Killarney Provincial Park smallmouth and more

[Dave Bailey]

Just had a week up in that sylvan paradise nestled in the La Cloche mountains, and took the opportunity to apply something I learned from this happy band of anglers - drop shotting. As I've said before the fact that I run a tournament each year does NOT mean that I am an expert fisherman, in fact I'm only just getting back into it after languishing for many a year. I'm still more casual than serious (don't want it to get too much like work!), but I do want a bit more success.

I decided to work in a light and versatile style since canoeing is the only way to do George Lake other than standing on shore. I palomared a worm hook about a foot up the line, reasoning that if I got into any cover it would be easier to rehook the Slammer to snagless mode than put on a different hook. A moderate size (I'm lousy with remembering weights) bismuth split shot went on the bottom, and the hunt began. I cruised around looking for area where there had been lots of rocks tumbling from the cliffs, causing lots of good smallmouth structure below the water. The tactic seemed to work, and I have now fallen in love with George Lake as a great bronzeback hole. Things started off on the small side:



But it was all uphill from there:



Excuse the blurriness of some of these, but when you're alone in a canoe you take a quick pic and release:











All told it was a great week, topped off by a sighting of a peregrine falcon just as I was releasing one of those fish. I had seen a notice in the office that they wanted reports of them, so some quick pics were taken and shown to the park naturalist. He was ecstatic, as it was the first report they had received all year:





Detail:

Edited June 17, 2013 by Dave Bailey

[Grimace]

Well done sir. Killarney is a beautiful place.

[Terry]

thanks for the report

 

 

Killarney another place I have wanted to get to

 

[Sinker]

Anytime I hear the word Killarny, all I can think about is the portage up silver peak. What a freakin workout that was!!!

 

Beauty country though, and I'd do it again if I could find someone silly enough to join me. I camped on top of the peak one night alone. What a great experience that was!

 

s.

[whynotalen]

hey Dave, nice report.

 

I was wondering if you were using an anchor with the canoe. If not, how did you keep still for drop-shotting??

[Pigeontroller]

Nice report Dave, thanks for sharing!

[alphaalpha]

great looking fish and very cool shots of the falcon!

 

Thanks for the report!

[Bly]

Sounds like a nice trip Dave. Keep meaning to try drop shotting, congrats on your success. Cool shots of the falcons.

[Dave Bailey]

hey Dave, nice report.

 

I was wondering if you were using an anchor with the canoe. If not, how did you keep still for drop-shotting??

 

Yep, got an anchor, used it quite a bit but also drifted at times just to cover more water. I also had success casting the drop-shot rig, either casting away from shore and bumping it upslope or casting in and bumping down. My anchor rope is about 28 feet, but that's a double rope so if I need to go deeper I can undo the knot at the top end, tie a big knot at one end that won't fit through the anchor hole, drag it all the way until it stops, and tie-off again. PRESTO! - 56ft anchor rope! Haven't ever bothered doing that yet, but there were times I felt like it because it wouldn't reach bottom. Those were the times I drifted. Forgot to mention that I also had a couple of escapees who took the line down into the rocks and broke off. They did it almost immediately so I had no chance to guess weights, but they felt BIG. I know they get a lot larger than any of mine shown, here's one my son got last year:

 

[Leecher]

Awesome report Dave and superb pics

Sounds like a good time out on soft water

Great job and thanks for sharing

Leechman

[fish-miester]

love the colour choice of the slammer

[MCTFisher9120]

Nice catches,

MTBF

[diggyj]

Great pics and love the SLAMMERS!

[MJL]

Very nice!

 

I remember back in 2004 my friends wanted to do a trip to Killarney but after receiving an e-mail from the friends of Killarney park of poor fishing due to acid rain, we canceled...Wish we never did. That place is beautiful. Really love the shots of the falcon. WTG

[johnnyb]

Way to go -- trying out a new tactic is always nice when you get rewarded with fish. And you sure got into some quality fish.....plus scenery....sounds like quite the place...don't know why I've never visited yet.

[torco]

Nice report. What a beautiful park up as well.

[Dave Bailey]

Very nice!

 

I remember back in 2004 my friends wanted to do a trip to Killarney but after receiving an e-mail from the friends of Killarney park of poor fishing due to acid rain, we canceled...Wish we never did. That place is beautiful. Really love the shots of the falcon. WTG

 

You probably made the correct decision. According to the park naturalist I spoke to about the peregrine, smallmouth bass were introduced back to the lake around '98, so '04 may not have been enough time for them to get to a position where fishing would be worthwhile. But they seem to be back with a vengeance now!

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great report!I'm definitely sold on those slammers!

[Joey]

Great report, I've never been but might have to make a trip there now.

 

Glad to see the falcon there

 

Joey