CTFishTalk.com: Connecticut River - Haddam Meadows 02/28 - Connecticut River Reports ( CT River Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Strange Day.

This morning, I finally decided to head down to the Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Plant Canal to catch some spawning yellow perch. The weather forecast and the tides looked pretty good:

I launched my bass boat from Haddam Meadows at 9:30 am. The water level was already quite high, but it wasn't flowing very hard. It was, however, really, REALLY murky. The water temperature was 36 degrees, but I saw it rise to 44 in the canal.

There weren't any other boat trailers in the lot at Haddam Meadows, so I figured that I had the canal to myself when I arrived. Lucy! I'm hoooome. . . .

As I worked my way up the canal, I threw a white chatterbait with a white Keitech Swing Impact paddletail trailer. Due to the murkiness of the water, I figured that I should throw something noisy and shiny. I didn't get any action with the chatterbait, so I switched to a white Arkie curlytail grub on a 1/8 ounce white ball jighead. It didn't take long for one of the target species to pick it up:

A little while later, the grub was picked up by a surprise largemouth bass:

That was my first keeper Connecticut largemouth bass of the year. Whoo hoo!

As I worked my way up the canal, I finally spotted another boat that had, apparently, entered the canal before I got there. And, then, I spotted another near the end of the canal. So much for having the canal to myself. . . . Rolling Eyes

The other boats were fishing with bobbers for black crappie and appeared to be getting some.

Unfortunately, I had an almost two hour dry spell before I caught my next fish, which was NOT a northern pike:

However, at about 1:00 pm, I began to catch more fish; a yellow perch here, a largemouth bass there, another chain pickerel, another largemouth bass, etc.. At 2:30 pm, my final fish was a largemouth bass:

I ended up catching 14 yellow perch, but I also caught a dozen largemouth bass, of which four or five were keepers up to 15 inches long, and four chain pickerel.

Although some of the yellow perch I caught were pretty fat, I don't think that the yellow perch spawn is really on; soon, but not yet.
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usnavybro · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Windsor, CT

Haven’t posted in years, but I’m glad to have finally seen you out on the water! I was in the blue tracker. I didn’t do as well as you, but did get 4 bass on a jerkbait and a few perch as well after spending a couple hours throwing other lures with no success. All the bass bit after a long pause. My best was in the 3-4 pound range, but I can’t upload the photo from my phone. You didn’t happen to lose that white grub to a snag did you?
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PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

usnavybro · Joined: 20 Apr 2011 Posts: 29 Location: Windsor, CT

I picked a white curly tail grub off a submerged branch that may/may not have been very similar to the one you showed me, and gave it to my friend who may/may not have proceeded to catch his first ever perch with it!

I threw a jerkbait in the Salmon River yesterday, but with no confidence and no immediate bites went back to the canal after only a few minutes. I’ll try for longer next time!

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