CLofchik Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Okay, a little backstory 1st. I haven't really fished much in the last few years. Too lazy, burnt out, other responsibilities, other hobbies.........take your pick. Other than the fall salmon run which I still hit pretty hard, I hardly wet a line at all nowadays. Haven't caught a bass in two years, yup around 18 months without rigging up a weedless worm at all. Trout opener? I'd rather ride my motorcycle, too much bother to fit waders & float rod on a bike. But I'm starting to get the itch for a bent rod again, and after all the TO pike reports I was inspired. So instead of tearing around the escarpment annoying locals & providing the local constabulary a chance to fill their monthly quotas early I thought I'd dust off a rod and spend a few hours after work poking around for hungry post-spawn Hamilton pike. Wasn't expecting much (actually was expecting a skunk, but atleast it was nice out!), but I dug out Ol'Faithful and started casting. Probably my fav stickbait is a doctored Cordell Redfin. No waves, no ripples, no funky tiger colours, heck it might as well be 1986 but I've caught pretty much everything on it. Pike, smallmouth, used to be killer for spring browns by the Burlington Lift Bridge, even caught some chinooks on them in the fall. Good lure. So I start walking & casting. 1/2 hour in I had just muttered to myself that I'm not going to catch anything when *WHACK*...... Hey was that a weed? Rock? NO, that was a FISH!!!!! Shortstriking IQ challenged tapped it without getting hooked, dang! A few more casts, steady retrieve, long pauses, short pauses....little bugger wasn't getting fooled again. Okay, let's try something else. Remember when X-Raps first came out a few years ago? Newest, bestest, shiniest new lure. So like any good fisherman I trundled down to the tackle shop and picked up a few. Never caught a darn thing. Well not true, a single 2lb. pickeral two years ago on a spring canoe trip fishing for pike. Packed them away to the forgotten corner of the box and never used again. Well I dug one out and laid a cast where I was pretty sure there was a hungry pike. JERK...reel, JERK...reel, JERK...reel, can just barely see the lure now, hey let's check out the action, gee sure doesn't look like it wiggles much does it, yeah I don't think these work that gr.......*WHAMMMM!!!* Pike followed the lure in & inhaled it right infront me! A fish, an honest to gawd FISH! YEE HAW, GOT THE BUGGER! Good little scrap for a few minutes and a nice 30" pike came to hand. Took a little delicate surgery to get the Rap out of the back of his throat, quick show for the small throng of rollerbladers that are now stopped and amazed that anything other than carp & bullheads live in Hamilton Bay, and back he goes. Sorry, forgot to take a pic. Okay, now I'm jazzed. Ended up bagging three, another around the same size (around 30", bit over 5lb) and one wee hammer handle. All fish came on the same X-Rap. Atleast I remembered some pix. Seeing as how everybody is catching their personal best lately, my personal best fish caught on an X-Rap! Not bad for a few hours after work, ended up parking on a bench for a celebratory stogie watching the sun go down & listening to the birds. Heh, this fishing stuff can be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinman Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Great report! i enjoyed that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskymike Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 I know where that is Nice job, maybe i will see you down there if i ever fish the harbour. i live in the Creek and have never wet my line anywhere near hamilton hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Hey...where's the Joey Man-Ho's picture? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattones Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 awesome story man! Great photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyk Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 thanks for the report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatherof3 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 great report/story,congrats on your pb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfisher Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Great story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubris21 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 excellent report, I think you should get your line in the water a little more often and keep the reports coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Great read. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyb Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Great report...it's good to be back, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snag Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Welcome back, (hideous laughter ensues) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpsbassman Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Nice report. Was down there at lunch today, but didn't see anybody having any action. Well Done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted May 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Hey...where's the Joey Man-Ho's picture? lol Heh, if nobody else catches anything bigger Team #4 is in really big trouble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikehunter Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehg Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Hamilton, eh? Nice pikes. Cool report, ehg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garry2Rs Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Great to hear that people are catching fish in the Bay again. There's hope for the Hammer yet!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted May 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Gave it another shot today. Couldn't get a sniff from a pike, but apparently the sheepshead bite is on! Note to self, helpful passersby don't necessary make the best cameraman! Okay this ones a little better, biggest of the day. No esox, but anything that pulls is still better than nothing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smbhunter Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 A couple good outings for ya. Those sheephead sure put up a great fight don't they? That first one is a decent size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GbayGiant Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Nice comeback bud, I bet your addicted again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stasbrute Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Yay Hamilton!! nice job!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglyfish Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 nice work bud! nice to meet ya too!! (i was the guy with the kid driving the red jeep) i'll be down there in the morning if ya wanna come down and try for some toothy critters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeds Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 Nice report. I enjoyed the read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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