Paul (cat_in_the_hat), thanks for the 411 on the Wall, it's much appreciated. One of the regulars said he had gotten a call yesterday from one of the Rocky Hill/Cromwell area regulars about conditions at the Wall.
He reported the water level and current was good, but the water was so turbid, and full of submerged debris that fishing was unproductive there.

On to today's report:
I had taken the day off for a morning appointment, so after lunch, I headed up behind Bart's. I arrived between 12:15-12:30 pm to find 7-8 people taking casting practice on the bank. Zero (Ø) shad, and only a couple of alewives C&R prior to my arrival. The water was down about 1' from my last trip on Tuesday, the current remained strong, and the water was only slightly turbid, with a surface temp of 56ºF. Bill said that I "should have been here yesterday," of course. He reported that he had spent 4 "productive hours perfecting" his casting technique, until about 2:pm. And that's when it got busy, the shad showed up. He said they caught about 12 altogether. He personally hooked 4 and landed 2, his first of the year.

As we cast, we watched a USFWS crew treating alewives for their depression with electroshock therapy. I, of course, mean they were in fact surveying the depressed numbers of alewives in the river systems. One of the officers came up to visit our silly selves, and take pix of fishermen for a (5 year?) report they are drafting about the findings of their research for the Marine Fisheries Council. He said that the alewife count is way down over last year. I wonder if anyone is doing research on menhaden, and other forage species, and if those numbers are down, too. He didn't say it, but anecdotally, the uninformed musings of my muddled mind think the diminished numbers of alewives (and possibly other species) has something to do with the bleak striper numbers, aside from by-catch mortality. Enough of my drivel on that ...

Before I headed out at 3:30 pm, 3 shad had been C&R by 2 regulars fishing the bank a little apart from the larger crüe of reprobates ignoring personal spaces on the rock pile. I'll be back again tomorrow after work. I remain, still, no fish today.

Terminal tackle: 1 oz. drail over 4', 10# flouro leader and willow leaves in bright colors.

And I have to tip my CTFisherman's hat to CTFer, Andy C, who joined the motley crüe on said rockpile. Tight lines!

Parked behind Bart's at 11:am. A dozen regulars were working the bank, a couple of shad had been caught before I arrived. Scuttlebutt was early morning was most productive. The water was up a few inches from yesterday, the current was good, but not as stiff as yesterday, clear, with a temp ~55ºF. In the 2 hours I was there, I saw 3 shad caught, and a couple more fought and lost. And all I got was . Maybe next time...

Have a Happy Easter, and tight lines!

Confirming via first and second hand reports significant numbers of shad now being taken at The Wall in Cromwell. Tentatively planning a run down there tomorrow morning before the expected inch of rain has a chance to discolor the water. Expect to be there between 6 and 7AM when the rain is ending. Will post early if I do not feel up for it when I get up.

Paul and Poppi, thanks for the Wall report. A reliable local has reported that he's been getting them over the last 3 days or so. I think he reported 8 on Sunday morning. I will probably make a trip down there later this week, or this weekend for sure.

Arrived behind Bart's at 4:15 pm after work to find seven regulars working the bank. About 4:30 2 shad were caught close to the RR bridge, and another angler showed up about then. He quickly landed 2 fat roes to my left. About 4:45 pm one of the guys to the far left landed another shad. A short run over the course of about 15-20 minutes. I had one bump, but it felt like it mouthed the weight, and still no fish today...

The water was about the same level as the last trip, 52ºF, clear with a good current. A 3/4 oz drail held the bottom pretty well. We'll see how tonight's rain will affect things tomorrow. Tight lines!

Parked by the RR bridge behind Bart's at 4:20 pm, to find only 3 people working the bank. Two others were leaving carrying 3 shad as I set up, and there was a shad on the bank with another regular. The water was up about 2' from yesterday, clear with a strong current, surface temp. 50ºF. It was mostly cloudy, and with the wind it was cold. Eventually several more folx arrived and put their arms in a cast. I only saw one blueback C&R, and one shad caught and kept before I left just after 6:pm. I'm getting a good workout with my casting practice, but no fish today.

Until tomorrow, tight lines!