noddie (i.e., the 4-1/2 pound largemouth bass that she caught last November and DirtyDawg10 caught last January), I decided to put El Habañero into the lower (i.e., north) pond, because I know that there are big bass in there, too. Kira decided to humor me and launched Dinghbat into the lower pond, while Billy paddled his orange kayak. The three of us wandered around the entire pond. At first, I stayed alee of the wind along the south shore, while Kira headed to the center of the pond and Billy cruised north along the west shore. None of us found any fish and, eventually, we all met up in the middle of the pond. I decided to explore the north end of the pond and the dead end canal on the east shore, while Billy headed for the upper pond. Kira gave the middle of the pond a little more time, but had left for the upper pond by the time that I got out of the canal and back into the main body of the lower pond. At 1:20 pm, I finally got a bite on my wacky rigged five inch green pumpkin/red flake Senko:
) landed a lunker:
