No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
9.April: I was able to escape work early today for a Dr. app't, and was on the bank a bit before 3:pm. There were a handful of shadaholics congregate, some jawing on the sidewalk, and a few with their arms in a cast when I pulled up behind Bart's. The water was down a little more since yesterday, very clear, but smooth as a pond, with barely any current. The surface temp was up between 50º and 51ºF. No one had caught anything yet.
After greeting the usual suspects, I got to work practicing my casts. By 5:pm, another handful of folx showed up, including the inimitable Ms Lily, for about a dozen, and about half actually fishing. About 5:30, I had a hit almost under Dylan's feet, I didn't get a good look at it, but I think it was a bronze-back. It didn't mouth the leaf, but head smacked it in the skinny water, as it rolled back out to the deeper channel after tapping it. Still, nobody had hooked anything, and by 6:pm, the rumbly in my tummy had me pack it in for sustenance. Tight lines!
Terminal Tackle: 3/4 oz drail over a 3-1/2', 10# flouro leader, and hammered silver willow leaf in white, with red dots, aka "spotty". After I lost the spotty, I tied on a larger #3 leaf in hammered silver, pink/chartreuse, and black dot.
MikeV
Member
Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2463
Loc: Tolland
Glad you got out. It was a beautiful day(way too nice to be working). Shad fishing is like the lottery...You got be in it to win it. I can feel you winning a major prize in the very near future.
Thanks for your reports. I am placing my shad outfit in the car this weekend so I can try my luck when I end up near the river. I will supply intell as it becomes available.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
Mike, when you say "you've got to be in it to win it", you're absolutely right. Glad to see you're getting your tackle ready to give them a shot. It's starting to pick up. See my AAR for today's excursion.
Any 411 you can give from your own trips will be much appreciated. Tight lines!
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
10.April: I skipped on out of work in Hartford a little after 4:pm, and was parking behind Bart's just before 4:30, traffic was surprisingly light! The bank was crowded, and one of the usual suspects had caught a roe before I got there. It was his first shad of the year, and she was a little girl of about 3#. A good omen. A while later Dylan landed a middlin' buck, which he released after a Kodak moment™. A few minutes later, his mother, Sissy snagged the bottom, or so she thought. The bottom decided it didn't like getting snagged, tugged back, and grudgingly came to the net, a decent buck.
Other than a single hit that didn't stick on my 2nd cast, I got the stinky kitty. Ah well, it was a nice afternoon to be out, despite the overcast, and scattered showers. The water was up about 8" or so, moving pretty well, and clear. The surface temp was the same as yesterday, between 50º and 51ºF. If the rain isn't too heavy tomorrow afternoon, I'll be back for another round of casting practice. Tight lines!
Terminal Tackle: 3/4 oz drail over a 3-1/2', 10# flouro leader, and a leaf in hammered silver, pink/chartreuse, and black dot. After I lost that leaf, I shortened my leader to about 3', and tied on a hammered silver leaf, in white with silver glitter, and a red dot.
MikeV
Member
Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2463
Loc: Tolland
They are heading our way. Intell from my son is that a local saw shad in the back water of Niantic as he was giving his kayak a test run. Having fished that area a few times from our center console, there are often shad there for a good part of the year. However, they are hickories, the skinny cousin of American shad and they will take a small kastmaster (1/2 ounce or less) once it warms up. Water temperature is still in the high 40s there. The shad should arrive in numbers and get active soon.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
11.April: I got out of work late, and didn't get to the bank behind Bart's until almost 5:pm. There were a few folx already taking casting practice, and not shad was reported. It was drizzling as I set up, and the water had risen almost a foot since yesterday. The current was decent, water clear, and the surface temp was the same as yesterday, 51º-ish. It alternated between drizzle, and a light, steady rain.
After an hour of light banter, and steady ribbing, but no shad, I called it an early day, and headed out to complete a couple of chores before I got my supper. No fish today. Tomorrow looks like it might be a wash-out, but I'll watch the weather. If the rain isn't too hard, and the water isn't raging, I'll probably try it again for at least a little while. Tight lines!
Terminal Tackle: 3/4 oz drail over a 3-1/2', 10# flouro leader, over a hammered silver leaf, in white with silver glitter, and a red dot.
Ah well, it was a nice afternoon to be out, despite the overcast, and scattered showers. The water was up about 8" or so, moving pretty well, and clear. The surface temp was the same as yesterday, between 50º and 51ºF. If the rain isn't too heavy tomorrow afternoon, I'll be back for another round of casting practice. Tight lines!
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