Jump to content

Grand River Bass Derby


jediangler

Recommended Posts

Really guys??? I look forward to the derby to take the kids out and try to hook into a winner. Have you guys had bad experiences or are the crowds too much of a pain?

 

Paul

 

 

My reasoning for avoiding it is I feel it's very bad for the fishery. It's great they make it a catch and release tourney only but having people cart bass back and forth to the weigh station is very stressful and I suspect a large number don't return to the river alive. Keeping fish for hours in white bucket and bags is no good, which is what too many people do. They need to add a few additional weight in stations so fish don't need to be transported all around the watershed.

 

But that's just my opinion. Hopefully you and your kids have a good time, the weather looks good.

Edited by timmeh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't seen live fish being stored like that but I hope it doesn't happen too much. I know the mortality rate is low (according to media releases from the Nelson Murakami) and next year all fish must be kept in a container with a portable O2 feed so that should help out a lot. I'll see what I can see tommorrow and feed back to the guys at Natural Sports!!!

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate to see a natural resource used and abused to generate income, for a charity or for a fishing store. It's my home river, so I guess I'm a little protective of it.

 

I can see that, I have been scouting sections this week and I could be surprised to see some "trespassers" in my spots... haha.

 

I still think overall that the derby raises money for a good service group and encourages people to go and fish together so it's a good thing.

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The guys at Natural know what they're doing. Where do you think all those battery powered airators are going to be sold from?

 

My plan is to leave it in the package, if a get a 19"er or better I'll spend the 8 bucks and open er up and go to the weigh in. Can't have it both ways, spend a bit to save a fish.

 

P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

next year all fish must be kept in a container with a portable O2 feed so that should help out a lot.

 

Paul

 

 

Ya I heard this as well and I think that it's a great idea.

 

In previous years while fishing on derby weekend I've seen some pretty poor carrying containers though I suspect most people do make the effort to transport fish safely.

 

But for a river based tourney that runs from Belwood to Paris I don't understand why they don't have more than 1 measuring station. All you need is a reliable person with a tape measure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got back from a visit to Bingeman's with my daughter to check out the leaderboard. As of 3:30pm Saturday the leading fish is 19" long. While we were there a couple brought in two fish to be measured. They had their bass in a cooler with a battery powered bubbler so they were in great shape. Hers was 17.5" and his was 18 5/8", good enough for 5th place. Of course the guy measuring (not Nelson) dropped the big smallie off of the table and bounced it on the ground before measuring it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made it out for a couple hours just south of Kolab park in Kitchener. The water was fairly dirty and not as high as I expected it would be. The traffic on the river wasn't crazy. About what you would expect.

 

I'm thinking about heading out again tomorrow if anyone wouldn't mind me tagging along. Lord knows I could sure use some local tips after today's show. I got a couple blue gills but no smallies for me! :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey profc, welcome to the forum. I've been fishing the Grand here in k-town since I was a little squirt and I've never heard of Kolab park. Where is it? I probably know it by another name. I can PM you a spot or two to try tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Jedi are you old enough to have fished it in the late seventies when the bass fishery had recovered from years of pollution but the rest of the world hadnt found out about it yet. I use to live down by forwell rd and use to take the old bridgeport bus to behind the dollhouse Inflate my canadian tire rubber dingy and float back to my place. The smallie fishing was magic compared to today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Used to ride our bikes to Bridgeport from Victoria Hills with the poles strapped to our backs. That would have been in 74 or 75. Wasn't in full recovery mode at that time. We liked riding our bikes all the way to New Dundee and fishing Alder lake, those were the days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Word started to get out about the amazing fishing. Fish got edumacated. Fishings was still good but the days of double digit 18" plus fish were over. I remember because after 84 I stopped coming home from school because the fishing just had tapered off.

Edited by Musky or Specks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was magic. I was shown how to catch them when I was 12 in 76 by an older gent that I met on the river. Black and gold floating rapala size 9. It was amazing that a kid who didnt know much could just go out and slay big bass so easily. I'll never forget that old guy. Never saw him again but he hooked me for life on fishing and was kind enough to pass on his wisdom to a snot nosed punk that he met. Its why I will ALWAYS help people out that I meet while fishing. If it wasnt for that old guy I probably woulld have got hooked on something else. Although I might still be married..... second thought I REALLY owe the old guy a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny, I too cut my teeth fishing the Grand by the Dollhouse. Rod strapped to my bike or jammed in a knapsack and off I went with my buddies. I started probably in 85 or 86, and I felt the same excitement today heading to the river.

 

I fished a couple hours today, it's hard to get out by myself with a young family and it was great. I was throwing floating raps and Mepps Aglias. I got 2 smallies, 1 pretty small ans the 2nd was decent maybe 14 or 15". Too little time to work any more water.

 

I believe it's called Kolb park in Kitchener off of Victoria St. near the bridge over the Grand before Breslau. It used to be a gravel pit was rehabbed into a pond for fishing and fowl. I had the whole gang there in the early afternoon and it was packed, no fish for us.

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That might be the name The creek that flows from mackenzie king public school down to the grand which enters around the end of forwell rd is called Kolb Creek/drain . Use to catch my some big chub out of it when I was younger and the pond that it dumped into by blue springs use to hold some decent carp.

Edited by Musky or Specks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recent Topics

    Popular Topics

    Upcoming Events


×
×
  • Create New...