Spring Rituals

Every spring around the end of March, I always look forward to one of my favorite spring rituals. In the town of Cobourg, Ont. There is an old dam that blocks the movement of fish as they try to migrate upstream to spawn. Each year a great group of volunteers, MNR staff & Ganaraska Conservation staff, join together to lift 200 adult fish over the dam.

The dam only prevents fish from accessing the prime spawning habitat located upstream. Many fish will spawn below the dam but the fish lifted should have a higher percentage of spawning success. The adults that remain after spawning will also offer angling opportunities in the upper creek once the season opens but most will make their way back over the dam after spawning, riding high water from a spring rain or storm back downstream to the lake.

With lots of help from willing volunteers, the fish are chased upstream from below the nearby road bridge into the pool located at the base of the dam. Then a fence in placed across the creek to keep the fish in the pool.  

Volunteers net the fish and bring them to the waiting pens, where they are identified as male or female and notes are taken if fin clips are observed. Fish with clipped fins are stocked fish and we usually only see a few each year. Today we didn't see any. A good testament to the natural reproduction taking place in this watershed.
Some fish are sampled by taking measurements and scale samples before they are loaded into a waiting basket and hauled up the dam and released to continue their journey.

Fish of all sizes are brought to the nets and we have seen some great fish over the years. Today the largest was a big male trout estimated around 16-17lbs. Gorgeous fish with awesome spring colors.
Only 200 fish are lifted as a natural population of Brook Trout reside above the dam and too many large rainbow trout would create strain on the population of brookies.
After we have 200, the fence is removed and the remaining fish return to a less exciting Saturday below the dam.

It is also a great chance to engage some of the youth that always turn up to watch this spring event. A few moments are spent showing people a close up look at the fish and kids are always surprised when they touch one at how cold they are. :)

This lift has been going on every spring for decades and is a great example of anglers supporting their resource. I certainly enjoy this event and it is always high on my spring rituals list.
A fun day with friends in Cobourg, Ont.

Goodbye Winter, if that's what you want to call it!

This has been a poor winter for weather. Being a Canadian, I like a good cold winter with some nice snowy days and a foot or two of snow for enjoying some winter fun. Nothing crazy like 8-10 foot snow drifts but hey, it comes with the territory around here...sometimes. I like getting outside with the kids for sledding, snowball fights, making snowman or even shoveling the driveway, it can be fun if you do it with your family.
This year has been a curve ball. It is the first of march and we have maybe 3 inches of snow and that was received in the last day or so.

This past weekend while ice fishing, I noticed the sound of snowmobiles for the first time this winter. Nice! Nothing like investing a few thousand dollars into a new snowmobile and being able to use it for one weekend. I'm sure there are a few people disappointed on the purchase of a trail pass or booking of a winter holiday with plans to ride the trails.
Winter is a big part of our economy. Ski hills, ice hut operators, snowmobiles and related business all depend on a decent winter and this year will hurt them. Lots of workers also earn income by plowing or removing snow, a tough winter for them.

However all is not lost. I'm sure the vehicle accident rate is down and businesses and municipalities will have saved on snow clearing expenses. The deer, turkeys, moose and grouse will have enjoyed a good winter due to lack of snow. But something just seems to be missing this year and mostly it is the snow.

I suppose I shouldn't complain and I honestly don't think global warming has anything to do with this weather. It is just a mild winter. Of course, they have all kinds of reasons for it and everyone remembers the winters from "when I was a kid" but the seasons just fluctuate and this is a warm one. I will always remember speaking with and on old farmer in his 80's, who told me that during his lifetime he had plowed his fields in every month of the year. So I think this is one of those years when you could have taken a plow to the field in February and expected to get some work done.

So good bye winter of 2011-2012, you were disappointing for snow and cold. I did find some great ice fishing but even that will end soon with and early ice-out expected this spring.

I shall start my preparations for spring panfish, turkey hunting and of course the Rice Lake Fishing Festival.

http://ricelakefishingfestival.ca/home

Ben's Big Panfish Bash 2012

Yesterday was the second annual ice fishing derby at BJ Tackle in Bewdley, Ont. Anglers spread out across Rice Lake in search of the biggest panfish they could find. Three species were included in the prizing. Perch, Sunfish and Crappie.

This fun event was a great day to spend time with your friends and family in a fun derby.
The winds pick up during the late morning and having any form of a shelter made things more comfortable. The portable ice hut made focusing on the fish and not the weather more enjoyable. Spending my day targeting perch over clear water produced some good jumbos. The action was hot and at one point I had a school of all jumbo perch come through. Both rods down with 11 inch perch makes for a fun trip.
We packed up by 1:30 to get to Bewdley for the 2pm weigh-in.

BJ Tackle was a busy place, with anglers weighing some great panfish. This is only the third winter since an ice fishing season for panfish was introduced in the Kawartha's and angler's are starting to figure out the patterns to consistently find bigger fish. Lots of jumbo perch were weighed in along with sunfish and some true slab crappie. Most of the crappie action takes place at night during the winter at Rice Lake but some anglers have found the fish during the day and using ultra light tackle are putting them on the ice. A 1.2b crappie took the honors at the event with several others over a pound.

