27.April: The Wall, Cromwell. Pulled into the lot just after 11:am to more than a dozen people lining the wall. Most were casting for shad, with a couple of kids with meat poles down at the far end. One shad was being landed as I set up. By all accounts, it had been a slow morning. The water, despite yesterday's rain wasn't up as much as I anticipated. It was about the same color, and current as yesterday, and there was surprisingly little flotsam drifting by the assembled masses. The breeze was generally cooperative, a little blustery, but out of the West.

About 11:45 I had a hit. After a brief scuffle, I netted a middling buck, about 2#. Things seemed to pick up around then, and before I left, I saw over a dozen shad caught , about half went back into the river. Some of the bucks were long and fat. Only a couple of roes were caught, and they were released. Total for the day: one dinky 5" striper (smallest I ever caught!), 2 shad, and 2 alewives.

I started the day with my heavier tackle. After a few hours, I switched out to my U/L set up, and just before 2:30 pm, I hooked into another shad. I was hoping for a good scuffle, but Mr. Buck-shad didn't have much fight in him, and he came to the net all too soon. After a Kodak™ moment, he was released. My back was barking, and I was getting thirsty, so I called it a day at 3:pm. They were still landing shad when I left.

Starting Tackle:
Rod: 7' one-piece Ugly Stik GX2, med-heavy action
Reel: Penn 4400SS spooled with 15# hi-viz yellow Power Pro.

Terminal tackle: 1-1/2 oz drail over a 4'+ flouro 10# leader, and hammered silver leaves in Bill's Jamaican pattern and stop light pattern, and (IDK who made it) yellow and green with silver glitter. The Jamaican produced shad #1.

Finishing Tackle:
Rod: one-piece Ugly Stik, 4'6" U/L Pro
Reel: Shimano Sahara FJ 1000, spooled with 15# Power Pro (Hi-Viz Yellow).

Terminal Tackle: 1 oz drail over a 4'+, 10# flouro leader, and a hammered silver willow leaves in white with a red St. Andrew's cross, and Steve's Leaves in purple, pink, and black w/eye. Steve's leaf produced shad #2.

Thinking about hitting Bissell tomorrow, as I'm not inclined to fight rush hour traffic after work to head down to Cromwell, or Rocky Hill. Tight lines!