CTFishTalk.com: Working the CT like a dog...with little to show for it! - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

OldBassTurd · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 14

Hey Everybody!

Man, I've been working....working that dang river. High water and stained water making it tougher than I can remember. Been out in the "new" (17.5 foot Starcraft Superfisherman) boat several times for HOURS on end. All my old tricks not working yet. Swim baits, Salt Shakers, Bombers, Poppers, Sand Worms, T-Man Trolling tubes tipped with sand worms....

The rain has made it TOUGH. Water temp dropped in two days from 61 degrees to 57 degrees and water has been so muddy....Tried all my whites, bubble gum/neon pinks with no success....

Even pounded the shore for five hours last week in the rain (couldn't find a boating partner and the water was wicked fast...don't like to go out alone when it's ripping if I can help it.)

And only one little schoolie to show for it. I know they're in there, but it's been tough. Put in in the South Windsor and Windsor area. Fished the mouth (and up) of the Farmington, mouth of the Scantic (which I usually love) and trolled some (usually) great flats but have yet to really find them. Worked my "between the bridges" area in East Windsor/Windsor Locks and was skunked there...most years that's really productive.

I'm thinking the last couple days (no rain, warmer temps) might really turn them on.

Tempted to take the boat down the Old Saybrook area I-95 launch this weekend (never been down that way) to look for some cows around the mouth. Anybody familiar with the lower river and that launch?

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

Don't give up on your current spots. The fish are there. I know some guys that have been killing them between the bridges the last couple of weeks. Good size, too. They're using mostly live eels and topwaters.
I think the mouth will suck right now. The big ones are either upriver, or migrating into the sound. You might get some schoolies down there, but I think that's it.
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Go big or go home!

asianfisher · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 920

All rivers have alot of action. Just not easy pickings like past few years... Just a thought... Q-bridge has been clean and clear for some time.. Plus the bunker have been in and so are the stripers. Just a thought for cleaner safer water....

catch&release · Joined: 02 May 2011 Posts: 62 Location: West Hartford

I'm gonna try some chunk herring this evening up above Barts. Hopefully i'll have some luck

asianfisher · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 920

Imma go down to the Q-bridge and stock up on bunker for the season....

IceAddict · Joined: 31 Jan 2011 Posts: 77

OBT,

My two cents here, but I wouldn't bother with the CT. Take your boat up the Farmington, as far as you can navigate. Then drift back down. My rule of thumb is this: shallow water with faster moving water (topwater), slack water(sluggos, eel rigs and swimbaits, deep pools and eddies (cast and slow retrieve live eels). Watch for Alewife. If they are around , then so are the Striper. With water levels where they are today, I am actually sight fishing them. One of my advantages of shore fishing from high banks.

KS1980 · Joined: 22 Apr 2011 Posts: 42

I'm gonna try the Farmington around Bart's tomorrow after work for a bit, haven't had much luck but a couple nice days it should pick up.

Crest Daddy · Joined: 20 Jan 2011 Posts: 994

I would also recommend baits like eels knocked out and slow retrieved or fresh bait like bunker. The stained water makes it tough to use lures. Plus there is so much bait around the fish are focused on mostly 1 thing. HERRING.

Reel_Magic · Joined: 27 Apr 2011 Posts: 4 Location: Niantic

out last night, 8 other guys we used lives eels and nothing!

The night before my buddy caught two keeper in the same area between bridges, everyone we seen had nothing to show for there efforts.
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The Magician

asianfisher · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 920

It hasnt been great on the upper ct yet this year....

OldBassTurd · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 14

Yeah, we hit that Old Saybrook area.....(thanks to my PM friend for all the great info!)
Got to the launch at 7:15 (and what an awesome launch!)....high tide was at 8:16. One fish on (and then right off) within the first few minutes on a wild eye shad swimbait.
Fished the flat from the RR bridge all the way down Great Island with about twenty other boats. Nobody catching...saw no nets out anywhere. Fished swimbaits, topwater, sandworm-tipped T-man eels....nothing.
Gotta say, really thought we were gonna hook up, but I was glad to be in a pretty deep 17 1/2' aluminum.....crazy down there between tidal waves/wind and the 60' yachts flying through every thirty seconds.
Hate getting skunked....I think my kid is ready to go back to fresh water and pound bass, but I might still get back out on the upper CT/Farmington and try again.....I hate to quit.

hoppy · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 393 Location: congamuck

saw a nice fish caught just south of the enfield bridge sunday morning. i believe they were casting live eels. heard another report a guy got a 18lber and 22lber also at another spot. so they seem to still be around however i did hit the farmy saturday eveing and the place was just void of all the bait that was in there. when the bait leaves so do the stripers. looks like the run on is ending and i believe alot of fish that are being caught in the windsorlocks/enfield area are fish heading back south.

Drdroopy · Joined: 30 May 2011 Posts: 2

Ive been out in old saybrook off the docks beween 95 and the RR bridge hitting like crazy off sand worms, mostly schoolies but landed about 15 in the last two days