Algonquin Park - September for Brookies

[mirogak]

Ok just got back with a broken heart. Feels worst than grade 10 heartbreak ...

I guess that's why theses fish are so prized. Not for your average newbie.

But spring is not far.

 

Full report on Tuesday .... Gotta unpack. Ciao.

Miro

[Musky or Specks]

Ok just got back with a broken heart. Feels worst than grade 10 heartbreak ...

I guess that's why theses fish are so prized. Not for your average newbie.

But spring is not far.

 

Full report on Tuesday .... Gotta unpack. Ciao.

Miro

Shame we'll keep talking over the winter. I just got back from the park and managed a few including a beautiful 20 incher.

[mirogak]

Man - I was at Rock lake and what beauty.

 

Musky! I am happy for you. Ofcourse, must be the experience. Were u there this very weekend I was there?

 

Did u eat one? If so, how was it?

[Musky or Specks]

Man - I was at Rock lake and what beauty.

 

Musky! I am happy for you. Ofcourse, must be the experience. Were u there this very weekend I was there?

 

Did u eat one? If so, how was it?

Yes I was there from 2 pm Saturday till 1 PM Today. I let natural specks go for the most part but did keep one very small fish(12") for the young boy(7 yr old) who was with me cuz he begged me that he wanted to try one.

Edited September 26, 2011 by Musky or Specks

[mirogak]

Good for him ... Did he enjoy it. I see he is getting head start.

[mirogak]

Here is my report on my novice brook trip to AP:

 

Was there for 3 days (Fri, Sat and half-day Sunday); stayed at Rock lake due to close proximity to some of the stocked lakes and also for the leaf colours.

 

Friday - I hit one of the stocked lakes just east of where I was; involved a 2 km easy portage; beautiful isolated lake with nice views; trolled the shores with little cleos and williams wobbler but no hits; tried the rocky shoals, bays and near the eastern spring. Then I changed strategy and tried casting off shore with worms, floats, spinners but nothing except 4 smallies. These guys are everywhere and attracted to me. By the way it was pouring down hard the entire 4 hours I was there. On my way back on the portage saw a mother deer with her two fawns .. nice !!! At least I got something out of the day's adventure.

 

Saturday - woke up early to take some beautiful shots in the misty morning, even drove to another stocked lake with huge steep cliffs (picture below), tried a few casts but the spot was not ideal for casting, but did hear 3 fish splash in the distance. I knew they were specks because that lake is only stocked with specks. I had to come back to this lake with a canoe when it got darker. But in the meantime I had another lake in mind (that is not stocked) in the Tea lake vicinity. After a heavy breakfast, unfortunately my buddy lit up a spliff (the green stuff) and gave me a few drags. I usually don't smoke that stuff for good reason - because it knocked me out and I went to sleep for a solid 3 hours. So my plans got ruined for that day and we decided to go to the lake where I had seen the fish splash early in the morning. Canoed that lake for a good 4 hours; tried different depths, shorelines, near an awesome beaver damn (just mind blowing), in the marshes but nothing. What happened to those fish that were splashing? But did see lots and lots of baby trouts (or so I think), they could have been minows.

 

Sunday morning - before breakfast decided to try another stocked lake right off of the highway; there were good casting spots and you could tell others had fished from here because they left garbage and bottles behind (aholes) .... lots of small baby trouts and minnows (I think) but no big bites.

 

Sunday afternoon - after packing decided to hit the Oxtongue river on my way home. Found a couple of nice holes, had a few small bites and caught two small trouts - 10 incher and 7 incher. Too small and felt bad; so let them go. I only got the photo for the smaller one, see below.

 

In summary - I shall come back in Spring (mid May) and give it another go. I was not all that disappointed because I came back with some good memories and some new lessons learned. I think the water was still not cold enough for them to surface. I fished the surface; I should have gone deeper with a 3 way setup. No more spliffs ... and next time I buy a canoe cart. The sights were gorgeous.

 

Adios,

Miro

 

PS: back to the real world now.

Edited September 26, 2011 by letsgofishing

[mirogak]

Here is that baby speck

[mirogak]

good on you for pursuing a first speckled catch!

 

don't forget to prepare for some deeper fishing just in case... in one particular spring-fed lake in the park, my buddies and i had to use 2oz weights to get our panther martins to the right depth for the specks. once we did, it was some good action.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Thanks Jayess - wish I had read your post on time, it would have triggered me to fish deeper which I didn't and I think that would have made a big difference.

[Rod Caster]

Too bad you didn't have Terry's avatar with you on that one morning.

 

I'm glad you caught a couple speckies... At least you know your not chasing ghosts.

 

Great report!

[Jds63]

I have had more skunked outings for specks than successful, thats what makes it worth while when you get one ... its always nice just to be in the park for sure ....better luck next time

[singingdog]

Don't be too discouraged. Chasing specks can be a frustrating past time. Even when you find them, they can turn on and off like a light switch. I have hiked kilometers through thick stuff to get to stocked speck lakes, done everything "right" and would have sworn that the lake was deserted. Other times I have done the same thing and had 20 good fish in a one hour period, with long stretches of nothing in between. Good on ya for getting out.