ABA/TBF East Twin & Candlewood Lake Recap 6/24-6/25/17
This past weekend was definitely one I will not forget. To crazy weather tournament day Saturday at East Twin, to the most challenging day I've had on Candlewood Lake I can remember on Sunday. Below is certainly an interesting story to tell.
ABA - East Twin - 6/24/17:
Before this event, I have not fished this lake in probably 6+ years. It’s a long drive from my house, pretty small, and just not something I have set out to do. East Twin is known for some huge fish and giant lobster sized crawfish. I set out the day before the event to pre-fish and ended up finding some really good fish. Considering how small the lake is and knowing what I was going to be doing the following day, I actually got off the water early for the first time ever as I didn’t want to hook anymore fish and felt very confident. East Twin is extremely clear, you can see 12ft down which I don’t remember it being that clear. They also have removed almost all of the grass except for one corner of the lake which is a pretty decent size. I of course found my fish in the grass as that’s what I love to do. I also found a new love for throwing a jig. Jigs are not something I throw very often. I would rather flip a creature bait then a jig. Why? Just because I don’t have a lot of confidence in the jig. However considering the size of the crawfish in this lake (I had a bass spit up a 5” crawfish) I decided to give it a whirl. Practice I found my fish between 5-8 foot of water in Cabbage mixed with Milfoil. However the fish I was catching, wanted a very slow fall. So I caught some good fish on a weightless wacky rigged senko and a 5/16oz Jig. I also fished some deeper water with a dropshot and did catch two fish doing this so I had that as a backup plan. East Twin is basically owned by the marina which provides the only boat access to the lake. The marina is known to hold really big fish. I ended up fishing only the first 2 boat docks on the outside of the marina and hooked a 4+ on a senko which really made me excited. Weather was nice and was extremely hot.
Tournament day - Wake up to pouring rain and completely different weather conditions; of course my luck. I get to the ramp and find out the owner of the marina, actually put his marina off limits for the event. Why? Who knows, he’s a nasty old guy to say the least. So this off the bat through a huge corkscrew into a lot of the anglers plans as they all like to fish the marina. I looked at this spot as a kicker fish area. So although upset, I was not devastated. Instead of starting out in the grass beds I found in practice, I decided to run down the lake a little to a nice steep rocky bank that I had a fish and a few follows on the day before. I start out by throwing a small Fishing Bait Club Swimbait on an 1/8oz head and just pitching it to the edge of the drop in 8 feet or so to see if anything would pick it up. The 5th cast I make with this bait, I go to reel up the slack from casting it out and go to start reeling it in and a fish was on it. I just wasn’t expecting a fish to be on the other line so I set the hook, half-heartedly, it jumps, and off it came. It actually was a Smallmouth. There aren’t a ton n this lake but the ones that are in there are big. This fish was easily 3+. I was pretty pissed to say the least and that ended up being the only fish I had on that bait and that stretch. I went over to my grass beds finally and started to catch some fish. My biggest fish of the day came on the senko however the majority of my quality fish were on the jig. It’s interesting though because the other guys were throwing big ½ oz models. I couldn’t get anything on the fast sinking stuff. The weather ended up being very crazy throughout the day; random patches of heavy rain, high winds, etc. It was the complete opposite from the day before where it seemed like everyone was catching quality fish. This was definitely a junk fishing tournament. I ended up catching fish on multiple different tactics. I finished the tournament in 4th place. Only 10lbs in change won which is pitiful compared to the fact multiple guys had 10lbs in two fish the day before. I came in with just a little under 9lbs for 5. No big lunkers either this tournament. Everyone had a 2 1/2lb fish as their biggest. I think a 2.89lb Largemouth took lunker. I was really regretting missing that Smallmouth earlier in the morning. Full results here
Something cool happened this day that I thought I would share - Around 10am I decided to go near the ramp on the big flat outside of the marina where I caught a couple fish the day before. I get there and I see baitfish being chased toward the surface and fish breaking water. I Power-Pole down, and look down and I am surrounded by schools of baby Perch. I ended up catching two of my keepers fishing topwater in this area which I never thought would have happened. I missed 3 or 4 fish on topwater in this area as well. Definitely was a cool deal for a little bit. Below are the bait I used during this event:
Senko:
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Color: Green Pumpkin
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Equipment: 7’ MH Big Bear Spinning Rod, Lew’s Mach II Speed Spool, Hi-Seas 12lb Quattro.
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Two notes here:
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1. For whatever reason, I have used mono on my senko setup for years now. Why? I honestly could tell you, just something I have always used and something I have confidence in. So why change it up when it works? Plus, I really like the camo color design of the Quattro. It has different shades of dark purple, blue, and black that really makes it invisible under weater.
