Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act

Have you every had someone give you a hard time about fishing? Luckily I haven't, but if you do, the law is on your side.  A woman outside of Ridgetown was charged with obstructing hunting. The rule pertaining to this are as follows (on the date of this post):

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 

Section 13.1 
A person shall not interfere with lawful hunting, trapping or fishing by,

1. tampering with traps, nets, bait, firearms or any other thing used for hunting, trapping or fishing;
2. placing himself or herself in a position, for the purpose of interfering, that hinders or prevents hunting, trapping or fishing; or 
3. engaging in an activity, for the purpose of interfering, that disturbs or is likely to disturb wildlife or fish. 

Section 13.2 Notice without authority
A person shall not purport to give notice that entry to premises is prohibited for the purpose of hunting or fishing or that hunting or fishing is prohibited on premises unless the person has authority to give the notice. 1997, c. 41, s. 13.

Fish hard!

Great Lakes stressed out

Great Lakes stressed out
By Debora Van Brenk, The London Free Press

If the Great Lakes were human, they'd be in serious need of stress counselling and intervention.

A comprehensive study analyzing and ranking 34 stressors the giant freshwater lakes are battling against, and where the biggest issues are, has just been released to policy makers and researchers.

Read more...

Why Do I Fish?

When they go fishing, it is not really fish they are after.

~Henry David Thoreau

Why do I fish? Some people fish for the competition, the thrill of the hunt.  Some people I know are not happy unless they are catching fish.  While I prefer to catch fish, if I don't I'm usually not disappointed. So why do I fish.

• To be close to my children
  I fish often with my son and daughter.  We laugh, we have fun, I teach them skills, we spend time together outside. I get to see their little victories and the little failures. I see them grow as people, in their confidence and there abilities. My daughter who used to be afraid to touch a worm will now jump off a dock and unhook a good sized catfish with pliers now. My son can now do everything that I can do fishing, I have seen him pass those skills and knowledge on to random kids that are fishing by us. From year to year I watch my children grow.


• To be close to my father
  When I was a kid I used to fish with my dad. We would get up early Saturday or Sunday mornings and go to a local pond, river or creek.  I never did catch anything too big, but I remember what I did catch. Like most kids I was back then all about the fish. I didn't appreciate at the time my dad getting up early on his days off, the company we had together or the lessons he taught me. I stopped fishing with him by the time I became a teenager and didn't pick it back up until my 30's, but I still remember the places, the sounds and the fish. My dad has moved on to different hobbies, but I have been back out with him a couple of times. I still fish with one of his old rods.
• To be by myself
  Sometimes you just need some time alone. Fishing can be a wonderful solitary experience.  I like to sit riverside after dark with some catfish bait. I listen to the city, or the outdoors depending on where I am. Once in a while I'll drift off in my chair waiting for a fish that may or may not come. Other times I'll close my eyes and try and sense everything around me.  Just being alone with my thoughts, relaxing, doing something I love is very therapeutic. I joke with my wife and say women have emotions, men have hobbies.
• For peace in my life
  I find fishing very relaxing, until you hook into a 15 pound carp. (Which is big for my area) It allows me to recharge. I disconnect temporarily from my responsibilities. Fishing allows me to be a better person.
• To be outside
  I like the outdoors. I am involved in Scouting, we hike, we camp, we occasionally fish. I camp with my family as well. I like being outside. I like the smells, the sounds, the unexpected finds. The outdoors feel like untapped opportunity. Fishing is an outdoor sport it and gives me another excuse to be outside, weather in the city or the woods.
  
• To acquire a skill
  Fishing is a series of skills. In my work life I look at data, analyze it, find patterns and develop systems to produce the best results for the lease amount of work. Fishing can be a lot like that. On a hot summer afternoon you feel the heat, see the sun and observe the river, you analyze the temperature and water levels, you know from previous experience that fish prefer cooler water during the day so you look for deeper water with shade.  After enough time, it becomes second nature to look over a body of water and start making guesses about the best spots to start fishing. I've learned a few different knots fishing. I've learned how to cast a lure and now I have enough practice to make that lure go where I want it to go. (most of the time) Skill acquisition can be fun and fishing has afforded me the opportunity to get new skills.

