Mexico Browns - March 21

[rswanson330]

Fished out of Mexico Tuesday after a drift trip on Monday.

Everything that could go wrong did, starting with a dead battery 

(Two years old with a fresh charge)

Finally headed out about 1:00 and the kicker was running like poop.

We headed west, the waves were building, whitecaps everywhere.  The plan was to get behind the bluffs and see how it was in there, it wasn't bad.

We kept the big motor running as well just in case there was another reason that the battery was dead... a short or something maybe.

The big motor died, setting off an alarm so we turned around, pulled the boards and headed for port.

I tried the big motor after a little bit and it fired up and ran without alarms,

So we ran it to the point of the blufs.

It was fine, so we backtracked and trolled off the ailing kicker back up along the inside, out of the wind and waves, picking up one brown.

The waves and wind laid down so we took it around the front of the plant, nothing happening there.

We got the the west side of the plant in about 16' of water around 5:45 and picked up five browns in the next hour, lost one at the boat.

It got crossed up in one of the other lines and just messed itself and everything else up... then it left.

Purple sticks were the ticket, 2 mph, 12-18'.

We picked up at 6:40 and blasted back to the Mexico launch,

Half way back an alarm started beeping, four beeps then silent for a while, four beeps and silent,

The sun was down and we weren't coming in at the 2.3mph max speed of the kicker, so we came in on the big motor praying all the way.

It got more persistent when we got to the launch, no warning lights lit though.

We pulled the boat and it will go back to the shop when we get home (everything just had major service).

Did I mention that the ABS in my truck started going nuts too?  

Just had that serviced too.

[greenhornet73]

Wow, what a trip! I’ve had days like that.  At least you got some fish and more importantly made it back to the launch safely.  Could have been worse.

[Fjaq]

YOWZA,, Great report, thanks.  Congrats on your persistence, it certainly paid off. 

[rswanson330]

Boat goes back to the shop tomorrow.

I called the shop owner on the way home to CT and when he asked me how I was doing, I told him I should be fishing.

He thought I was fooling around.

Then I explained and he kind of got the picture.

I really should have been fishing.

So, I'll have to pull another shakedown cruise someplace large before going for landlocks in the First CT Lake in early May.

Maybe I'll come back up to Lake O for a day, long ride though.

Have fun up there guys!!!

Edited March 22, 2023 by rswanson330

[Reel Doc]

Being a UConn alum, I know you had quite a drive to get up to Ontario.  Glad to hear your persistence paid off in some fish AND you made it back to Port safely.  Where are there landlocks in NorthEast Connecticut?  

[rswanson330]

Hi Doc,

I retired out of UConn and know the place well. 

The landlocks we will be fishing for are swimming around in the First Connecticut Lake in upstate New Hampshire.

The Connecticut Lakes and Lake Frances are the headwaters of the Connecticut River.

Up there the river is a fine boulder strewn tailwater stream 75-150' wide.

Fly fishing for trout is the game in the river,

Trolling for landlocks and other salmonids is the game in the lakes.

Connecticut does stock landlocks, but not (in my opinion) in anything resembling a good fishery.

There are a handful of lakes that receive landlocks and broodstock, and they release broodstock in a couple rivers,

But I've never targeted them.

I tried centerpin on the float down the Salmon River on Monday and was frustrated and fascinated,

If I ever decide to target the broodstock in the rivers, that's the way I'll go.

Quabbin Reservoir, about 80 miles north, is a thriving landlock and salmonid fishery which I used to fish somewhat frequently,

But they imposed severe restrictions in an effort to keep zebra mussels out of the Boston water supply,

And that just made it so it didn't make sense for me to fish it any more.

But it is a beautiful fishery.

Essentially, they sanitize your boat and affix the boat to the trailer with a wire and tag.

If the wire or tag have been fussed with, you don't launch.

After you launch in Quabbin, DCR puts a new tag on your boat before you leave so you can come back.

But that means you don't fish anywhere other than Quabbin, and that just doesn't work for me.

And last but not least,

Connecticut does have a very fishable kokanee fishery in two northwest lakes.

I intend to try them again this year,

I haven't fished them in decades.

Have fun out there, and stay safe.

[Reel Doc]

Those Connecticut lakes are right at the top of New Hampshire so I suspect nice scenic fishing there.  Never been but spent time a little West of there fishing with relatives in Northern Vermont streams and beaver made ponds for wild brook trout.  Also a few trips on Memphremagog.  

New England states do have some nice freshwater fisheries and then there are always ocean spots nearby too.  Thanks for reaching out with some info.  Post us a pic next time you hook up with one of those New Hampshire Landlocked salmon.

[rswanson330]

Magog.

My nephew and I were supposed to go up there this winter but the ice was sketchy.  We fish for smelt on top of the sunken islands, driving out from the eastern launch.  That's always a gas, and he will usually put up a tipup or two for lakers.  Its a good smelt fishery.  I've never fished it on the Canadian side, but it too is supposed to be a good salmon fishery after you get up north a bit and into some deeper water.  That's where the steelhead are coming from in the once fabled Willoughby River steelhead run.  A friend and I tried that a few years back (in Orleans, VT before the chute where they post the jumping fish pictures) but it was only a shadow of what it was back when VT used to stock steelhead for that springtime run.  There were very few fishermen, and very few fish.  But we did see a few going up the falls.  I spend a bit of time near Lake Willoughby and may be dropping my boat in there as well now that I'm a retired old fart, that is supposed to be a good steelhead fishery as well.
Anyhow, good luck this summer.

One thing I do know, the striped bass stack up in the mouth of the CT River in May/June gorging on alwives, and that's always fun.

[Reel Doc]

It is saying a lot about climate change when the ice is sketchy at Magog.  Did some ice fishing up there in the 70's and ice was 3 plus feet thick!! 

Fond memories as a young teen catching perch and smelt in a solid wood shanty in below zero temps.  The wood stove kept us warm and the stories from the adults kept us laughing all day.  

Enjoy that free time in retirement to get out on the water.  I look forward to the luxury of choosing to fish on calm days rather than hoping all week for nice weekend weather.  

 

 

[Adk1]

Has to be picking up now that the weather is warming?

[greenhornet73]

I would have a report by now but between the weekend winds and waiting to put a kicker motor on I haven’t been able to get out.

[dhhurlburt]

The guardian system on my outboard did the same thing...it was a clogged fuel filter.