Dates: Friday, April 29th through Sunday, May 1st Times: 6 am - dusk Friday and Saturday, 6 am - 2 pm Sunday Location: Boat launch on Palisado Ave in Windsor Cost: $20 for seniors, juniors are free
If I am physically able will be trolling the CT River away from the Farmington River traffic jam.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
Monday, 4.April: On the water after work by 4:15 pm. Water was up ~1'-1.5' from Saturday, clear, fair current, 49ºF. Enough current that I changed weight from 5/8 oz to 3/4 oz. Two regulars were plying the bank on arrival, a 3rd joined us by 4:30 pm, and a 4th before 5:pm. All we got for our effort was casting practice. By 5:45 the rumbly in my tumbly convinced me to go get my supper. No fish today.
I'll head out after work to try again today. Keeping my fingers crossed for tight lines!
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
After work I landed on the Farm'y behind Bart's by 4:20 pm, and had the place to myself for 25 minutes before one lone regular joined me. For such a nice day, I can't believe we had the bank to ourselves. The water was down ~1.5' from yesterday, clear and with a very good current. Surface temp was a hair over 50º. We had our arms in a cast until about 6:10 pm, but it was only casting practice. No fish today.
Weather looks unsettled for the next few days, and that will probably keep the shad off the bite into next week. I'll still keep trying, depending on the weather. It's supposed to warm next week, maybe that will get the schools running.
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
KF Bob, glad you like following my rambling musings on shad.
I stopped after work today, behind Bart's by 4:15 pm. Three folx working the bank, but not so much as a hint of shad. The water was up only about 8" from when I stopped by the other day (didn't fish), but it was coffee colored, and the current was ripping. I had trouble holding the bottom with a 1 oz weight. Water temp was 49ºF. There wasn't much flotsam, but there was a bunch of debris submerged in the current. Mostly I collected last fall's leaves, bits of grasses, and weeds that were scoured off the bottom from the current. I gave up after a half hour; no fish today.
Tomorrow looks like a bust, rain forecast am and pm. Sunday I have plans, so it looks like next week will be my next outing. Until then, tight lines!
MikeV
Member
Registered: 07/07/03
Posts: 2476
Loc: Tolland
First, I must thank you for being "the shad canary in the coal mine". Your postings enable guys like me to view what is going on in real time and act quickly when the situation changes. Thanks again.
The fishing gods will hopefully reward you with first dibs on the mother load. A catch of 6+ on that outing sounds about right. Thanks again and have no doubt that you will very soon, as Mick Jagger/The Rolling Stones sang, get "Shad-ed Doup Da Doobie"
No Fish Today
Member
Registered: 09/04/03
Posts: 1376
I went out after work, and arrived behind Bart's by 4:15 pm. The water was down about 3' from my last visit, clear, with a good current, and a surface temp ~52ºF. The sun was in and out, there was a light breeze running down from upstream, but the air temp was nice and warm, so I rolled up my shirt sleeves. There were four regulars plying the water, and three jawing by the road, whom I joined for a while getting the 411. Yesterday 5 shad were reported as caught, at least 3 from a boater down by the mouth area, and a couple of our regulars landed shad at the bank. Today, to this point only a couple of alewives were caught. After getting the sit-rep, I grabbed my gear, took a recently vacated spot, and started my practice casting reps with the reprobates who remained.
After 5:pm, one of the regulars got into a decent shad. After a few good runs, and a jump, I helped him with my net to land a nice fat, if smallish roe. We didn't measure or weigh it, but I'd guess about 3#, thick and full of eggs. It was nice to see the ladies are beginning to show up, and she was released unharmed. It was the 2nd shad the guy got this season (his first shad was on 1 April, and the first reported caught that I know of). Other than casting practice, I got the stinky kitty. So no fish today for me, but at least I got to see one up close, and live.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2267
Loc: Tolland CT
Given the arrival of shad in the Farmington, planning a scouting trip to The Wall in Cromwell tomorrow at first light to see how things are. Water is at a good level 30,000 cubic feet/second, low turbidity, 46 degrees in Thompsonville. If the knee is too crabby to go I will so post early tomorrow. If not, I will be there as the sun rises.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2267
Loc: Tolland CT
Arrived at The Wall 6AM, a few regulars by 9AM, no confirmed shad hits by anyone by 10AM when I left, will try again in a week. Detailed post on my shad thread.
So no fish today for me, but at least I got to see one up close, and live.
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