Why do I fish? There are a lot of reasons and most of them don't include the fish.

New 2013 Regulations

The new recreational fishing regulations are out.  Click here for the full document. There are no changes in zones 16 or 19. (The two closest to me)  There is some good news, Bass season opens on the 3rd Saturday of June for zones 17, 18 and 20.  Sounds like a road trip to me.

Fishing Fury Win

I won a photo caption contest on FishingFury.com and received a Water Gremlin t-shirt.  Thanks to the guys at fishingfury.com.

Water levels in Lakes Huron, Michigan to break record lows

Water levels in Lakes Huron, Michigan to break record lows
By Tom Greenwood The Detroit News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is anticipating all-time record low water levels for Lakes Huron and Michigan in early 2013 after a continued lack of rain and snowfall impacting the Great Lakes Basin.

In a report released Friday, the corps of engineers projected Huron and Michigan will break levels set in March 1964 — 576.05 feet above sea level — while all of the Great Lakes are predicted to see low water levels.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121130/METRO/211300454#ixzz2E6vwJzhL

Toronto Sportsman Show

I haven't been to the Toronto Sportsman Show in a while for a couple of reasons. 1. I didn't like their new location at the convention center and 2. There were always on the March Break week and I've been doing Scout camps on the weekend of the show. So I normally go to the Spring Fishing and Boat Show.

This year things have changed with the Sportsman Show. The new dates are February 7 - 10, 2013 and they are back at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place. It looks like I'll be attending this year. In addition the have a new web site.

Proposed Changes to FMZ 5 for Bass

I was made aware of a possible change to the Bass regulations in Ontario's zone 5. (Northwestern Ontario) I emailed the MNR regarding this and received an email back later that day.  The information package included the Draft Fisheries Management Plan for Fisheries Management Zone 5 and the FMZ 5 Fisheries Management Plan Comment Form - Bass. I was impressed at the speed of the information sent back to me.

FMZ 5 Background
Smallmouth bass are not native to FMZ 5 and were first introduced into the zone approximately 100 years ago. They are now known to exist in over 560 lakes throughout the zone with populations being found in new lakes almost yearly. Largemouth bass are also not thought to be a native species in FMZ 5 although they are found in much fewer lakes (~100) located primarily in the south and west part of the zone. Most of the discussion and available data on bass populations in FMZ 5 is focused on smallmouth bass.

FMZ 5 bass populations have supported world class angling fisheries and have traditionally been popular with non-resident anglers and the tourist industry which has likely contributed to their spread throughout the zone. In more recent years, bass fishing has become more popular with resident anglers and several tournaments in towns such as Fort Frances, Kenora and Atikokan have become important events within these communities.

Proposed objectives for bass management in FMZ 5

The current regulation is:

Dates	Catch Limits	Size Limits
Jun 30 - Nov 30	S - 4, C - 2	.
Dec 1 - Dec 31	S - 2, C - 1	less than 35cm
Jan 1 - Jun 29	S - 2, C - 1	less than 35cm

The proposed regulation is:

Dates	Catch Limits	Size Limits
Jun 30 - Dec 31	S - 4, C - 2	.
Jan 1 - Jun 29	S - 4, C - 2	less than 35cm

The alternative proposed regulation is:

Dates	Catch Limits	Size Limits
Jun 30 - Dec 31	S - 4, C - 2	.
Jan 1 - Jun 29	S - 2, C - 1	less than 35cm

