Steve Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 as well, the prime spawning fish need to be left alone during the spawn, and not targetted under the guise of "pike" fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smally21 Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 fish i catch down there are covered in lesions and body sores. i don't want to touch them let alone take them home. there are perch and other panfish out in the bay proper and around lasalle marine that has somewhat better water quality. all beaches are closed again right now. local marinas advise flushing the acidic water everytime you boat there. the anchor comes up covered in pitch/tarlike product that is impossible to wash off your hands or boat. the myth of poor water quality is not a myth. though it is much better than it used to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 and smally21, the "pro's" are having a tough time catching bass down there as well. the recent twilight tournament, by the hamilton bassmasters, had very poor results, as did the fun tournament held two Saturday's ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 fish i catch down there are covered in lesions and body sores. i don't want to touch them let alone take them home. there are perch and other panfish out in the bay proper and around lasalle marine that has somewhat better water quality. all beaches are closed again right now. local marinas advise flushing the acidic water everytime you boat there. the anchor comes up covered in pitch/tarlike product that is impossible to wash off your hands or boat. the myth of poor water quality is not a myth. though it is much better than it used to be. I just removed Hamilton Harbour from my bucket list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdox Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 The Bayfront/Pier 4 beaches get closed mostly due to E. Coli caused by Goose and Swan feces, and in turn, the idiots who insist on feeding them. I would say maybe 1 in 10 bass we catch from the Harbor are outfitted with the lesions and sores that smally21 mentioned. That being said, I still wouldn't fry up a fish from that water, even a panfish from the main basin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammercarp Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 I saw some big sheephead cruising around the Haida and Pier 8 last week. They will give you a go on a lure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglyfish Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Pier 4 beach is open for swimming as of last check. But yes, its typically due to all the geese crap from morons feeding them. As yes, the twilight tourney last nite had 5 fish, for 20 anglers. I fished the event with the winner. The fishing was very tough. More weeds then I really remember seeing down there and the water was quite dirty due to the wind. But on the flip side, we've had evening events down there that had 15lb bags for the top 3 teams, not to mention fish in the 4 and 5lb classes come to the scales. And 97% of the fish all look very healthy u'll find fish on any and every lake that has sore or lesions or some kind of deformation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ld17 Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 The Harbour will always be near and dear to my heart. We should be so lucky to have a place so close to home to fish. I would say in the last 4 years there has been a decline in the quality of fish ( bass ) being caught. Don't know what it could be. During the spawn there are all kinds of bass present so not sure if they are getting really smart or just pulling out and going off shore. I hope this trend will swing back to days of going down and catching a limit in a few hours of fishing. Time will tell. I will still be fishing down there. You just might have to think outside the box more an more. I think a lot of anglers are getting better at catching fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2fish85 Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 (edited) Steve You really shouldn't talk like you know everyone that says they are fishing pike down there is going for bass. I fish there for pike while bass are closed and do actually catch pike and a decent amount. Before you say something maybe you should check what people are using before assuming. I don't know many people that use a 30# flouro leader with a large husky jerk for bass. Edited July 12, 2012 by Live2fish85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smally21 Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 (edited) im happy to hear you are catching some healthier looking fish. that is good news indeed. ive caught some 4-5 lb bass in there, alot of gobies...the far side of the bay can feel like cottage country. lots of small cats that act like bass, caught on the same gear, fight the same..its kind of different than their behaviour i have noticed elsewhere. the carp put on quite a show during their busy season and sometimes if you walk behind the big (former) canada centre they are so thick, just below the surface you could walk across them. perhaps i shouldn`t be so negative towards it , the area is used by lots of people that get enjoyment out of it. and lew - no one will make you swim in it! Edited July 12, 2012 by smally21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pike Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 When I was a young fella, growing up in Hamilton, a port city, I had no conncetion to the water. As kids, we had very limited access to the harbour. It was just steel mills and rail yards. Today, hundreds( maybe thousands )of people of all ages walk, bike and rollerblade along the waterfront trails and fish the waters, everyday. Even without a boat, there is so much fishable water for any species you care to target. Guys who put in their time, do well with bass( large and smallmouth ), pike in the spring and even steelhead and salmon come fall. Not to mention, the multi species fishery come winter when ice sets in. No, I definately wouldn't put it on my bucket list if I were you either Lew 'cuz you now live in God's country fer sure! But for those of us in and around the Hammer, it's a great place to enjoy in a lot of different ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 They should probably just nuke Hamilton Harbour and start over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 No, I definately wouldn't put it on my bucket list if I were you either Lew 'cuz you now live in God's country fer sure! But for those of us in and around the Hammer, it's a great place to enjoy in a lot of different ways. Sorry Mike, I wasn't putting anyone down , just being sarcastic and I spose I should have added the emoticom...or whatever it's called Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pike Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 Sorry Mike, I wasn't putting anyone down , just being sarcastic and I spose I should have added the emoticom...or whatever it's called LOL No worries, Lew. I never took it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Live2Fish85, after watching the decline over the last 10 years, seeing fish caught on opener with four and five hook marks already in their mouths, and seeing guys throw spinnerbaits at spawning bass, while "pike" fishing, I'm sorry - they should make the harbour a fishing sanctuary until bass opener. there are lots of bodies of water found on the great lakes that already have sanctuaries instituted until bass opener - and they contain pike. I would love to see the same in the harbour. But like anything, policing it would be a major challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2fish85 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) Steve, unfortunately the harbour isn't a great fishery. The other reason you may have seen the fishing decline is that fishing has become alot more common, putting more pressure on them. If you know anything about bass you would realize that catching a spawning bass isn't going to hurt it or cause them to not hit again. Looks at the US they put there money into the fisheries properly. Has bass fishing been affected by all season fishing in the states, I think not. I also grew up on Lake Erie, my parents still live there and I will fish for pike in there bay but they come around not to often there and are hard to come by. I also catch some smallies while trying. Not to mention the other people out the targeting the smallies while they are spawning. Guess what the fishing is still great and hasn't declined. It also doesn't see half the pressure that the harbour see. The harbour won't become a sanctuary because the fiahing isn't good really. The bass aren't great I could catch a ton more on Erie abd many other Lakes. All I think is your an ass when you assume everyone is poaching. Edited July 13, 2012 by Live2fish85 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'm sorry you feel the harbour is not a great fishery. I disagree. However, like you said, pressure has created challenges on fish catches. With the population around it, it had to be expected. Just to clarify, I didn't say anyone fishing pike was poaching bass - just the ones that are casting AT spawning bass, over and over, with spinnerbaits.... the single best one was the guy throwing the scum frog over the grass saying he was carp fishing. Either way, I don't agree pulling bass off their spawning nests doesn't affect their spawn, especially with the goby and brown bullhead population in the harbour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live2fish85 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I have seen guys down there with senkos that I would say is going for bass. Spinnerbaits do work well for pike so I won't say they are going for spawning bass. Using a frog I would agree is going for bass. There are alot better places then the harbour for fishing, maybe not in hamilton. Studies show that bass aren't effected by it. Believe me the states does one thing right and that is there fisheries. They make us look like were a joke when it comes to fisheries. I appologize for saying your an ass, that was rude but I don't like be told I am poaching for fishing for pike. I can wait for bass opener to go and fish Erie where it is actually a great lake for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 hey, no problem with the ass comment. I am one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishing Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Very nice gentlemen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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