Spring is upon us!

[Christopheraaron]

This last weekend was the official start to the 2013 softwater season for me, day one and two was spent chasing pike and suckers around hamilton, both days ended in a skunk, but it was nice to get back out.

 

Day three was a bit more eventful, I went down to a couple of stormwater ponds that have bass, crappie, lots of koi and carp. First I set up a float and micro tube and pitched it around the many submerged bushes of the ponds, doing that I caught the first crappie of the season and a 4" bass

 

 

After that the panfish shut down and I moved on to the carp/koi. By now (midday) the carp had warmed up and you could see them cruising and feeding in my favourite swim. So I set up a small bolt rig and baited it with some cheese, and tossed it into the swim. Within 20 minutes of my bait being in the water I had my first bite, but I missed it. Another 20 minutes and I hooked into a brute, he started peeling line and took me across the pond, 5 minutes later I lifted this beauty out of the water, it measured 27".

 

 

 

Released to swim another day. Rebait the hook and repeat, hook one but it shakes the hook immediately and spooks all the other fish, about 10 minutes later and they return, I hook another one, fight it for a few seconds but like the last one it shakes the hook. A bit more waiting and another falls for the bait, a short fight and it surrenders, this one was probably about 5 lbs.

 

 

That concluded day three. Day 4 I decide to sneak in a couple hours of fishing in before we have to leave for an Easter dinner, this time I come prepared, corn, cheese, chum, float rod (with spinning reel) and rod holder. Its colder today and the fish are no where to be seen, I chum the swim and wait but nothing shows apart from the sight of 2 cruisers. So I decided to let the chum work it's magic and target some more panfish. One hit from what was probably a bass but it missed the tube. So I checked back at the swim, there was one fish there but it spooked when I walked up. I decided that carp was still my best option, so I baited with some corn and cheese, chummed again and waited. Eventually they came in at full force, I got about 5 hits within 15 minutes but they spit the bait out before I had a chance to set the hook, but on the next take I got one. This was one of the hardest fights I've ever had with a fish, it took at least 15 minutes to land, and wasn't even trying, just kept sitting there, refusing to be landed. Man I'd love to encounter this thing in the summer!

 

 

Now the cold has rolled back in and the fish have gone deep, next weekend I'll be back out, but until then I'll be tying for the swap meet.

 

Cheers,

 

Christopher

[misfish]

Day three looks like a fun day. WTG.

[Christopheraaron]

Day three was the best fishing I've had in a while

[Mike Pike]

Nice job Christopher! That's quite a nice mix of fish you have at your swim. The koi/carp( ? )are as purdy a fsih as I've ever seen!

[Christopheraaron]

Ya, much nicer than commons I think Some idiot dumped their pond fish in there a few years ago and now theres a huge population in there lol

[cuzza]

Nice going! That last one is a beaut

[Locnar]

Right on man, nice carp and kois. I'm still workin on my first carp haha

[grizzlybri]

Right on man, nice carp and kois. I'm still workin on my first carp haha

Really nice, im looking forward to getting some softwater action in by the weekend, carp is also on my list of fish to catch

[Locnar]

Really nice, im looking forward to getting some softwater action in by the weekend, carp is also on my list of fish to catch

 

I was out on the weekend looking for suckers... hooked into one but he broke off. They are starting to move in. Carp have always eluded me though, I've tried many things and still nothing to show for my efforts.

[Andrew Grant]

.

Edited January 29, 2014 by XxX

[moxie]

I admire your tenacity Christopher. Love that Koi/Goldfish mutant.

[Christopheraaron]

Spring is upon us!

 

I take it back, lol.

 

[Rich]

Haha, koi action at it's finest!

 

Great report buddy!

Edited April 3, 2013 by Rich

[SirCranksalot]

Spring has sprung---the dog turds have started to emerge from the snow!!!

[LefroyFisherman]

Another inch of snow on the ground this morning and still falling, even I'm getting sick of winter... Want to take the boat out!

[outllaw]

lmao. dog turds appear. i have that myself.

[TJQ]

Great job.. It will be at least a month before there gonna be any open water up here...