that the best fight of the entire year would come on 11/27. Well a fat 35 lber, with big shoulders and the strength to match. I haven't seen a bass this shape since the 80's, gave me one H*LL of a fight today. It was the icing on the cake, as I had just played with close to 45 schoolies around 2-5 lbers and then started dragging a few live hickory shad around.

Funny because I never heard the Baitrunner drag, the fish just sort of took the bait and slowly swam around under and beside the boat. I'm not even sure how long it had the bait, because I happened to look back and noticed my line almost abeam of the boat. Went back to reel in and toss it out behind the boat and suddenly the battle was on. Had two other large fish on briefly but never got them stuck well with the circle hook. These hickory shad are big, like the big bunker of the 80's, so I guess more time would have been in order, I was just too damn excited after that first one.

I had to double hand the big one up onto the gunnel, unhooked it and was reaching for my scale and didn't she flop right back into the river :). She deserved it, but man I'd have loved to see how fat she really was, plus a quick pic would have been sweet. I had one 32 lber on certified scales this summer and this fish was clearly bigger. I'm so glad I decided to fire myself and go fishing, wish I could do it the rest of the week, because those fish should be there still.

Funny thing is anyone could have caught them this morning, without a boat, because I was literally fishing in and around the empty boat slips. Schoolie you should know exactly where I hooked that big one, just a few boat lengths below where that guy released that 28 lber. You might want to call in sick yourself :).

nice going Bob !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



later,Mike

Well I guess I gotta be kickin' myself for not firing myself today and tagging along :(

Good for you Bob, That's a nice fish there. Maybe I should fire myself on Thurs. and check it out.

Well GS, you're certainly in the right spot. You were still using a relatively light rod too, not the typical boat meat stick... 'Grats...

This reminds me, I gotta make a couple hour long holdover trips up the river...


Too bad you had to fire yourself to make it happen. Do you need to file with the state when you let people go :rolleyes: ?

Ya know, just when I was about to take the last of the eels in the patio livewell out to Green Bridge for an early release on good behavior...

GS,
Excellent :D

I guess that cancels the smallie trip to Mashpee;) Godd going and we have all winter for the Cape.

John I'd have been hard pressed to land that fish on that light spinning rod, especially with that Tectan 8.8 lb test. All the smaller fish came on that setup, including a couple nicer ones in the 5-8 lb class.

I had my 7 foot GLB841M with me with 30/6 spiderwire and the Baitrunner 3500, so I had the right gear to fight her. It was too cool though, I was laughing outloud after she flopped back in, really made my day-week-month. With all the bait I marked in there, I'm definately going again this weekend.

Maybe this will get some guys interested in bringing some boats down Saturday for a little winter holdover boat fling. Even if we have too many guys to put in the boats available, these fish can be had from the docks. We could also transport a few guys to some key spots down river as well. The only thing would be everyone should know by law a freshwater license is technically required. The fish connection can be reached at 860 885-1739 and they have limited licenses left at this time, so advance notice might be required for them to bring in more from the town hall.

Now on to my next question, who has more experience with Hickory Shad? I'd like some tips on putting more in the boat quicker, because I don't want to spend half my day fishing for bait, if you know what I mean :).

nuttin better than big bass on live bait:cool: ...my best fish sucked down a 16" hick in plymouth haba two years ago...

good going Bob ! that river does give up large all winter . If your in the right place right time right tide and right bait . I havent been to the river in a while . I used to fish fort shantock (sp) cool history there .

Bob, the one thing I noticed about the shad in a couple trips down there is they seem to strike a bit higher in the water column.

Maybe slightly smaller hook, with slightly smaller plastic... I don't know, we had alot of shad hits on what we were using. Hey, maybe add a teaser?

Anyway, alot of my shad type bites and shad caught came with more of a horizontal presentation, probably not even 10 feet down.

Couldn't even make it thru the week, huh? You got it bad, man!

I may be down on saturday... with this warm weather, these fish will likely stay pretty active, especially if there's plenty of bait around.

Excellent catch, maybe I will take a ride up there this weekend.

