ctfisherman.com logo
Page 5 of 8 < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >
Topic Options
Rate This Topic
Hop to:
#1785101 - 05/03/20 09:19 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
5:15 -- 7:15 pm today, also down in Cromwell. Water was up a little from yesterday; one of the regulars said it was actually down a little from when he was there in the morning. The water was more turbid, and lots more flotsam running with the current. And the current was ripping, I couldn't hold the bottom, even with a slow retrieve. So, I cast quartering upstream, and "jigged" it in the current, letting it drift until it was about parallel with the shore, and I could finally feel it bump the bottom. With concentration, I was able to bump it along, and about 6:pm I had a good hit. I played it until it broke me off after a brief, strong fight. I didn't see anyone else hook up, except to each other, or the bottom. Ah well, no fish today, but at least I know they're still in there, and the tug of war felt good.

Terminal tackle: 1.5 oz drail, under 3.5' 8# flouro leader, and my last hammered copper willow in green/yellow w/black dot (lost with Mr/Mrs Shad), and a silver leaf in orange/yellow w/black dot.

As the water falls, the fishing should improve a little each day this week. Hopefully the scattered showers predicted for later this week are very scattered. We don't need more rain this week. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
Fishing Info
#1785298 - 05/05/20 09:40 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
, 6:30-8:15 pm today, behind Bart's above the RR Bridge. The water was down quite a bit, clear, and with a stiff current. Surface temp. ~59º F. The breeze was a bit chilly. There were only 4 people on the bank when I arrived, and one was leaving. Only two more people joined us while I was down there. One report of a lone shad caught earlier in the afternoon, as told to me by the regular who left on my arrival.

One of the other regulars, who joined me on the bank about a half hour after I started casting practice, eventually caught 2, and lost 1. Both shad were decent size, the roe was pushing 5#, and the buck was easily 4#. Both fought him hard in the current. I had a good hit, but it broke me off pretty quickly, and in the end, that was all she wrote for me. No fish today.

Tackle:
Rod: an Ugly Stik 4'6" U/L Pro
Reel: a Penn 4200 SS, spooled with 10# Power Pro

Terminal tackle: I switched from a 3/4 oz drail, to 5/8 oz, over 2.5' 8# flouro leader, hammered silver chartreuse willow, and a yellow/orange w/black dot.

Things should be heating up with this nice weather. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1785337 - 05/06/20 10:52 AM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
MikeV Offline

Member

Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2358
Loc: Tolland
No Fish,

Solid effort. You are seeing fish caught. You hooked up. You will put fish on the bank, I am betting your next trip. The sooner you go out again, the the sooner you will reap your reward. Please be sure to provide a picture in your next report, it's been a while since I have seen one.

Tight lines,

MikeV
Top
#1785571 - 05/07/20 09:04 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
Thanks, MikeV. Still, no fish today, or yesterday for that matter...

6.May: 4:pm-8:15 pm, back of Bart's, near the RR bridge. The water was down only a little bit from Tuesday, surface temp was down to 57º F (60º F yesterday). The current was strong, and the water was only a little turbid. ~8 or so on the bank at a time, not too crowded. Shad were around. Closest to the bridge, a newer regular caught 4 shad. A little upstream where I was with a few folx, a couple of more shad were caught, along with a couple of alewife. I had a couple of bumps, and one short hit, which dropped the willow after a head shake. It was probably an alewife; c'est la vie, c'est la guerre, and no fish for me...

Terminal Tackle: same, same over a hammered silver leaf in yellow/orange w/black dot, chartreuse w/black dot, and white/yellow.

7.May, today: 2:pm-4:15 pm, same, same as yesterday. The water was down only a hair from yesterday, fairly clear with a good current, surface temp was up a whole degree at 58º. We had almost a crowd today, 8-10 spread along the bank, with folx coming and going. Shad made their appearance, much like yesterday. The guy in the corner, closest to the RR bridge caught several before he left. He was replaced by virgin, who busted his cherry on his first cast, a nice 4.5# roe! He's an addict now, even if he hasn't realized it--yet...

Another couple or 3 of shad were caught near me, but all I got was a couple of bumps, and an alewife. At least I got the skunk off. :-/

Terminal tackle: 5/8 oz drail, over 2.5'-3' 8# flouro leader, and willows in hammered silver w/chartreuse, yellow w/blue stripes, orange/yellow w/black dot, and hammered copper in hot pink.

So NOT looking forward to the next couple of days. YMMV, and invariably will...

If you go out, tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1785977 - 05/11/20 08:45 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
10.May: 6:15-8:15 pm, in the back of Bart's, near the RR bridge.way down low, clear, with a good current, and a surface temp of 53º F. There were only 3 others on the bank besides me, and nobody had even a hit.

On my third cast, I C & R an alewife. The other fishermen left. There was nothing for almost an hour, until I got another alewife about the time a guy and his young son showed up. About 7:15 pm, as a train passed over the bridge, I had a solid hook up. Mrs. shad put her head down, tugged, tried to run, but couldn't, so she stayed deep. Eventually I worked her close to shore and as soon as the water got skinny, she ran off a few yards of line. When I turned her to shore again, she hit the skinny water, and leapt and spun mid-air. And threw the hook back at me. She was a good looking fish, decent size, and thick. :sigh: That was all she wrote, no other fish hooked. The evening run continues to be slow, and spotty.

