finally caught the elusive 17" or larger Small Mouth Bass

I've had such luck catching good size Large Mouth this year that it was no problem to get my Ontario Angler Award for them...but I was starting to get worried that the 17" or larger Small Mouth Award would be my undoing. The largest Small mouth I'd managed to pull in up till this past week was 15"...(lots of them..but they weren't 17"..lol). After the fantastic time we had at crotch lake in North Frontenac on Wednesday the 12th....I decided to book one of the other sites for Friday the 17th and head up with the boys again and try to catch something to get me another award (walleye, pike, Muskie, Carp, whitefish...ect...caught some..but not big enough to qualify thus far).
We got to the site around 9am...and settled in and fishing we went. It was super quite and empty at the sites..we had free range of all 3 road access campsites...which was just fantastic. We fished and caught lots of large (creepy...I think everyone knows how I feel about this odd fish and their funny noises) whitefish and average small mouth most of the morning..and then decided to trek down the river away to campsite 3 for the afternoon (the boys wanted to use the smooth rapids as a waterside and anything that makes them happy make me happy:). As it sometimes goes...I stood in the middle of the river at the bottom of the rapids on a huge boulder fishing away with various lures for over 90 minutes catching some good size rock bass but nothing award worthy or BIG like I wanted. I Finally decided to try a worm and bobber on a side inlet and of course on the first cast..BOOM...a beautiful large sized Small Mouth grabbed on...after he put up a fight for 5 t0 10 minutes and I finally got him in ....he measured 17.9" and I was one very happy (ok ecstatic) gal...Finally...another fish off my list :) Next cast got something on the line even bigger..unfortunately the fight broke my line and he took my beautiful new bobber...you win some you lose some!!

As we packed up and left we decided to fish for 30 minutes at the first campsite (which was empty) at the top deeper part of the lake. Took only a few minutes to get a small pike on my line with my Black Furry Lure, which unfortunately got snagged and lost on my next cast. Managed to land another pike about 10 minutes later...as I pulled him in we saw what we can only assume was a Muskie jump out in the lake about 2 meters from my last cast (this thing was bigger then me..it was incredible). Made for another amazing day at Crotch lake! Decided that we'll go back this Wednesday for our last before school fishing and nature day! Yippie!

Sometimes the beauty of fishing is in the beauty around you!

I'd been waiting since last September for this day to come - our first trip of the year to Crotch Lake in Ompah. We like to rent one of the North Frontenac Parkland Campsites for the day (it's only 50 minutes to the bush road and then 20 minutes in from where we are located and absolutely one of the most stunning places in Ontario) and just enjoy the gorgeous and stunning beauty of the land and the fabulous fishing. We have sites booked for September for the whole family...but it struck me last week...why can't I just go with the boys for the day right now!!! So I quickly booked one of the 4 land accessible sites and was ready to go on Friday!

We got up at 6 and headed out the door at 7! After a gorgeous drive there (7 deer crossed our path...one was a family with a baby fawn) we arrived around 8:30am. The boys pulled out their Nerf guns and I pulled out my tackle box and rod...wanted to get as much in as early as I could. It was absolutely the day of the ROCK BASS...WOW...of the 72 fish I caught on Friday I'd have to say 40 were good size fighting Rock Bass...the rest were small mouth (with 3 HUGE white fish).

The fishing was great....got at least 8-10 BIG THINGS on the line...but it was just one of those days (even for the boys..who had some very sizable things on their lines at times as well..) were I just couldn't land them...or keep them to get a picture. Had a great sized Pike on the line last cast before we left...got him in right to the rock edge...and was calling for the boys to bring my net back (my youngest was teaching my oldest to catch frogs by hand..but they found a BIG ONE they wanted the net) and just as I pulled it in it jumped off..ugh! The boys felt bad and were upset that I didn't get the fish..but I reminded them..we saw it...and it wasn't about catching it...it was about the AMAZING day we had....it was so peaceful and relaxing...and having FUN fishing not being upset about it!

