Some surpise catches in the Thames

[mepps]

Gillian and I hdead down to fish for an hour just before sunset. I have been fishing for carp a lot recently, but didnt have any corn to fish with this time. We used some Berkly Carp bait I had but the carp just swam by and ignored out bait. With the river being so low you can see them very easily. After 40 minutes of not even so much as a nudge, I threw on a #4 Mepps aglia and within 3 cast I had a hit. I knew it was a bass right away, but as it came to the surface it was not dark like all the smallmouth I usually catch - I figured it was a largie, but as it got close it noticed it was white - a white bass! The first I have ever caught in fact - It wasnt big (maybe 1lb) but it was a great surprise. Gillian made a few cast with the same lure and BAM - another fish within 5 minutes, this time an even bigger surprise, a walleye! Her first ever walleye, 1-2lb range. I had my camera with me, but my 5 year old G5 battery make a better paperweight then a battery. It didnt even have enough juice to take one picture, despite spending the night on the cahrder 24 hours ealier.

 

We'll be back at it again later this week with Gillian's camera instead.

 

Anyone else ever catch a walleye in this area? I know they are in the river, but never expected to see one this close to the city.

 

This year we have caught quite a few species in the Thames - catfish, carp, walleye, rockbass, white bass, smallmouth and walleye - not to shabby for city fishing

Heres a pic from the area I have been fishing recently - right under the Queens Ave bridge.

 

Edited July 3, 2007 by mepps

[Headhunter]

Not surprised by your catch Clive! The Thames will surprise you almost every time out! There are tons of White Bass in and around the Springbank Dam, just toss a minnow and hook, no weight into the turbulence under the dam and you will catch them all day! Also, you'll find Gar, Bowfin, Pickeral, trout, smallies, pike... well as I said, pretty much anything goes!

Another spot to try, close to down town is the train bridge on Horton street. There is a very deep hole under that bridge and I have caught pickeral there in mid July. There are also some really nice smallies that hang in that section of the river, all the way up to the Labatt's dam.

If your fishin Carp in the Thames, big fat juicey night crawlers are an excellent bait! And if it's carp your after, the train bridge in Greenway Park and down stream to the big river curve holds tons of huge carp and suckers. It's a nice quiet area to spend a nice summer day!

Let me know if I can be of any other help! I grew up fishin that river!

HH

[mattyk]

always nice to catch something different.

[ChrisK]

Doesn't supprise me now that Springbank dam isn't holding back any fish. We were used to seeing those silver bass and just about any other species below the dam all year round but now that its wide open the fish head up and have the option of staying there even as far up as Fanshwe dam.......

This is a great thing thats happened to the Thames as far as I'm concerned....

 

Cheers !!

[mepps]

Thanks Headhunter!

 

 

I spent alot of time fishign last summer and only caught smallies and rockbass - I know there are lot of other species, but this if the first time I have een them on the end of my line!

 

We did see a small gar swimming around the other day too - no interest in the bait I was usign at the time.

[waterboy]

I've fished that area under the Queen's Ave bridge and only ever caught smallmouth bass, carp and panfish. Nice to hear that there are some walleye there too. I agree with Headhunter about Springbank Dam - this can be a really good spot esp. for smallmouth. Also, in the area below the Fanshawe dam, I saw someone walk away with three nice (2-3 lb) walleye when I was there a few weeks ago. Hope to get back out there sometime soon.

[Douger]

good ol' london!

 

grew up there - 26 yrs. used to catch walleye in the thames when i was a kid.

 

nice report!

[Headhunter]

Hey Clive... if you happen to spot some gar, try this... tie on a medium to small size treble hook and hook up a small float about 6-8 inches above the treble. Wrap as many minnows around that treble (they don't have to be alive) as you can and toss it out to them. They will drag it around for a bit... when you think you have an opportunity for a hook set, let 'er have it!

Found small count down Raps to be the ticket in the deep pools you'll find for pickeral. Also, floating jointed Raps almost always caught us smallies... just cast in and around anything that is making a current break and you'll find them.

Sorry I didn't know that Springbank Dam is wide open... been 25 years! LOL

HH

[Mike Pike]

Wow, Mepps.. I guess you came by your handle honestly. Nice job of changing up and hooking into a couple of nice surprises.

 

Congratz and thanks for posting. I love reading about great 'urban' adventures.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Nice report. The Thames seems to be a very productive fishery. Always great to catch a new species of fish.