First piking adventure ever.... success!

[frozen-fire]

After the crappie opener on the kawarthas, I've been going often with some pretty good results. After a while, it got kind of repetitive with the slabs, so I decided to try something different. Have never targetted pike before and have never landed one myself, so I decided to give it a try.

 

Yesterday (May 8th) we made our way down to the islands early morning to beat the morning rush hour. We wanted to catch the 6:30 ferry to Ward Island, but unfortunately, the stupid machine at the dock is really screwy and didn't take any of our cash... we will from now on remember to bring change. Ended up missing the first ferry out and ended up getting the next one.

 

Awesome day with nice sunshine and weather.

 

We started walking along the shoreline casting in all directions with little luck. Soon however, my girlfriend gets a big hit, and it quickly slices through the powerpro like nothing, taking the #4 black fury. Perhaps I should be using some kind of leader to save my lures, any insight on this?

We keep walking and I end up retrieving my xrap to see something following it. I thought that this would be my first pike ever, but it continued to just watch the lure and bolted for deep water after it got too close to the shore. That was soooo cool. Watching the fish stalk the lure. It had some serious heavy scarring around the head though, I'm assuming from the aggressive mating behaviour. I call my gf, my buddy and his gf over and they continue to cast where I saw this fish.

 

Soon enough, my buddy lands this little one, his first pike.

 

5 minutes after that, my gf lands her first pike and the biggest fish she's ever caught. She was so happy .

 

At this point, I'm getting pretty confident that I won't get skunked. We keep walking around the shoreline being adventurous, and my buddy hooks into another one, but it shakes the lure out and swims away. We continue to walk around the islands and there is no other fish to be seen for a couple hours. I was starting to feel that I'd be skunked.

As we're fishing, we pass by two other anglers who said that they've been getting lots of follows but no takers.

 

Then to my surprise, as I was retrieving my lure, a pike shoots up from a patch of weeds and takes it! YES! My first pike. Man, it felt good to see the fish on and to watch it curving it's body in the water.

 

We continue to walk with the sun beating down on us and we reach this stretch that produced nicely for me.

 

First one

 

Second one

 

Third one. Biggest of the day! was 28.5 inches long and about 5 lbs.

 

4th and last fish before we called it a day.

 

All in all, I landed 5 pike, gf landed 1 and my buddy got 2 and lost 1 (He also caught a huge OOS largemouth... one of the fatest i've ever seen). I'd say that's pretty good for a first time out targetting a new species.

 

Another shot of CN tower on our way home.

 

Okay, after this trip, I have some questions.

I'm using 35lb powerpro on a shimano stradic 2500 on 6'6" shimano compre combo. This sufficient? I'm loving the reel though. I'm not currently using a leader, and wondering if I should. I noticed that in the morning, the fish weren't that aggressive, and only usually had one hook in the corner of their mouths. Later on in the day, the fish really turned on would totally engulf and swallow xrap 10's.

 

I noticed that these fish bleed... A LOT, and quite easily as well. Why is this? Whenever they took it in deep, we had to improvise and use branches as jaw spreaders as I forgot to look into them at BPS or Le Barons. Hahaha. One of the pike bled VERY bad, the ending treble on the xrap caught onto the 3rd gill branch beneath the operculum and it took a while to get it out. It didn't seem to hook into anything, but i'm guessing during the fight, the hook caught onto the gill filaments or the rakers on the other side of the gill arch. They all swam off with a splash, but am unsure of their survival. Is there any way I can avoid the damage done? Don't want to see these cool fish die. Perhaps using barbless will save a lot more fish? My gf got so disgusted with all the blood and didn't want to catch any more cause of this haha.

 

Had so much fun that I'm going to head back down tomorrow. Hope the second time is as good as the first. I'm looking to break 30 inches .