Soooooo....after some thought and realizing how SHORT the summer is...and life is....we're heading back on Wednesday (Different campsite....) to have some more fun...and hopefully catch that BIG ONE!

Family Fun Fishing Derby - Mississippi Lake August 27th

Just wanted to let anyone in the Ottawa Valley area know that Saturday August 27th is the annual FAMILY FUN DERBY hosted by Bait Casters for kids Below is the info (or just click on Here).

FLYER:
BAIT CASTERS brings you our 10TH ANNUAL FAMILY FUN FISHING DERBY Saturday, August 27th, 2011 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Each child may weigh in 3 fish of any species. Prizes for total weight AND Prizes for big bass, big pike, big pickerel, big perch & mystery weights!
You may fish from a boat or from shore anywhere on Mississippi Lake.
All fish must be weighed in at Bait Casters Mississippi lake location by 2:00 p.m.
Entry fee: $10.00 per child 16 and under.
Only children 16 and under will be eligible for prizes.
Pre-registration at Carleton Place store location - 7811 Hwy 15Registration at lake location until noon on August 27th.
FREE HOT DOGS, DRINKS AND LOTS OF DRAW PRIZES!Check out our FlyerRules and Registration Form
Hope to see a ton of people out for this great event!

Jigging with Plastic Wave Worm for Large Mouth...

The one thing you learn as you get more knowledgeable about fishing is that there are SO MANY different techniques and lures and that fishing isn't as "simple" as it seems. OK, you can put a worm on a hook with a bober and get some great fish sometimes(hey...my own largest largemouth came from a simple worm, bober and hook...- with the help of another fish that jumped on the line first) but the reality is A LOT of the time you need to know about different water conditions, vegetation, currents, as well as what lure or technique to use to get those fish out and biting. I'll admit I'm like a sponge most of the time reading so much and trying new things (and using my intuition - which I must say with all honesty is one of the best tools you have as an angler).

The boys and I recently went fishing in the middle of the afternoon (2pm...not prime fishing time under normal sunny circumstances) under the bridge here in town. There is a nice current under the bridge and some great sop coverage on the one side mixed with tons of lily pads and other weeds. We always had luck catching a variety of pan fish and occasionally a small mouth or large mouth. 45 minutes in and we were catching a couple pan fish here and there with worm and bober, but I noticed that near the sop on the right side there was a lack of bites on my line which got me thinking there was something a bit bigger under there scaring the little fish away. I decided to switch to a a red and white Wave Worm with a WACKY RIG (just straight on the hook) and do some jigging. It only took about 3 minutes from the time I put the wave worm in for a BIG bite to come and the fight ensued (I had no clue what was on there..but it didn't want me to find out). After a couple minutes I pulled in a beautiful 17" largemouth.

If I'd ignored my knowledge and intuition that guy would have sat there all afternoon while I fished..but switching my bait, set up and taking note of the signs...allowed me to have the thrill of another great catch! We admired the guy for a bit and then let him go back on his way. Each catch is a lesson in trusting what you know and reading the conditions....can't wait to get out there again!

Finally a Walleye

I've heard a lot about Walleye for the past year....hubby talks about them frequently...and they are one of the fish I hadn't had the pleasure of catching, observing and learning more about.

We'd heard that there was good Walleye fishing in Almonte by the dam...so recently we decided to go and try to catch one so I could see them (and be prepared for our upcoming Ompah trips later in the summer).

The dam wasn't flowing heavy (only a trickle) the water was deep and dark...a perfect Walleye spot! It took about 30 minutes for one to get on the line after quite a few bites. Wow what an interesting fish....crazy eyes...sharp little teeth...was so glad to finally get a close up view:) This guy wasn't that big..but very feisty. Was a successful trip and hoping to catch some more this summer!

Now..I must say there was a moment where I almost caught and had a HUGE Snapping Turtle following in my lure that my heart almost sank...I don't want to catch a turtle...especially one the size of my 7 year old...i've never reeled in so fast...or seen a turtle swim and chase so quickly.

