CTFishTalk.com: Lake Pattaconk ( cockaponset state forest) Chester, 7/17 - Connecticut Bass Fishing Reports ( CT Bass Fishing Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

Had some time today and I've been meaning to go see Pattaconk from the water. I'm usually up there fishing non-swimmers out of the water with my ambulance. It's a car top only, mixed use lake that doesnt see much fishing pressure, located in the state forrest. Gate house was locked up at 2pm, so it seems they are only charging on the weekends. It's a really nice place to swim, cook out and do some fishing. You can easily find yourself away from the crowd in a few paddles. this is where the party usually is raging on. It was packed by the time I got in.

It's about a 50 yard drag to the water with your gear. Lots of beach to launch off of....if you can get the fat ladies to skooch over for a minute while you go by. Had no prob today. Launch and beach is on the dam end of the lake. No point hanging out here. They'll just end up cannon balling into your yak.

Opens up to a fine lake with two ways to go to the pads at the end. Water temp was 83-85* depending on where I was. West side had the afternoon shade, and was much more productive. Total fish count was around 20+. Lots of dinks in the pads with texas worms, and flukes with weighted 4/0's.

Lake was about 15 feet and flat in the middle, without much structure or weeds. Didn't mark any fish in the center flats. This is not an overgrown body of water. Nice weeds leading into slopes on the edges. Popped a bunch down at the NW lily area. This is heading into it.

Hard to get tired of 1-2 pounders being aggressive, and smashing your rig in the pads.

Found a lily island just sitting there way away from shore. Looked perfect and I threw the works at it....nothing. Casted a frog over it and creeped it back through, in a last ditch effort to convince myself it should have fish. BOOM!! Right in the middle. 17" 3.7lb really angry fish. I wasnt on my braid rod so it was a battle, with drag running. It went away from the pads and deep. Solid 5 minutes to boat it. Hellava good time!!

Fished till about 8 and felt a pizza calling me back to shore. Nice spot to spend the afternoon. It's also a channel cat lake. I think I'll address that next time out there.

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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

MarkO · Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 330

Dave

Great pics and report...glad you hit it up. Rumor has it...

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

Sounds like a good time! Thanks for the report.

Fishin'Fireman · Joined: 15 May 2012 Posts: 122 Location: Simsbury

Great report! Nice job finding the fish in the heat.

If the storms pass by tonight i plan on hitting pickerel cove off the farmington, do some deep jiggin as well (but then again, the river is very low)
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A bad day of fishing is better then a good day at work

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

Awesome job Dave! Sounds like a great time!

SAP284 · Joined: 07 Jun 2011 Posts: 655 Location: Central, CT

Nice report! I really need to get out there and fish some pads. This heat is so brutal I need it to cool down!
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Steve

rxpxtx · Joined: 06 May 2012 Posts: 259

Well let me tell ya....it was freakin 90* at 2pm and all I expected to do was sweat and burn my exposed limbs. On top of that, when I launched it was blowing like snot out of the south. I beached it mid way down the lake on a nice little private spot and took a swim when the bite died down. That was some kind of hot for bass fishin!! Luckily....the fish didnt seem to have listened to the news.
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Dave..... I can be a pain in the bass.

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

Nice report! Thanks for takin the time to share.
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PB LMB 9.3LBS Winchester Lake
PB SMB 5.8LBS Colebrook Res.
PB Pike 3.85LBS Winchester Lake

Can't catch em sittin on the sofa! Wink

knowfish · Joined: 06 Jun 2011 Posts: 123 Location: Meriden

Nice report and pics. I used to fish and swim there many years ago. Its a great "out of the way" place to go. At least years ago.

jimbojonez · Joined: 04 Feb 2012 Posts: 295 Location: Berlin/Kensington

i found this post looking for ice conditions... anyways, i have been fishing here for years and wanted to add that there is a little known population brown trout that thrive in this lake. they are bright silver with black spots. i have caught them fishing in no particular area out in the middle of the lake. big heavy white rooster tail reeled slow and steady as deep as you can without snagging weeds. cool fish that don't look anything like the browns they stock these days.

Just4fun · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 1389 Location: Saybrook

FYI, they haven't charged to enter that place for years. It's always open 24/7 now as far as I can tell!

Tip: The cove where the dam is, holds the deepest water in the lake and I would think it would be a great spot for ice fishing! I've caught both trout (by mistake..) as well as big bass from that area!
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"If people concentrated more on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
Mark

jimbojonez · Joined: 04 Feb 2012 Posts: 295 Location: Berlin/Kensington

pattaconk ice bass from 2011: