Questions about CT river stripers.

[thetroutwhisperer]

Could anyone point me in the direction of a web site or two that would have current information about fishing the CT river here in Mass.? I would most likely be fishing from the Holyoke area south to Agawam. I'm from the area just haven't fished the CT much.

Anyone have any luck with a CT river striper yet?

[FishingPhil]

From what I hear they are catching them. Heard of someone catching one in Springfield the other day. Shad are up as well as the herring. I'll give it a shot this weekend, but with all this rain the river will be a mess.

[westernmas]

On The Water had a few decent reports but it is mostly specific to the CT River in CT and then it will give you some info. on stripers in eastern MA.  It will give you a good gauge as to what bait fish are starting to run though.  If you find anything better please let me know because I would like to get more into striper fishing as well.

[BIGBOB69]

the stripers are here for sure !!! they are hot on the trail of the herring and the shad. the absolute easiest way to fish for stripers up here is to fish sandworms on the bottom. you can also use storebought herring/mackeral chunks.unfortunately catching herring and livelining them is a thing of the past.it is not illegal to fish monster shiners however. not lookin to blow up any spots but the 391 bridge on down to the chicopee boat ramp is a good place to start. 2-3 oz. weight on a fishfinder rig with a 20-24" leader with a 4/0-8/0 hook and your in buisness. never forget to watch what others are doing,you can learn alot that way. never hurts to throw some topwater lures like pencil poppers or minnow baits like bombers or sp minnows.there is a guy who fishes at the end of the road behind the cavalier resteraunt.he uses a paint can as his rod and uses chunks of shad for bait. watchin him sling it out there is just too funny but he catches some serious stripers that way.he keeps short fish and prob doesnt have a liscence but doesnt understand what i yell at him cuz he doesnt speak a lick of english. hope this helps buddy good fishin...go get em. P.S. it couldnt hurt to go to GRANBY BAIT AND TACKLE and talk to paul or his sons.they might be helpful also. they got all the bait and info you'll ever need

[Baitbucket]

never hurts to throw some topwater lures like pencil poppers or minnow baits like bombers or sp minnows.

Its funny you say that. I recall a few years back I was fishing from the beach. Two rods, both using bait. There was a line of probably 20 guys.. Not a single fish. This guy shows up with a brand new freshwater bass rod/line/reel combo he just got at walmart. Still in the package. He had what was probably the biggest Jointed Rapala that walmart sold. He was so new he asked me to help him rig it up and tie the lure. If i had to guess the line that came on it was 15# mono. And with that lure on it the rod all ready had a good bend lol. He casts it out maybe 30 feet and i chuckled. Two cranks and KABOOM, fish on. Beautiful keeper striper. Drag screaming and he just kept reeling, never stopped, and he landed the fish. By this time everyone on the beach is switching over. He strings his up, pops another 30ft cast, BOOM!! Fish on!! Same deal as before, and he lands the fish. 10 minutes of fishing and he had his limit and was on his way home..

[deerhunter]

lol that's funny.

[thetroutwhisperer]

Thanks very much for the replies fellas, and the great info BigBob.  I'll let everyone know how I do. Please do the same.

[Jschumacher]

Its funny you say that. I recall a few years back I was fishing from the beach. Two rods, both using bait. There was a line of probably 20 guys.. Not a single fish. This guy shows up with a brand new freshwater bass rod/line/reel combo he just got at walmart. Still in the package. He had what was probably the biggest Jointed Rapala that walmart sold. He was so new he asked me to help him rig it up and tie the lure. If i had to guess the line that came on it was 15# mono. And with that lure on it the rod all ready had a good bend lol. He casts it out maybe 30 feet and i chuckled. Two cranks and KABOOM, fish on. Beautiful keeper striper. Drag screaming and he just kept reeling, never stopped, and he landed the fish. By this time everyone on the beach is switching over. He strings his up, pops another 30ft cast, BOOM!! Fish on!! Same deal as before, and he lands the fish. 10 minutes of fishing and he had his limit and was on his way home..

HMMMM I saw Colby do this to me last year. And I have good equipment and was throwing virtually the same pluggs. He put on a show and I was scratching my head  . Can't complain though. Was fun to watch and they call it fishin for a reason and not catchin.

[lavaman]

Its funny you say that. I recall a few years back I was fishing from the beach. Two rods, both using bait. There was a line of probably 20 guys.. Not a single fish. This guy shows up with a brand new freshwater bass rod/line/reel combo he just got at walmart. Still in the package. He had what was probably the biggest Jointed Rapala that walmart sold. He was so new he asked me to help him rig it up and tie the lure. If i had to guess the line that came on it was 15# mono. And with that lure on it the rod all ready had a good bend lol. He casts it out maybe 30 feet and i chuckled. Two cranks and KABOOM, fish on. Beautiful keeper striper. Drag screaming and he just kept reeling, never stopped, and he landed the fish. By this time everyone on the beach is switching over. He strings his up, pops another 30ft cast, BOOM!! Fish on!! Same deal as before, and he lands the fish. 10 minutes of fishing and he had his limit and was on his way home..

that sounds like a typical day at the canal for me. new guy comes in and catches fish while everyone is switching over. lol good story Will.

[BIGBOB69]

so far bloodworms have accounted for over 10 keepers (that i know of) to 38" in the Holyoke/Chicopee stretches of the conn. river. only gonna get better 

[FishingPhil]

Caught a few schoolies yesterday on bloodworms and a 2.5 pound small mouth. Cant believe all the people using herring as bait. Saw a few people get pinched. Warden showed up and people fled, it was humorous. The idiots are going to ruin it for all of us. River is still very high.

[BIGBOB69]

Caught a few schoolies yesterday on bloodworms and a 2.5 pound small mouth. Cant believe all the people using herring as bait. Saw a few people get pinched. Warden showed up and people fled, it was humorous. The idiots are going to ruin it for all of us. River is still very high.

  glad to hear the fish cops are finally showin up. I watched 3 boats last year load up on herring for hours and they never came to my call.

[westernmas]

I don't do much striper fishing but is any chunk bait allowed in the CT River?  I thought herring was legal to use in saltwater but I may have been mistaken.

[FishingPhil]

Can use cut up bait but not herring. Caught some shad and chunked them up but no stripers. Will try again this evening