Rationale for the proposed regulation change

Eliminate reduced limits in winter/spring and simplify size limit season

The proposed regulatory management action is the same as the current regulation but eliminates the reduced limits during the winter and spring (i.e limits would remain at S-4/C-2 all year) and simplifies the dates of the size limit season to January 1st to June 30th. This maintains protection of large bass during the spring/winter periods but provides more harvest opportunity of smaller sized fish during that period. One of the concerns expressed about the current regulation is that the combination of the size limit (none larger than 35cm) and reduced limits (S-2/C-1) severely restrict the opportunity for anglers to harvest bass for consumption during the spring and they are forced to harvest more traditional species such as walleye or northern pike. This has been particularly noted for tourist guests with conservation licences who are currently limited to 1 bass less than 35cm. The proposed management action meets the objective of maintaining angling and harvest opportunities while also maintaining current protection of large bass in the winter and spring when they are vulnerable to anglers. By providing the opportunity to harvest more small fish, it may help in balancing harvest across the fish community. The angling and harvest of some bass at all times of the year is considered important to the tourist industry in marketing bass angling opportunities as well as allowing opportunities for bass to be harvested instead of traditional species such as walleye. With no size limits in the summer, this regulation does not restrict bass angling tournaments to weigh limits of large bass and meets the objective of maintaining opportunities for tournaments. It also simplifies the regulation by maintaining the same catch limits throughout the year. One concern of the proposed management action is that it does not provide protection for large bass throughout the remainder of the year.

The option also adjusts the size limit season from the period of Dec. 1 - June 30 to Jan. 1 – June 30 to address what was seen by the Advisory Council as confusion in the angling regulation summary. Because the summary is prepared as an annual summary and season dates cannot cross calendar years, the size limit period must be written as two separate periods (i.e Jan 1 –June 30 and Dec 1 – Dec 31). Members of the council felt the wording of regulation could be simplified by eliminating the December period. It was also felt that angling during the month of December was very limited because of typical ice conditions at that time of year and there would be very little risk to bass populations from this change.

Rationale for Alternative Management Options

Alternative Option 1: current regulation
Alternative Option 1 is the current regulation which meets the objectives identified and is providing healthy bass populations and high quality fisheries in most lakes in the zone. The current regulation has many of the same advantages as the proposed action (year round 29 Draft Fisheries Management Plan for Fisheries Management Zone 5 angling opportunities, protection of large bass in winter and spring when they are vulnerable to anglers, maintains opportunities for tournaments, etc). It also provides some protection of smaller spawning bass in the spring. Concerns with the current regulation include lack of biological rationale for reduced harvest of small bass in the winter and spring, the potential that this may eliminate the ability to reduce harvest of traditional harvest species such as walleye during this period and that the reduced limits during this period add additional complexity to angling regulations. As discussed previously, the dates of the current size limit season add to the complexity of how the regulation appears in the Fishing Regulation Summary.

Alternative Option 2: current regulation with simplified catch/size limit season.
Alternative Option 2 is the same as Alternative Option 1 with the simplified size limit season. As discussed previously, changing the dates of the size limit season to Jan. 1st to June 30th simplifies the regulation while having minimal impact on bass populations.

An additional option of the current limits of 4 for Sport licence anglers and 2 for Conservation licence with 1 fish over 35 cm for the entire year was considered and would have been preferred by OMNR as the simplest regulation that meets all the management objectives with the exception of maintaining angling tournament opportunities. It is felt that the implementation of this regulation would have had negative impacts on bass tournaments by eliminating the ability to weigh the 5 largest bass caught by the team. One potential advantage of tournament permitting is the ability to exempt tournament anglers from regulations such as this proposal providing the tournament meets fish handling and release conditions. Because this option is not currently available, this was not considered as feasible as a management option at this time.

MNR biologists believe that all options being presented will achieve the protection of the biological sustainability of FMZ 5 bass populations and meet the guiding principles and proposed bass objectives. The different options are expected to favour different objectives and MNR is expecting that the draft plan consultation will provide more direction on what management objectives and actions the public would prefer.

Personal Analysis

My thoughts are alternate option 2 is the best choice. It simplifies the fishing seasons from 3 date ranges to 2 and still protects the winter and nesting bass.  I know in some areas of the north the bass is considered a nuisance fish, much like the carp in Southern Ontario. We should celebrate a strong bass population, especially one that includes larger specimens.  Northern bass take a longer time to grow than their warmer water cousins and additional fishing pressure could definitely cause problems in the next decade.  Large females produce more eggs than smaller ones and larger males are more able to defend the nests. We should protect the winter and spring bass.

