Too cool, who would have thought

[JohnS]

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

[Got Stripers]

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.

[Got Stripers]

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.

[JohnS]

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

[Got Stripers]

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.

[schoolie monster]

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.

[Canalratt1]

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!

[Jenn]

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

if I am able to make it....are shad bodies in pearl or chartruese OK??? (hey its what I have OK??? ) 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

[Got Stripers]

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.

[schoolie monster]

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.

[AnthonyN]

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?

[Slipknot]

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

[Jenn]

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


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

[Got Stripers]

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.

[JohnS]

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

[schoolie monster]

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.

[JohnS]

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

[Got Stripers]

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