muskies, dead carp & brown weeds

[lew]

I haven't been fishing much this year, but have been going out the odd time, so my daughter & I decided to head to Pigeon on Saturday for the 1st time this year to see if there were any muskies hanging around my favorite spots.

 

We launched the boat about 8:00 and headed to the 1st spot and were only casting about 10 minutes when I got this little guy.

 

 

We fished that spot for awhile then headed further north to another place I like and again got a fish within about 10 minutes.

 

We get quite a few muskies every year with lymphosarcoma and if you look on the sides of this fish you can see 2 scars that appear to have been lympho, but have healed over quite nicely. That's always a good sign.

 

 

We fished till around 2:00 and by then the wind was starting to get pretty strong and the waves on the big lake were making casting pretty difficult, so we trolled for awhile but never saw another fish so we called it a day and headed in.

 

I've been reading all the reports lately on the carp die-off in the Kawarthas but must admit I was really surprised at how many dead carp I saw on Pigeon Lake. I'd guess that in 6 hours I saw at least 100 of them. Odd thing too was the fact that it seemed like it was only very large fish that were dead and I don't think I saw any under about 10 pounds.

 

I spend an awful lot of time fishing the Kawarthas every year but don't recall ever seeing as much poor quality weed as this year, plus the amount of it compared to other years.

 

Some of the my normal spots that I fish all the time are nearly choked off with weeds right up to the surface, where normally at this time of year their 4 & 5 feet below the surface. Alot of the weeds are also brown and appear nearly dead, where normally their a very vivid green color until into the later months.

 

I wonder if there's any corrilation between all the poor quality weeds this year and the dead carp floating everywhere ??

[Joey]

Hmm, you make an interesting point about the weeds and carp die off Lew. It will be interesting to see what they come up with for a reason this is happening.

 

Nice muskies you and Sherri caught. Great report.

 

Joey

[Beans]

Hey Lew...seems you were posting while I was sending you a PM...LOL

[Rizzo]

don't recall ever seeing as much poor quality weed as this year

 

...funny how things taken out of context can be given a totally different meaning

 

nice fish though, good to see that they can heal nicely too after some pretty ugly ulcerations

[addict]

nice job on those lunge,its been awhile since i got a pigeon monster.cant seem to pull my fishin partner away from those bass lips and try for something with teeth.we too have noticed the crap brown weeds and lack of bright green ones there should be this time of year.thanks for the post i love those apex predators.

[Joey]

don't recall ever seeing as much poor quality weed as this year

 

...funny how things taken out of context can be given a totally different meaning

 

Maybe the Carp are OD'ing on Bad Weed Rizz

[Rizzo]

LOL I knew I could count on you Joey

[Handlebarz]

Glad you had time to get out Lew I know we missed our date but i will be making up before the summer is out or maybe Sept I wonder when others will be holding the fish in your boat you shure know how to work the cast.

[Rich]

I dunno the kawartha weed was always good to me!

 

Nice 'skies Lew!! God I wish I lived up there again..

[Nanook]

Nice job on the 'ski's Lew. as usual.

 

Todays local new's rag states that the MNR still dont know whats killing the Carp.

[Greencoachdog]

Great report and pics Lew!!!

 

That big Muskie smile never changes, does it?

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Good to see you are catching a few Lew!

[Crazyhook]

great fish Lew, Man this carp this is not good

[mattyk]

nice report Lew. Thanks for sharing.

[Marty]

Nice report Lew. Good to see some muskies to get me ready for my trip.

[Mike the Pike]

Good to see you getting out Lew and nice to see a Muskie report.Sherri good on you for getting out with Lew.

 

Looking forward to the next report.MTP

Edited July 16, 2007 by Mike the Pike

[pikeie]

you are sure right about this carp thing lew. tinbanger and i were out on pigeon on wednesday for a while harrassing the local bass population (man were there ever lots of small fish) only got 4, 2-2.5 lbsers out of the 20+ bass we caught. but there were dead carp in almost every spot we fished in some places the smell was unbarable ugh!! i will try to get a report up tomarrow night.

[b2kptbo]

Nice report Lew and I've seen the brown weeds also...

[Roy]

Glad you're still bring them in Lew. I may be opening up a can of worms here but I think that long term, carp will spell the end of the Kawarthas as a fishing destination.

[misfish]

WTG Lew.Awesome bud.

 

I was told that Chemong had dead carp and a few muskys floating around. My bro was there saturday fishing with his son.

[solopaddler]

Glad you're still bring them in Lew. I may be opening up a can of worms here but I think that long term, carp will spell the end of the Kawarthas as a fishing destination.

 

Hate to say it, but that could happen...

 

Anyhow, beyond the dead carp thing, nice report Lew.

[lew]

I may be opening up a can of worms here but I think that long term, carp will spell the end of the Kawarthas as a fishing destination.

 

You could be right Roy, but the way those critters are dropping, there may not be any left in the Kawarthas by the end of this year. From some of the reports around, the die-off is spreading thru the system pretty darned quick.

 

The stench in a few areas was enuff to chase me away, one small bay had about 6 rotting carcasses floating around in it

[crappiesteve]

Lew,you are smilling,they just can,t see under the stache ,Nice couple of skiesWTG.

 

Steve

[Beans]

Glad you're still bring them in Lew. I may be opening up a can of worms here but I think that long term, carp will spell the end of the Kawarthas as a fishing destination.

 

 

People were saying that about Lake Scugog 60 years ago...sure took a long time to happen...I think it is just Ma Nature's way of thinning the herd...

 

 

A scientist in fish biology at Trent University thinks it is a carp specific virus...Peterborough Examiner 15 July 2007

[fishnsled]

Great report Lew! It certainly will be interesting to see if they do find any corrilation between the die off of carp and the poor quality of weeds in the lakes this year.