Great Ontario Fish Quest continues... long weekend in Algonquin

[007]

Hi everyone.

 

Finally got round to downloading the pics and writing a report for my long weekend camping trip to Algonquin Provincial Park. Hope you enjoy the report and pics.

 

Well it was my wife and I's first ever camping trip together and we had decided to head up to Algonquin, a park we both love to visit. This was the first of 5 camping trips we have planned to different Ontario Provincial Parks this year so I was really hoping we would have a good time to start the year. We arrived at our site overlooking the Madawaska River at the Lake of Two Rivers campground on the Saturday afternoon and must have spent about 2 hours trying to figure out how to put the tent up! Much to the amusement of those sitting round the campfires at the neighbouring sites. Well after what seemed like an eternity and a few black fly bites we had the tent up - here's a pic of home for the next 3 nights and one of the locals!

 

 

 

After a very bad night's sleep - rain, cold (-1C) and noisy (people playing radios until 2am and a chorus of frogs in the whats his name) we awoke to a fairly grey day. We decided to head out to see a few places - the visitor centre, Opeongo Lake and even some fishing along Costello Creek. Though the purpose of the trip was to enjoy camping and see some of the park my secret aim was to catch some more fish species for my personal quest to catch as many of Ontario's fish species in a year - the target was unsurprisingly trout - lakers, brookies and splake (a cross between the two). Unfortunately I tried in vain along Costello Creek to catch any brookies using all manner of lures so we moved on. The plan had been to launch the infamous inflatable boat that we had bought and I had posted about last week but with a strong cold wind blowing along Lake of Two Rivers we decided against it. Instead I decided to fish right next to our campsite in a back channel on the N Madawaska River while my wife caught up on some sleep. It was only about 1-2ft deep and a few metres across so wasn't expecting anything big but was astonished at how many different species I caught with a float, small hook and a piece of worm or Berkely micro grub. Fish species included Perch, Pumpkinseed (what an ugly looking specimen), Creek Chub/Lake Chub and Golden Shiner (but no brook trout) Here's a few pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I had caught some new species of fish and had a thoroughly enjoyable hour 'minnow' fishing but it wasn't what I wanted to catch. Next day we decided to escape from the rowdy and rude youths staying at the site next to us and explore the park and leave the rod behind. We went for a great cycle ride along the old railway track and took in some of the wildlife and scenery along the Highway 60 corridor. I had a good long chat with a guy from the MNR about the Turbo Beaver float planes they use to fly the rangers into the backcountry and then it was time to do the customary evening drive looking for moose. Sure enough we saw a few and manged some nice close up photos of a number of moose including a big bull.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday evening was fantastic - the whole campsite had emptied and we had the place virtually to ourselves. The experience was so much better - peace and quiet, space and nature taking back its backyard. Back at the campsite I decided to take a walk through the campground and see if there was any access to the main channel of the N Madawaska River so I could try to catch the elusive brook trout, seeing as my chances of hooking into a laker or splake without launching the boat or renting a canoe were small. I was already feeling the pressure when my wife said try and bring something back for dinner! The pressure was on. I found a nice bend in the river where there was a bit of flow and depth and set up casting small spinners. Half an hour went by and nothing. So it was back to the trusted float and worm rig. Sure enough I got bites right away... not creek chub this time but common shiners (another species but still not what I'm after). So I set up deeper and with a larger hook and worm and then bam the float goes right under and a good fish is on - could it be a trout, its a goldish brown colour - a brownie? a carp? - no can't be there aren't any in Algonquin.... then what do I bring to the surface but the World's Greatest Sport Fish (WGSF) - a huge Rock Bass! First of the year and a species off the list. After a few quick pics I decide to let it go. But that wasn't the end of the fun as rock bass after rock bass came my way. In the end, with the chance of catching a trout gone and with the thought of going back to the wife with no fish I decided to keep my first ever fish for the pan - a rock bass weighing a pound and 11 inches long and a slightly smaller one. I generally don't like killing the fish I catch but pride was at stake and they did make for a nice little snack though my filleting technique needs some practice. Here's some photos of the catch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the end we can look back on a fantastic camping trip and certainly look forward to the next trips with warmer weather. The quest for trout continues (and the maiden launch of the inflatable LOL) but I did catch a few more species, though the only one that was really on my list was the Rock Bass - can't knock catching the WGSF though and a PB at that LOL!

 

Cheers

007

Edited May 28, 2007 by OO7

[Mike the Pike]

Great report 007 and I can relate to the Rock Bass.By the way thats the biggest Rock Bass I have ever seen.

Thanks for putting the time into that fabulous report.Nice shots of the Moose.I was fortunate enough to bring some walleye home to the wife who does not like fishing .So my pressure was off.WTG Man

 

 

MTP

[Weeds]

Great report, really looking forward to the next one.

[Badger Shark]

Nice report, You gotta love the Gonq, nice moose pics.

[BryceBurzynski]

Amazing report! Very good pictures!

[Smokey]

Thanks for the report, the moose sure can look rough this time of the year.

[ccmtcanada]

Great report...I remember reading your first post about all the species you wanted to catch this year. This installment was great! Pics were awesome as was the commentary...and you had a nice yummy snack to top it off....awaiting your next report!

[tbayboy]

Great report with some amazing pics, thanks.

[007]

Thanks for the kind comments guys. Together with fishing, nature photography is one of my passions. I have got quite a collection of moose shots from Algonquin now.

 

It turned out to be an enjoyable weekend but I must say I was really disappointed not to catch some trout species up there.

 

Hopefully I will have another report soon with some more fish species - and perhaps some bigger fish at that. Fish species caught this year so far are - Perch, White Sucker, Bullhead, Pumpkinseedfish, Rock Bass (+Common Shiner, Golden Shiner, Creek Chub, Lake Chub if they count!). I guess they are all the easy ones to catch LOL Need to try harder to out fox those large 'sport' fish. But I must say I enjoy just being out there and catching anything from minnows to bass to pike - variety is the spice of life.

 

Still looking for my first GTA pike and carp for the year!. By this time last year I had caught both species. Annoyingly I have actually hooked both species this year but lost them both before netting them. Perhaps this weekend.

 

The quest continues....

 

007

[bassmaster4]

dang nice rockies