Housatonic river @ Sheffield covered bridge
9/12/2010
Sorry for the late report ... way to much on the plate !! So - took four days in Sept. to do some exploring of new water in western Ma. with my Brother Ken. My brothers first time fishing from a Yak, and my first outing in my own Yak. Hit a few ponds, caught a few fish, but weather was fighting us with rain (usually no problem really) and WIND ! Second day the weather was to be rain and T-Storms and strong wind. No way I'm taking Bro out in a Yak in that ... so, we decide to drive around and locate some shore fishing. We ended up in Sheffield at the covered bridge. The water in the river looked generally pretty low, but there was a good flow and deeper section before, at and after the bridge. Looked like smallie and trout water to us. So, we pulled out the gear and prepared to do battle. We weren't disappointed. The first cast across the river with a shallow diver minnow landed close to the opposite side and brought a nice trout arcing out of the water at the lure. As it turned out, that was the only trout we saw (and I missed it) but, within 40 minutes we each had 3-4 smallies a piece. Fun ! I fish almost always with an Ultra-lite and had tied on a small (~ 2 1/2 inch) top-water/shallow dive minnow. The smallies were choosy, but active enough to tag it now and then. I cast downstream from the bridge and would let it hang in the current, then jump it ahead a short distance and repeat. About a 1/3 of the way in and I was watching the lure when something long and thicker than my upper arm rolled up, lazily closed on the lure, and kept right on going. Cut me off clean and instantly. I stood there a moment looking at the spot, then turned and said to my Bro - "Um, there's Pike in here". He laughed and said he kinda doubted that ... maybe pickerel. I explained what had just happened, and he grudgingly allowed that maybe there was ... but, he still thought I saw wrong. So what to do ? I have six lb test and an Ultra-lite. The line wasn't going to stand up to those teeth. I sat on shore and puzzled on it a few minutes, poking through my lure boxes. I decided my only chance was a larger (longer) lure, and hope I could entice the Pike again, that he'd keep the lure in his teeth and spare my line. Hey --- it was a thought. A few minutes later I had a large long thin profile golden shiner top-water tied on, and started my casts. My Bro sidled closer to me ... I think to check what action I might get, and from what. It took two casts. About ten feet into the second retrieve (though not near the first spot ... I figured I'd rest it awhile) we both saw the Pike suddenly appear from the murk below the lure with jaws agape ... I had just time to say 'Oh Oh' and he slammed it. Fish On ! He tried upstream first, then downstream, then toward the bottom then more or less back and forth ... while my Bro scrambled down the rocks (treacherous footing there) to get near the water. He held up the net we'd brought from the truck ... a very small trout net ... then we both looked at the Pike swimming about 15 feet from us and sorta laughed. A few moments later I said I was going to lead him as close as I could, and encouraged him to take his best shot. In came the Pike ... closer to the rocks, My Bro had the net ready in the water and managed to sweep to get the head (and not much else fit !) of the Pike in the net, and at the same time got his other hand under the back half of the fish and lifted in one movement. By the time it was shoulder high I was already moving toward him ... and, we both secured the fish in the weeds. The lure came out almost immediately. We quickly taped him and took two photos and got him back into the water. CAR first ! Big Gamefish are too rare to harm. And, this one was 32 inches (!) ... certainly not what we had been expecting ! Kudo's to my Bro ... a great 'net job' ! Amazing what new and smaller water can surprise you with ! We fished awhile longer ... switching to flyrods and wading upstream. Took more smallies and a very large yellow perch.
Fun day ... even if it wasn't on the Yaks !
Posted photos ...
9/12/2010
Sorry for the late report ... way to much on the plate !! So - took four days in Sept. to do some exploring of new water in western Ma. with my Brother Ken. My brothers first time fishing from a Yak, and my first outing in my own Yak. Hit a few ponds, caught a few fish, but weather was fighting us with rain (usually no problem really) and WIND ! Second day the weather was to be rain and T-Storms and strong wind. No way I'm taking Bro out in a Yak in that ... so, we decide to drive around and locate some shore fishing. We ended up in Sheffield at the covered bridge. The water in the river looked generally pretty low, but there was a good flow and deeper section before, at and after the bridge. Looked like smallie and trout water to us. So, we pulled out the gear and prepared to do battle. We weren't disappointed. The first cast across the river with a shallow diver minnow landed close to the opposite side and brought a nice trout arcing out of the water at the lure. As it turned out, that was the only trout we saw (and I missed it) but, within 40 minutes we each had 3-4 smallies a piece. Fun ! I fish almost always with an Ultra-lite and had tied on a small (~ 2 1/2 inch) top-water/shallow dive minnow. The smallies were choosy, but active enough to tag it now and then. I cast downstream from the bridge and would let it hang in the current, then jump it ahead a short distance and repeat. About a 1/3 of the way in and I was watching the lure when something long and thicker than my upper arm rolled up, lazily closed on the lure, and kept right on going. Cut me off clean and instantly. I stood there a moment looking at the spot, then turned and said to my Bro - "Um, there's Pike in here". He laughed and said he kinda doubted that ... maybe pickerel. I explained what had just happened, and he grudgingly allowed that maybe there was ... but, he still thought I saw wrong. So what to do ? I have six lb test and an Ultra-lite. The line wasn't going to stand up to those teeth. I sat on shore and puzzled on it a few minutes, poking through my lure boxes. I decided my only chance was a larger (longer) lure, and hope I could entice the Pike again, that he'd keep the lure in his teeth and spare my line. Hey --- it was a thought. A few minutes later I had a large long thin profile golden shiner top-water tied on, and started my casts. My Bro sidled closer to me ... I think to check what action I might get, and from what. It took two casts. About ten feet into the second retrieve (though not near the first spot ... I figured I'd rest it awhile) we both saw the Pike suddenly appear from the murk below the lure with jaws agape ... I had just time to say 'Oh Oh' and he slammed it. Fish On ! He tried upstream first, then downstream, then toward the bottom then more or less back and forth ... while my Bro scrambled down the rocks (treacherous footing there) to get near the water. He held up the net we'd brought from the truck ... a very small trout net ... then we both looked at the Pike swimming about 15 feet from us and sorta laughed. A few moments later I said I was going to lead him as close as I could, and encouraged him to take his best shot. In came the Pike ... closer to the rocks, My Bro had the net ready in the water and managed to sweep to get the head (and not much else fit !) of the Pike in the net, and at the same time got his other hand under the back half of the fish and lifted in one movement. By the time it was shoulder high I was already moving toward him ... and, we both secured the fish in the weeds. The lure came out almost immediately. We quickly taped him and took two photos and got him back into the water. CAR first ! Big Gamefish are too rare to harm. And, this one was 32 inches (!) ... certainly not what we had been expecting ! Kudo's to my Bro ... a great 'net job' ! Amazing what new and smaller water can surprise you with ! We fished awhile longer ... switching to flyrods and wading upstream. Took more smallies and a very large yellow perch.
Fun day ... even if it wasn't on the Yaks !
Posted photos ...