Officials work to thwart the invasion of 'fishzilla'

Officials work to thwart the invasion of 'fishzilla'
By Douglas Quan, Postmedia News

With razor-sharp teeth and dark, slimy skin, snakehead fish imported from Asia make for some pretty exotic pets. And some foodies say their tender, white flesh make for some tasty filets.

But if they are ever released into the Canadian wild and start reproducing, experts warn, the predatory fish - which have been dubbed the "fish from hell" and "fishzilla" - could wreak havoc on our lakes and waterways, destroying native plants and fish populations.

Read More...

Thames River Watershed Report Cards

The new 2012 Upper Thames River Watershed Report Cards are now available! Every five years the UTRCA produces 28 report cards to assess local environmental conditions in the 28 watersheds within the upper Thames River watershed.

Each report card grades that watershed’s surface water quality and forest conditions, summarizes watershed features, provides recommended actions for improvement, and highlights progress made over five years. New information has been included on groundwater, connections to the Great Lakes and extreme weather.

Link to the Report

Thames River gets Cs and Ds

Thames River gets Cs and Ds
By Randy Richmond, The London Free Press

Most of the 28 watersheds in the Thames River system are holding their own, but not excelling, according to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority report cards issued Thursday.

Based on water quality testing and analysis of forest conditions from 2006 to 2011, the 28 watersheds in the river system can be given C and D grades.

Read more...

Ice Fishing with the Cubs

This winter the Western Ontario Fish and Game Protective Association has graciously invited our cub group to go ice fishing on their private stocked pond in London, Ontario.  This is a great opportunity for the kids and me, since I've never been ice fishing before. I'm really looking forward to the chance. Hopefully we'll catch a few and are able to field dress and cook up some trout. I'd like to thank the WOFGPA for giving us this wonderful opportunity.

Let hope for a decent winter so we have some ice.

Survey finds Great Lakes full of plastic

Survey finds Great Lakes full of plastic
By Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer

University researchers found surprising amounts of small pieces of plastic this summer in the waters of lakes Huron, Superior and Erie.

Read more...

Professional Fishing

Professional Fishing
By M.D. Slutsky

Sports stars aren’t like you and me. They make millions of dollars. They have extensive entourages attending to their every need. They’re represented by armies of agents, managers and lawyers, experts on extracting the best deals for their clients from teams and sponsors. When they travel, they take private jets or ride in swagged-out tour buses.

Well, most sports stars. There’s another breed of pro athlete -- guys who are renowned for their prowess, followed by adoring fans and are generally considered legends in their field -- but for whom none of that applies. I’m talking about pro anglers, and having spent a weekend with some of the top fishermen alive, I walked away amazed at how down-to-earth they were and just how admirably DIY their operations were.

Read more: http://ca.askmen.com/money/career/professional-fishing.html

 

Thames River does a vanishing act

Thames River does a vanishing act
By Randy Richmond, The London Free Press


It’s one of only 42 Canadian Heritage Rivers, and — at 273 km long — one of Southwestern Ontario’s biggest.

More than 500,000 people live in the seven counties and 54 municipalities in the area it drains.

But to the federal government, the Thames River ain’t no Scugog, Pigeon, Otonabee or Rosedale River — not even a Stevens Creek or Kemptville Creek.

Those smaller and lesser known waterways — none of them Heritage Rivers — will remain on Ottawa’s list of navigable waters, and under its protection if proposed amendments to federal legislation go ahead.

The Thames will be dropped.
Read more...

Chill Out: Fall Largemouth Bass and Trout are Still Out There

This month's issue of Ontario Out of Doors magazine indicates now's a good time for Largemouth Bass, not to mention Steelhead/Rainbow Trout, and I'd assume Brown Trout too.

I've known for awhile that Trout is a cold water fish, but the tips and tricks (such as bouncing between artificial lures and real fish eggs) seemed useful to me.

The Largemouth Bass article was a whole different beast, indicating that Largemouth Bass get quite active now in preparation for winter, and that you shouldn't bother going out once the water temperature drops below 10C.

