CT River Report - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JeffH · 05-16-2001, 09:36 AM

I have read a few reports of slower fishing in the salt and I thought you guys would like a positive report. Maybe a few of you would like to make a trip. The CT River is heating up slowly but surely with bigger fish each day. On Sunday night I helped land a 46-1/2" 39lb fish for a friend taken on a 9" Sluggo. 9" Sluggos fished at night have been producing at least a couple of 20lb fish each night. There are many fish in the 25lb range being taken on Gibbs Pencil Poppers at first light and dusk. I managed a 27lb fish this morning along with numerous upper teen sized fish.

Tight Lines

Got Stripers · 05-16-2001, 09:43 AM

Sounds like a good time to me Jeff, but a long ride with the boat unfortunately. I'd be more interested in what typically happens at the end of the season out there, especially if the fish head south quickly like they did last season. Do those same fish come back into your river late in October and November?

[img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/fisherman.gif"]
Tight lines.

JohnR · 05-16-2001, 10:03 AM

Hey Jeff, thanks for the report... How far up do you fish? I've heard that the big bass chase the herring all the way up the CT River to Mass...

GS - they do OK there in the fall. If I remembered correctly from last year, as Rhody is cooling back down and Montauk is on fire, some of the LI Sound spots along CT were pretty good too...

JeffH · 05-16-2001, 10:04 AM

The boat will do you no good as we are 60 miles inland fishing the shallow and faster moving streches of the river

JohnS · 05-17-2001, 08:51 AM

Jeff,

I am going to try up in your neck of the woods next week after work. Never been there but I need to at least find some access points up there.
Just joined the CCA back in the winter. Ron D. I met at CCA Fish School along with Joe P and Steve H. I have a lot of soft plastics to try!
Time for some quality,
Tight lines,

JeffH · 05-17-2001, 10:55 AM

HI JohnS. I was one of the guys building rods at the CCA fish school. Here is a link to a fish Steve caught the other night on a 9" Sluggo.

http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?action=read&id=990114003&user=striper

JohnS · 05-17-2001, 11:28 AM

Kudos to Steve, one heck of a nice bass.
Thats what it's all about.

JohnS

JohnR · 05-17-2001, 12:04 PM

Nice Bass

chris L · 05-17-2001, 01:17 PM

nice fish for Mr steve . John and jeff try the derby dam nice fish being caught there this week . John also try the enfield dam another large area . that might be where jeff has been fishing ?

Marc Z · 05-17-2001, 09:33 PM

Hey Chris FYI,
I went to the area where the Naugy and Housy meet (you know the spot) on Monday late afternoon, the water was milk white from the big fire in Ansonia. DEP and EPA guys told us it was 30,000 gallons of latex that poured into the Naugy from the factory. Needless to say we couldn't fish that spot!
I'm sure its clear by now though??? I just wonder if it shut the fishing down???
MZ

Got Stripers · 05-18-2001, 06:42 AM

That is one nice bass, is that a MA or CT bass? Ok, I know it's a not so sly attempt at getting the location...lol.

[img="http://www.rgsiroisco.com/fisherman.gif"]
Tight lines.

Jenn · 05-18-2001, 10:48 AM

hmm....ok GS lets pick this one apart for all its worth!! HA!HA!

lets see here...60 miles UP THE RIVER would be about a half hour drive for me.......but if it is 60 miles directly from the ocean and not counting the curve of the river I think that would put that fish...

five minutes away from me??!!!

Seriously...any chance you might want to suggest any spots with parking & (legal) access.....I know we have already heard about enfield but.... anything maybe a little further north??? That would be so sweet........ am I pushing my luck?? ok I will stop now......

holy shmokes.....I tink it might just rain shoon!! :8

RickBomba · 05-18-2001, 10:58 PM

Guys,
I grew up in Granby (MA), which is 10 miles to the northeast of Springfield. My dad says all of his chronies are catching BIG fish live-lining herring @ night in the Chicopee-Holyoke strect of the river. One guy got 15 a week ago tonight on the downriver side of the 391 bridge. All fish went 32-40 inches. From what I remember, it smells a little there, but the water is just fine.
Jenn, you might want to give the area in South Hadley Falls a shot, just to the south of the Holyoke Dam tailrace. The Enfield Dam is another good spot, but you need a CT freshwater license and it is very tricky footing there. If you want, you can email my dad; he is at rick@berkshire.net. Just tell him that I sent you his address and maybe he'll get back to you with particulars.

DamonM · 05-19-2001, 11:57 AM

Jenn, I have two suggestions: 1. Post your question at the message board at www.ctriverstripers.com 2. Pay a visit to J&J Outfitters on rte 5 in East Windsor CT. In the next two weeks, the Enfield area of the river will experience better fishing as the Mass fish drop back downstream. Last night we had fish from 34-44 inches. Its not easy fishing though; you need to be set up to wade in swift current. Even though we use surfrods, it isnt surf fishing. This is river fishing at its best.

Jenn · 05-23-2001, 07:57 PM

thanks guys!
Hey Rick.....you arent talking about-around the pooh-pooh plant are you??? hee, hee. :O

RickBomba · 05-23-2001, 10:40 PM

Yep, Jenn, that's the one. The old man says I'm crazy for fishing out here; he says I should come back home. I tired to get some in yesterday out there but the weater was a little too inclement.

