iCarp

So, I plan to be at the tournament, tackle swap, and barbeque in Hamilton on Aug 30. Anyone else planning to drop by? Any hints about what you might bring for the tackle swap? Great gear at stunningly low prices? $2000 Tournament and Tackle Trade Here's a couple of recent cuties from the Hamilton Harbour, freshly caught in the past few days:

As a smaller retailer myself, I'm biased, but I think it's important to support others in your local community if possible. I find I generally get better and more knowledgeable service from the local shops. Their stock is geared to the area. Helping to keep them in business with my purchases means they'll be there for anglers who can't or don't want to spend the time and money getting to BPS. A lot of the younger guys around here would be screwed if the local shops closed, and they're the future of the sport. Here in Hamilton Bill's Bait & Tackle gets my vote. Great service and prices from guys who know what they're talking about. I once had a problem with a rod that was under a life-time warranty. I got better service from Greg at Bill's Bait & Tackle than from the big store, and the specific guy in that big store, that sold it to me in the first place. Small is better!

Congrats, Marko. That's a mighty fine looking PB. There definitely are some big fish in the Grand. I've noticed that the guys fishing niblets seem to catch a lot of smaller ones. The 'magic Hungarian corn' obviously pulls in the bigger ones, as do boilies.

A beautiful couple, and the carp look mighty fine too! I was just talking to someone about how we both enjoy night fishing but haven't gotten around to yet this year. Thanks for the inspiration and for sharing those great photos.

Well, hammercarp, do they count after the banner's been taken down? In that case, I got one at the fish-in. Woo-hoo! Mike The Bass...- I thought the first one was 34lb 14oz, but I've been corrected by my netboy, who helped with the measurements. Apparently, it was 36lb 14oz. CLofchik- I've caught one small channel so far and the young lad I've been fishing with caught one on Friday, also small. Everything seems a bit late this year, including the channel cats. Sorry to hear that the inaction was consistent after I left. It's still a bit spotty around the bay. limeyangler- Did I mention my new carp guide service for visitors from the old country? kennyman- My super secret go-to bait for big fish is pure luck- works every time. A lot of guys are using pineapple and tutti frutti right now, or a combination of both. I've been pretty fortunate with mintzilla- my custom blend of natural mint flavours and vanilla, with a few added goodies.

Well, the bite is still a bit erratic, just like the weather. I've given up trying to figure out what turns them on, to be honest. Yesterday morning a good number of anglers showed up for a fish-in in Hamilton. Unfortunately, only hammercarp (well, fortunately for him) caught any- three smaller carp. I had three runs, but every time I was miles away from my rod either helping a young friend who's just getting started in carp fishing or talking tackle with someone. Everyone else had a quiet time of it fishwise, but we all had a great time of it meeting up and catching up with other carpers from the area. Reports from around the bay yesterday were a bit disappointing- the fish seemed to have taken the day off. I had five on Saturday in about an hour and a half at the same spot that was a blankfest Sunday- go figure. Overall, though, it was a pretty good week. No single spot was consistent (well, maybe one), but some nice catches came out of the water. I'm still stuck on method balls and the same flavour of giant corn fished at the same spot most mornings- too lazy to change- and a fair number of fish ended up in the net. I'm hoping that the crucians start biting soon- the whip is in the car waiting to get put into action. By this time last year the whip guys were doing pretty good. Here are a couple of photos from the past week:

I saw you guys there yesterday talking with hammercarp around 4.30- I meant to come over but was too busy not catching fish (got one when Lorne came over to chat a bit later). Way to go with the beautiful fish. You're an example to us all- virtually everyone at the fish-in earlier in the day blanked. The bite is still a bit unpredictable there, although this time last year it was pretty good. Also, thanks for the update on conditions on the Grand. I'm looking forward to getting a line in the water around K-W soon as I'm up there every week. Guess it will have to wait a bit.

Congrats, Dan. That's a fine looking fish. And with carp size doesn't matter- the smaller ones are often more lively than the lumps and can really peel off the line. And, like Victor said, when the water warms up you'll be in for some crazy runs.

That last photo of the catfish is a winner. I really like it.

Great looking carp, there, and a great ride by the sounds of it. Congrats! What did you catch it on?