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2. A huge key to my success this year while fishing senkos has been the Trapper Tackle 1/0 Dropshot/Finesse Hook. The “box” design towards the bend of the hook really has increased my hookup ratios this years and it allows the senko when wacky rigged, to sit perfectly right in that box. I wouldn’t go back to using any other name brand hook!
5/16oz Homemade Finesse Jig:
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Color: Green Pumpkin Red
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Equipment: 7’ MH Big Bear Rod, Lew’s Tournament Pro G Speed Spool (6.8:1), 12lb Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon
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A buddy of mine made these a long time ago and honestly haven’t thrown them in years. They have a really nice bullet type head on them that could be used for swimming or pitching. Stout hook as well and didn’t have a single fish come off on these.
Lucky Craft Gunfish:
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Color: Clear
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Equipment: 7’ MH Big Bear Rod, Lew’s Tournament pro G Speed Spool (6.8:1), 12lb Hi-Seas Quattro
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I have had this bait for I don’t know how many years and I have caught so many fish off of this bait. I think the bait being completely clear/see through really makes the fish react as they have no idea what it is. I always have the back hook be a dressed treble hook (has feathers on it)
Picasso 1/4oz Double Willow Painted Blade Spinnerbait:
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Color: Golden Shiner
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Equipment: 7’ MH Big bear Rod, Lew’s Tournament Pro G Speed Spool (6.8:1), 12lb Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon
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Once the wind kicked up real hard after I left those fish busting on perch i figured hey why not throw this around the grass! A few casts in I hooked a solid Largemouth to finish out my limit. Unfortunately this is the only bass i caught on this but the Pickeral loved it. First time throwing this color combination. When Picasso sent me these, I knew this color would one day work for me and it matches a small perch perfectly.
TBF - Candlewood - 6/25/17:
This tournament was a wild one to say the least. It was the most dramatic event i fished fished in a long time. The weekend before this event, I went pre-fishing on Father’s Day with my Dad. That video/article can be see here. I caught some really good fish the week prior on the inside grass edge on senkos & swimbaits. I knew the conditions wouldn’t change too much the following week.
Tournament Day - This event I fished with my buddy Jeffery who i became friends with after I fished with his father at my recent TBF event at the CT River. Awesome family to say the least. So we decided to link up for this event. I caught some decent fish down on topwater down the Sherman the week prior with my father. So it was a mind racing gaming driving to the ramp in the morning if I should go start there again or run to some other areas down a different arm where I have caught big fish in the past. I decided to go for the latter. Of course I drew the last boat number so I was the call out boat. So here I am, 7am rolls around and I need to sit there for 20 mins calling out boats while everyone is flying by me to go fish. I finally get to my first spot, throw some top water, and come up empty. So I move down a bit in this rocky area to the inside grass edge and start throwing a small swimbait I have been doing great on the past few weeks. A stupid Rock Bass bites off my tail so I look to go find the bag of swimbait I pre-rigged/glued. Can’t find them anywhere. Saw the bag in the morning. So I say screw it, I will just make a new one. Well, I can’t find the 100 1/8oz Jig heads I have in my boat anywhere!! Literally nowhere to be found. My head is spinning. Luckily Jeff tosses me a jig head to use. Second Cast in after rigging up, my line starts racing. I set the hook and it’s a PIG. Easily 5lbs. Get it close to the boat and it just pops off...I reel my bait up to see how in the world this just happened and I notice that the hook point somehow, microscopically bent near the hook point. After many curse words and a slight tantrum, we move on.
At this point my buddy has 1 fish in the boat and I have none and it’s close to 9:30am. This is very unusual for me at Candlewood to not have a limit by this time. I run to another area in this arm and catch my first keeper on a Senko. Continue down this stretch where my father and I caught some good fish; nothing. So I abandoned this arm and rather south near the other boat launch to a stretch where my father and I caught a limit just in a short stretch the week prior. A buddy of mine who lives on the lake also does well here. I get there, see big Largemouth cruising but can’t get them to bite. It’s gotta be close to 11am now; off we go again. I now run over to Danbury to an area where i’ve always caught good fish on these various secondary points that come out. For the first time in the 10+ years I’ve fished Candlewood, spring, summer, winter, and fall, I have NEVER seen anyone swimming on this spot. But lucky me, a guy was standing in the water throwing toys to his dog to go fetch out on the spot.