I never fished it from boat before, but if you can find a rip with a good current you should be able to load up your live well in short order.

I know guys use shad darts, but I myself when targeting h shad, I like to use little panfish tubes, gitzits. Fire and Ice color is good or just white.
But the #1 thing I have found works dynamite on them is, a 2.5" white fin s fish, on a 16 oz. bullet panfish lead head. If you can use a 32oz. and still get it down in the current I would use that, they seem to nail it on the drop, if nuttin on the drop a slow moderate retrieve will catch you some shad, you will also be catching some schoolies as well. Get your 6.6ft rod set up out with 6# test, let me know how many baits you get. Better yet how many more 35# ers you get, happy hunting I might try and bribe someone to take a ride up there early in the morning, depending on the tide and stuff.

JohnS

GS - try small bucktail jigs and FinS fish, like 1/4oz and 2" to 3" pearl FinS (or you're comparable stuff)... I've had them hit teasers before so that may be worth a shot for you, especially if you can double up a few into the livewell. They also make Shad Darts but I've never used them. They hit like hungry school bass, just more fierce. They are a lot of fun on light tackle...

for hicks i always throw a 1/4 oz beetlespin in black body/yellow stripe...this season i had then gobbling up olive/white deceivers attached as teasers...i've found that during the summer/fall, the magic window to catch them is from just before false dawn to sunrise...after that its real hit or miss, usually i hafta go deeper...

The hicks like little black red gills too.

CSK

John R, if I go, you want to meet me there? Even if you only came for a couple hours... I could bring the cellphone and you could call me from the launch... though most of the action is within sight of the ramp.

Another shot at some large...

Let me know if you're interested... If I go, it would be saturday morning thru afternoon.

OK, I've got to start digging or pouring, so who's in on Saturday. It sounds like Schoolie, myselve and maybe DaveS with boats, but I think we need to confirm this on the board. Then we can start the lottery for the lucky guests :). Actually, I can fish 3 in my boat when they are on the vertical bite without any problem. With this warm weather you actually don't need to be fishing slow and vertical. The weather looked pretty good for Saturday. http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/Norwich_CT_US_f.html

Let's set it up, who's got a boat and willing to trailer down? I'm in and can give a couple directions to my house, which will cut down on the boredom of the ride and the gas :).

ps: Called the Fish Connection and he will try to have a small handful of 3 day ($8) licenses for those that want to be legal.

You guys and your weekends !!!!!!!!!!!



GOOD LUCK , later ,Mike:(

If I was'nt hunting on Saturday I would be interested. Some guys have all the luck, good for you. I hope you best it this weekend.

Nice fish GS. Maybe try live bait hooks.

Originally posted by specialist
If I was'nt hunting on Saturday I would be interested. Some guys have all the luck, good for you. I hope you best it this weekend.

My C-Ratt award for "BAD LUCK" is still in my truck. I'm still looking at a pretty steep $/fish price on my Thames bass this fall. I figure I'm at around $4 per fish at this point, maybe at the end of winter, that will be closer to $2 and it won't be so bad.

Besides when it comes to fishing, there really is very little luck involved in the big picture. Yeah, I was in the right place at the right time, but the wealth of experience and my gut instincts put me there. It's called paying your dues, mine just happen to be more expensive than most :(.

Saltheart, I was using a large Gami Gorilla hook I think. But with a live bait that large, I think I'll fish them just like I used to rig the big bunker. That was a blast and the hook up rate was hard to beat, because of the dual trebles. The added advantage of not letting any fish run, you feel weight you set, I never gut hooked a single fish.

So we still have no firm committements. I'm in, Schoolie and John maybe but I don't know, who else is interested?

Not sure Schoolie & GS, depends if TheBetterHalf is willing to get rid of me Saturday morning for a few hours. I'd like to go ;) ...

What gear do you recommend?

GS I forgot to tell you, that award gets rid of all your bad luck. Being Sicilian I warded off the "Evil Eye" and got rid of the Meloki. I may have to do some more work on it to keep the big boys in the boat but so far...

C-ratt - You related to Father Guido Sarducci???