Also, stick to cover (rocks, boulders, trees) as that tends to be where the warmth is, and thus the fish.

Really made me want to get the waders on and get out there! I'd like to brave it, but so far as I know, the Forest City (London, Ontario) isn't a great fishery for Largemouth or Trout. I know of one hole that's promising for Trout, and I've seen a few small Largemouth Bass in Mill Pond, but not much else.

If you're an avid Forest City angler, share some spots, and let us know where the honey holes are! Or, just invite us out for a morning!

Proposed Changes for Bass Season in Zones 17. 18. and 20

The MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources of Ontario) is looking at changing the Bass Season opening in Zones 17, 18 and 20. They are looking at changing the date from the 4th Saturday in June to the 3rd Saturday in June.

Click here for the full report.

In my opinion, if their data is accurate, is the change would be fine in zones 17 and 18, but zone 20 warms up more slowly as it is a large body of water and the extra week could make a difference in bass stocks.

It will be interesting to see if there are any proposed changes for zone 16 coming.

Local anglers fined and banned after exceeding walleye catch limit

Local anglers fined and banned after exceeding walleye catch limit
by Dave Battagello

Two Windsor anglers have been fined a total of $3,100 for reeling in 31 more walleye than their fishing licences allowed during a trip earlier this year in the Peterborough area, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Read more...

How many dead fish would be “significant”?

How many dead fish would be “significant”?
Krystyn Tully, Waterkeeper.ca Weekly

A nuclear power plant in Ontario should be allowed to kill millions of fish each year, say staff of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). Their surprising recommendation is part of the final environmental assessment report for Ontario Power Generation’s plan to refurbish four nuclear reactors at its Darlington Nuclear Generating Station on the north shore of Lake Ontario.

CNSC staff are asking Commissioners, acting together with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, to allow OPG to operate a “once-through” cooling system. This outdated system will suck in water from Lake Ontario to cool the nuclear reactors, then discharge warmed water back to the lake all day every day for a half-century.

Read more...

Canada - U.S. toughen laws to protect Great Lakes

Canada - U.S. toughen laws to protect Great Lakes
BY TOM GODFREY ,TORONTO SUN

TORONTO - Canada and the U.S. are toughening laws that deal with pollution and intrusive fish species, including Asian carp, that are causing major problems in the Great Lakes.

Environment Minister Peter Kent was in Washington, D.C. on Friday to sign an updated Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement that has not been amended for 40 years.

Read More...

Fishing Report September 6th, 2012

With the impending rain, I decided to get out last night for a short fishing trip down to the Forks of the Thames. I got there about 8:30 and left at 10:00.  We used hot dogs.  I caught a white bass around a pound in the first couple of minutes and thought, great they generally travel in large schools and we would be hitting white base every cast. No suck luck as he was clearly the only one in the area. My next catch was my first Spiny Soft Shelled Turtle. The one was big, at least half a meter in length. She was released without incident. (That brings my Thames River Turtle species count to 4: Snapping, Spiny Soft Shelled, Painted and Red Ear Slider) That was it for my night of catching.  My daughter who was almost asleep at 5 to 10 jumps out of her chair and her reel starts screaming.  This fish pulled off well over 100 feet of line before she turned it. After her initial panic, she settled into the lift and reel down rhythm.  After a good 5 minutes she pulled in and released a nice sized carp ( 8-9 lbs) It was then off the home. I know she's telling every kid at school this morning about her monster fish.

No answers in massive fish kill

No answers in massive fish kill
By Trevor Terfloth, Chatham Daily News

A massive fish kill that occurred along the shores of Lake Erie in the Rondeau area over the long weekend is still under investigation.

However, a spill isn't thought to be the culprit, according to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

Read more...

