Quinebaug River Smallmouth

Quinebaug River smallmouth are a wonderful resource available to the citizens of Connecticut. Some consider it one of the best smallmouth rivers in the state. Connecticut is home to a number of great smallmouth fishing locations. Here are some helpful hints about the Quinebaug River:

The Quinebaug is eastern Connecticut’s premiere smallie fishing river. Slow stretches of the river yield plenty of smallmouths, but the faster areas between these deeper regions, strewn with boulders and large rocks, contain numerous pools that hold smallmouth.  Source

Quinebaug River smallmouth in high water

..the rain typically associated with April and May in New England swells the Quinebaug, making it hard for me to even remain in place in the river to fish a pool, if I can even find one due to the depth. Higher water levels force me to change my tactics.

One thing I do when searching for smallmouth bass strongholds in high water is look for large boulders protruding from the current. In back of these rocks, I often find calmer water, if only for a few yards. Here is where the smallmouth lurk, waiting for anything edible to float their way. Casting behind them will yield bites, and very often you will tie into some good-sized fish. One of the challenges you will meet is getting yourself into position to make such casts. I usually bring my canoe to shore, because the current will be too quick to stay in one spot and fish. Once ashore, I disembark and carefully wade into the river until I can reach these rocks. I throw plastic crayfish and lizards behind them, allowing them to drift about until a fish grabs hold of them.

Another trick I use is to search the river for spots where churning, turbid water finally slows down to become smoother and less turbulent. While you often can still readily discern the current in these places, you can cast into it and catch fish. Source

Additional information from Wikepedia about the Quinebaug:

The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name “Quinebaug” comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning “long pond”, from qunni-, “long”, and -paug, “pond”. Source

There is great fishing opportunities on the Quinebaug River for smallmouth for the fly fisherman and spinning reel fishermen.  If you live in Eastern Connecticut, Massachusetts or Rhode Island, this is only one of many smallmouth bass opportunities you have available. If you know any Connecticut anglers that would benefit from this article, SHARE or LIKe this page to let them know about it.

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