CTFishTalk.com: Rainbow Reservoir - Connecticut Lake Fishing ( CT Lake Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

anointed130 · Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 7:20 am Post subject: Rainbow Reservoir

Does anyone fish Rainbow Res, or has fished it in the past. What kind of fish are in there. I went yesterday and threw my tacklebox in and pulled nothing out.
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"Come after Me, and i will make you to become fishers of men"

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slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Were you fishing from shore?

If so, that's probably you're problem. You need to get away from the launch area to catch fish there. It's basically a river, so you need to move around and find the sweet spots. I also heard a rumor that they drained it really low to make repairs to the dam a few years ago, and the place hasn't recovered so well. I haven't fished there in many years.
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Phish · Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 454 Location: West Hartford

I love that place and have caught plenty of fish off of laydowns and caught my personal best smallie (3.7) there. Last time I was there in October, a kayaker told me they were draining it again to work on the dam. However, I've looked many times on the internet to see if I could find any information on it being drained again and never found anything. If they left it alone, there's plenty of fish there. Bounce shallow cranks off laydowns, pitch worms and plastics into the junk and you'll catch some fish. There are also trout rising all the time if you're looking for trout. Besides that, it's a beautiful place and there aren't a ton of boats (though people do waterski there), especially if you go into the river beyond the reservoir. Check my old posts for reports from last year. I think I had a few.

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Was introduced to Rainbow Rez last year when I went there with SkeeterRon. Man I love that place, it has become one of my favorite places to go. Like some one mentioned you really need to fish that place from a boat. The nice thing is you can go upriver and float down with the slow current and fish the shorelines and rarely ever touch the trolling motor. Tons of cover, laydowns and brush so spots there are basically limitless. Two thumbs up by me! Very Happy

Jim
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anointed130 · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 7:25 am Post subject:

I am fishing from shore, are there any other places other than the boat ramp to fish that reservoir?
_________________
"Come after Me, and i will make you to become fishers of men"

Can i be a fisher of fish too?

~Tony~

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

I couldn't tell you, I fish from a boat, and I don't fish there very often, too many other better places to fish.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

DV · Joined: 05 May 2010 Posts: 229 Location: East Windsor

I've fished it from a canoe/kayak and did just fine with the current/wind/expanse, do yourself a favor and save up for a small boat like a kayak or canoe to start you off. Keep an eye out for sales and check out big box stores etc, you won't regret it.. just about the only thing you will regret is not getting a bigger boat.

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

Ditto regarding the bigger boat.
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Lunker Cove · Joined: 02 Apr 2010 Posts: 166

rainbow is just the best place for smallies, and it aint a bad place for trout and salmon. I seen a guy pull out a 5 lb salmon out of there. I got a good friend of mine who lives right on it and he caught a 9lb tiger trout. He also pulls out huge smallmouth and largemouth. right around where the old bridge ruins and the camp are good spots