I move down some more to another spot on this stretch where i have done well in the past. Here is a small side story - There is a company out there who makes some pretty good products and almost everyone in the country uses them; whether they are sponsored by them or not. This same company makes a lineup of Tungsten Jigs. Now for those who don’t know the benefits of Tungsen compared to lead, you need to do some research. A 1/2oz Tungsten Jig is the same size as a 1/4oz lead jig for example. So you still retain the small profile while being better for the environment, increase feel, and can get away with a heavier weight. So I don’t have many of these jigs due to the fact I don’t throw jigs a whole lot and they are also pretty pricey. But in the past i have done well on these particular jigs and I know a ton of guys use them. So i search through my boat and find the single Tungsten jig by this company I have. Fresh out of the pack, I tie it on and go to flipping the inside weed line. Two casts in, my rod doubles over. I set the hook, feel it tug me into the grass once or twice, I see the flash of this fish (and it’s the same size if not larger than the other one I lost), and then the jig flies back at me and hits me in the chest. Shell Shocked because I did not play games on this hook set, I look and am astonished at what I see....My jig trailer is gone AND the hook snapped half way down the shaft basically right where the hook bend starts!! I have NEVER had this happen to me. I know for a fact i’m not professional body builder and don’t have Hulk strength so I knew this was not my doing. This simply boils down to absolutely awful luck and terrible hooks on a quality/high price tag item. Now I have even used these in the past and caught fish and never had this happen. To say this company got a stern email from me with pictures of this broken Jig is putting it lightly.
At this point I have 1 fish and it’s around 11:30am. I have already missed 2 giants by just dumb/horrible luck. I run to another area in Danbury and my buddy catches a 3lber on a senko. So he has 2, I have 1. I try to go hit a main lake island but the boat traffic is absolutely horrendous and causing a 3ft chop on the water so I can’t fish it efficiently. My buddy suggests hitting a cove where he has done well in the past. A place where I have fished before, but not all the way in the back. He then told me a story about him and his boater limited out in this spot in the last event. At this point, i’m so strung out from the previous events I finally say screw it, let’s give it a try as I have nothing to lose. We didn’t get to this spot until around 12:30. We start heading back and I just see the water getting shallower and shallower. Some really nice wood everywhere but in my head i’m like what the hell is this? Next thing you know, he catches an almost 3lber in 6” of water on a senko!! I was blown away and couldn’t help but laugh at this complete and utter failure today has been thus far. I end up catching 2 fish in this area n senkos so now I am at 3.
It is now 2pm, weigh in is at 3. I need to make a decision if i will continue to fish the other side of this cove up and just finish out the day here or move somewhere else. I have a gut feeling telling me I need to run to Squantz Cove (where the ramp is) and finish the day in there. Now I have never officially fished inside Squantz, Maybe like 10 minutes before an event ends at the beginning but not all the way in the back and committing. But with the amount of tournament fish released back there and stories I’ve heard, at this point it’s my best chance of finishing out my limit. So I commit to this as I have nothing to lose. I decide to take out my tried and true Crawtube on a 7’6” flipping stick with a 3/8oz weight and do what I love to do best; flip grass. Within the last half hour of the event, my buddy and i caught 4 quality fish flipping the grass.
I was absolutely amazed I was able to salvage my day. Especially that close to the ramp. If it wasn’t for me catching those last two fish, I would have completely been out of the points race for the state team. However those two giants I lost earlier in the day really cost me a higher finish and a guaranteed check. I ended up finishing the tournament in 8th place and only a few pounds away from the leader as only 13lbs won and I came in with about 9lbs. Full results can be seen here. I am really kicking myself in the foot on this event. I should have just picked up the flipping stick earlier in the day and went to town but it just wasn’t how I was originally catching my fish and needed my limit. This event was the definition of a learning experience. Just typing this out and re-living this experience has made me exhausted. Below are the baits and equipment I used:
Senko:
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Color: Black & Green Pumpkin
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Equipment: 7’ MH Big Bear Spinning Rod, Lew’s Mach II Speed Spool, 12lb Hi-Seas Quattro
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Again using the 1/0 Trapper Tackle Dropshot/Finesse hook has really been key for me this year with this technique
Crawtube:
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Color: Green Pumpkin
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Equipment: 7’6” ¾ H Big Bear Rod, Lew’s Tournament Pro G Speed Spool (7.1:1), 15lb Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon, 3/8oz Tungsten weight, 4/0 Trapper Tackle Offset Wide Gap hook
I cannot say again enough about Trapper Tackle and the guys behind this great design and company. These hooks are so phenomenal and I have not raved about something in so long like i do them. I encourage everyone to pick up a pack at your local Dick’s Sporting Goods, Tackle Warehouse, or visit them online at https://www.trappertackle.com/.
As you can see from above, this was a crazy weekend with a ton of wild experiences. Good news is I am still in first place for Angler of The Year for the ABA and still retaining my state team spot on the TBF by sitting in 3rd place in the points. At it again this weekend at Lake Lillinonah where I won the last time I was there. We will see if those rapids will still treat me well. Until next time everyone, Tight Lines!!
