CTFishTalk.com: Countryside Park 04/18 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

I was sitting on my butt in front of the television when I suddenly realized that I could head 1/10 of a mile down the street and fish at Countryside Park. They had stocked it with a couple of hundred trout for the kids' fishing derby on Opening Day, so there are still plenty of stockies in there. I took my new light setup, an Abu Garcia Cardinal 300Ui spooled with four pound fluorocarbon line and paired with a 5-1/2 foot Berkley AMP light action rod. I ended up fishing from the lower pond beach from 4:15 pm to 5:10 pm. There was just a slight south breeze. There were a few kids and a dad fishing from the shore on the other end of the pond, with worms, I think. I tied on a tiny, 1-1/2 inch square billed perch crankbait and began casting it across to the shrubs overhanging the opposite shore. Actually, it was more trying to cast it. I'm still having problems with the light tackle thing. I had spooled 110 yards of line on the reel, which has a stated capacity of only 100 yards, so my bad. But even after I stripped off 10 yards or more, I still had all sorts of problems with the spiderwebby line. Man, I missed my braided line! After 30 minutes, I changed lures to a brass Blue Fox Vibrax spinner. The heavier weight of the spinner helped with my casting and I landed a couple right at the edge of the overhanging shrubs when a 14 inch rainbow trout rose up and smacked the lure. I raised the tip of the rod and cranked the reel, but the drag kicked in immediately. I quickly tightened it up, but still couldn't get any line in. It was only then that I realized that the line had tied itself firmly around the tip of the rod. Mad

I ended up hand-lining the rainbow onto the beach:

After skewering it through the mouth and gills with a big stick, I retied the spinner onto my line, but when I casted it, SNAP!, the line broke and it flew off into the woods. I must have nicked the line when I retied it. Unfortunately, it was the only shiny flashy spinner that I had with me. I tied on a small perch Rapala stickbait and casted it out a few times, but got no more action.

I wonder how long fresh trout will be easily accessible at Countryside. I gotta get me another shiny flashy spinner. That rainbow was DEE-LISH!
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Nice rainbow!

RobO · Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 285 Location: South Windsor

I would like to say great job, but I can't lol.

Trout fishing is definately different from bass fishing.

You will get the hang of it though..

Heck, pretty soon you will be in waders and going to the Farmington with me.
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I spent as much time screwing with my tackle and picking up fishing trash as I did fishing. I'd bet that all of the trout ponds look like the Alpha Delta house after a toga party right now. . . .
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BassRican · Joined: 21 Mar 2011 Posts: 116 Location: Meriden

PECo - your post sounds like a scene out some comedy movie. I'm with you. I definitely have trouble with the light line and also spinning reels. I ended up stripping line off and getting line twist. At least you didn't get skunked! Congrats.
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SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi Phil!

Yeah! Takes a bit of getting use to use Light, UL, and Micro-Light rigs after slinging a heavier Bass rod with heavier lines and lures.

Had line trouble? Hmmmmmm?
You might have wound the line on too loose, if you did it yourself.
After winding "new line - Mono or Flouro" on -> I attach a 1/2 once weight (at the lake or pond) and let it out all the way to the end. Then wind it back on -> Will stretch the line and take the curls out.

Also (religiously) I run my light line under HOT TAP WATER before fishing -> This makes the line limp and takes out any set curls.

Hope this helps!

SeaDog1 Mr. Green

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

I would definately recommend what Sea Dog said. Use a larger weight (here is the key) with a snap swivell and cast as far as you can. This will eliminate much of the line twist. Also, a little tip for next time - put your spool of new line in a bucket of water while filling your reel. Once you get going , stop and open the bail. If the line jumps off and twists, pick the spool of new line up and turn it over in the bucket of water. The line is spooled a certain way so if it goes on your reel backward, it can be a major problem. Either way, if you do the swivell/weight thing you will be all set after a week or so. Especially since you fish so often. The more you use it the better it will get.
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Thanks, guys. I knew that I should have called you, Stephen. I'm trying to prepare for the kokanees. Very Happy

I'd re-spool, but my daughter and one of her friends are fishing down at Countryside right now, and I don't want to miss anything. I gotta run. Later!
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SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi Phil!

Yeah! I'm so ready to go for some Kokanee's Thumbs Up

Just got an e-mail that Sails Marine got their order of Garmin echo 300c fish finders in.
Will be going down to Monroe to pick mine up!
Looking forward to getting my new fish finder! Thumbs Up

SeaDog1

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

Nice fish Phil. I do the same with my gear as Stephen.

Tim

metalfish · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 330

Congrats. Nice trout.
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Bassin In The Summer Perchin In The Winter Mr. Green