CTFishTalk.com: Housatonic River - Shelton 01/15 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

I figured that I'd go fishing with Michael (aka Michael) sooner or later. When he suggested Tuesday, I figured "Why not?" The weather forecast was for air temperatures in the 30s and winds up to seven miles per hour out of the north-northwest. We got on the water at the Sunnyside Boat Launch Facility at 8:00 am:

I had been using a couple of different tide tables that didn't agree with each other Rolling Eyes

, so now I check the NOAA tables. Low tide was at 9:01 am and high tide was at 2:32 pm. The water level was already very low when we launched. In fact, there was an eight foot difference in the water levels between the low and high tides. Shocked

The water temperature fluctuated between 34 and 35 degrees. Compared with the weekend, there were relatively few boats on the water. We saw fewer than 10 all day. I began throwing a Pearl Silver four inch Berkley Gulp! Minnow on a white/red eye 1/2 ounce round jighead, while Michael threw some lures that he brought with him. And, no, they weren't all Rapalas! Laughing

He eventually settled on a two tone blue and white soft plastic fish on a fairly big, maybe 1/2 ounce, fishhead jighead. We didn't mark many fish on the fish finder near the ramp and headed upriver toward Two Mile Island. However, it didn't take long for each of us to boat a striped bass:

As you can see, I remembered to bring my PFDs, this time! Laughing

As the water level continued to drop, we boated more stripers:

The bite slowed after the slack low tide hit. In fact, the fish seemed to have scattered. At about 10:00 am, we made a run down to the upriver side of Country Club Island. Here's the view upriver from next to the island:

It was a good move, because we found the fish, again:

Shortly after noon, the bite slowed, so at 12:45 pm, we ran back up to Sunnyside. As we passed the ramp, we marked a school of fish with the fish finder and I quickly boated one:

However, although we marked some big schools of fish between the ramp and the cove on the downriver side of Two Mile Island, we just couldn't get them to bite. Anything at all. For 1-1/2 hours. Crying or Very sad

Michael even pulled out a Rapala Clackin' Rap and I tried my white five inch Sebile Magic Swimmer. We got nothing. So, we ran back downriver to the upriver side of Country Club Island. We tried there for only 1/4 hour, but didn't get even a nibble, so I suggested that we run further downriver to a cove I saw on Google Maps in front of Pine Rock Park, just upriver from Sikorsky Aircraft Headquarters. As we motored into the cove, we marked small schools of fish on the bottom in the mouth of the cove. Michael was throwing a translucent yellow soft plastic fish on another big fishhead jighead and finally boated a schoolie striper, 2-1/4 hours after I had boated the last one:

Only a few minutes later, he hooked into another, so I quickly got my fluke jig into the water near where he had hooked up. I have a theory that schoolie stripers are like schooling yellow perch. When they see another fish feeding, they're more apt to feed, too. And testing my theory paid of with our first double:

Although we continued to mark fish on the bottom with the fish finder, we couldn't get them to bite. For some reason that I can't figure out, though, Michael snag hooked about six of them. Shocked

I'm not kidding. Apparently, he was dragging his lure underneath the stripers and hooking them from underneath. After a couple came off near the boat and we unhooked a couple next to the boat, we had to net a 26 incher, because he had snag hooked it in a sensitive area Laughing

:

He snag hooked the next one in about the same spot Rolling Eyes

:

Ouch!

At about 4:30 pm, I noticed that it was starting to get dark, so we began heading back upriver. I suggested that we stop at a spot just downriver from Country Club Island:

After I called "Just One More", Michael got his:

On his next cast, he lost his jig. Rather than have him retie in the fading light, I called "Last Cast" on myself. Thankfully, I got my Just One More, too:

We caught a total of 21 schoolie stripers, not counting the ones that Michael snag hooked. Rolling Eyes

I caught 11 and Michael caught 10. Ironically, although I couldn't prevent Rapala Man from throwing a Rapala lure, he caught (or snagged Laughing

) all of his stripers with non-Rapala lures. Surprised

Thanks for getting me out on the water, Michael. If we hadn't gone, I would have looked at the snow, today, and thought to myself, "Why the heck didn't I go fishing, yesterday?" Wink

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

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

It was a pleasure Phil. I had a good time even though it was cold. The soft plastic I started off with was a 3 1/2" Storm Pro Curl Tail. Not sure what the chartreuse lure was. Last lure was a 4" soft plastic eel.

Weird how I was foul hooking so many and actually got that 26" fish right inside Laughing

Grazie amico Wink

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

fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

Looks more like a 44"er that weighs about 33lbs to me!!! LOL
_________________
There's a fine line between fishing....

and standing on the shore like an idiot!

avidangler · Joined: 08 Jan 2013 Posts: 469 Location: Forestville

Nice catches.The parkway and up should hold fish through spring.Some big girls are caught around and in that cove by Sikorski.Just remember the parkway is the fresh/saltwater line,incase anyone doesn't have an ocean or all-waters license.Can't wait till spring when all the big brothers and sisters show.Then,you'll have a "reel" blast!
_________________
...Randy...

Leeway and elbow room.There's plenty of water to fish!

avidanglingadventures.blogspot.com

"If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life,there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

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

Who doesn't spend the extra $4.00 for the All Waters Fishing License? Rolling Eyes

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

avidangler · Joined: 08 Jan 2013 Posts: 469 Location: Forestville

I know quite a few people that only fish fresh water.Others that only go on charters that cover it.I hear about people getting. caught around the parkway every year.
_________________
...Randy...

Leeway and elbow room.There's plenty of water to fish!

avidanglingadventures.blogspot.com

"If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life,there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

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

Nice job Phil and Michael! I have been out of commission with an injury for quite a few months so I haven't been fishing or on this site because I couldn't go fishing but I saw something strange in these photos...

Phil, did you buy a boat????
_________________
Never give up!

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

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

nicklovesPK · Joined: 10 Jan 2011 Posts: 102

phil are you done with ice fishing?

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

One thing I haven't seen anybody mention on their reports that Phil and I witnessed was sea lice!

One of the stripers I landed had sea lice on it and a number came off on the boat.

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

Nice! How u liking it?

And I wish I was busy doing other things (even the things you suggested because of how bad I screwed myself up). I dislocated my knee "dancing" and have been going to physical therapy for 5 months. Just started to feel better the past few weeks... I'm not 100% but if I can walk (which I can now) I can fish Smile

.
_________________
Never give up!

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

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