What a season here on the Mystic River! Burnt up my 9/10 Orvis DXR reel tonight.
Was playing with the shad again. I know, I know! This is not really flyfishing but it has become addictive. Hooked a shad on the ten weight and soon watched most of my backing disappear into thin air! Put on the breaks on the DXR as tight as the drag knob would turn and the reel would not stop spinning! Grabbed the rim and ping!!!!!!! Twenty lb. Seagard straight fluorocarbon wouldn't hold the hook. Better that than another $60.00 flyline. Going to enlist my Tarpon friend tomorrow night along with his Florida arsenal. Damned if I'll seccum to the spinnig rod! Ther are sooooo many big fish in these schools of shad, it's beyond imagination. When I could get a shad in before being devoured we would stun them and toss them back in the water right in front of us and watch these huge mouths come up from the deep and just suck them in whole! Could hear the "Jaws" theme song in my mind. I'm still shaking!!!!!!!
The ticket is keeping these monsters off the bottom and away from the pots and rocks. The Atlantis would be perfect that with it's length and lifting power, should do the trick. A reel with infinite drag adjustment would also help. Billy Pate, Tibor?
I PM'd ya Juro.
An update. Took my buddy from National Geographic out to the point for a whack at these big (smart) stripers. Had a phenomenal sunset with eyelash clouds for a backdrop. Mike had a hard time putting down the camera. When the shad started their dancing routine he made a beeline for the Tarpon rod! I landed a shad (whew!) without it getting eaten and we transferred it to his 11 weight of which displayed a very large Pate Tarpon hook. Tossed the shad out about 15 feet and it disappeared in a swirl followed by a rather large whirlpool! Off to the races!!!!!!!!
This one was supercharged! Don't think Mike has ever hooked a fish that ran this hard, straight for the pilings! The 30 lb. tippet held for about 5 minutes and then, ping again!!!!!!!! Two more attempts were repeats of the first! Mike heads for Washington, DC in the AM to present his Civil War shoot to headquarters with some very sore fingers. Says he has no fingerprints on his left forfingers due to palming the inside of his reel. Won't do that again! HELP JURO!!!!!!!! Long rod needed!
Juro, I'm not sure about the shad in Phil's neighborhood, but along the bulk of the CT coast they run anywhere from 12 to 22", with the vast majority between 14 and 18".
I got your PM but had trouble replying. Tides are not ideal. Low is at 6:30 pm tomorrow and the shad appear at 8:30 pm like clockwork. Lasts until dark and then it's over but the stripers are still around. I'm on Mason's Island at the mouth of the Mystic River. Tides don't really have an effect on the fishing but the rocks are an enemy. Call me at 1-860-536-3551 at 8:30 am Wednesday if you can or leave me your cell phone # and I'll call you from work. How far are you from Mystic? I';d love to show you around before the fishing begins. It's private out here and we'll have the place to ourselves!
Mike Mayo got his big fish on a shad it was about 50lbs I believe. Hang on.
FishHawk
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