CTFishTalk.com: lake mcdonough 6/27 - Connecticut Bass Fishing Reports ( CT Bass Fishing Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

MikeOkay · Joined: 04 May 2012 Posts: 76 Location: Naugatuck

Lately I've been trying to check out a couple of the lakes around Torrington that I keep hearing about. After work today I tried to hit up West Hill Lake, but there didn't seem to be any shore access at all. But before heading back to my neck of the woods I remembered driving by Lake McDonough back in the winter when I was going out to Barkhampsted for work.

Got to the lake around 6:30 and there was nothing happening at all. The sun was beating down hard and blinding me, and I wasn't getting any bites at all. I was fan casting from shore and probably covered a good 50 yards through a few different parking spots on the side of the road.

Finally, right around 7:30 when the sun got nice and low, right above the tree line, the bite really picked up. I'm thinking I found a pretty sweet Smallie spot judging by what I could see of the underwater structure.

I was killing em on wacky rigged strike kings, shiny silver and white. Senkos and Yums weren't really producing for me, neither were various brand tubes or lizards. Tried jigs for a while, nothing happened with them, couldn't get anything on a husky jerk either. Tried top waters for a good while once the sun went down, but not even a bite on my yellow perch jitterbug or shad colored Yozuri popper. Tried all of the hard baits on my second pole, while the first just kept up with the plastics.

The Strike King worms hold up really nicely too. I got 3 smallies on the same one. It was crazy, I got another hit after the third fish, and the worm ripped all the way in half. I re-rigged the short stub of worm that was left, and managed to get a pretty decent sized bluegill off of it, lol. Compared to the small number of casts I'm used to getting with the branded Senkos, the value really seemed to be there with the strike kings.

Ended up pulling in 6 bass total, which is a pretty good day in my book. I haven't spent much time in lakes that hold smallies, so I ended up with a new PB at only 2.75 lbs. And I swear, every time I pulled in the fish I was expecting to find a 4-5 lb LMB on the end of it. Those smallies fight like hell. The bluefish of fresh water. There were a couple smaller LMB mixed in as well, a 1 lb and a 2.2 lb.

Overall, really great day on this lake. I'll be hitting it up again some day after work. Sucks that it's 20 mins in the opposite direction from home, but oh well. That smallie fight is worth it.

Here's the only pic I got of the day. Wanted to double check some identification sites to make sure I was getting smallies and not just blinded by the sun (then the dark) and pulling in cookie cutter LMBs. Crappy pic, sorry. The red eyes on this one were super bright and cool looking.

NWDarkcloud · Joined: 23 Apr 2012 Posts: 474

nice job
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rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

That sounds like it was fun Mike. I never target smalls, so when I get one I'm always thinking huge LMB. They fight like hell. Not to tell you your business , but do you have frogs? I can not believe my topwater action these last two years since frogs became my go to bait. I was a solid jitterbug thrower after the sunset. 4" soft frogs with 4/0 wide gap screw lock. I hate those double frog hooks. They tear up the frog too quickly. Some days they hit em in the blazing sun.
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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

Michael · Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 3823 Location: Bridgeport

Smallies sure do give you a hell of a fight compared to largemouths

MikeOkay · Joined: 04 May 2012 Posts: 76 Location: Naugatuck

Thanks for the tip on the frogs. I've got two that were left overs from my childhood tacklebox. I've tried dragging them through some lily pads but haven't had any takers yet. Do you have a picture of the type of set up your talking about? I tried google but it's not narrowing anything down. And are you playing this out in open water, or only near the pads?

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

Right around 7:30 pm must have been feeding time, tonight. Nice job! I have to get back out onto McDonough, soon.
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rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

Just so happen to have my bag in the house as I'm putting in a big order at tacklewarehouse. This is the rig I like best, and the reason I throw it after a ton of years with jitterbugs is several fold.

First, it doesn't have 27 freaking hooks hanging off it. It is weedless and stealth. Next, its 4" and weighty so it casts plenty far, even in the wind. 3rd, when it hits the water you can do several things. Tip up with a little pop and fast retrieve and its a froggy buzz bait. It also sinks with great vibration for a 3' deeper retrieve. You can pull it across the pads and let it dip into any hole, or swim it in between pads. I actually like them more in open water, but they're as versatile as any stick bait I've fished.....cept they dont wacky rig. I pull these with 50lb braid and a 30lb fluro 4' leader on an old 5'10 medium ugly stick. This one is a bruiser green pumpkin party. Stanley Ribits are great too, and a bit longer. These hooks are kind of knock-off's but at like 5 bucks for three I'm not buying owners. The frogs are about $4 for five. I like to loosen up the hook by pushing it up through a few times, and then just put the tip back under the rubber. I've lost many a fish on a new frog that I didnt prep. Just too stiff and thick to set. I have 2 just shy of 5#'s this year trolling two of these in open water behind my canoe on my way back to the truck. I'd like to call that my unmatched skill....but.... I had a paddle in my hand. Be aware that the pickerel will be on these too in the pads. If you are dancing them across to a hole in the garden, there is often a sharp toothed arrow there to meet it.
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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

chud059 · Joined: 29 Mar 2011 Posts: 413 Location: Manchester

you can rent rowboats there, $5 an hour...good excercise and hopefully a good day of fishing... regarding those plastic frogs, I'd like to try those but a lighter version... I only use 6 and 12 lb test.

rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

Chud...you can pull em on whatever you want. I just use the braid in the thick weeds and pads. I use them on 12# all the time. It's not a heavy thing....it's keeping the pickerel from tearing them off, and the bass from wrapping around cover. My biggest fish this year were on 12# in open water. Now that the water is warming up, it's time for these at night, and 10" carolina rigged worms in the deeper weed beds at mid day. I work late in the ER....so the only thing I fish for in the morning is my snooze button.
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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

jjbassfishn · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Northwestern CT.

We are blessed with many nice lakes and ponds in our area. But not alot of them have shore access. Highland has some in both first and 3rd bay. West hill by the spillway just down from the launch. McD has the most AFAIK. Stillwater has some good spots too!

Nice catch! I too don't often target smallies, But when we do catch them they sure are loads of fun. They just don't quite fighting and bend the heck out of the rod! Wink

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Mase2020 · Joined: 15 Jun 2012 Posts: 228

Hey great report I love fishing for smallies in the CT river in Enfield the fight is great. Dave thanks for the info on the frogs I have seen those before and heard that the large pad like legs make for killer action but have never spoke to anyone who used them. Thanks for showing how you rig them, that's why I love this site.

Mase

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

I usually use 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG (Extra Wide Gap) Offset Shank Worm Hooks with soft plastic frogs, but didn't miss a single hookset yesterday with a smaller 3/0 hook. I've never used "screw in the nose" hooks, but that rig looks less weedless than the rig I use. The heavy wire of those hooks must be great in big pads, though.
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NWDarkcloud · Joined: 23 Apr 2012 Posts: 474

Hey phil do you remember the ramp times for McDonogh from last time we where there?

Answered my own Question :
Open... 8am - (off the water by 730 pm ) gates locked 8pm ....weekends
10am -(off the water by 7:30 pm) gates locked 8pm... week days

Fee: 6$ to launch ...6$ to park ...12$ total
boat reg and debris inspection pryor to launch
Just in case anyone else had questions
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I Love to fish......Not a big fan of sitting in the boat alone ....the Conversation and the company make it perfect

jjbassfishn · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Northwestern CT.

MikeOkay · Joined: 04 May 2012 Posts: 76 Location: Naugatuck

I tried going back again today, same spot, bait, time, etc. and all i got was a LMB under a pound. I'm blamming it on the heat.