CT River Info Please

Hello everyone:

I am thinking going to CT river for smallmouth bass fishing before April. In the past, I have tried Barton Cove a few times. It was not very productive. I will try Oxbow, or Chicopee area. Which one is better? It is about 2 hour driving towing a bass rig. I would like to have the best odds. Please give your input. Thanks in advance.

I could use some help also on bartons cove because i have a tournement there.

although I have only fished this area 4 times, have had good luck. Last year my club fished it when the water was at flood stage and we still managed to weigh in some good limits. Seem to have best luck towards the Vernon Dam. My son and I have a trip booked for the beginning of June. We are staying at a motel in Bernardston, which is a short drive from the Northfield ramp.

Lures-buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, twintail grubs, senkos.

Stay in the main river and fish rocks, grass beds and blowdowns.
Haven't had any luck in backwaters.

Be careful using Northfield Ramp it was really beat up last year. Towed a guy back to Barton's Cove because he ran out of gas after trying to pull his boat out of the Northfield Ramp unsuccessfully.

Another tip for that area monsters smallies like to hang out on the breaks of the sand bars!

Thanks for the information it will be very useful in my tournement.

I'm familiar with the river. I lived in Holyoke my whole life. I mainly fish it during shad season, but occasionally go for bass. I pulled a few big bass out. I caught this smallie on a live minnow under the 391 bridge!

The Conn. River can be very difficult to fish prespawn because of high, fast moving water from winter run off. Not sure if this will be a problem this spring or not. Most guys who know the river wait until mid to late May to start fishing. By then the water levels and flow speed is down. If you fish Bartons cove section do not even stop to fish for smallies before you get into NH. You will know you are in NH when you pass the "blown out" bridge. It is the remains of a bridge that was imploded years ago. Fish any and all wood on the shorelines with top waters and tubes. Cast up stream and let the top water and tubes travel in a natural direction downstream as you work them, Do not work them against the current. Fish position themselves facing into the current looking for meals to drift swim by downstream. There is often more wood deeper out infront of what can be seen onshore. Work your baits out 10-15' from shore. Bass will also position themselves in the eel grass beds so fish them in the same way.

[quote="raul"]I'm familiar with the river. I lived in Holyoke my whole life. I mainly fish it during shad season, but occasionally go for bass. I pulled a few big bass out. I caught this smallie on a live minnow under the 391 bridge!

Thanks.

The Conn. River can be very difficult to fish prespawn because of high, fast moving water from winter run off. Not sure if this will be a problem this spring or not. Most guys who know the river wait until mid to late May to start fishing. By then the water levels and flow speed is down. If you fish Bartons cove section do not even stop to fish for smallies before you get into NH. You will know you are in NH when you pass the "blown out" bridge. It is the remains of a bridge that was imploded years ago. Fish any and all wood on the shorelines with top waters and tubes. Cast up stream and let the top water and tubes travel in a natural direction downstream as you work them, Do not work them against the current. Fish position themselves facing into the current looking for meals to drift swim by downstream. There is often more wood deeper out infront of what can be seen onshore. Work your baits out 10-15' from shore. Bass will also position themselves in the eel grass beds so fish them in the same way.

Thanks. Ｆｒｏｍ　Ｂａｒｔｏｎ　Ｃｏｖｅ，　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　Ｉ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｄｒｉｖｅ　ｔｏｗａｒｄｓ　Ｆｒｅｎｃｈ　Ｋｉｎｇ　Ｂｒｉｄｇｅ　ｄｉｒｅｃｔｉｏｎ　ｔｏ　ｇｏ　ｔｏ　ＮＨ．　　Ｉｓ　ｔｈｉｓ　ａ　ｌｏｎｇ　ｄｒｉｖｅ　ｂａｓｅｄ　ｏｎ　３０－４０　ＭＰＨ？　　

I fish the Hinsdale area and seen some nice smallies produced.
You need 2 licenses for this area. I heard the river is not running bad this year due to no runoff. But we launch and downriver is nice large mouth and up river is great smallies. be careful about 4-6 miles up it gets rocky. The guys in the know head farther.
Down river there is a power-plant that had guard towers with rifles. I was advised not to get to close.
BIG CARP too
Good luck

I fish the Hinsdale area and seen some nice smallies produced.
You need 2 licenses for this area. I heard the river is not running bad this year due to no runoff. But we launch and downriver is nice large mouth and up river is great smallies. be careful about 4-6 miles up it gets rocky. The guys in the know head farther.
Down river there is a power-plant that had guard towers with rifles. I was advised not to get to close.
BIG CARP too
Good luck

Hinsdale in NH? Where is the boat ramp in NH? thanks.

The Conn. River can be very difficult to fish prespawn because of high, fast moving water from winter run off. Not sure if this will be a problem this spring or not. Most guys who know the river wait until mid to late May to start fishing. By then the water levels and flow speed is down. If you fish Bartons cove section do not even stop to fish for smallies before you get into NH. You will know you are in NH when you pass the "blown out" bridge. It is the remains of a bridge that was imploded years ago. Fish any and all wood on the shorelines with top waters and tubes. Cast up stream and let the top water and tubes travel in a natural direction downstream as you work them, Do not work them against the current. Fish position themselves facing into the current looking for meals to drift swim by downstream. There is often more wood deeper out infront of what can be seen onshore. Work your baits out 10-15' from shore. Bass will also position themselves in the eel grass beds so fish them in the same way.

Thanks. Ｆｒｏｍ　Ｂａｒｔｏｎ　Ｃｏｖｅ，　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　Ｉ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｄｒｉｖｅ　ｔｏｗａｒｄｓ　Ｆｒｅｎｃｈ　Ｋｉｎｇ　Ｂｒｉｄｇｅ　ｄｉｒｅｃｔｉｏｎ　ｔｏ　ｇｏ　ｔｏ　ＮＨ．　　Ｉｓ　ｔｈｉｓ　ａ　ｌｏｎｇ　ｄｒｉｖｅ　ｂａｓｅｄ　ｏｎ　３０－４０　ＭＰＨ？　　

You are better off launcing from the Northfield ramp off of rt 63. When you launch there you are in the beginning of the best sm water on that section of river. Just head north from that ramp.

I fish the Hinsdale area and seen some nice smallies produced.
You need 2 licenses for this area. I heard the river is not running bad this year due to no runoff. But we launch and downriver is nice large mouth and up river is great smallies. be careful about 4-6 miles up it gets rocky. The guys in the know head farther.
Down river there is a power-plant that had guard towers with rifles. I was advised not to get to close.
BIG CARP too
Good luck

Hinsdale in NH? Where is the boat ramp in NH? thanks.

Let me find the address.
I know it's real easy to find and you pull into a marina/house.lol
and park in field.
I'll go find out.

Norms Marine (603)256-6266
$10.00 launch fee
1347 Brattleboro rd Hinsdale ,NH 03451

I have more info but email me at www.boaghogbaits.com
Just to much to type. I will forward you the info i was given.

I have spent many hundreds of hours on the oxbow as I live two minutes away from it. Of all that time I have caught one smallmouth. You're certainly better off elsewhere. If on the other hand you're looking for LMB or pike the oxbow is the place to be.