Fishing Report September 2nd, 2012

I went back to the Forks of the Thames with the rest of my hot dogs.  We arrived at 8 but didn't get out first bite until 9:30. What a difference a night makes.  The first fish was the smallest catfish I have ever caught. It was a 7 inch channel cat, very cute trying to eat such a big bait. The next bite happened soon after.  This fish fought for a good 10 minutes and made several impressive runs.  When we landed it the channel cat was almost 2 feet long and easily 10 lbs, which makes it the largest catfish I have ever caught.  We decided to call it a night shortly after that.

In addition I met another angler Matt tonight who had some great stories and advice on catching fish and he watches the Ghetto Fishing Show.

Hundreds of Dead Fish Wash up at the Shores of Erie Beaches

Ministry of the Environment investigating after hundreds of dead fish wash up at the shores of Lake Erie beaches
Alex Weber, London Free Press

Beach goers looking to take advantage of the last weekend of summer were startled to find hundreds of dead fish washed up along the shore of Lake Erie, Saturday afternoon. Read More...

Fishing Report September 1st, 2012

Well it was the last night of the full moon, so I thought I should get out and get fishing.  We went down to the Forks of the Thames at about 8:00 PM.  My son likes to come and watch but not fish.  I fished away from shore for a bit and didn't get anything, then we noticed a lot of carp only 5 or 6 feet away from the shore.  So we decided to bring in the tackle.  I was using hot dog pieces on hooks.  Shortly after we pulled in a 5 lbs catfish. Over the next 45 minutes I got a number of bites and hook up, but nothing ever got the shore.  About 9:45 I got a monstrous bite and the fish pulled out almost 200 feet of line before I could turn him.  We fought for about 6 or 7 minutes with a number of close calls, including him wrapping my line around a branch. Luckily we got him in and it was a nice 10 lbs carp.  After releasing the fish we were out of hot dogs and my tackle was really tore up, so it was time to come home.  I hope to get out at least once more this long weekend.

Fishing Report August 29th, 2012

Headed down to the Forks of the Thames for some lazy evening action.  I took my daughter and we were fishing with worms. We got there at about 7 and there were some girls who caught a couple of rock bass.  I caught a 2 lbs sucker quickly and followed it up with a 6 inch perch. My daughter was playing with her line in and around some rocks.  She kept say she saw fish there, I told her it was her imagination. Then in rapid secession she pulled up, but not all the way in a couple of rock bass and some perch.  Her hook was too big and they dangled on the worm until they hit about 4 feet out of the water.  I'm going to have to trust her eye sight (but not her judgement on what constitutes a reasonable fish) in the future. After that excitement I pulled in a 1 lbs sucker. After dark I got a couple of big bites, but the fish was gone and they didn't reoccur so we called it a night.

As a side note it has been nice to see a lot of fishermen using the Forks of the Thames this summer. Past years it seemed like it was just me most of the time.

The Storm Kickin' Saga... continues? I'm as surprised as you are.

So a friend of mine tells me he's going up to Thunder Bay for some pike fishing. I get excited and tell him to try to find--with emphasis on try, as I expect this to be scarce--a Storm Kickin' Stick. I further recite to him a story wherein I used said bait to outfish my co-anglers, of the brother-in-law nature. He says he's on his way, so he won't have time to track one down.

And then... he sends me a message from his BlackBerry that there's Kickin' Sticks as far as the eye can see! So I check Storm's website, and it looks like Rapala has not only revamped things with Storm's complete catalogue intact, they've even added a Swimmin' Stick, which is like the Kickin' Stick only with a lip. Lippy Buggers!

I'm glad Rapala didn't kill my lure!

BioLite CampStove™

Our Scout group received our BioLite CampStove™ yesterday. We have been waiting for months for it. It didn't take us long before we had the package ripped open and the stove fired up.

BioLite CampStove™

First impressions are the materials are of a good quality and the item is well made. The exception that the carry case is a thin nylon bag.  If it were by personal equipment I would look for a hard case to protect the screen or a least a heavier bag. The base seems very stable on flat ground.

With one sheet of paper and some twigs we got the fire going. As soon as the heat hit the copper probe the thermal-electric generator started up the fan which really got the fire going.  The stove gave off a lot of heat. After five minutes the LED turned to green which meant we could charge our device via the USB port on the stove.  We plugged in an iPhone in and it began charging.

