Ready For Fresh Air Again . . . Hello CARP!!

[Photoz]

Any of you Hamilton lads been over around Inland or Eastport lately? A p. m. on how it's been would be appreciated, if possible? I'm gonna give Inland a shot early Wednesday morning, if anybody's around. I'd like to try Eastport, but not ready to climb over those big rocks down to the water to release a fish quite yet. Hopefully I don't get ANYTHING over 10 pounds . . . . or I might need a hand getting 'er in!

[Carpe Diem]

I'll be there, or i'll be square. My friends think i've lost it. Everyone kinda knows ya gotta get up early for fishing, but 4am????? Can't talk one of them into joining us. Will eat my Wheaties before setting out Photoz.

 

We rode our bikes down there today. No anglers around but it was already 11am. A sweet family of swans. Mum, Dad, and 3 babes. Bringing bread to feed them. Is this okay, or will that interfere with fishing by attracting them over? I dunno.

[Photoz]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!! THAT is ONE thing that'll get you shot at sunrise . . . . inviting swans over to swim into your line and become entangled!! I had the bad luck of catching a swan at Port Credit earlier this year, it took THREE of us to hold it still and cut my line up to let it go. It cost me about 100' of 50 pound Power Pro, coulda cost the swan his life! He was just cruising (with about 20 others,) in the little bay where we fish, looking for hand-outs . . . . not HIS fault!! Ever try reeling in a 35 pound, struggling bird that could hit you hard enough with a 4' wing to break a finger or wrist, without hurting it? They're a gorgeous bird, but geese, ducks & swans and fishin' DO NOT WORK! When the swans come around, I toss a few rocks near 'em, if they don't get the message, I have little choice, I pack it up and leave! I, as an angler, see them as a pest, but have no wish to harm them, they're just trying to eat to live.

[Carpe Diem]

You throw a rocks???? I'm calling P3TA. Glad i asked then. Won't bother bringing the bread. Too bad, i have a freezer full. Was kind of saving it because i thought people used it for carp bait.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[Photoz]

Ah h h h h . . . . nuthin' like watchin' a beautiful sunrise over Hamilton Harbour, as a gentle breeze carries the fragrance of about a million pounds of cormorant & goose doo-doo across the sparkling water, past your nostrils . . . . enough to bring tears to the eyes? (I've ALWAYS been appreciative of the little things . . . like they say . . . stop & smell the doo-doo along the way, eh?) But I AM ready to take on the biggest of gobies, might even try to tackle a rock bass, if fighting a large gobie doesn't tire me right out!

[Jen]

You write so very well Steve... LOL...

 

Now I am sitting here knowing exactly what you have just described... Should have set my alarm this morning and taken the kids for a wander down to the waterfront...

 

Soon.

 

Cheers

 

Jen

[Photoz]

Well, there WERE carp on the move this morning, but I only had one sharp hit, and a couple nudges. But I ALSO had the company of a lovely lady, and her VERY friendly, but well behaved puppy-dog, so it was an enjoyable morning. Unfortunately my incision hadn't mended as much as I'd thought, and after several hours standing around, it was starting to get kinda painful. We did take a quick drive to Fishing World, where I pointed out a few small necessities for carp, without breaking the bank, and suggested a Shimano Sedona 4000 for a good all around reel, that will handle almost anything. Her present reel had only one setting for tension . . . . LOOSE!! She had a decent fish on, which was peeling out line pretty quick . . . I reached over and tried to tighten the drag a bit, but at this point it dragged her 10 pound mono over some zebra mussels . . . . bye-bye fishie! But, for someone who'd never cast ANYTHING before, within a couple tries, she was able to plunk down the bait 100+' out!! Accuracy needs a bit of work, but she's REALLY hyped up to go. Anybody else shore-fishing down Hammie Harbour way, get in touch with Carpe Diem and give her a hand . . . . IF I'm healed a bit more by Sunday, I MIGHT give it anudder go . . . . but I don't mend quite as fast these days, eh?

 

Doesn't my lovely description of the scenic Hammie Harbour tug at your heart strings Jen . . . . . does it not bring a wee tear the the l'il peepers? I'da hung around to watch the sunset, but me eyes wuzz waterin too much from the aroma! Ya shoulda took a quick buzz over . . . . only 3 of us there!

[Carpe Diem]

Thank you so much Steve. Learned a lot from you, and enjoyed your company very much. It was so kind of you to make the trip into Hamilton, and stick around as long as you did. That was a lifetime supply of maize you brought me!!! (and wouldn't take any money for)

 

Lexie appreciated being allowed to join us onshore. She has been passed out since we got home, but it's no wonder. She isn't the only one sleep deprived though. Used a brand new clock/radio alarm for the first time last night. Was afraid of sleeping through it, so had the volume cranked up. For some reason during the night, every time Lexie went near the dresser the alarm was sitting on, it went off. When it legitimately went off at 4:15 i was still awake.

 

Should i apologize to the neighbours?? Well at least to my room-mate.

 

Thanks again

You sir, are an officer, and a gentleman.

 

PS. what Steve didn't mention is the other fellow there told us he caught 22 fish in the past 3 days. Sorry John if i brought bad luck. It was nice meeting you too.

