007 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Hi all. It's been a while since I posted a report where I have actually caught a decent sized fish - was June I think when I caught my PB carp at 15lbs. So I headed out to the Toronto Islands today on my day off work with the goal of catching a big one! The aim was to target the big guys - Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Carp and Salmon. The weather was cooler and windier than I had hoped for but it was better than being in the office. I started the day by casting XRaps along weed edges and the canal walls in the hope of catching a good pike. However the only fish I could get to even chase the lure were perch and small bass. After a while of no success I decided to change tactics and at least try and avoid the dreaded skunk, so set up a rod with a float and worm - my favourite 'back to basics' rig. Sure enough, the fish were there, just needed smaller baits to get them cos they were small fish. For the next hour or so I had fun catching perch after perch, sunfish after sunfish and the odd small bass. There were certainly a lot more perch than usual, normally the sunfish outnumber the perch but this time it was the other way round. It then dawned on me that the commotion of all the small fish being hooked might have alerted the attention of a pike so I picked up the rod with the xrap on and had another go. Within a few minutes I had a follow from a large bass. Having attracted the fish close to where I was standing I decided to toss my float and worm rig out again as islands bass usually can't resist a live worm. Within seconds I was fighting a huge largemouth bass, that on one run even took line from my reel even with the drag set for more powerful fish like pike and carp. This fish was a brute - problem was - could I net it. Due to the dry summer the water levels around the islands have fallen somewhat and I could barely reach the water from the bank with my net! In the end I had to lie down flat on the bank over the canal wall and scoop the now tired bass out of the water. I successfully netted the fish but not without some difficulty and a worrying cracking sound from my rib cage which was balancing on the iron wall edge as I scooped the fish out (am now in some pain - maybe I should go to the hospital for xrays?). With the fish on the bank I took the vital stats - almost 20 inches in length and 4lbs 11oz on the scales! My new Personal Best Largemouth Bass, beating a fish I caught two years ago at the Islands that I estimated at 4lbs. I took a few pics but really wanted a shot of me holding it - wouldn't you know it - there was no one around. Normally at the islands there are so many people you want them to go away and now there was no-one to take a photo! As the fish had been out of water for a while now I decided against a self-timer shot from a nearby picnic table and released the fish. Feeling a little happier that I had caught a big fish for a change I decided to experiment a bit - I actually used a spinnerbait for the first time. What did I hook with it? A big pike - nope - a bass only just bigger than the lure! Time to move on. I decided that it was time to target the next species - carp. I walked along one of the large channels looking into the weed, searching for signs of carp. In one clearing of the weed I noticed the tell-tale tail of a heads-down feeding carp. So I threw in a handful of corn in a nearby clearing in the weed and waited to see if the carp would move in. Sure enough two carp came over and start sucking in the corn. So I quickly take off my wire leader and attach a small hook straight to my 20lb power-pro, put a few kernels of corn on and attach a split shot 2ft from the hook. It wasn't long before a carp of easily 20-25lbs sucked in my hookbait. I set the hook - fish on. The reel starts to scream as the fish runs, slowly at first near the surface and then more quickly straight down into the weeds. I hold on for the first run and slowly tighten the drag until the fish stops. With the first run over (or so I think) I applied pressure and started to (prematurely) reel in, unfortunately the fish had other ideas and took off on such a powerful run my now tightened drag couldn't take it and SNAP - my 20lb power-pro breaks - potential PB carp lost! Oh the ups and downs of fishing! Two PBs in a day was just too good to be true! Needless to say the lost carp and the increasing pain in my chest put a dampner on things from then on. With thoughts of calling it a day in my mind I headed back towards the ferry, stopping for a few mins to cast a little cleo to where I had seen some big fish jump (possibly a few early arriving salmon). Unfortunately no takers. So of the big 4 - I had managed to hook two of them, including a PB largemouth bass, but oh how the day would have been better still with a 20lb carp PB too! Oh well - there's always next time - though maybe I need stronger braid, a reel with smoother drag and a bit more patience to just let the fish run if that's what it wants to do! Here's a few pics... Cheers 007 p.s I will try to post a report from my weekend trip to Killarney sometime this week - lots of beautiful pics just not many of fish!
tbayboy Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Wow, great bass there. Congrats on the PB. Hopefully you just bruised a rib but if it still hurts in the morning it might not be a bad idea to get it checked out.
motv8tr Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Great report and a nice Bass for sure Maureen
fatherof3 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 congrats on the pb. hope your ribs are ok
silveradosheriff Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Awesome fish - congrats on the PB!
ccmtcanada Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Awesome report and GREAT largie there! You had a great day out there...congrats!
dsn Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Nice BP. Glad you got into a bigger fish. Hope I can get out soon too.
urbanangler1990 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 nice one! what condition are the weeds in now?
snag Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 Glad you got out! Great catch. Now go to the hospital!
007 Posted September 5, 2007 Author Report Posted September 5, 2007 Thanks guys. It sure was a big bucketmouth - I can't believe how big their mouths are - its just all out of proportion!. The ribs are still sore but no major harm done i don't think. I guess if one was broken I would be in a lot more pain! dsn - stalking the carp was good fun but I need more experience of tackling these big fish and making sure I don't lose any. Like you said to me before - the carp are not in there as thick now and it took a while to find some - but they are big and feeding. urbanangler - the weeds are still thick everywhere. Casting lures was tricky - had to find gaps in the weeds or not let them sink too much. Most fish were hiding in the weed but could occasionally be tempted out. Snag - in answer to your question on my other post - I was using 20lb power-pro. I'm guessing for carp fishing I should have gone for stronger braid. Presumably for pike the 20lb stuff should be ok? What strength do you use? 007
snag Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 I use 30lb. for pike with the 80lb. floro leader. I've noticed that I tend to get nicks on the line from bites, rocks, docks, hooks etc. So at least I feel confident that the damaged line will still be in the 10-20lb. range in case I catch a monster or a little extra lifting is involved. I am frugal, O.k. cheap and I know that the 30lb. may not cast as far but it will be on my reel longer. Again, nice bass dude!
Rizzo Posted September 5, 2007 Report Posted September 5, 2007 in the immortal words of roland martin..."oooooh son, that's a big'un"
sharper Posted September 6, 2007 Report Posted September 6, 2007 Nice catches on the island! I was there just this week and rented a canoe and everything but didn't catch a single thing. Saw some small mouth feeding on a school of minnows but couldn't get it to take my jig. And I also have that same spinner bait as you just in yellow instead maybe I should get white? lol
huntervasili Posted September 7, 2007 Report Posted September 7, 2007 COngrats on the beaty PB bass and good luck for the other species!
MJL Posted September 7, 2007 Report Posted September 7, 2007 Great report 007 Congrats on the PB Too bad about losing the carp but there are still more opportunities to get a big one before the season winds down.
007 Posted September 8, 2007 Author Report Posted September 8, 2007 I sure hope I can get back out there and get that big carp before the end of the season. Only problem is I'm now in a lot more pain than earlier in the week. Went to the doc and he said I might have torn a muscle in my chest or cracked a rib! Problem is there's not much he can do for either. Went to the hospital for xrays to confirm whether I have a fracture or break - they won't give me results until early next week! Unfortunately I'm in too much pain to go fishing this weekend . I guess it gives some time to do my Killarney report from the Labour Day weekend! Good luck out there this weekend and be careful not to injure yourself like me!! 007
PatrickGG Posted September 8, 2007 Report Posted September 8, 2007 Nice largemouth 007 and congrats on you PB.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now