CTFishTalk.com: Farmington River - Farmington 10/09 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

I paddled and fished the pond off of the Tunxis Mead section of the Farmington River in Farmington with slim2043 (aka Tim), and two of his buddies, Hangover Dan and Jarhead Nick. Hey, guys! We were on the water from 8:20 am to 11:40 pm. I got only a few hours of sleep last night, so I'm dead tired. Here's a short report. I boated 11 largemouth bass, of which five were keepers. My best two were two pounds, six ounces and two pounds, 14 ounces. I got the first two, a short and a 12 inch keeper, with a white spinnerbait on my third and fourth casts with it. I got the rest with a wacky rigged five inch Senko fished very slowly on the bottom, the first of which came on my first cast with it. I also got a sunny with a trolled silver Rat-L-Trap.

Yes, I took photos. Here's the first fish, a short largemouth, that I got with the spinnerbait on the third cast with it:

Here's the first keeper largemouth, a 12 incher, that I got with the spinnerbait on the fourth cast with it:

It warmed up really fast today and I had to take off my jacket. Here's the 14 inch, one pound, nine ounce keeper that I got with the wacky Senko on the first cast with it:

I stuck to the shady shoreline and tried to stay out of the glare of the hot morning sun:

After I got a short, I got the 16 inch, two pound, six ouncer:

I got a couple of more shorts before a heard a commotion down the shore from me. Jarhead Nick was around the corner, out of my line of sight. I hear, "I got a bass! It's a monster! I can't believe how big it is!", so I paddle over to find that he's boated a 16 inch, two pound, five ouncer with a silver Cotton Cordell stickbait, which is similar to a Rapala Original Floater but costs only $1.99:

I got another small 12 inch keeper:

And then Jarhead Nick got a 15 incher:

After Jarhead Nick got another 15 incher, I got one:

And then I got the 17 inch, two pound, 14 ounce lunker:

Jarhead Nick released his last 15 incher, but kept his 16 incher and the first 15 incher to feed to Hangover Dan for lunch:

He caught all three of his largemouth with the stickbait thrown tight to the shore. Tim boated two largemouth. As for Hangover Dan, this exchange says it all:

Dan: Your fish were bigger than mine, Nick.
Nick: Well, that's because I caught one, Dan.

Ouch! Shocked

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slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

Thanks for coming out Phil! Ihad a great time! Too many fish that would've made my day today got away! I gotta say I love that locale though. I'll be back to redeem myself and I know Dan needs some redemption too! I only photo'd the first fish on and he was nothing to write home about.

The last one I hooked into swam right at me while I was setting the hook and threw it right back at me... He was a fish that could've swallowed my arm from fist to elbow... Can't get the image of him open mouthed flying out of the water out of my head... I have to go back there real soon.

My fish in the boat were on a white spinnerbait. The ones I lost were flipping the brush hog into the thick sticks.

Great morning on the water Phil!
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flippy · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 1150

Hey Slim,,, How the HELL do you flip from a Yak??? Rolling Eyes

Do you paddle while you flip, or do you let the wind move you?? you are standing right?? If not, How do you see what your doing?? I do it from my canoe,, but it better be windy so it moves me,, I also stand up so I can see the holes I want,, Im just curious,, I dont see how you can accurately fish from a Yak,,,, I do realize that most guys fish the senkos Laughing

but how the HELL do you do it,, the yak I took out was a very good one, and I could stand in it but DAMN,, I dont get it,, your so even with the water if you dont stand,, How do you see what the heck your fishing Rolling Eyes

I tried flipping, drop shotting, carolina rigging, worming, it just really sucked, I had no control whatsoever,, except the wind,, do you guys sit in one spot,, you must,, until you row,, But from what I read,, most guys throw out a senko and sit and wait Wink

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

I flip really damn slow and awkwardly. I don't cover a lot of water. It's like selective flipping. I make a pitch then I pull up and flip every nook and cranny of a spot with any structure. Say I see a lay down I'm flipping the bait outside the lay down first on the approaching side then in any holes between the branches then the other side. Then I'll switch to something faster in the more open areas like a spinnerbait. I think the fact I was in my yak was a big contributor to losing the two big ones today. The fish had the upper hand cuz I couldn't give it that full swing to bury that hook. I cant stand in my boat (yet) working on it. Def not like flipping from your boat that's for damn sure!
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pikePERSUADER1 · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 521

also, you cant effectively use topwaters from a yak, and like flip said, you cant see the holes in the slop Mad

hila2006 · Joined: 22 Jul 2011 Posts: 582 Location: Ellington

Nice job guys, looks like another good canoe local. Is is it in the anglers guide on how to get there?

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

hila, I think Phil is the only person who knows how to get there Wink

I PM'd you the specifics
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jonnyfly00 · Joined: 08 Nov 2010 Posts: 104 Location: Simsbury, CT

Shouldn't be long now before those private property owners start kicking people out of there pretty regularly. The guys operating heavy machinery asked myself and a friend to leave last week.

slim2043 · Joined: 11 Apr 2011 Posts: 446 Location: Plainville CT

I don't think they have jurisdiction over the water
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

Someone shot maybe five dozen rounds with a shotgun while we were there. Like Tim said, it's connected directly to the Farmington River, so the DEEP has jusrisdiction over the water and it's not private. However, I only go there on the weekends when the business is not in operation.
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BigSteve · Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Posts: 27

I believe that is the Farmington PD shooting range. I found this out after going there on a weekday (after many successful weekend trips) to see guys yelling at me and a bunch of shots fired.

jonnyfly00 · Joined: 08 Nov 2010 Posts: 104 Location: Simsbury, CT

Every time I've ever gone there, rounds are being fired. One time I snooped around the property and found the shooting range. It didn't look legitimate enough to be the Farmington PD range but I have no idea, may very well be.