CTFishTalk.com: Spofford Nh,Help - Connecticut Bass Fishing ( CT Bass Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

ctfish84 · Joined: 17 Jun 2011 Posts: 4

This year me and my family rented a cottage on lake spofford for a week in august.I havent fished this lake in 15 yrs and dont remember to much or does my father.We will heading out tommorow to do some fishing before our vacation there.Any tips or advice on techniques.We will be targeting bass but willing to catch anything that we can.I know its a rocky type lake with rock piles near the island and also theres a sunken island too that holds fish too.We will also be fishing from our kayaks and bringing some shinners as well.Thanks Allot!

Phil V

Pappy · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Derby, CT

Happy to help out where I can.

I fish Lake Spofford a couple of times a year. Once in the summer during a week long vacation and once over a long weekend when I attend our church's men's retreat.

The summer pattern has been humps rising from as deep as 30'+ to about 12-15. I have a side imaging Humminbird unit which is how I found them. There are quite a few out in front of the abandonded drug treatment facility just down from the gazebo. You can find them with regular electronics, its just more difficult. Caught a nice 5# off them.

I've also had good success working docks, but those fish as typically smaller 1-2# as opposed to the 2-3 which are typically on the humps.

I also fish off the hidden island which is near the back of the lake on the right side heading out. It is not marked by shallow bouys. There I usually fish the drop offs. It will get as shallow as 6-8' and then drop down to 40+. On each side of the island is primary trout fishing for the trollers. Tons of rock bass if you fish too shallow. I usually fish 18-25'.

Most of the time I'm using a drop shot with 1/4 oz weight and a grape/black zoom finesse worm. I also use a tube deep. Two favorite colors are black neon and watermelon red. For the shallow stuff I also use spider grubs again black neon and watermelon.

I have posted reports from Lake Spofford last year. See if you do a search if you can find them. I usually give pretty detailed reports.

Hope it helps and you have a great vacation. It is a pretty lake, but can be tough sometimes in the summer.

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

A 1/4 ounce weight must give you a very gentle rate of fall. I don't have the patience for that. I've been using a 1/2 ounce weight. Maybe I'll try a 3/8 ounce weight and slow down a bit.
_________________
Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

Pappy · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Derby, CT

Quite often with the drop shot it gets hit on the way down or shortly afterward. I typically keep it in place for about 7 seconds, still or shaken, but never stirred Cool

.

Then I decide whether I'm going to try and drag it around some or just reel it in and serve it back up again.

The only time I fish greater than 1/4 is in extreme wind / waves when I can't feel the 1/4 on bottom. Then I'll go to a 5/16. I never go bigger than 5/16.

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

1/2oz is to much for most applications. 1/4 oz is about all you will need most of the time. i use 1/8 oz when i can and 1/4oz other times.

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

hoppy

What kind of fishing line do you use? I use braid with a three to four foot fluoro leader. I tried a 3/16 ounce weight with a 2-1/2 inch Gulp minnow and it felt like it fell too slowly to me. I also couldn't seem to keep the weight on the bottom. Maybe I was fishing it too fast.

Phil
_________________
Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

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

peco.....i may be abnormal on my line choice but most of my rods are rigged with mono. my dropshot rods are usually loaded with 6 to 8lb test and i bump up to 10 or 12 on the texas rig rods, etc. i have been fishing this way for bass specifically without any issues for years. i almost never snap off fish. my buddys fish brade with floro leaders. they swear they can feel more using the brade. i suppose on your style of fishing. im a line watcher! i can usually see that "tick" before i fell it. with the light mono, and 1/8 to 1/4oz dropshot weights(i prefer the longer cylinder style), a nice dropshot rod(reccomend a shimano crucial), and some patience, you will catch fish. dropshotting is tough when conditions do not permit it. wind, etc, can make it a pain. working a dropshot takes patience.

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

I really haven't tried a drop shot in calm conditions. I'll give a lighter weight a try. It makes sense that a slower rate of fall would give a fish more of a chance to bite the lure.
_________________
Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

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

if you havent tried it in calm conditions then that right there is 1/2 your problem with not feeling the bottom and or weight. A nice drop shot rod will only run you $150. Id reccomend you buy one and you will be amazed at what a differance the rod can make for drop shotting. yes you do get hits on the drop like any other lure you may throw. if the bass are turned on they will hit just about anything on the fall if the mood is right. patience, patience, patience. i need to practice this more. although the DS has put many fish in the boat for me i still could be better.

Pappy · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 125 Location: Derby, CT

I use 6# fluro from reel to weight which I learned from Rich Z. the drop shot guru. I do spray it with a line conditioner regularly during a trip to minimize twist, spin off, etc and a drop shot rod is pretty essential. I use St. Croix Tournament Bass Rods and feel every little tick but they are expensive. You can get a less expensive rod using the same specs which are 6'10" ML XF. I currently use the spinning rod version, but I'd like to pick up the bait casting version as well. That way I have a drop shot rod guest can easily use.

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

I just picked up some six pound test Trilene XL to respool my crappie/trout setup, which is a St. Croix Legend spinning rod with a small Daiwa reel. I guess that I'll use it for drop shotting, too.

I apologize, Phil V, for hijacking your thread. Wink

_________________
Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!