Edited May 9, 2007 by frozen-fire

[frozen-fire]

Oh yeah, also noticed that a lot of pike were seen on the bottom of the canals, motionless and not reacting to anything around. Is there a secret to get them to take the lure? You can really see so many fish cruising the bottom with polarized sunglasses! Lots of HUGE CARP... schools of them. Occasional catfish and big LMB as well.

[Golfisher]

Good stuff! As for using leaders, you should definitely use them, not only to avoid losing your costly lures, but also to save your fish as well. PP is good, but it can't withstand toothy creatures. Flouro leaders are easy to make, great to use, don't kink, and won't slice up the fish as metal leaders sometimes do when the fish roll and wrap themselves with the line. Pre-made fluoro leaders are a bit pricy, around 10 bucks a piece, but they will last a long time. You can also save loads of dough if you make the leaders yourself. JB's carry the leader material, and the guys there will teach you everything you need to make them.

[urbanangler1990]

o man, nice! i did not need to hear this, lol , haha, ahh back to bed, WTG

Edited May 9, 2007 by urbanangler

[frozen-fire]

Thanks for the reply golfisher, what or where is JB?

[frozen-fire]

o man, nice! i did not need to hear this, lol , haha, ahh back to bed, WTG

 

Just saw your other thread...15 straight outings skunked has got to suck man.

 

 

Walking around for me really paid off. I porbably never walked so much in one day in my life. My feet were so messed up. Walked the whole island almost twice and stood for the whole day. i'm pretty out of shape haha.

[Fishnfiend]

Nice report.

You might also want to look into a titanium leader. They are pricey, but will last you forever (if you know how to properly tie a knot).

[Golfisher]

JB's Fishing Depot is on 24 Ronson Dr. in Etobicoke, near Kipling and 401.

[BFSC Kevin]

good stuff.. im thinking of heading out later today and try for a couple of hours with my new set up :thumbsup:

[motv8tr]

Not a bad day i'd say...can't help with the questions, but thanks for the pcis...

 

Maureen

[Badger Shark]

Its nice to see reports like this one, it means that winter is actually gone! I love to catch pike, they give you such a rush the way they just pound your bait. Definitely use a leader. Nice pics, now go get that 30+.

[setomonkey]

Sounds like a lot of fun, congrats. I'd second the recommendation for a fluoro leader. Tough, easier on the pike if it rolls, and less visible (though I'm not sure if that matters much to pike; musky on the other hand...)

 

Mike

[ccmtcanada]

Wow...great success today! Any angler would consider todaya success...whether from shore or in a boat. You did work for it (by walking and walking and trying and trying) and you were rewarded with some great looking pike. Great job and report.

[tonyb]

Expect some company down there this weekend

 

Tony

[frozen-fire]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

I am very sorry if I upset anyone by posting the pictures. They have been edited.

[irishfield]

Great day out ! Glad I got a look at the pictures before the mess....

[mattyk]

nice report.

[jdmls]

Great day out ! Glad I got a look at the pictures before the mess....

 

I was thinking the same thing

 

Thank's for the sneak peak !!!

[bigbuck]

For the pike down there, make sure you are using at least 50lb test Fluorocarbon LEADER MATERIAL (not to be mistaken for fluorcarbon fishing line). Brian or Steve can hook you up at JB's. I made a few leaders for my piking expedition next week up on Lake Muskoka. (50lb Seaguar, SPRO coastlock snap and SPRO ball bearing swivels).

[bassmaster4]

how long do the pike usually stay in the shallow water there in the T.O islands

[misfish]

The island from what I have seen from reports from another pikemania guy here.holds many of the toothy critters.Good job.Nice report.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great Report. Looks like the pike population at the islands is thriving.

[snag]

Awesome!

 

What a great report

 

I feel the thrill of adventure there

[glirw]

Looks like an awesome day !

 

I think there is consensus on two points here :

1) Pike are doing quite well in the Toronto Harbour

2) A leader is essential to avoid losing lures and harming fish.

WTG!

[Victor]

those are some nice fish!!

 

it's nice that ur gf would head out with u~ thanks for the report!