Search the Community

Vlog of our Channel Catfish Day! https://youtu.be/cLM3WAWP638

Hi Everybody! It's been a while since I've made a new post, but there will be more to come! It’s been a busy year and with a new addition (it’s a boy!) to the family in May (Just in time for pike season) I haven't hit the water as much as normally would. I did find the time to finally start working on a tattoo I have had planned for years. Each fish represents a time and place in my life. 1. The catfish - This represents my time spent fishing in Virginia in a private pond back when I was 5-6 years old. My parents had just split up and we relocated from the BVI to Virginia to stay with family friends while we planned where were were going to go next. I spent hours fishing this little pond with my buddy, often with a bamboo rod. We caught plenty of panfish, but we always had a blast when a big ole cat would come along and take our bait. These are my earliest memories of fishing, and the time where my addiction truly began. 2. The smallmouth - fast forward a few years to Ontario, location Jack Lake. Another family friend had picked up a cottage on the North east side of the lake in the early 90s. This is where I really learned about the joys of bass fishing. These days the lake can be tough to fish, and I primarily target musky when I do visit the lake - but those days chasing bass on Jack Lake taught me the importance of using the right lure at the right time at the right place. 3. The pike - I was torn between getting a musky or a pike tattoo. These days at least 80% of my fishing is dedicated to musky, but I decided pike fishing is where it all started. I can remember the very first time I saw a pike, it was watching Bob Izumi's fishing (probably 20 years ago!) and he had caught an absolute monster pike, well over 40 inches. I went to bed dreaming of that monster and in 2003 I realized that I didn't have to go way up north for big pike, we had them right here in Toronto. I joined OFC back in 2004 to show off some of the awesome pike Jon and I had caught at the Islands. 4. The brook trout – When I moved out east to Halifax 7 years ago I was heartbroken to be leaving behind my pike and musky. I quickly learned that while the brook trout of Nova Scotia don’t get too big, they are unmatched in their beauty. With light gear I explored small rivers and roadside ditches teaming with brookies. I haven’t targeted brook trout since I moved back to Ontario a couple of years ago, but the memories of these fish are as vivid as their colours. I am 8.5 hours in so far, and there are a good 8 hours left to go. The work was done by Scott Duncan (fisherman/fly tier/artist/hunter) at Sugarshack Tattoo in Kincardine, Ontario. (http://www.sugarshacktattoo.com) The pictures! These are are early photos, and there is additional detailing that will be added during the final sitting. The initial planning sketch. The outline The catfish The smallmouth The Pike

Son-in-law Troy & I were successful bidders on the Tyler auction and had a date with FisherPete for cats on the Grand River. Knowing between Pike opener & Bass opener we were going to be limited for dates, I was trying desperately to find a date from mid April to 3rd Sat in May. Weather (miserable) & weekend commitments were proving daunting. We eventually found some mutual time & settled on last Saturday (May24th). Met Pete at the launch @ precisely 6:30 am (as agreed) on the finest Saturday fishing day so far this soft water season. As an added bonus, Pete brought along tournament partner LunkerHunter and his bigger boat. We were on the first spot by 7:00. 20/25 minutes & a baby channel cat, it was time for location # 2. Another brief stop produced only chewed up bait & nothing committing. Time to move..... We hit spot 3 I'm guessing by 8:45ish and never moved. Pete & Andy found the Honey Hole . Over the next 4 hours (we pulled anchors @ 1:00 pm) we boated an additional 24 channel cats, 1 carp & a couple sheepshead. A few cats came in less than 4 lbs, most 5-8 & I think 4or 5 were in double digits. Can't remember the biggest fish as my SIL landed the top two weight wise (in a 3rd period comeback) LOL. Pete & Andy were awesome guides. I suggested if we hit double digits, the guiding was over but these guys kept handing the rods over!!! Without a doubt, this trip was a milestone . We've never boated 25 game fish (not counting the Sheepshead) in 4 hours!!! Y'all got to keep an eye out for the next Tyler auction. This is worth it!!!! So a few pix...... Can't thank Pete & Andy enough. This trip is going to be tough to beat

A special thanks to FisherPete for offering up a 3 trips in the Tyler Auction. Chris K, Jeremy84 and I were able to bid and win on one of the trips. Well we finally cashed in on the trip yesterday (April 27). We met up with FisherPete just after 7:00 am and we were off for the day. The weather was not looking the best with an overcast sky, when the weatherman was calling for 10-15 degrees. However we’re all happy the forecast ended up being right. After getting to our first spot it did not take long before we had the first fish in the boat. It was my first ever Channel Catfish. It was not long after that we all had a kitty in the boat. Once the action died down we decided to move to a new spot and Pete told us that last week the heaviest fish came out of the spot for the tournament he was in. We were having a bit of action. Pete took a step off the boat for a second on the bank we were beached on, and his rod does a jump and almost gets pulled into the water. I managed to grab the rod right before it happened and after what seemed like forever I pulled in this pig which was 29" and was 12 3/4 lbs It was a great day out with some fellow board members and also fun to fish with FisherPete for the first time, after meeting him a handful of times before the trip. I would consider bidding on the trip again next year if it was offered again because of how good of a time I had. The only down side for me was not taking up Pete on his offer on sun screen and now I’m sporting a nice sun burn.