Greg & GS - I had previously promised this weekend to the family which I plan to do (but I'm willing to play hookey some day next week ;) :p :D )

Ooops, we must have posted at the same time... ah, I guess John is out. I was posting a plea with the better half, but will skip it at this point.

PLEA!!! PLEA!!!... Just Kidding ;)

no John you promised !!!
just thought Id say it before the better half does .

Ok, my invites to others are heading out as we speak. You guys need to get your prioities in line or get those "better" halfs "better" trained. I've had "MY SATURDAY" since God made little green apples and that's the way the world works. Ok, I'm one selfish SOB, so sue me....who's going fishing Saturday :).

Schoolie you still going? I've sent some email invites to a couple NY guys I try to get out every winter, so let me know if you will be down. Can't believe no interest, active fish, big fish too, sunny and 61 degrees forecast. Who'd of thunk it.

Just in case my invites get no response, last call any takers?

Hmmm....I dont have the boat....but you say from the docks would be productive????? I could possibly be persuaded......that is if the invite is open to all??!!!

I think our cancelled cod trip just gave me a major urge to fish...:(

You certainly don't need a boat, although it does help :). I still don't know if Schoolie's bringing his boat, or if anyone else is interested, although it's looking doubtful. With the lack of interest I sent out some invites, one is negative, the other still pending. I'm going down either way and will let you know when I plan on arriving. You know I'd be happy to set you up on the docks, shore or some other key spot, that might not normally be readily accessible. If that's something your interested in doing, then make sure you have a cell phone, so I can come get you if you need to head home, or you might be stranded on that jetty all night :). All those empty boat slips directly across from the boat ramp had fish under them all day. What I don't know is if the general public can just walk on down and fish from them. Each time I came back to them, I had no trouble jigging up a half dozen. Also the narrows just below the first bridge, was loaded with schoolies early afternoon, so a leadhed jig slowly swum or jigged back from that spot should produce.

Still nobody else interested?

Hey there I am interested. I have a small 12 foot boat that I use with a 36# thurst trolling motor. I have fished there about 3 times off the docks. From what I can tell there is no big current, except for the Shetucket dumping out. It sounds like it would be doable for me from the sounds of where said fish were spotted last week. Why do I think that boat launch is going to be a zoo tomorrow? Got Stripers were there lots of boats in the water last time you were there?? Also I presume all you had to do was kick down your trolling motor and cover some water in the harbor.
I just need to get a better look a the current there to see if my little tin can is doable which I think it is.

JohnS

36# thrust and a small boat is workable, however the smaller the boat the higher the risk of capsize, but I assume you know what you are doing. With cold water temps, you definately don't want to be out there in a canoe or even a small "unstable" tin boat. But assuming the boat is a good stable one, you should do fine and yes you don't need to go far for fish. The warm weather will spread them out more, but you can generally find enough right in the harbor. The other reliable spot is at the large bridge footings a few miles downstream.

The most important thing on any boat for this fishery, is a good depth finder. I don't even fish until I spot a good concentration of stripers under the boat. I could blind fish now, since I know where they are likely to be, but a depth finder is a must. Recommend you take it off digital, kill fish ID and set the sensitivity up to get better detail. I've got mine set, so I can actually watch my 4 inch split tail jigged below the boat :).

There were only 2 other boats out Tuesday, but Saturday will be more crowded. I plan on getting an early start, so I can get launched early. I will be shooting for a 7:30 am arrival, which means I've got to be on the road at 6 :(. If I could get my butt out of bed earlier, I'd go even earlier.

I still might have room in my boat, my NY guy is still waiting for word on a filming Saturday, so I might have room in my boat. I will post later today if I find out. Schoolie what's up dude, you bringing your boat or not? We might still get a few people to tag along, but need to know. John I don't think we want to put anyone else in your 12 footer :(, might be a little dangerous.

Remember to be official "legal" you need a freshwater CT license. The fish connection is bringing in some extras, so they should have enough 3 day ($8) licenses. Post if your interested in a spot in my boat or Schoolies, or if you have a boat and want in. Time is running out to get much of anything organized. Jenn give me a call in the office if you want to kick spots, tackle, etc around.

