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#1812792 - 04/23/21 07:54 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: DUSKY17']
BillShu Offline

Member

Registered: 07/21/02
Posts: 806
Loc: Manchester, CtMy active fishin...
RADIO: Three Summers ago at Windsor Bissell bridge area, I was just starting down ramp to begin fishing, RADIO was coming up. He said " No use fishing right now, the Shad are hitting the sinkers instead of the lure"..
OK !!!!!
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Fishing Info
#1812801 - 04/24/21 06:26 AM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1346
23.April:
I headed to the Wall after stealing out of work early, arrived about 3:15 pm. More than a dozen people were working the length of the wall, but there was plenty of room for all. A couple of shad were on the bank, and one in a net on arrival. The current was good on a falling tide, but not ripping as it was on Tuesday. I started with my med-heavy set up (6' one-piece Ugly Stik Elite mated to a Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# Power Pro), and threw it for about 2 hours. When the current slowed in the last hour or so before dead low, I switched to the U/L set up to finish out the day.

A fair number of shad were caught, and about half released. Bill, who makes and sells leaves, caught a decent roe at 3.9#, 22" length, which he promptly released after a Kodak moment. All I got today was casting practice, a few bump and runs, and a head shake. No Fish Today.

Terminal tackle:
Med-heavy set up: 1.5 oz drail over 4' 8# flouro leader. Leaves: hammered silver in two-tone blue w/white dot, green w/black dot, orange w/red dot, and green w/red dot.

U/L set up: 1 oz. drail over 1.5'-2.5', 3'-4' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in yellow w/red dot, orange w/black stripe, chartreuse and blue w/black dot, and hammered copper in pink w/black dot.

I'll head out in a little while, and see what today brings. Wish I could spend the day on the river, but yard work beckons and the grass wants cut before it rains. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
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#1812846 - 04/25/21 08:49 AM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1346
24.April:

8:am-11:45 am, it was a beautiful morning at the Wall, I counted 16 people spread out along its length, and a just-netted shad as I set up. The water was clear, and a little lower, and the current was slower than it was yesterday, to be expected on an incoming tide. I started with the U/L, and by 10:30 am the current picked up a little, and a few more shad were caught, a couple way out in the river. With that I switched over to the med-heavy set up for the extra reach. All for naught, as I got little more than a few bumps, and one alewife to keep the skunk off. skunk But, the lawn beckoned for wanting a cut before the forecasted rain.

2:30-3:30 pm, after cutting the lawn, I headed over to Ferry Park in Rocky Hill, and saw that all the docks are in, and only one person, Bill C, was fishing from them. For such a beautiful day, I expected more people. I guess they were too busy cutting their lawns. I had a solid hook set on my first cast, a great way to get started. It immediately ran deep, and for Glastonbury, stripping line from the U/L. I turned its head, and gained some line, and then it ran deep, stripped line, trying for Hartford. After working its head around again, it made a shorter run for deep water, but I gained enough line to get a look at a nice fat roe. When she saw the dock, she made a final run up the river, turning under the dock. I fought to keep her from going into the pilings, but horsing its head around under the dock was our un-doing. She was gone. But what a great five minutes!

Other than a few bumps, and short hits, I got nothing else. A few other regulars trickled in, and they all caught at least one before I had to go cook supper, my domestic duties not yet finished for the day.

Things are looking promising for next week. A good soaking rain on Sunday, followed by some nice, warm days.

Terminal tackle: 1 oz-1.5 oz drail, over 3'-4' of 8# flouro, and a variety of willows in hammered silver, copper, and gold. The roe went for hammered silver in blue/white w/black dot.

Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
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#1812865 - 04/25/21 12:11 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
earl bird Offline

Member

Registered: 01/25/06
Posts: 1636
Loc: Terryville
Great shad reports.
Brings back memories of years ago when I spent many days each year at Enfield Dam fishing for shad.
Peak season should be here in another week or two.

Fishing: the art of casting, trolling, jigging, or spinning while freezing, sweating, swatting, or swearing.
Henry Beard and Roy McKie
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#1812870 - 04/25/21 02:11 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
cat_in_the_hat Online   fishing

Member

Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2193
Loc: Tolland CT
Good fishing at Bissel bridge launch right now, nice clear water and flow, Barts is the pits, detailed report coming in my thread
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#1812884 - 04/25/21 07:36 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1346
24.April, 12:30-4:30 pm, Ferry Park in Rocky Hill.
The breeze was coming down from Hartford, not too bad, nor constant. After this morning's rain, the water was surprisingly clear, and the current was strong. I think it was just about high tide, or just past. There were three people casting for shad when I arrived, no shad strung to the docks, but they said they had caught and lost a few. On my 2nd or 3rd cast I got hauled up short, but after a couple or three head-shakes, it was gone. In the meantime, another half dozen characters showed up for some of the action.

Shad were caught, or just as often lost at the dock intermittently through the day. I got a few bumps and taps, but no takers until about 2:30 pm, when I got stopped cold. It pulled drag immediately as it ran deep, I'd turn it's head, and it would make another run in a different direction trying to shake me. In the stiff current, it put up a great fight, and I finally got it near the dock. As soon as it saw the dock, it made another hard run. Once I brought it to the dock again, it flipped hard away from the net, threw the leaf, and was gone. It was a big shad, I think a buck from the looks we got of it. About an hour later, I had another good hit, and a short fight before the line went slack. The knot had failed at the willow leaf. At this point, I loosened my drag a little, as it was obviously screwed down a hair too tight. Over the next hour or so, one of the regulars sharing the dock with me, lost 6 consecutive shad at the dock. I swore off grabbing the net at that point, because every time I touched it, he immediately lost the shad! shocked That's some bad Ju-Ju...