There are great spots all around Hamilton Harbour- fish up to 30s, but mostly teens and 20s Mind you I've caught some big ones out of the Grand around Kitchener. The Speed and Conestoga also have good carp- apparently lots of mirrors in the Speed. Honestly, I've found that bait makes a big difference. Boilies catch bigger fish. The first time I fished one of my favourite spots around Kitchener the guys were all getting small carp- under 5 pounds. I was talking with one guy who said that the fishing was great- he'd been coming for seven years and catching lots, even a 12 pounder two years ago. Within fifteen minutes I got a carp that weighed in at 16 lb one a boilie and method ball, and ended up with five in the 12-18 lb range that morning. Of course, luck has a lot to do with it, but the other anglers were catching lots of small fish on sweet corn whilst I was getting bigger fish on boilies. Since then I've fished that spot on boilies and giant corn, along with other spots on the Grand and consistently gotten bigger fish- when I haven't blanked completely of course!

Congrats on the catch, and we all have stories of tackle going in the water. Often, the chances are good that it didn't travel far before snagging or the line breaking so maybe casting a heavy spoon or weight around the area where it went in will get it back. The last time mine went in, I dove in after it. Got the rod and reel back, lost the carp, and trashed the camera and cell phone in my pocket which I hadn't thought about when I saw my gear disappear (a G Loomis rod and new Stradic). Still, carp are a great fish. Like everyone says, spend a little bit on the basics- especially a bait runner- and get ready to enjoy some of the best fishing there is. Caught at least a dozen today myself here in Hamilton- they're really starting to bite.

Hi, tonyb. I agree, the CAG mag can be pretty good. The latest has some good articles about tackle care and how-tos. For anyone who's interested, the Canadian section of CAG is very active and growing. It can be found by clickinghere. I'd be interested in hearing how things work out with the boat. They're definitely starting to bite so I'm sure you'll do well.

Thanks for the tip about wooly buggers- I've got a bunch I tied up this winter for the trout that I didn't catch down at Queenston. There are some shallows down on the Grand that I might try soon. I thought that I might tie up some corn imitators too, or some variation on an egg imitator only in yellow. Still plotting, though... Stalking them in shallows would be a thrill. Now where are my waders?

Okay, you've definitely got me determined to cast a fly for a carp this year, MJL. It sounds like a blast. I even have a couple of likely spots picked out- now to give some thought to tactics. Any tips would be appreciated. About the mags, you're right about overpriced rehashing. It's hard to justify spending three times the cover price for a magazine that's two or three months out of date (I suspect that somebody has a sweet racket going on there shipping expired copies to North America for sale after they're pulled from U.K. shelves). It's especially hard when I sometimes have a hard time telling if I've already read the issue since it seems to have been run through the rehashatron (honestly, I root around my collection looking to see if I've somehow bought two copies of the same month). Just got the latest issue of the CAG mag myself.

I love to fish for carp, and I've always been a great reader. It's been frustrating, therefore, to try to find anything in print about carp fishing in order to satisfy my twin cravings for fish and words. Here's a brief review of what I've run across lately. Chapters has been stocking Carp World for a while now. The Great Canadian News Co., found in malls, used to stock Carpology a couple of years ago and has now started carrying Carp World. Otherwise, it seems impossible to find any carp fishing mags around here. There's an interesting online magazine that's doing a great job of filling that void, though. What better way to connect with the small (but growing) community of carp anglers in North America than through the internet? Patterning itself after the U.K. mags, particularly the lively Carpology, but with a definite North American flavour, uscarppromagazine.com provides a blend of how-to, tips and tricks, reviews, and carp catching tales- all highly readable and at a great price. It's free. Right now, if you register as an online subscriber (also free) you get a chance to win a set of 3 Sonik SK3 carp rods- the 'buy two get one free' rods that have got the U.K. reviewers raving over the past year. I registered today, so wish me luck. The 2009 Fishing Annual from Ontario Out of Doors Magazine has a great article on carp fishing by Lonnie King. For anyone thinking of giving carp hunting a try, just starting out, or looking to improve their carping skills this article, 'Tips and Tricks for Refined Carping' is a must read. The magazine is available at news stands now. For a long time, coverage of carp fishing in the angling mags here, what little there was, often played it for laughs, so it's great to see a serious and informative treatment of the sport in the Fishing Annual. Heck, it even gets a mention on the front cover. Another well written article appeared in a recent issue of the In-Fisherman magazine. Once again providing a serious and informative treatment of its topic, this article dealt with carp fishing in the Great Lakes tributaries. I found it particularly interesting and helpful because it wasn't just about carp fishing in general, but about catching them on the fly. As a longtime flyfisher I hope to try to catch my first carp that way this year. If you can, track this one down for a good read.