Ok Schoolie just emailed me and he's trailing his boat down at about the same time. I will let him work out if and who can fish with him, don't know what the application process is :). I will post if I got room once I hear from my guy.

It's a 2 seater, it's an old bass tracker tadpole model, belive it or not it's recommended for 3 people, but it's more comfy with 2, it's a heavy boat, that I just put in the back of my pick up truck. I have never flipped it, but my father who's about 250# gave it the ultimate test a few years ago by missing the seat and falling inside the boat! Nobody went over board :) I use it as my primary largemouth/small water boat.

I have a fishin buddy depth finder, it's not a good one like yours GS but when I white perch fish in the CT River Coves it marks fish that are directly under my boat. Obviously the more water the better the transducer can have a better angle of finding some fish. I use it primarily for water temp, and looking for humps and bumps. How deep is it out in the Channel GS, about 20-30ft.?

Is that boat launch capable of launching 2 boats at once? I don't have a tailer so I don't like to hold up all the big boy bass/boats.
By myself it takes about 10 minutes to launch. I might just be better off seeing what the boat traffic looks like up there on a Saturday before I pull it out. We'll see what happens when I get up tommorrow. Or who knows maybe I will get up early and just head on out there @ 5 oclock and beat the boat launch rush, I will play it by ear I guess.
Oh by the way I live in CT, just on the other side of the state.

JohnS

Good news, maybe you can squeeze someone else from the board in your boat John. I think I've got 3 in mine, including myself. By the way the Fish Connection is on winter hours and opens at 8 am, so anyone planning on getting a license doesn't need to get there that early.

I think Schoolie Monster is going and I don't think he's got anyone lined up to fish yet, but I'll leave that to him. Anyone interested in bugging him might want to pop him an email to reserve a seat :). Poured plastic last night and I'm working on finding my crappie tubes and some other smaller stuff, which will probably mean the shad will be gone :(. Although C-Ratt did promiss me good luck would follow me now and my award isn't leaving my car ever if that's the case...lol.

Ok, great day goin' on here today. I'm about one more crisis away from sticking a computer up someone's.... bum.

I'm causing enough problems myself (uh, I meant to upload the new site I'm working on to the test folder, INSTEAD of the root of the folder... which means its live and in living color baby! Nice job jerk) without everyone else coming to me with their petty problems... oh, you can't open your email... DO YOU REALLY THINK I CARE RIGHT ABOUT NOW!!

I guess we learn from our mistakes right?

So, I'm pretty sure I'm going tomorrow, however, I have a car at the doctor and a wife in the shop... or something like that. Hopefully nothing serious on either end. Well hey, its a new car.

However, there's a chance, albeit remote, that we'll be without one of our jeeps until tomorrow. I can tow with both vehicles, but my wife would implode if she was stranded without a car.

I really just haven't had a chance to even think about this today. If anyone wants to go, please post here on the board and I will hopefully login from home tonight.

Sorry, a definite maybe is the best I can do right now. I have to jump on the Train in about 10 minutes, meet my wife at the Quincy stop, from there, pick up the kid and go to the shop to get the car. Dude, my head is poundin' today. Need to fish.

:D So far so good! I'm also available for Exorecisms and Weddings! BTW Father Guido is a 4th couson twice removed on my dads side. You know us Scicilians its a small island. GS after deer season back to fishing!

hey GS....I have a few details to tend to myself.......so I may or may not show....:confused:

if I am able to make it....are shad bodies in pearl or chartruese OK??? (hey its what I have OK???:rolleyes: ) and I will probably stick to where I can get to from the parking lot (i know probably not as good as some other spots but I dont have a cell and dont want to inconvenience anyone....)