Jenn · 06-01-2001, 06:02 AM

haaaahp-bleehhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! :O

I think pa mat be right!!!! ha!ha! ha!

slammer · 06-05-2001, 07:16 AM

I am originally from Ludlow, MA...near springfield and have fished the CT river in South Hadley and Holyoke since I was 4. It has mostly been for smallies and shad but recently all i have been throwing is striper plugs. after finals ended i rushed home to find the action was hot below the holyoke dam and pretty much everywhere else south. Got out three or four times and got my first CT river striper followed by my second and my 15th. the first was the biggest at 34" and the others were only slightly smaller...with a few babies mixed in. all were caught on plugs with a 1 1/4 oz white striper swiper being my favorite...what a great deal to catch quality stripers in western mass. this is my first post but i garauntee there will be many more. keep the lines tight and see you on the water

Saltheart · 06-05-2001, 08:00 AM

Welcome aboard slammer. Sounds like you are having a good season already.

Got Stripers · 06-05-2001, 01:29 PM

Sounds like fun to me and maybe a little bit of heaven; large stripers and smallies all on the same trip. Both are my two personal favorites, although some of the new species I've been catching in the keys are moving up my list fast.

If I'd only known better when I was out at Umass Amherst...lol. Back then I had more important things to chase than the fishies though and although I did find the most productive spots to be BARS, I'm not talking about any sand bars.

nightfighter · 06-05-2001, 02:26 PM

[If I'd only known better when I was out at Umass Amherst...lol. Back then I had more important things to chase than the fishies though and although I did find the most productive spots to be BARS, I'm not talking about any sand bars.[/quote]

GS lemme guess, Barsalotti's, Mike's, Bluewall, Pub, Poor #^&#^&#^&#^&s and our own bar at BKP. Didn't fish or golf back then. Four years with enough free time to have done a different kind of damage, on the river and the links. I just have to wonder what the striper fishing was like in the 70's. Catchabiggun, nightfighter

RickBomba · 06-05-2001, 03:11 PM

Guys...
Bars were much more productive up until the last four years in the CT near Holyoke. We would get fish down in Enfield, but rarely up as far as they are now.
Did I just say bars are more productive...Must've been some kind of Freudian slip.
Oh yeah, while you guys were waiting in line for Barsie's, I was drinkin' @ the Spoke (or "Smoke").
Seriously, though, while I was @ UMass, we used to find that the best fishing close to home was Naps (which is not that close to home). All you could really get in the river near Holyoke was shad, and also more shad.
This is some sort of new miracle for the Western M#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&s...unfortunately for me, I am now one of those Eastern M#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&s that I used to hate so much when I lived out West.
I thank my wife (who is first cousins with the entire city of Waltham) for this personal relocation every day. NOT!
Hoping to return to Hampshire County soon though!
Rick

RickBomba · 06-05-2001, 03:14 PM

Just in case somebody gets mad...I didn't really hate everybody from Eatsern Mass.
I just miss home a lot.
Love,
Dorothy

Slipknot · 06-05-2001, 07:03 PM

Hey Rick, then you must be an inlaw to Fred Smeralas, huh?

RickBomba · 06-05-2001, 10:19 PM

Slip,
He eats at my restaurant all the time, strangely enough he does try to tell the waitstaff he's my cousin. It's probably because every time I see him I "throw" him the free appetizer. If you're around ask for Rick @ Grassfield's.
Later,
Rick

Jenn · 06-10-2001, 07:50 PM

Hey rick...or anyone for that matter...I have been wondering about access in the area around the springfield yacht club...I know that is members only but have seen people just on the other side of the bridge.....any ideas???

I did find a pull off about two miles south and was wondering if anyone has fished the area.....

wow....five minutes to striped bass, that would really be sweet

JohnR · 06-10-2001, 08:07 PM

Jenn, I don't know for sure but my understanding is that once the herring are eaten/gone, those fish move back out for the rest of us ;D :P :'(

Jenn · 06-10-2001, 08:36 PM

I know I should have gotten out there sooner but from what I have heard there are still some around......of course I dont know if thats fact or fiction though.....

RickBomba · 06-10-2001, 10:07 PM

Jenn,
I talked to one of my boys out west yesterday. He's still fishing and catching every day (he's a very lucky guy!).
Fish will stay @ Enfield all year long, but further North is anybody's guess.
All of my guys are from the Holyoke area, I've never heard of any of them fishing in Springfield.
I will see most of them next Sat. @ the cape, so I can update you after that.
Later,
Rick

slammer · 06-11-2001, 06:06 AM

I am a western mass boy though i am stuck in the grind in eastern mass right now...I talked to one of my friends back home and they said the herring are still around and after the nice weather the water is getting back to prime. not sure if the stripers will cooperate but I think its definately worth a shot. If you can handle the smell you should try launching at Bondies Island. If you want some action from shore try under or just above the Holyoke bridge on the South Hadley side. caught my first CT river striper there a few weeks ago...34"...with a lot more fish to follow. i think the key now is the herring...if you can catch them find some holes around Riverside...aka Six Flags...or even in downtown springfield. good luck and I would appreciate an update as I am headed home this weekend.