 

And as far as never casting ANYTHING before.............................. have to admit to casting a couple times before, many, many, moons ago. Just couldn't remember how. You know how that goes right? The mind is the first to go.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[Uncle Buck]

i was there on Saturday night, the "locals" say it's really slow now, won't pick up till around september...

 

save your gas money Steve, or come and fish for channel cats...

[Carpe Diem]

Do you mind me asking in what general vicinity do you do that???? Not married to carp fishing. Going to Port Dover to fish off the pier in a couple weeks. Have a 7 ft. rod that a friend advised me on as an "all purpose" kind of choice, so i can give a few things a try.

 

Thanks Uncle Buck.

 

PS. not asking you to hook-up and teach me.(unless you want to, or don't mind) Just curious. That is shore fishing, right?

Edited July 25, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[bassjnkie]

Channel cats, What a fight. Chicken Livers!! Best bait!!

 

Daniel

OCH

[Photoz]

Yeah h h h h h . . . . . but ya gotta leave 'em in the hot sun a few days to get ripe. Toss a hook fulla ripe chicken liver, even the cormorants leave!! PUI I I I I I I!!

[Carpe Diem]

So, you toss a bunch of chicken livers in the channel, do you attach some to the end of the line or the hook?? Can i use the same hooks i used for the carp? Is there a lure the catfish go for, or is the chicken liver enough????

 

Maybe i'll just experiment and see how it goes.

 

Thanks Goran for your help.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[Photoz]

Although I've never fished exclusively for channel cats, I've talked to quite a few who have. To the best of my knowledge, about a #4 or #2 hook (some use trebles) tossed out right where we were fishing, with a generous helping of chicken liver attached, either as it gets dark, or in the 'wee hours,' SHOULD get you a cat or 2. About 3 years ago a guy showed me some of his bait, TRIPLE BAGGED in Ziploc bags in his trunk . . . he claimed when he opened 'em up, buzzards started to circle!! Ew w w w w w w . . . . I swear I could smell 'em through those 3 bags, they LOOKED putrid enough to make ya gag! Perhaps some of you channel cat fanciers might correct me on this if I'm wrong . . . . may y y b e he was yankin' my chain a bit??

[CLofchik]

Photoz et al: Have you tried the other end of the bay? There's the cycling path that runs from Pier 4 to the Carp Barrier, along the way there are "rest stops" with benches and conviently placed low sloping shorelines. That the whole area is teeming with cruising carp is just a bonus. It takes a bit of a walk to get into the fishy parts of the pathway, but with good polaroids you can actually see cruising 20lb. carp.

[fishboy]

Photoz et al: Have you tried the other end of the bay? There's the cycling path that runs from Pier 4 to the Carp Barrier, along the way there are "rest stops" with benches and conviently placed low sloping shorelines. That the whole area is teeming with cruising carp is just a bonus. It takes a bit of a walk to get into the fishy parts of the pathway, but with good polaroids you can actually see cruising 20lb. carp.

 

 

I was just going to suggest that area. If you don't get carp, there are loads of bullheads in there too.

[Photoz]

I just wasted 20 minutes doing a post concerning this thread . . 'PAGE NOT AVAILABLE?' Then 'PAGE EXPIRED?' Even though I 'copied' my info, after several tries, the whole post disappeared? Anybody else having problems posting?

[ccmtcanada]

Photoz...yep...I was posting as well...seems the site went down for about 5 minutes on my end. Kept getting "Cannot find server"

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks CLofchik and fishboy, for the heads up. Actually ride my bike by there often, and it is quite close to home for me. Will give it a try and report back.

 

Still can't help but be a little nervous about actually landing one. Afraid i will hurt the fish. Maybe if i get lucky enough to catch one, and experience "technical" difficulties will just cut the line. Have read that is okay to do, that the hook eventually disintegrates, not harming the fish.

 

Actually less anxious about hurting human patients than the non-human kind.

Edited July 28, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[Photoz]

'NUDDER OL' WIVE'S TALE . . .. fish hooks, stuck in fish, DO NOT DISOLVE! By using either needle nose pliers, or tweezers, the barb can be bent down or broken of on some of your better (Nash) carp hooks. And about 99% of the time, when a hair rig is used, the hook catches the carp in the inside of the lip. There MIGHT be enough acid in a fish's digestive system to eventually disolve an INGESTED hook, but inside or around the mouth . . . . NOPE! I actually recall someone putting a link on thid board to results where a study was done on fish (in fish tanks . . . hatcheries, I presume) with imbedded hooks in their mouths . . . even after 6 months only SOME of the hooks had started to rust, and were a few cases where the flesh started to grow around the hook, but NOT ONE 'DISOLVED!'

[Carpe Diem]

Good to know. Thanks Photoz. Actually read that it was safe practice to do so in the book i mentioned in my introduction to the board. (Complete Idiot's Guide to Fishing Basics) Will do my best to not have to cut the line then.

 

Am now convinced of the beauty of the hair rig. Nice how something so simple can be so useful, in more ways than one. Although the tying of them is not so simple. Practice, practice, practice.

 

Picked up the Shimano Sedona 4000 you recommended to me. The guys at Fishing World said that was indeed a good call, for a general "all purpose" reel for a beginner like me. Thanks for the hot tip!!!!!!!

Edited July 29, 2007 by Carpe Diem