Jenn give me a call in the office :confused: :confused: :eek: :(

No problem Jenn, I've been using my usual smoke, but I know guys have luck with both white and chartruese. I've been using the Kalin Ulimate jig heads in 3/8 oz, nice big Owner hook on them and really sharp. May 4 inch split tails have been killing them, but anything that size should work fine. I've been having success bother vertical jigging, but also horizontal because the warm than normal weather is keeping them more active. I know the narrows before the bridge should produce, along with the boat slips across from the ramp, but I don't know about access. I know in front of the first boat slip and out in front of the lone boat is a 10 foot flat, but most of the slips have 20 foot of water around them. If you can find a place to park, directly across from the ramp, the shoreline over in front of the Norwich sign, would be a great place, however the train does run across there. Lots of places along the river as I see people fishing from shore all the time, just never bothered to look at access. I would definately check on public access to the boat slip docks as that is a key area.

Schoolie hope you can make it and JohnS give the guy in the green Lund a shoot so we can say hello. If anyone wants to double up with Schoolie, I guess email him.

C-rat I'm shinning up my silver buddies :). Like to get together with you when you get back to the cape smallies.

Ok, I'm headin' off to watch the Jungle Book or some other Disney classic. Hopefully to wind down and get some sleep.

Jenn, I'm heading down and should be there between 7 and 8. If you are fishing from shore or the docks, you will likely see me in a 16' aluminum with a green hull. All the action is right in front of the launch... I'm not even topping off the gas tank.

GS, will see you down there.

Just curious but where are you guys catching fish???

If you can't say I understand! Not trying to steal a spot! General location is good, thames river?

Anthony, I believe that would be the boat ramp in downtown Norwich.

sorry guys...(obviously) didnt make it.....


how did you make out??? it sure looked like a beautiful day here...:( :( :(

I didn't get a chance to talk to JohnS before he left, but I do know he got a 32 inch fish which gave him a good fight. John I hooked a 20 lber on a live hickory shad almost in that same spot you were sitting at the end of the day. The warm weather really had the fish spread out, so I did some running around to get my 40 fish and Drew got about 15 or so. I think Schoolie ended up with 15 or so as well.

That was it for me. One bite that I actually felt on a horizontal presentation.

I like how you motored up to me and said "do it like this" and proceeded to catch one :) .

I had a couple of bites verticle jigging in that same area but thought I had a bite, and came back in with the rubba pulled down. I have had better hits icefishing!

Nice to meet ya Bob, you got 40 you outfished me by 39!
Well least that one I got pulled my drag out anyways.
Before I left the channel side, I would mark small pods of fish but couldn't coax any bites. Guy I was talking to as I hooked up said he got 20 on that side in the morning. Guess I picked the wrong spot. I had no clue that the deepest water I would find was 47ft.

JohnS

I was somewhere between 10-12... I tried to trace back thru on my long drive home, but I really zoned out or in a few times out there. I pretty much stopped counting when I knew the "plastic" man was out of reach. You know Bob, you had 10 when I got there, so you only beat me like 30 to 10 this time. Uh, huh... your day is comin'.

What a fantastic day! Fishing in a t-shirt in December? I even had a bit of sunburn on my face.

I didn't move around as much as Got Stripers... I kept expecting the big school to pop up where I was, but it never happened. I just picked one up here and there. Got a couple a bit larger this time... maybe 4 or 5 pounds. No bad on light tackle.

I lost 3 darn shad at the boat while hoisting them in. Those were the ticket to some nicer fish as GS showed at the end of the day with a bass around 20lbs. I believe that was the only shad he had. I guess I shouldn't have been so non-chalant. I should've given them the bassmaster's classic treatment and whipped 'em across the top of the water and into the boat.

JohnS, I should've introduced myself... i was in the aluminum with the green hull and merc outboard. GS told me you were there, but I wasn't sure who he meant. Then I read the posts today and it all made sense.

I think I'm done for '01. That trip blows a whole day and I only have 2 more weekends till going back to PA for the holidays. I'll take a day like that to wrap up my 2001 fishing season.

Hey Schoolie no biggie, I think I know which one you were your boat about 16 footer? I was gabbing a little bit with a guy from NY who also had a smaller green boat. As a matter of fact the first few boats in the water were all out of state. I went freshwater yesterday it was nice out again. Flat as glass.

JohnS

He would have been the guy cursing himself for dropping all that live bait :).