#1676094 - 04/08/1607:39 AM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2263
Loc: Tolland CT
Is anyone seeing boats going out from the Bart's launch onto the lower Farmington for shad? I would appreciate updates. Am impatiently waiting for a warm non-rainy day to head to Portland to my cousin's house on Great Hill Pond. There in the yard is his Starcraft SF14 that I will make a test run on the pond with then bring home and set up for shad river fishing. Last year's shad boat now in the Shenipsit Lake boatyard for the season. Was supposed to get this done by now but weather did not cooperate. Need to find the guy with the fish thru his head for willow leaves....
hornhunter
Member
Registered: 04/17/06
Posts: 1583
I hit Barts today after a very slow morning of trout fishing on the Scantic.There were no boats or trailers to be seen on the Farmy except for a kayaker trolling at around 3:00 pm. Jerry was at the parking lot and there were a total of ten of us fishing for shad but no action while I was there. I was told a few were caught yesterday with the river being a foot higher and muddy,today was much clearer. This coming week should really pickup with the warmer forecast.
#1676454 - 04/11/1607:27 AM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
I spent a couple of hours behind Bart's yesterday afternoon between about 3:30-5:45 PM. A couple of boats came and went, and they had a few reports of catching shad down by the mouth. Of the 1/2 dozen or so bank fisherman, nobody had caught anything earlier in the day, and none of us caught anything while I was there.
The water was up about a foot from my last trip, mostly clear but the flow was slow; surface temp was about 48 degrees. I threw a green/white hammered silver willow, I saw others tossing orange or pink willows. No hits, strikes or interest for anybody.
Terminal tackle: 3/8 oz drail over 2-1/2' 8# flouro leader, and the aforementioned willow.
#1677076 - 04/15/1609:50 PM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
I went out after work this afternoon. I fished behind Bart's from 4:30-6, and then headed to Bissell until 7PM.
At Bart's the water was a little higher than it was the other day, clear but not moving well. I saw all of one shad caught at the boat ramp. A couple of the regulars said they had caught 2 early in the afternoon before I got there.
At Bissell there were 2 shad in a bucket, a decent buck and a middlin' roe. Both had been caught an hour or more before I got there.
Terminal tackle: At Bart's: 3/8 oz drail over 3'flouro leader, hammered silver w/green, white & black dot, hammered copper w/chartreuse & orange dot.
At Bissell: 3/4 oz drail over 5-1/2' flouro leader, hammered silver w/red, white & black dot.
All I got at both locales was skunk, casting practice, and reports of scattered shad caught over the last few days, so the action is still slow. With the warming temps, I'm hoping the action improves over the weekend. We'll see...
Hoping to head out for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon, and maybe, too, on Sunday morning. Tight lines!
#1677095 - 04/16/1607:44 AM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2263
Loc: Tolland CT
Would appreciate a Bart's boat launch parking lot assessment Saturday-Sunday, planning on a Monday morning maiden voyage of my newly acquired 2001 Starcraft SF14 to assess the trolling for shad situation, i.e. would the trailer parking slots be full at 8-9AM at this time?
Daddy Pickle
Go big or go home
Registered: 03/04/05
Posts: 5922
Loc: Windsor Locks
Originally Posted By: cat_in_the_hat
Would appreciate a Bart's boat launch parking lot assessment Saturday-Sunday, planning on a Monday morning maiden voyage of my newly acquired 2001 Starcraft SF14 to assess the trolling for shad situation, i.e. would the trailer parking slots be full at 8-9AM at this time?
only saw 1 trailer the other day
Im allergic to land, get me on the water <")))>< My CTF Profile
#1677177 - 04/16/1608:50 PM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
I went out this afternoon from 4-6:30 pm at Bissell. A handful of regulars were there, half fishing and half waiting for a shad to make an appearance. Nobody had any success.
About 5:pm I had a solid hook up, it felt like a smallish shad but fought well in the CT River current. It actually hit fairly close to shore, as I had fumbled, and made a lousy short cast. Once it started getting to shallow water, it put its head down and made a couple of nice runs. Alas, as I turned its head for the last time, it rolled and turned away in shallow water giving me a nice look at it, and the weight came sailing past my head. It must have wound the leader around a chunk of rock when it turned, what was left of the leader was split and frayed, and about 18" shorter... It was the only shad that bit while I was there. When I left at 6:30, nobody had so much as a bump. They're still very scattered.
Water surface temp was 51* but I'm sure it is a few degrees colder at depth. The water at Bissell had fallen about 8" from yesterday, the current was flowing good, and the water was clear. Wind came straight down the river from Windsor, it was chilly on the bank, while it was nice and warm in the parking lot by contrast.
Terminal tackle: 3/4 oz drail over 5' flouro leader; I tried bright willows: hammered silver w/orange and black dot, hammered silver w/chartreuse and black dot, hammered silver w/blue/white, had the hook set on plain silver w/yellow, orange, and an "eye" spot.
#1677275 - 04/17/1608:16 PM
Re: Shad! 2016 Edition
[Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
I went down to Bissell late this afternoon, from about 4:pm-7:30pm. There was a decent crowd of regulars working the bank, and they had a few shad on the stringer. Nice...
I wound up with three solid hook sets, landing two, with one escapee in between. The two landed were middlin' roes, about 3#+. A few bumps, misses, and two other shad were landed by others before I left. It looks like this warmer weather is heating up the action. I expect tomorrow will be even better ahead of the front that should move through Monday night into Tuesday. Hits and caught fish were scattered throughout the time I was there, I never saw two being played at the same time or even hooked one after another. Action was sporadic but steady enough by contrast to the last couple of weeks.
Terminal tackle: 3/4 oz drail over a short (for me) 2-1/2 foot flouro leader, willow was hammered silver with blue paint, flecked with sparkly stuff for good measure & black dot.
I will be out tomorrow after work for sure. Tight lines!
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