News Times 5/6/06

1. Awaiting Candlewood’s ‘super day’ : The warm weather we enjoyed last weekend turned out to be more of a tease than a trend, as cooler weather and rain followed close on its heels and put a halt on the season progression, at least temporarily. Yesterday though, a seasonally appropriate warming trend arrived — an occurrence that really should have changed things dramatically in the fish’s world. If yesterday didn’t push the Candlewood water temperature into the mid-60s and get things seriously rolling in the bass department, I’m not sure what will.
2. Since the smallmouth have become so dominant in Candlewood every season, there’s a week to 10-day period when the fishing is beyond exceptional. But there’s just about always ONE day that blows away the rest of the season, when the big females seem to be everywhere and ready to bite most anything in the morning, then move right to the beds in the afternoon. Experience shows that on Candlewood, that day occurs during the first week of May more often than not, and it usually follows a couple days of above average temperatures.
3. Today might just be THE day on Candlewood. I’m hoping so, because for the past several years, circumstances have made me miss being on the water on that one day when everything seems to happen in spades. Looking at my schedule, if I’m going to encounter it, it’s going to have to be today because I might not get the chance again this year to be on the lake during the short window when the first and heaviest wave of big smallies hits the shallows in earnest.Then again, it might not happen until tomorrow or the next day, or we might not get the “super day” at all this year.
4. Some years, spawning season just sort of slides in, without being preceded by that sudden burst of activity and catchability. The overall good fishing we expect on Candlewood in May and early June still takes place, but it doesn’t open with a bang like it does most years. I’m hoping, though, that we don’t miss out this year, and I’m sure that most of the Candlewood regulars are hoping the same thing.Whatever you do, try to get out on Candlewood as much as possible over the next few days, because if and when it happens, it’s something you’ll try to encounter every season from here on out.
5. The midweek rains muddied the rivers a bit, just as they were showing serious signs of clearing up from the very heavy rainfall two weeks ago. Still, trout anglers in the Housy and Farmington Rivers are reporting good fishing even with the higher, dirtier and faster-flowing water. Striper fishing in the state’s tidal rivers has maintained through most of the high water period as well. Right now, the big girls are in the Connecticut River, up as far as the Enfield Dam, and the best fishing there is during low light conditions, especially after dark.