CTFishTalk.com: Camping 7/4 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Went camping over the holiday weekend at my usual spot on Hopeville Pond. This one was the best fishing weekend I've had at this place. I did have really good bait in 7 (8"-10") live golden shiners. I also tried 50lb flourocarbon for a leader instead of steel. It was also really hot and sunny which is when this spot shines. Whatever it was, all the stars were in alignment this past weekend.

Went thru all 7 of the big guys on the first morning and had to go get a dozen pike shiners for the second day. Woke up in the morning and the batteries had died on my aerator and all the bait I just bought was dead. It didn't matter. Went thru all of them on the second day. On the third day, again I had gotten more pike shiners, and I hit the water with a buddy who wanted to try and catch one. He did.

In all we landed 8 northern pike for the weekend (I got 5 and my buddy got 3). I lost 2 right at the boat, broke 3 off, and had countless other hits that I did not hook up on. The sizes were 31", 32", 35", 35", 36", 37", 38", and 38", with the largest weighing 13lbs and 13.5lbs. Used the live ones under a bobber, and the dead ones on the bottom with just a splitshot. Fished 3 days from 6am till noon. All were caught in 4' of water or less. Here are pics of the 6 big ones.

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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Very nice! Sounds like you guys had a great time. Did you try any spinner baits?

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

Wow I want one! LOL. Great catches.

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

I have tried many lures at this place and once in a while I will get one here and there, but not with any consistency. Lures don't even come close to producing fish like this at Hopeville, compared to the right bait. I think the big ones have seen lots of lures. I think they are even catching on to steel leaders w/ bait.

On a side note, I forgot to mention that one of them did not make it. I tried to revive the fish for 45 min without success. This is the first pike I have ever taken, and I had no choice. I did take it back to the camp and cleaned and cooked it. It tasted unlike any other fish I've had before. The fishy after taste had a different flavor, but it wasn't bad. Everybody at the campsite (including 6 pre teen girls) thought it was good. Although, there was very little meat in comparison to body size (I wasn't messing w/ the Y bones), it was white and lightly flaked. The fishes stomach was absolutely empty, as well.
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Nice! I know that all of the bait worked, but what worked better, live bait or dead bait? And where's the local bait shop?
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therieldeal · Joined: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 245 Location: Thompson, CT

nice pike! i've been dying to catch a few myself, but so far i've been trying with lures only. Did you catch anything other than pike, or were the shiners simply too big for bass/pickerel/etc?

Anyway, clearly all the rumors about pike "going deep" in the summer are complete bs if you were pulling up 13 lbers in 4 FOW... i think i need to hit quaddick with some shiners or perch or something. My rod that is setup for carp with 15lb mono and a "running rig" should work perfectly to fish dead bait on the bottom.
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PB's:
LMB - 4 pounds - Stump Pond, Thompson
Carp - 11 pounds - W. Thompson Lake, Thompson

Still searching for some toothy critters big enough to be worth weighing...

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

It's hard to say which worked better. I caught plenty both ways. I can say that bigger bait worked better, though. When I threw the goldies I caught out there, I had a bite almost immediately. When I used the ones from the bait shop, the action was a little slow. The local bait shop is called Mike's Bait and it is off RT 138. They almost always have pike shiners.

If I do catch a bass or pickerel it's usually pretty big and by complete accident. For the most part, in the immediate area where big pike are found, there is usually not many other fish. Especially in a small cove like this where there are good numbers of big pike stacked up. No other fish want to mess with them. I think they get territorial over the best waters, too. No small pike to be found, either.

The reason they are so shallow is that there is a freshwater spring that is in the back end of the cove. That cools the water and the big ones go in there in the summer to escape the heat. And 15lb test is not going to cut it. I broke 3 off using 17lb and I need to go with some stronger line myself.
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Bluegill Terminator · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 538 Location: Plainville

Huge difference in action when you use fluro compared to steel huh? Laughing

Don't skimp out on cheap fluro I used seguar leader material in 60 pound test and sometimes 30 pound test yeah it's expensive but when you have a 3 footer on your guranteed it will come in as long as you don't horse it in. Nice job down there Very Happy

I've heard good things about Ashland pond and big pike as well...
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TurtleKiss · Joined: 09 Mar 2010 Posts: 1200 Location: central CT

Wow, very nice, Flipper! You should have released those pike in the swimming area. Laughing

I've been wanting to go back there for some (overnight) bass fishing, but since the launch is in the campgrounds I'd have to pay a $20 camping fee to stay past sunset. Do you happen to know of a way around this? I basically want to launch and park, but don't want to use the campsite or facilities.
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Kira

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