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imsafanct
Joined: 05 Aug 2013
Posts: 118
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 Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:04 am Post subject: Question |
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We've been hitting Keeney and White Oak a bunch this Summer with great results, always starting around 5:00AM.
We've noticed a lot of shiners or small baitfish jumping shortly after dawn each time we've been out. As we were entering the canal leaving Wethersfield Cove that heads into the CT River yesterday morning, these small fish were all over place jumping out of the water. So many that we probably could have caught some of them with a net.
Each time we've fished within this activity, we've barely caught anything. We've thrown Rapalas into the flurry mostly.
I'm going on the assumption that there is a larger fish species feeding on them, pushing them to the surface. Is this true? If so, what species is hunting them? And finally, what lure works to catch the larger species?
Thanks.
-Eric |
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imsafanct
Joined: 05 Aug 2013
Posts: 118
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| Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 7:21 am Post subject: |
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Here's a recent pic of a 3-4lb. pickerel we caught.
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Nice pick! |
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avidangler
Joined: 08 Jan 2013
Posts: 469
Location: Forestville
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| Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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Have you tried fishing the edges of the bait?Or casting past them then through? You could try a silver buddy.I've found that casting into the schools,scatters them and spooks the predators.Fish the same techniques that would apply to fishing blitzing fish.The wounded straggler on the outside becomes easy pickings.
Even try a small unweighted soft plastic with a few twitches every now and then.
You could always try to net some and use them.
Nice Pickerel!
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...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." |
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:24 am Post subject: |
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| avidangler wrote: | | Have you tried fishing the edges of the bait?Or casting past them then through? You could try a silver buddy.I've found that casting into the schools,scatters them and spooks the predators.Fish the same techniques that would apply to fishing blitzing fish.The wounded straggler on the outside becomes easy pickings. |
 I can't believe I never thought of that. It makes a lot of sense to me. I'll give it a try. Thanks.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter! |
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avidangler
Joined: 08 Jan 2013
Posts: 469
Location: Forestville
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| Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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If it were a school of bunker and blues were crashing them...sure casting into them will produce some fish but,those chompers will probably chomp your line as well.
Cast to the edges and you're bound to hook-up more often and are less likely to be cut off.
Throwing a heavier lure that gets below the frenzy has a better chance of getting picked up by the more weary,less aggressive and bigger fish that don't want to work hard for a meal.
Stripers are usually down below or hanging back picking up the scraps. The big fish have learned to let the smaller ones do all the chasing and hard work.
I've noticed the same tactic in freshwater. Bass and salmon.The little ones maim and stun the schools and the big ones just hang on the edges and grab the distressed bait without having to exert much energy.
A larger,different color lure that is slowly worked on the edges or below will oftentimes out produce an exact match to the forage.
Try to keep in mind the big fish need to exert more energy to catch food as well as eat more of it.Slow moving/disoriented bait = easy meal
Another VERY helpful thing when working your lure slowly.
SCENT!
_________________
...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." |
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imsafanct
Joined: 05 Aug 2013
Posts: 118
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| Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 6:31 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the info. guys. We'll give it a shot and see what we come up with.
-Eric |
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imsafanct
Joined: 05 Aug 2013
Posts: 118
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| Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 7:44 am Post subject: |
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We've done well fishing Keeney/Wethersfield/White Oak over the past 2 months or so. And we've caught good-sized fish of all species too. I've been especially impressed with the size of the crappie, catfish, largemouth and that pickerel. Just after we caught that pickerel we lost either another pickerel or a pike at the boat of equal or greater size. We've also caught smallmouth and even a schoolie striper. Fun!
-Eric |
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snap fisher777
Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 238
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| Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2013 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| imsafanct wrote: | We've done well fishing Keeney/Wethersfield/White Oak over the past 2 months or so. And we've caught good-sized fish of all species too. I've been especially impressed with the size of the crappie, catfish, largemouth and that pickerel. Just after we caught that pickerel we lost either another pickerel or a pike at the boat of equal or greater size. We've also caught smallmouth and even a schoolie striper. Fun!
-Eric |
Did you catch the schooler in Keeney Cove? |
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imsafanct
Joined: 05 Aug 2013
Posts: 118
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| Posted: Mon Sep 16, 2013 6:43 am Post subject: |
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We caught the striper in white oak.
-Eric |
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