CLofchik Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Ah the poor whistletrout, sheepshead, the much maligned freshwater drum........ I have to say I've been having a blast the last few weeks playing with the huge numbers of these things that are around Hamilton Bay, been dinging them pretty much everywhere there's deep water, though Pier 8 has been the most productive. They put up a good fight, are stupid easy to catch and can top out at 20lbs. What more do you want from an easy summer fish? Deep diver shad cranks have been my steadiest bait, with shallow running white cranks working after the sun starts to go down and they come up shallow. Give the whistletrout a shot, they've been putting up better scraps than bass or even carp. Bait is coming in at night to spawn so thick I'm snagging alewives on my crankbaits, good sign for Lake O baitfish numbers.
hammercarp Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Nice drum. It was good to meet you today and shoot the breeze for a while. Sheepies fighting harder than carp! Ha, I don't know about that. I got one about 10, a carp of course, and had a little crowd watch the battle. I don't think I have ever seen sheephead do that.
BillM Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Just a sec, people fish for those things on purpose? Weird bunch.
hammercarp Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Ya I agree. Never heard of anyone fishing for alewives before.
Kenny G Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Your darn right they are good fun to catch. Kenny G.
bigugli Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Looks like you've been having a blast out there. Gotta get over there some time.
BillM Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Ya I agree. Never heard of anyone fishing for alewives before.
CLofchik Posted July 6, 2009 Author Report Posted July 6, 2009 Ya I agree. Never heard of anyone fishing for alewives before. Lol, I think more people fish for alewives than the mighty drum (herring is apparently getting scarce in Ontario, so alot of trollers are switching over to alewives in their meat rigs). It's odd, people fish for their cousin in saltwater, even consider them a great food fish. But the poor freshwater drum is the Rodney Dangerfield of big water sportfish.....they just get no respect. 'course........I can't quite get up the courage to eat one out of Hamilton.....
MCTFisher9120 Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Great job out there with the Drum, I'll have to try to catch one of these fish one day. Thanks for sharing, MTBF
blaque Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 They put up a good fight, are stupid easy to catch and can top out at 20lbs. What more do you want from an easy summer fish? kinda like bass? lol
blaque Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 i do agree though, they certainly get the adrenaline going when they are digging hard toward the bottom and you imagine what you may have hooked into. But i will say that it is disappointing to say the least when i see that silver flash coming up to the boat. It is funny hearing it every time it happens...........Ahhhhhhhhh! Its just a flippin sheephead!!!!!!!
bdox Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Here's another sheep from Hamilton Bay, got this back in may fishing for Pike.
johnnyb Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 If you're gonna let bass go all day long, and you're obviously gonna let sheepies go all day long...may as well go for the bigger, harder fighting fish. Assuming, of course, you're stuck in the city and have nothing better to do...I don't think I'd trade a trip up to the cottage for standing on the pier. Nice fish, CL...thanks for posting the Drum in a new light
Rich Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Good stuff mang! I'm glad to see some others are having fun catching sheephead, I love catching them. I have no idea why anyone would complain about catching one. Fight just as hard as any bass of similar size.
bucktail Posted July 6, 2009 Report Posted July 6, 2009 Grunts are great fish to catch. 3 years ago my buddy got one about 15 pounds when we were trolling in Quinte in the fall. It tore the hooks out of a deep down taildancer!
Leecher Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 (edited) Nice drum CL They sure can put up a good tussle.... thanks for sharing Leechman Edited July 7, 2009 by Leechman
Mike Pike Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 (edited) Good on ya and some great 'tackle testers' you've been catching there! PS.. I like how your crank bait colour resembles the colour of the alewifes. Good choice. Edited July 7, 2009 by Mike Pike
fishermccann Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 I am in it for the fight , not the fish to eat!
Jonny Posted July 7, 2009 Report Posted July 7, 2009 Nice ones, Clofchik. Drum have earned my respect. They put up a darn good fight and the smaller ones are good to eat, if you're so inclined (from Nipissing anyway).
Dara Posted July 8, 2009 Report Posted July 8, 2009 Best part about C&R is you don't have to clean the buggers...kinda like shooting seagulls
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