[PECo]

I was pleasantly surprised when asianfisher (aka Billy) told me that he would be fishing at West Branch Reservoir (aka Hogsback Reservoir) today. I hadn't seen him since he moved to Massachusetts. He told me that there are smallmouth bass in the reservoir, so of course I was in. Although there's a boat launch ramp on the west side of the lower dam off of Durst Road, trailers aren't allowed into the water, so it's blocked at the bottom by two large concrete blocks. I got on the water in El Habañero (aka my Hobie Pro Angler) at 11:00 am. The sky was mostly cloudy and the air was cool. There was a slight north breeze blowing across the water from the upper dam. I headed clockwise from the ramp up the west shore. I threw a wacky rigged five inch Senko and a drop shot with a 2-1/2 inch Gulp minnow. It didn't take long, before a little smallie picked up my Senko from the bottom:



Man, I missed Billy! He takes me to only the best places! At 11:30 am, Billy showed up with his girl in a couple of kayaks. Hey, Trish! We continued around the reservoir to a cove that was a little sheltered from the wind. While Billy was teaching Trish how to cast, I threw my drop shot off the shore and got a bite from another smallie:



It was 16 inches long and weighed one pound, 12 ounces. It was really chunky:



I ended up catching maybe 10 smallies, although only three of them were keepers. I also caught about 20 rock bass.




Here's Billy taking a photo of the first fish that Trish caught since she was 10 years old:




And here's the last keeper smallie that I landed:



Unfortunately, I had to rush off of the water at 4:00 pm to go schlep my kids around, so I had to leave Billy and Trish up on the north end of the east shore. But since I left them in a rock bass hotspot, I also left them with a bag of Senkos and some Gamakatsu Number 4 Octopus Circle hooks. It took me almost 20 minutes to pedal back to the ramp, where I met the MDC security guard. Hey, C.J.! I hope that the mosquitos didn't get you too bad! I'm sure that I'll see you again later.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[DirtyDawg10]

Looks like a nice place.

[PECo]

We were the only ones on the water and there's very little shore access. I saw only two shore fishermen by the ramp. We also saw a mature bald eagle:


Link

The water was clear down to eight feet when the wind wasn't blowing and the sun peeked through, and there are hardly any weeds on the bottom. It's a gorgeous, little-pressured body of cold, Farmington River water:


Link

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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[thenameissimon]

This is a great gem to fish, the lack of the boat launch with trailer access keeps a lot of the boats off and you mostly just see recreational kayaking and canoeing.

The best shore fishing for this area is in the Fall when they lower the water level which allows you to walk from the boat launch area all the way around the Reservoir. I suppose you could hike the woods in a clock wise pattern this time of year, but the Fall it is definitely easier.

[asianfisher]

Thanks Phil It was great meeting you finally. Oh and by the way 30 mins after you left I got a rainbow trout while Will was paddling and i was trolling. Pics will be on FB later..... Can't wait till next time... Trisha... Hey Phil great seeing you again. Maybe we can go out and catch some striper night fishing if you can get out at night...

[Mike1]

Hey Phil, i was up there yesterday but i wasnt fishing i was picniking and i saw kayackers and i thought i should check ctfishtalk its prolly Phil thats out there. And sure enough it was. Great Post!
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Personal Best freswater fish.
1. 40.5" PIke caught and released out of Bantam ice fishing with a shiner.
2. 30" Rainbow Trout caught and released out of Scoville on a mepps. (random lake)

[PECo]

Hey, Mike! Let me know if you'd like to paddle and fish it. I'd love to go back.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[metalfish]

Hey Phil, Sunday want to fish it? II can bring my inflatable lady for a paddle. Not sure how far and long, but willing to try?
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I Love My Fishing And NASCAR. But When There Is ICE On The Pond Bet Your Britches I Will Be There.
Bassin In The Summer Perchin In The Winter Mr. Green

[PECo]

I'd love to, Ian, but on Sunday I have to head down to New Jersey to schlep my father-in-law's Yukon Denali back up here for the Summer.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[Mike1]

Thanks for all the offers this year Phil, but i leave next Thursday for Nantucket till October to fish for the big boys, Stripers and Blues now, Albacore and Bonito late summer, the big old Tuna, and my favorite the Sharks and anything else i can get a hold of out in the big blue ocean.
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Personal Best freswater fish.
1. 40.5" PIke caught and released out of Bantam ice fishing with a shiner.
2. 30" Rainbow Trout caught and released out of Scoville on a mepps. (random lake)

[PECo]

I went back again today (i.e., 06/15) from 11:30 am to 6:15 pm, when the rain started to fall. Not much to report. I caught 23 short smallies and 24 rock bass. I marked only one fish on my finder all day, at 17 feet in 25 feet of water. All but a couple of the fish were caught on wacky rigged Senkos. They really hit the orange ones hard today, but it was a dinky day.

I found this bait fish floating on the surface:




I put it on my drop shot and it got taken off the hook immediately by a fish. Does anyone know what kind of bait fish this is? Is it a smelt?
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

[babycubcatcher]

My buddy and I love to fish that place. It can be slow with a lot of small smallmouths and is quite a drive from most areas in the state. That being said, you often have the place to yourself. Two summers ago I got my best smallmouth out of there dropshotting by the south dam (4lbs 11 ozs). Am interested to know what that baitfish is, very long and thin.

[SeaDog1]

Hi Phil!

YES! That's a rainbow smelt -> Both Colebrook Res which dumps into Hogback Res. have them.

SeaDog1