Cambridge carp are definitely worth it. Here's one that I got out of the Grand in Cambridge last year:

I'd definitely recommend the hair rig as hammercarp has shown, as well as the long shank hook. Most guys use the short shank 'boilie' hook, but you'll find that you hook more and lose fewer with the rig above. Personally, I find that it really helps to toss out a few method balls or handfuls of maize or sweet corn. This gets the carp feeding and coming back to your area and can really increase the number that you catch. Also, carp are very hard hitting so watch your rod carefully. There are plenty of stories of guys jumping in after their tackle when a carp strikes.

This has certainly been an interesting and thought provoking read about an issue that I do feel needs to be discussed. I was gobsmacked last year to see WFN's 'Go Green' month featuring brief blubs in between the usual footage of fast, powerful boats, trailers, and electronics. Seemed a bit contradictory to me to watch a few minutes about Trout Unlimited and then several hours of FLW and such. Tournaments certainly don't project a green image of the sport. And as anglers, we might want to be concerned about that. Not only is there the environmental cost- what damage might be done by runnin' and gunnin' to habitat and shoreline, for example, and the damage done by the production of fossil fuels- which can affect the future of our fisheries, but there are other concerns as well. For example, is there a link between the fact that the number of anglers in North America continues to decline every year and the image of fishing as a big toys, loud noise, big bucks sport that is promoted by many fishing programmes and magazines? In other words, fishing is increasing portrayed as a complicated and expensive pastime that isn't in touch with nature all that much. Maybe that's why fewer and fewer people are picking up a rod. Personally, I like the idea of the float tube tournament, as long as the ambulances are on standby. But what about shore fishing tournies? Why not scatter the competitors along the shore of Lake Simcoe and seeing what they can catch? Just a few random thoughts.

And it truly is different. Get your rig in the water and you're likely to get a fish, ben306. I landed 15 yesterday- all sleek, clean, and scrappy. Of course, there are times when you can't buy a bite, but when it's on there's no time for bedchairs and no need for elaborate rigs and elegant presentations. Matches here, though, can be challenging and, of course, the peg you draw can make a world of difference. Hope to see you bankside this year.

ben306- I'm sure you'll love it- they're plentiful, big, and a bit naive compared with the U.K. There is a truly world class carp fishery in this area. fireball- best of luck with the fly rod. I look forward to hearing how it goes. I was a devoted flyfisher for years but have yet to try to catch a carp that way. Maybe this year. By the way, there's a great article on flyfishing the Great Lakes tributaries for carp in the last issue of In-Fisherman.

If you don't mind trying some new species, as you say, there is some good carp fishing. Over all, because of the water rats posting 'where can I catch lots of fish' posts on local boards, as xeon mentioned, the best way to find out what's going on is to get out fishing and talk to guys. I fish from Lake Simcoe down through the Niagara region and getting out there on the water has been the best way to meet people and learn.

Hi Victor. Great to see you again. Yes, I talked to Justin this morning and he told me that all was quiet. They seemed to be doing better today and I might toddle down later to give it another go. Sorry the photos of the mirror aren't better- it was a beautiful fish. Osmond- carp season is year round. Why not come out and catch a couple some time?

I'm been fortunate to get a few sessions in this week. Despite the cold and wind, the carp were co-operating Tuesday evening, with five caught in about two hours, my first really good session this year. Wednesday evening I got three in the net, the fourth and final carp refusing to stay hooked. I have to admit that the carp didn't really run much, only getting exciting when they got close to shore. For some reason, most of them were drop back bites. Come Thursday morning I decided to have another try. After a few tentative takes, I finally got into a solid one- a scrappy fish that zigged, zagged, and rolled on the surface. It turned out to be my first mirror carp of the year. It was followed about an hour later by a fine and feisty common. The morning finished off with the almost mandatory screaming alarm followed by lost fish. I'm still getting the hang of co-ordinating carp, me, and camera timer, so most of the photos I took were fairly useless. Here are a couple of photos of the mirror and one fish each from Tuesday and Thursday. All were caught on tutti frutti flavoured giant corn and matching method balls. I hope that you all get a chance to enjoy this warm spell and get out for some carp fishing this weekend.

That's not encouraging, blakewalk. I've found it slow down in Niagara this season, and thought I'd save time and gas by giving Bronte a go this week. I've usually been discouraged by the crowds, but Frank at Bronte Outdoor has said good things about the fishing there, as have a couple of other locals. Hmmm... maybe if the temperature gets above -10 I'll head out tomorrow. A guy I know ended up getting physical with one of the roe-robbers this fall- same deal of just grabbing the roe and tossing the fish aside. Another reason why I try to avoid the crowds.