A little before 4:pm, the sun made an appearance, triggering a late afternoon run. A couple of the merry pranksters on the dock across from me had back to back hook ups, then a double. The guy next to me hooked up about that time, but just as quickly lost it. As he was bemoaning his fate, I had a tap-tap, and RUNnnnn! After a good half dozen runs, I took it to the net--SCORE! A nice fat roe was entered into the books for my vitamin shad. After a Kodak moment, I put her back in the drink; good genes need to be allowed to go forth and multiply. By the time I got the picture, the three others with me on the dock were all hooked up for a triple. Schweet! I have rarely seen this kind of action since the 80s, or early 90s, actually IIRC 2012 and 2015 were banner years for this kind of action. However hunger called, so I packed it in when things slowed down after 4:pm. Every day fishing is a good day. Today was a very good day. Good company, good fishing, and even a little catching, LOL!

I stayed with the U/L today. Terminal tackle: 1 oz drail over a 3'-3.5', 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver willows in chartreuse/orange w/black dot, white with orange dots (reverse ladybug?), Jamaican (green/yellow/black), and blue/white w/red dot. The two lost shad hit the ever popular Jamaican, the vitamin shad hit the last leaf listed.

I'm really looking forward to heading back to Rocky Hill tomorrow after work. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
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#1812886 - 04/25/21 09:27 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
Don P Offline

Member

Registered: 05/03/07
Posts: 18898
Loc: CLINTON, CT
Lots of action, and great reporting! Congrats!
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#1812898 - 04/26/21 10:11 AM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
MikeV Offline

Member

Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2354
Loc: Tolland
Great to see you guys catching them. Great reports. As Mick Jager used to sing: "doup da doube you've been shaded shaded..."
Keep up the great work. I will be going out for them late this week. That should be the "kiss of death"/bring things to a screeching halt for anyone with in a few miles of me.

Tight lines,

MikeV
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#1812944 - 04/26/21 08:58 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1346
26.April, ~4:30-6:30 pm, Ferry Park in Rocky Hill.
The breeze was mostly at our backs, occasionally swinging around to come out of the North. The water was clear, but there wasn't much current. Maybe tonight's super moon event has something to do with it. The current was slower than it should have been on a falling tide, I had little problem grabbing the bottom with a 1 oz weight.

There were only three regulars on the docks when I got there, and I missed a couple of regulars who were there earlier in the day. Bill C. had a few shad on a stringer, but said action was incredibly slow, and that he had lost as many shad as he caught today, going 4 for 8. About my 6th or 7th cast, something small and light hit me, and I thought it was an alewife. No, it was a small buck shad that didn't put much effort into fighting me. As Bill tried to net it, it rolled and threw the hook. A little while later, one of the other regulars hooked a decent buck, and landed it. And that was all she wrote. There really wasn't much of a bite today. Anyway for me, No Fish Today. Maybe tomorrow.

Terminal tackle: 1 oz drail over a 2'-3' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver willows in blue/white w/black dot, and a Jamaican (green/yellow/black).

I'm not sure where I will start, or end at tomorrow. I'll try to get fresh 411 during the day tomorrow before I decide where I'm going. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
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#1813037 - 04/27/21 08:44 PM Re: SHAD! 2021 [Re: No Fish Today]
No Fish Today Offline

Member

Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1346
27.April:
4:15-5:15 pm, CT River at the Bissell boat launch at E. Barber St. The water was very low, below the last cleat on the ramp, with a poor current, tubid dirty water, and ~56º F. The wind was whipping up from Hartford, making casting a chore. Three were working the bank, including Dylan, and Radio, and there were no shad on the shore. I stuck it out an hour but had to quit it: too windy, and too many snags. I was re-rigging every 5 or 6 casts. It was an expensive hour, I figure a minimum of $.25/cast, might have been a hair more.

~5:45-7:pm, Ferry Park in RH. The wind was no better, beating up from Cromwell/Middletown, but the water was deeper, the current was better, and there are far less snags. Six, including Bill C were working the three docks, and there were shad. Miguel lost one, then caught one before he left, he released it after a Kodak moment, but Bill C struck out this afternoon. I had a hook set on my 3rd cast, and thought it was an alewife, but it turned out to be a small buck shad. He didn't put up much of a fight until he got close to the dock, then he ran deep. He self-released just as I got him out from under the dock.

A couple of more regulars joined us, including Dylan who caught a nice big buck. Except for a couple of short strikes, that was about all she wrote. It was getting cold in the wind, and since the shad weren't playing anymore, my supper started calling louder. No Fish Today.

Terminal tackle: At the Bissell I down-sized from 1 oz, to a 5/8 oz drail, over a 3' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in blue/white w/black dot, Jamaican, reverse lady bug, and orange/yellow w/black dot.
At the Ferry I up-sized the drail to 1 oz, over a 3' 8# flouro leader, and hammered silver leaves in orange/yellow w/black dot, and green/pink w/glitter & black dot. My hit came on the orange/yellow leaf, while Dylan landed his with a hot pink w/black dot.

Tomorrow RH will be the place to be for me. Tight lines!

George Darrell ...

I support "PETA",
"People Eating Tasty Animals"
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