One of the greatest things about this derby is the fun. Lots of young anglers get out for the fun and after the weigh-in there was some awesome chili, deserts and hot chocolate to enjoy. The mood is light and everyone has a great time.

Sign me up for next year!

Bridgenorth Panfish Festival Update

We can always count on our great volunteers to make this a fun family day fishing on Chemong Lake. Every year dozens of people, young and old catch their first fish at this family day and learn the joy of spending quality family time outdoors enjoying ice fishing together. Meet skilled anglers from the Kawartha chapter of Muskies Canada, Ontario Chinese Anglers Association and other great groups that donate their time and support.  


We have been receiving lots of calls about the Bridgenorth Panfish Festival. Yes we are going ahead with everything planned. The ice conditions are very good with 15 inches of ice in the bay we fish. Weather is calling for -1 and sunny periods with tons of fish, family fun and smiles on Chemong Lake. 
This year as part of the Panfish Festival, activities will be going on inside at the OFAH Hertitage Center in Peterborough for more family fun. http://www.hfhc.ca/  This is a great chance to see the cool facility and it's exhibits for free.


Maybe you will win a guided panfish trip for two with professional angler Chris Giles, or a night in an ice condo from BJ Tackle, a new ice hut from Frabill, rod/reel combos and clothing from Shimano, tackle boxes from Bridgenorth Sports, oil changes from Currie Tire, prizes from Lucky Strike, Canadian Tire, OFAH, Ontario Power Generation and many others who support this fun festival. 
Not many places you can spend a free day with the family and have a chance to win great prizes. Our sponsors are great supporters of youth angling and family fun. 
They support the angling community, we should support them.  


Feb 18, 2012 
10am - 2 pm
Free for everyone, tackle, holes and bait provided
Free prizes for youth and adults


Check the website for more details


http://www.bridgenor...shfestival.com/ 

We filmed a segment for the 5 O'Clock show on Chex Tv for the Bridgenorth Panfish Festival which aired today. 
It was good to get out on the ice with some youth anglers again. Good warm up for the 1000 or so kids we are expecting on Saturday.

I'm not sure how to edit these clips down or if it's possible but here are the links for the show.


http://www.chextv.co...art_1_of_2.aspx

http://www.chextv.co...art_2_of_2.aspx 

Oddball fish

This past weekend while targeting perch, I landed a small catfish. Now that may not seem exciting but it is the first one I have ever caught through the ice and I was quite excited about it.
Over the years, unusual catches have been highlights that are remembered. It is not always the size of the fish that creates memories but the unique species or circumstances where they were caught.

After seeing the above photo posted in a fishing forum, it gave me an idea. Last winter I spent several days on the ice trying to catch a carp. I have caught lots of carp and some true monsters but I had never heard of anyone targeting them in the winter. Game on.
I never did get one but did find an area that was holding them during the winter, so as soon as we get some decent cold weather and I can get back there, the quest will restart.
A trip a few years ago to the Ottawa River was a cool experience. We were in search of sturgeon and as it turns out it was the last season the species was open in Ontario. Four anglers spending day and night hunting a sturgeon resulted in one being caught. Not big by sturgeon standards but we sure were excited.

The best part of the trip was the tons of channel catfish we landed in our search for a sturgeon. The action was unexpected but also non-stop. Besides the channel catfish we caught pike, bass, walleye, panfish and a mooneye. I had caught mooneyes before but the one landed by my friend was huge. Of course we were not trying to catch them and besides noticing the size of the 2lb fish we snapped a photo and kept fishing. Upon our return home, someone checked the Canadian record for mooneye, it was 1.43 lbs...oops!

Sturgeon, carp, catfish, mooneye, not exactly the glamour species but they certainly stand out in a long list of good memories. I would bet that most of us have similar experiences and memories. While we may pride ourselves with big fish catches, it the unique or oddball fish and the circumstances that surround them that truly add to the stories we tell. 

It's a gar.... :)

Magic Lure Found

I found the magic lure today. I was fortunate enough to get some of the "ice tubes" from Bass Magnet Lues and these things are awesome.
http://www.bassmagnetlures.com/?p=1779

Chartreuse Flash was the first one to get dropped down the hole and as I was watching the slow spiral to the bottom the bait disappeared....magic!

Set hook and up comes a nice jumbo but still no sign of the bait, followed the line to the oversized mouth and forced it open...abracadabra, the bait reappeared deep inside. This is when I noticed the tube also glows in the dark. Cool!

I thought this must have been a fluke so I looked down the hole,nothing in sight. Good now I can focus on the action of this new tube. Drop number two almost made it to the bottom and it disappeared. A quick scan out of the hut window reassured me I was on beautiful Rice Lake and not the Bermuda Triangle...so I set the hook. Another jumbo perch headed to the surface.
After 5 more drops with the same results, I went out of the hut to look around, nobody in sight. I still felt like I was doing something wrong. Seriously, a grown man sitting on the ice, giggling like a school girl, there had to be a reasonable answer.
I had a close look at the package, there didn't appear to be any crack cocaine in there, just more of the "magic' tubes. The baits I have are the smaller ice tubes that I have been hoping for but the results were silly!