Terminal tackle: 1/2 oz drail, over 3' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver in chartreuse, chartreuse/green w/black dot, orange, and pink.


11.May: 6:15-8:pm. In back of Bart's, near the RR bridge. The water was down a little from yesterday, still clear, flowing well, temp was down to 51º F. And I had the entire bank to myself. Must have been something with the weather.

Nothing, not even an alewife, until about 7-ish, just as the rain started. I was able to land this one! A decent, middlin' buck, between 2#-3#. After a Kodak™ moment, back he went to make more shad. The rain passed after about 10-15 minutes, as I waited it out in the Jeep. Then back at it.

The temp dropped with the rain, and it got breezy. I was getting too cold to continue, and nothing was biting anyway. Homeward bound by 8:pm.

Terminal tackle: similar to yesterday, with hammered silver in chartreuse, pink, and white/chartreuse w/big eye sticker.

Chartreuse was the winner tonight, and caught my vitamin shad. Tight lines!


Edited by No Fish Today (05/11/20 08:57 PM)

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1786065 - 05/12/20 10:24 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
6:45-8:15 pm: Rocky Hill Ferry Park, fishing off the docks. The water was running clear, and fairly strong. I didn't get a surface temp tonight. There were 4 others spread out along the docks when I arrived. Two were targeting shad, two young guys were drowning something or other, probably looking for stripers. No one admitted to catching anything, and they all left by 7:15 pm. Another guy showed up shortly after their exit, he was also targeting shad.

About 7:30 I had a solid hook up close to the docks. After a really nice fight in the current, I landed a decent buck, ~3#. After the obligatory Kodak™ moment, it went back in the drink. They say it takes money to make money, well I feel the same about shad. And that was it, my vitamin shad. I saw nothing else caught, not so much as bump. Happy to keep the skunk off.

Tackle: Penn 4400 SS spinning reel, mated to a 6'0" Ugly Stik Med-Heavy action, Elite one-piece rod.

Terminal Tackle: 1.5 oz drail, over 4' of 8# flouro leader, and a silver/chartreuse and orange willow with a weird, offset hook. Weird was good for a solid hook up.

Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1786140 - 05/13/20 10:52 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
6:30-8:45 pm: Rocky Hill Ferry Park, fishing off the docks. The water was running clear, but the current wasn't as stiff as last night, to start, but it picked up a bit by 7:30. Again, no surface temp. Only 4 folx fishing on arrival, a couple of shad on the docks, and one landed as I started casting. Three more were caught by the crew before they all left. A few more folx dribbled in and out before I left, and there was a group of about 6 kids setting up for stripers as I left.

On my 3rd cast, I had a good hit, and hook set. It kept it's head down, and ran deep. It made me work, in the current, to get it to the net, so I thought it might be a roe. It turned out to be a middlin' 2#-3# buck with a lot of fight. Back in the drink after it's Kodak™ moment. Schweet! About 7:30 I had a solid hook up on a heavy fish. It took much longer to bring it to the net, and made a couple of hard runs. A great fight landed a 3#+ Roe, not really any longer than the buck, but fat. Since her jaw was tore all to shreds, and split, I kept her for my table. Shad roe and ramps for breakfast tomorrow. And the fillets for a couple of other days. Life is good!

Tackle: Penn 4400 SS spinning reel, mated to a 6'0" Ugly Stik Med-Heavy action, Elite one-piece rod.

Terminal Tackle: 1.5 oz drail, over 3.5' of 8# flouro leader, and the silver/chartreuse and orange willow with a weird, offset hook brought in the buck. Unfortunately, I snagged the bottom, and lost it shortly after. Next up, a hammered silver in orange w/black dot that grabbed the roe.

It was nice to see some fairly good action on an evening run. I'll be out as often as I can (not as often, or for long enough) for the next couple of weeks until the season winds down. Scuttlebutt has the best action happening in the morning. Wish I was there, too...

Get out there, and tight lines!


Edited by No Fish Today (05/13/20 10:53 PM)

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1786142 - 05/13/20 11:21 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
O-BASS Offline

Member

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 20124
George,

Great reports. Something of an annual joy for me to read them.

Please, for both our sakes- make it more often by any means necessary, and if the chance comes to beat mother nature in rain or a short window of time appears, take it. I love your write ups and the happiness you get from even a slow day is tangible through your words. It's the best part of this website. Thank you for taking the time to make the site better!

O'
Top
#1786173 - 05/14/20 10:10 AM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1347
O',

Thanks for your kind words. Glad you find the rambling dialogue of an old man entertaining, maybe even interesting. I post as much for myself, as for the benefit of others. I can look back through the forum for older threads, and remember outings over the years.

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
Top
#1786195 - 05/14/20 02:25 PM Re: SHAD! 2020 [Re: No Fish Today]
Don D Offline

Member

Registered: 01/03/02
Posts: 7036
Loc: Bristol, CT
Ditto on O'Bass. Used to do a lot of shad fishing from shore and boat. Not so much any more went a couple times last year and none this year. Keep the reports coming.

If there are fish to catch. I'll be there to my end.
Top
Page 5 of 8 < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >

Moderator:  Editors, FindBass, Jimbo, STRIPMINER 


Active Topics