Redhorse sucker fish....yick and yuck..but COOL!

There are few fish I don't like catching and try to avoid ...afterall a fish is a fish in my universe! Yet, SUCKERS just creep me out generally. There is nothing worse then fishing for smallmouth and bringing in your line and there is a creepy white sucker on there! The worst part must be the sucking slurping noise they make after a few seconds out of the water.

Now I say all this...but a sucker or even catfish or carp of a GOOD size does entice my fishing instincts. Recently made an after dinner trip with my son to the Almonte Fish and Game Sanctuary on the Mississippi River to try and catch some smallmouth...but after wading into the river we both could see some sort of sizable suckers near where we were standing..so a change of plan took place to get one of these instead. Off went the bobber.....and down when the worm and hook to sit on the edge of low sitting rock in the water and the waiting began. The wait was SHORT as it was literally a minute or two before we could see the fish trying to suck up the worm and with one quick pull one was hooked and the fun began getting him back to shore. Once we finally got back to shore and pulled him out ...we could see he was RedHorse Sucker (holy geeze...was he a weird looking thing...but still awesome at the same time). Took a bit of effort to dehook him with his crazy lip..but got it done and he swam away back with his buddies. I'm not sure I'd purposely try to catch one again....but was totally an interesting experience!

Learning Patience is KEY to catching Big Fish!

The kids are out of school which means lots of flexibility and FISHING! We're always on the lookout while driving around for NEW fishing spots to try (living out in the country with lot of lakes around...we're always coming upon little spots we've never tried).

One of my FAVORITE spots in our town of Carleton Place (just outside of Ottawa) is under a major over pass on Hwy 7. It has easy access and it connects the Mississippi River with Mississippi Lake so there is lots of stuff coming in and out. One of the best parts is it has nice moving water, but also great weeds and sop bogs on either side of the bridge which I've learned usually seem to contain at least one or two decent size large mouth if you're patient and using the right tools :)

I'm the first to admit I'm not always the most patient person! I'm usually a GO GO always doing something, never sitting still kinda girl. It's one of the reasons I love FISHING because I have no choice to be patient...I can cast for an hour or two with nothing but small catches of pan fish and then all of a sudden BOOM...I have a BIG fish on the line and it makes it all worth while....in this sense fishing is a great learning experience for overall life!

A couple weeks ago I was at my favorite spot under the overpass with my youngest guy while my hubby was out in the banana boat with the older kid trolling and trying to catch BIG stuff. I stood there casting over and over again for 90 minutes in the evening with my worm and bobber (it was extremely weedy and I wasn't feeling too adventures ) and cast after cast I was reeling in silly panfish after silly panfish (don't get me wrong some are getting to huge crazy shocking sizes , but after almost 1000 panfish caught so far this season...I'm a bit bored:). Ill be honest I was getting bored and frustrated (especially since I knew hubby was probably catching BIG stuff out in the lake while I stood dinky fish on shore) when it was almost time to leave out of the blue I felt THAT TUG...that one that is so strong it starts to pull your line out and you hear that hmmm of your unravelling line. I didn't know what it was..and frankly I didn't care...I just knew it was BIG and I was ready! Of course after fighting with this guy for 5 minutes and asking my little guy to get the NET I realize I'd left it in the car...and when I ask for my gloves...I'm informed that I only have 1 as daddy took the other one on the boat...oh this will be FUN! When I get the catch in close enough..he's hiding under the sop weeds and still have no clue what he is or his size. After some more fight we get a head above water and see its a HUGE Largemouth...bigger then any I've caught before....in I go with my hand (just in time as the line snaps as I grab him) to bring him on shore and revel in my catch. This guy was gorgeous...super healthy, clean and 21". Absolutely made my day (OK probably week..lol..it's tough being home with 2 kids for summer break :) Besides having an awesome catch..I was again reminded patience is probably the most important of all my fishing tools.