CTFishTalk.com: Bigelow and Mashapaug today - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

My wife and I took a ride up to Bigelow today, stopped at subway, had a little lunch then I proceeded to fish from the fishing deck at the boat launch at bigelow.. I tried a rapala ssr-5 perch and a top water frog.... nothing... saw some fish swimming around but very quiet. I went to the cove to the left of the boat launch and used the frog through some lily pad, had a swirl, but nothing... drove down to the launch at Mashapaug, lots of cars, not a lot of boats... fished from the cement dock for about a half an hour with the perch rapala again and caught a nice smallmouth from the dock! I was kind of surprised, it put on a nice aerial display, had to be about, well , as my wife put it, a little bigger than my shoe, I wear a size 14..ha ha... hadn't caught a smallmouth in a couple of years. Left there, stopped at the TA for a drink and went the long way home, ended up at eagleville dam for about a half hour, used the rapala and frog again but nothing.. was going to stop at coventry lake but it lookded busy. Was nice just getting out after 6 straight days of work and the last five being closes.

Won't be able to go out again til monday but not sure where I'll go... but depending on traffic tomorrow when I get out at 5, I may stop at batterson.

Hope all had some good fishing after the storm yesterday.

kgalek · Joined: 31 May 2013 Posts: 4

I was up there on Monday for the holiday. Fished Bigalow pond, caught a few nice bass, I was met by 2 very nice DEEP officers who were out meeting the public and checked to see I had PFDs in my canoe. Told me a 8 pounder was electro fished a few weeks ago and still is in the pond. DEEP must be out in full force because I was also checked out at Gardner lake in SALEM a few days later.

TheFishingMedic · Joined: 17 Jun 2013 Posts: 30 Location: Stafford, CT

I've been up there a few times with my fiancé over the past week and can't seem to land anything there. Frustrating. I've tried spinners, wacky 5"s, crankbaits, texas rigged.

We're doing nothing but shore fishing until i convince her to buy a boat!

Any hints / ideas / locations on the lake / setups?

any help would be great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks
James
_________________
Proud Father, Husband and Paramedic.

bowhunter095 · Joined: 20 Jan 2011 Posts: 392 Location: Berlin, CT

Just got back from Batterson fishing with a friend for 4 hours. All we got is one yellow perch, no walleye, no bass. There was also a DEEP officer at the ramp.

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

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

Hey... forestville, I work in forestville!

Anyway, as far as shore fishing from Bigelow/Mashapaug goes.. it can be tough.. this time of the year mashapaug is loaded with fisherman on boats, the good news is no pleasure boaters going 100mp's... get there early or late avoid the crowds.. lots of people hike and picnic there, why not.. it's a great place! I've found walking around the perimeter and finding some coves hopefully not near swimmers is good at mashapaug, if you can fish the launch area, again early early or late in the afternoon to evening and during the week you might get some action.

Bigelow, a little better, you can walk almost around the entire pond and fish it... I've found the early mornings and late afternoons more productive. Standard presentations... topwaters near weeds/pads, cranks/spinnerbaits in open water. Near the boat launch and handicap dock there is a lot of weed growth so I use shallow cranks and spinner baits.. if you look from the road you'll see a large rock on the shore.. walk the shore to that rock and you have deep water to your left and a shallow cove with lots of lily pad and logs to your right.. I've caught some bass in that area and even trout in the deeper area. Bigelow is a place I'd love to throw a shiner out and see what happens.

Again, timing is key.. avoid weekends (fee on weekends), get there early early or late. Make a day out of it.. I like that they have the water pumps... lots of port a potties!! LOL.. and if you're brave hike to breakneck pond!!