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nicklovesPK
Joined: 10 Jan 2011
Posts: 102
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 Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:52 pm Post subject: colebrook |
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| heading back tommorow. last time jigged up chub minnows an perch by launch. bummed thought i found smelt. 2 flags 2 drops. never caught chubs. saved them good bait. gonna head to north part of lake heard smelt there in 40 feet hope to get a brown on tip up |
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Scott M
Joined: 05 Jun 2011
Posts: 35
Location: Tolland, CT
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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I was there today also. Pretty quiet in the afternoon. Caught a few short perch and a bunch of dace like small sucker fish.
No flags all day on the near shore a few hundred yards up from the launch in 25 feet of water.
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bowhunter095
Joined: 20 Jan 2011
Posts: 392
Location: Berlin, CT
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Anyone have any tips for fishing for smelt here? |
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avidangler
Joined: 08 Jan 2013
Posts: 469
Location: Forestville
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't fished for smelt...YET!I have read/been told that at colebrook they go to the north end where the river comes in.They use a small jig,size 10-16 tipped with spikes.Also,the SABISKI RIG that they use for sea herring.Same sizes and tipped. with spikes.If you have tip-ups put a live one on and get ready.Freeze the rest for another trip.Hope i have been of some help.Mount Tom ready yet???Bring some smelt there.Westhill when the time comes.
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...Randy...
Leeway and elbow room.There's plenty of water to fish!
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"If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life,there'd be a shortage of fishing poles." |
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bowhunter095
Joined: 20 Jan 2011
Posts: 392
Location: Berlin, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| thanks for the tip! Are you talking about the north end of the lake in Mass? |
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SeaDog1
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 2629
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:18 am Post subject: |
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Hi,
Smelt fishing at Colebrook 
First of all you must understand that at the north end of Colebrook you will be fishing on ice with running water under it and DANGEROUS
Colebrook Res. is daylight fishing ONLY -> No night fishing allowed and the MDC does enforce the rules !
HAVE ALL YOUR SAFETY GEAR + PFD and GO WITH A BUDDY !
SPUD and check that ice every couple of feet in front of you and to the sides !
You will have to park up on Rt. 8 North (Res. road gates are closed during the winter) -> And then walk down a long incline path known as "The Goat Path" -> Easy going down but the walk back up is a super pain, especially hauling all your gear and bucket full of smelt !
For smelt you need a very soft limber rod or rod with spring bobber.
Any good spinning reel will do.
Most guys use the smallest hook Sabiki rig cut in half to stay in compliance with the 3 hook rule and regs. and small weight at the end.
(NOTE: Smelt spawn in running water in the winter and that is why you'll find the schools concentrated up at the north end of Colebrook Res.)
Bait each hook with one spike (maggot).
Jig up and down at various speeds, lengths, and depths till you find the smelt. (a fish finder helps).
Your only allowed to take 50 smelt per day.
Dress warm because the wind coming down the valley can get real nasty at times !
FYI: ... I don't fish for smelt at Colebrook any more because the climb is too hard on my old knees -> So I fish for smelt now up in Massachusetts which has more waters that have them and much much easier for me to access !
Best info I can give you guys -> Be Safe -> Have Fun !
SeaDog1 |
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| SeaDog1 wrote: | | Most guys use the smallest hook Sabiki rig cut in half to stay in compliance with the 3 hook rule and regs. and small weight at the end. |
Some people can never admit when they're wrong.  Don't cut up your sabiki rigs! You can have as many hooks as you want on a line, but up to only three may be baited. Here's the regulation:
| Quote: | 26-112-43. Definitions and restrictions
(a) "Angling" means fishing with hook and line which shall be personally attended, but shall not include ice fishing or snagging or snatching. Not more than two lines, with or without rods, may be used at one time. Each line may have any combination of hooks, flies or lures, among which not more than three hooks may be baited. |
And if that isn't clear enough, here's the definition of "Hook":
| Quote: | | (o) "Hook" or "fishhook" means a curved, pointed device, with or without barb, used to catch fish. Hooks may be single, double or treble and each point shall be considered as a single hook. |
Any lure with two treble hooks on it had six hooks on it, under the regulations. 
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SeaDog1
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 2629
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Phil,
The reason for cutting a Sabiki rig in half to fish for smelt is so as not to have to deal with a long rig.
Trying to manage a long Sabiki rig with 6 hooks thru the ice is a real pain.
Shorter rig allows you to get back down faster to where the smelt are and catch more faster !
Besides -> With 2 rods rigged with 3 hooks each and " all hooks baited" you have doubled your chances to catch more smelt !
That makes more sense then fiddling with one long cumbersome 6 hook rig with only 3 hooks allowed to be baited !
That's the practical fisherman's reasoning -> Not the lawyers reasoning ! 
The rules you stated above are all true -> But don't tell anyone not to cut their Sabiki's in half -> That's a personal choice as well as what I learned from many other smelt fishermen with much longer experience then I !
Fishermen (as long as they stay within the rules) will alter their tackle to suit their particular needs and abilities as well as the fish they are targeting
Now ...Is that clear enough -> Practical is the key word here ! 
SeaDog1 
Last edited by SeaDog1 on Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:04 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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bowhunter095
Joined: 20 Jan 2011
Posts: 392
Location: Berlin, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the info Seadog! My friends grandfather, who I am very close with, is from northern Maine and is always talking about smelt fishing when he was young so I want to try and bring some back for him. Are their turnoffs where you could park on the side of route 8? And any info on ice thickness? |
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SeaDog1
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 2629
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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Hi BH,
No turn offs -> You have to park on the shoulder where the "Goat Path" starts.
I suggest you wait a few more days before venturing out on the north end of Colebook where the smelt will congregate.
Give the ice more time to build up thicker especially where you have running water under it !
Call Glen at "Outdoor Artistry" (Rt. 8 north bait shop) -> He'll usually have the latest update on the ice there.
Stay Safe - Have Fun !
SeaDog1 |
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bowhunter095
Joined: 20 Jan 2011
Posts: 392
Location: Berlin, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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| The shoulder your talking about is just over the Mass border right? Do I need a Mass license to go there. |
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SeaDog1
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 2629
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Hi BH,
No -> On Colebrook Res. both Mass. and Ct. License's are good.
Parking on the shoulder is OK.
Only north of the steel bridge you must have a Mass. Lic.
SeaDog1 |
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bowhunter095
Joined: 20 Jan 2011
Posts: 392
Location: Berlin, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the info! |
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nicklovesPK
Joined: 10 Jan 2011
Posts: 102
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| had 7 to 9 inches of ice 400 yards down from launch. jigged up 8 perch. no smelt. no trout on tip ups. one guy up northend by goat path |
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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I've read that marshmallows and shrimp are both good bait for smelt. I've always wanted to try fishing for them on the north end of Colebrook RIver Lake. Maybe sometime soon. 
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