US side catch and release Bass

[bassfighter]

Went on Sunday to Niagara US side since we got the US license, weather was at times sunny and other times cloudy. I caught 5 catch and release US bass. Largest SM Bass was over 3 lber, while the smallest large mouth bass was under 1 lb, the other three SM bass were at least 2 lb. Also saw thousands of bait fish.

 

Hard to fish this time of the year, since we do not want to fish the Canadian side. Lots of speed boat and sea doo making too many noises. Fish were caught when it got cloudy, otherwise it was tough fishing on a sunny no cloud day. The largest fish was caught by drop shotting. I was using 1/2-3/4 oz jighead grub and spoon most of the time.

 

Weather Temp was around 20 degrees, Water temp was 69+ degrees.

 

The water level was slightly higher than normal, still some moss around, but manageable, just have to be patient in cleaning our lures.

 

There were tons of carp surfacing, carps are flooded there. Anyone tried to fish carp on their boat? Any technique to share. They get scared everytime we throw our jig at them. Not sure how to use hair rig with corn to entice them either. None of the Carp are over 10 lber.

 

By next week bass opener, it will be chaotic on the water everywhere.

 

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/bassfighter_album/usfishing.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/bassfighter_album/usfishing-1.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/bassfighter_album/fishing2010.jpg

[thalweg]

Nice fish. Wish Ontario would smarten up and re-think the bass season up here. In my opinion, US fisheries management is light years better than Ontario. I would rather spend my fishing dollars up here but end up sending more of it down south. They don't seem to be losing fish populations either, in fact...in my experience the bass fishing down there gets better year after year.

 

I've tried for carp from the boat with the fly rod using a brown woolly bugger. Got them, but not when they were suspended or surfacing. The fly needed to be resting or very slowly dragging bottom. The carp seem to be trying to eat stuff at the surface...but I don't think they are.

[OhioFisherman]

LOL carp (pig fish!)I never intentionally fished for them, they were a by product of smallie fishing. We used to catch them on tubes smallie fishing in Sandusky Bay and East Harbor on Lake Erie. Water was usually fairly clear, if you got into a spot were the water was muddy with no apparent reason? a school of carp feeding, rooting in the bottom stirring things up. Hoovers dude! They will suck up anything!

 

They got the crawfish moving around and that got the smallies hitting, by the carp would take them too, also took tubes. Set the hook on a 30-60 pound carp and hold on! Be prepared to follow with the electric motor.

 

They have also been incidental catches in other waters, most of the time hooked in the lip, but occasionally snagged by accident.

 

Sheephead were also an issue, for the most part the same diet and habitat as smallies, but a lot larger, you make 10 casts, catch 10 sheephead? time to move! they bully smallies out of an area.

Edited June 21, 2010 by OhioFisherman