CTFishTalk.com: Keeney 8/9 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

imsafanct · Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 118

I had a chance to fish for a couple hours Saturday late afternoon from roughly 3:30PM to 5:30PM.

I hit the North portion of Keeney Cove from shore, fishing near the Putnam Bridge tunnel area. It was breezy, sunny with clouds and warm. The water level is definitely down to low mid-Summer levels.

I threw spinnerbaits, Keitechs, a horny toad and a texas-rigged green pumpkin tube. Nothing. It wasn't until I decided to get risky and threw a green pumpkin/red flake wacky-rigged senko at a thick, nasty laydown that I got some action.

I hooked a modestly-sized largemouth and had to crawl out onto one of the laydowns to get him untangled from the sunken branches. I fell in up to my knees on the crawl back but I was able to keep the bass hooked and got him back in safely as quickly as I could. The hard work put a smile on my face.

After I got myself composed, I threw back into the same laydown and felt another bump. I wasn't sure if I missed the fish or not but I set the hook anyhow. As soon as I did, the drag on my Stradic CI4+ started to scream. I had me another bowfin, my third of the year. And he was BIG!

I somehow managed to wrestle him up over more branches and got him to shore. I gripped the fish with my Bogagrip and removed the hook from his mouth. The Bogagrip showed him weighing 5lbs. even. Very cool! Not the usual fight due to him being hung up in branches but enjoyable nonetheless. I got him back in the water and I was done after that.

When I'm by myself, I'm always more concerned with getting the fish unhooked and back in the water ASAP so I'm not thinking about photos, but oh well.

Because I've gone so much this year, I've learned a lot. And as the seasons and conditions change, I keep right on learning. I now know that in the heat of the Summer, on bright days, the fish are held up tight to cover. And the nastier, thicker, harder to fish cover, the better. It's a bit more work to fish these areas, but it's worth it and fun.

-Eric

bdiggy · Joined: 15 Aug 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Thomaston, CT

Awesome! Really love to get my first bowfin at some point!

imsafanct · Joined: 05 Aug 2013 Posts: 118

Bdiggy,

If you feel like fishing Keeney, PM me and we can plan a date. You are out near Winchester and or Bantam, right? Those waters are on my list to get to before the end of the year. Maybe you can show me either one of those lakes as well?

Thanks.

-Eric

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

bdiggy · Joined: 15 Aug 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Thomaston, CT

bobby buggs · Joined: 13 Aug 2014 Posts: 5

Thought I read we were supposed to remove them from the river and give the to F&W for research??. I dont think they are a good thing for our fishery

Redneckangler · Joined: 05 May 2012 Posts: 851 Location: Meriden, CT

Wanna Fish · Joined: 30 Jan 2012 Posts: 662 Location: Earth I Think

Nice! Those Watermelon/Red Flake Senkos Whacky Rigged almost always work in a pinch. On windy days throw a 3/16oz weight on the hook or use a small jig head to get it down.

Have yet to catch a Bowfin.
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