Mimico

[walking_angler]

Could someone please explain this:

 

During the 1st or 2nd week of August last summer I was fishing from the pedestrian bridge that links Humber Bay Park East to Humber Bay Park West. At about 11:30 am, groups of about 10 – 12 large (the large ones were between 75cm and 50 cm and extremely thick) dark (black) coloured fish swam up the Mimico creek and began parking themselves in the shadow of the bridge. At one point dozens of people crossing the bridge would be stopped and look over at this sight.

The large groups of slow moving fish kept coming in all afternoon.

I tried using Berkley Powerbait Plastic Grubs on Jigs, size 0 and 1 Agila spinners, live snails, and pre-mixed carp bait (from a BPS discount bin). I didn't get a bite. Not even a nibble. The Mimico was quite clear that day, and from about 11:30 am to 2:30 pm I placed my line in front, around and across dozens of these giant fish with no luck. All they would do is swim past, and lie flank to flank in the shallow water north of the bridge.

I went back at least 3 days in a row and never saw that huge congregation, or any fish there again.

 

Question 1:

What kind of fish did I see? They didn't look like suckers, and i think that they were too cylindrical for carp.

 

Question 2:

What was wrong with my presentation?

[Pigeontroller]

Golden carp? Thats what i'd have called them as a kid. Big donkey goldfish. Koi that have been released?

[Puckhead]

Salmon.

[walking_angler]

No, I don't think they were salmon.

From the bridge they looked like slow torpedoes. I do remember seeing the very large ones roll along their lateral axis.

I know how silly that must sound, but the larger ones would roll. Once they got to the north side of the bridge they would sit there in the shallow water and wait.

I have never seen so many large fish at once, in one place. It reminded me of being a boy on a visit to a fort in Kingston. There was a pond teaming with massive carp, and we feed them bread all afternoon.

Is it possible I witnessed a spawning of carp?

 

Salmon.