It probably helped that I was on Rice Lake and the perch bite has been great the last couple of weeks but usually a new bait gets a good look over by me and the fish before anything happens. Not this time.
The jumbos love these tubes. Judge by the above picture, the tubes are 2.5 inches long, the perch is around 12 inches, a jumbo anywhere you go, but we have been getting them up to 14 inches this winter. It is hard to pass up these great eating fish and I kept a few for breakfast tomorrow.

The bite was hot all day today with schools of perch in 10-14 feet of water over sand flats just outside the weed edge. This seems to be the pattern on Rice Lake, the fish start the ice season, up on the shallow weed flats and then move to the outside edges and if the pattern holds true they should be heading to the deeper basins by the middle of February. By Valentines Day and until last ice, look to the 18-22 foot flats out to the south east of Bewdley all the way past Gores Landing. Check out similar areas throughout the lake for loads of tasty perch and of course count on some bonus bluegill and crappies.
Most small jigs and spoons will work but I'm pretty sure I know what I'm using for a while.
 :)

Winter escape south

The winter has been, well....not much of one so far but the opportunity to head south for a week was too much to resist. I recently spent a great week just outside of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I know the theme of Ontario Outdoor Adventures is shot with a report on fishing in the Dominican republic but maybe some of my experience will help those who venture south get out to enjoy some deep sea fishing.

For most of us freshwater anglers, the draw of big water and big fish is very attractive. Open ocean,salt spray and deep blue water bring out the Captain Ahab in us that rarely get the chance to try searching for species like marlin, sailfish, mahi mahi, wahoo and others. This was our second trip to this area of the Dominican Republic and my second chance at trying deep water.

My first experience was amazing, easy to book at the resort, decent boat, English speaking crew, good weather and most important lots of fish. The price was fair, at $75 US for a half day charter. The boat was clean and drinks provided. I was one of a group of unrelated anglers and this is normal unless you have enough cash or people to fill the boat. The usual set-up seems to be head out for 20 minutes and then start trolling, although after setting the rods the first mate settles down for a break, meaning don't expect any action for a while. For this trip we had 8 lines out and two fighting chairs, anglers took turns sitting in a chair 20 minutes at a time, if you caught a fish you were done unless everyone caught something. After 1/2 hr of trolling we approached some floating debris and schools of flying fish started to scatter, now the first mate stood up beside the rods and withing 50 feet we hooked up a mahi mahi. These fish are awesome and besides being great eating and hard fighting the fact they rapidly change colour while fighting is incredible to watch. Blue then green then yellow and silver all in quick succession.

It became quickly obvious to watch the first mate, when he rush around or stood in the rods, something was going to happen. Makes sense these guys spend everyday running charters, they learn to read the water. The baitfish fascinated me, flying fish are probably the coolest fish I have ever seen. 10-14 inches long and silver they glide along just above the surface of the ocean for surprising long distances. They scattered from the boat when we were around the debris lines. The floating wood, plastic and everything else that floats form a line where the warm water meets the deeper cooler water. This was the spot on the spot. Staying along this line kept us in the fish zone. Many of the baitfish and larger predators cruise this line and use the surface cover as ambush spots. This pattern lead us to one of the greatest hook ups of my fishing career. A triple header with two sailfish and a blue marlin all hitting within a couple of seconds. The 3 fish were all in the 100lb range and with all the jumping and confusion one fish broke off. We did land a sailfish and the marlin.

The totals for the trip were 4 mahi mahi, 1 marlin, 1 sailfish and a wahoo. Not bad for 5hrs fishing. The crew keep the fish to feed their families or sell to help pay the bills.
My second trip was slightly different. The rate was the same but the boat was older and the crew spoke no English. The person who booked my day messed up my pick-up time so I went out in the afternoon instead of morning, plus they tried to pick me up to go fishing with a scooter. Nope.

The day was windy but it wasn't until we cleared a main point that we hit the big water. Waves from 12-15ft rolled around us making standing difficult and fishing tough. I have no problem with weather throwing a curve ball but it could have picked another day. The 6 anglers on the boat were all assigned 1 rod each and you had it for the trip. Different approach but at least you had something to focus on. The rough seas scattered the debris line and fish were tough to find let alone hook. We ended up with 5 hits and landed 1 mahi mahi and a wahoo. The diesel exhaust and rough water were a little too much for a few of the russian anglers out with me....
So what did I learn? Ask lots of questions and record the answers because things may change after you book the trip. I asked up front about the size of the boat, length of trip, form of transport to boat (no scooters) and of course the price.
Pay with a credit card. This is a poor country and sometimes your standards are higher than theirs. If you pay cash and something goes wrong your done. Good luck getting your money back.
Watch the weather. Pick the best day for wind if you get a choice, mornings are calmer than afternoons.
Bring your camera. The flying fish, warm ocean and saltwater fish are not common in Ontario so take lots of pictures.

Have fun and enjoy the experience.