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-   -   How do you catch CT River "Spring Stripers?" (http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=53106)

Colombianrico 11-13-2008 10:01 AM

How do you catch CT River "Spring Stripers?"
 
Hi, this question pertains specifically to the CT River in the May Striper season. I've only seen large stripers pulled out using live alewives, but I want to avoid this completely because of regulations. I catch plenty of juvenile stripers here, and probly one keeper every other year. Someone suggested to me to drift eels from the shore. I've tried this for an entire striper season. I sent out a 3-way rig, attached to 6 oz weight and 2ft of fluorocarbon leader with a live eel rigged at the lip. I was always told by the locals to just let it drift with the strong current, and set my rod down and wait for the reel to scream. I've NEVER caught a single striped bass this way, even tho I've moved myself to different locations on the river. I was there every other day, from morning till midnight, and nothing. I mainly fish the , and this coming spring I may have a boat to use. I was wondering if anyone knew why this method of eeling didn't work, and what would? Should I have just plugged them with a weight slowly like I would anywhere else? Should I not have any weight at all and plug them? Should I liveline the eels? I've never had so much as a single hit just drifting them from the shore. I feel like I have to go about things differently in the CT River, because of the large numbers of juvenile striped bass that I'd like to avoid. There are definately large stripers in this water, because I see people pulling them out consistently using alewives. Can anyone (Even if you've never fished CT River) help? It's a strong current, and stripers flood the waters in May to spawn. How should I approach this with eels or anything else?

PaulS 11-20-2008 03:56 PM

Go to the enfield dam and use pencil poppers or even danny swimmers. I don't think the spot has any structure to old the fish there for any length of time. By late June all fish are back down in the sound.

jimmy z 11-30-2008 07:48 AM

I fish the Ct. river in May. I don't use eels. I use pencils, big swimmers and Danny's, and two years ago in the fast water by the dam, I was nailing 'em on bottles. The 3 oz Gibbs parrot ones, to be exact.
I caught them on bomber types, at the same location.
I have caught them from the shore, on chunks, further down, towards Cromwell. Oh, one other lure that works well, is the Gag's Slammer. With the Alewife's being in the river, the lures work well.:)

ivanputski 12-04-2008 10:29 PM

I fish in hartford quite often in the spring... if using bait, I try to use chunks of bunker, or sandworms... sandworms seem to attract a ton of small bass though. Larger chunked bait like bunker cuts down on tiny bass... when surf fishing the salt water coast, i cast and slow retrieve live eels 90% of the time, but have never had luck with eels INSIDE the river, except for the very mouth... if you have access to a boat, (i sometimes use a 12' aluminum with a 7 hp motor and cast soft white rubber lures like 9" sluggos or storm shad towards logs, stumps, & structure as if fishing for largemouth bass ( you will get some big ones in the process too! ) or, slowly troll a lipped swimmer or a small umbrella rig. the charter oak bridge is not the best location for big bass in may, although it may be convenient for you to get to... sure, SOME bigger bass come from there, but not consistant enough... too many other places to try. CT outfitters is a great shop and gary and Blaine there are very helpful... by the way, if you see people using live alewives to catch bass, they are breaking the law... good luck next spring... I know your pain... the fear of puttng in tons of time, just in the wrong spot or wrong technique, and it kills me to know its happenning all around me and I might not get mine. Good luck


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