One the fire was done, the device cooled down quickly.

I took this stove on a week long camping trip to Owen Sound in August.  There was a fire ban and the stove became our defacto campfire for the week. We used cut up drier cedar shingles as the fuel and man did they burn. Three shingles 12" x 18" would burn for the entire evening. With the fan going the fire burned hot and clean and there was very little ash left afterwards.

The price is $129 on their web site. I know our group paid more as shipping, taxes and handling pushed the price to over $200.  However $129 is a really good price for this device.

It weights just over 2lbs which makes it a little heavy for ultralight camping, but considering you don't need to pack fuel makes this an acceptable choice. (If small pieces of wood will be available)  With it's solid construction it also works well in the wind and the fire is mostly protected by the sides. The size of the stove is approximately 8 inches long by 5 inches in diameter, or the size of a 1 litre water bottle. It packs down nicely into a bag.

The charger kept our iPhones charged during the week and we could boil water on it. The iPad has higher power consumption and this device had trouble keeping it charged.  The propane stove and electrical outlet work better than the BioLite CampStove™ but if you wanted lightweight wilderness camping I would recommend this stove.

Here are a couple of videos of the stove in action.

PM and TO Mayor Go Fishing

Stephen Harper lures Rob Ford to Harrington Lake
By Don Peat, City Hall Bureau Chief

Prime Minister Stephen Harper had Toronto Mayor Rob Ford up to Harrington Lake Monday for a summer fishing trip, QMI Agency has learned.

Ford had a private meeting with Harper at the prime minister's official country retreat, according to a source.

Read More...

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)

This post is cross-published on Full Metal Tackle and I am... Jack's Film Club.

British Film makes me believe in arranged marriage. Weird way to start a movie review, sure, but let me explain.

I married a British girl. Our relationship was sparked by movies and dogs, and even today we quote some of our favourite flicks to each other--it's kind of obsessive, but we like it.

Then there's Hugh Grant. Michelle had me watching all sorts of British movies, often starring Hugh Grant, and I just didn't get it. It was clear the film was trying to be humourous, and Michelle would chuckle, whereas I'd be left scratching my head.

Until one day, (h)aha! I got it. The subtle, straight-laced, completely insulting statements piqued a funny bone in me. I watched a whole British film, and enjoyed it! Ever since, I've been craving that same style, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen delivers it, albeit in a slightly different fashion.

As for the arranged marriage thing, I figure if I can spend inordinate amounts of time with British film and love it, any two people forced to marry could begin to love each other too, given time.

Now, back to the show...

Enter Ewan McGregor. Normally smiling ear-to-ear (see the scene in The Island where they break out and he proclaims "Route 66" while pointing at a pack of matches), but instead playing a scientist with asperger's. He's straight-faced and completely crass, and when approached by Emily Blunt's character to establish a salmon fishery in the Yemen, makes exasperated claims which Emily takes literally all the while Ewan rides the line between sarcasm and asperger's, far too often seeming to fall too close to the former. As a reference point, see Bob Melnikov's portrayal of someone with asperger's in the short-lived Regensis TV series, the banal literalism and expression-less responses are similar, but his monotone delivery maintains itself well within the realm of asperger's, and maybe that's just it--maybe Ewan is too expressionable to be believed as someone with asperger's!

The story throws itself forward in near sitcom-like fashion with many cut scenes that pull you out of the absurdity that is Ewan's and Emily's relationship--business or personal--and at times could be considered nearly a cartoon portrayal. The romantic buildup of the core characters barely comes to a boil, the killed-in-action boyfriend of Emily and dreary breakup of Ewan's marraige both seem superficial to any part of the story.

This brings us to the fishing, you know, from the title "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen." Well, there's very little of it, and it strikes me as contrived as the sheikh delivers proclamation of his vision, meanwhile Ewan looks on and notices the sheikh has caught a fish. The excitement takes hold and the scene feels good, but in retrospect I can't help but wonder if there's an angler out there that can't monitor his line and proclaim his beliefs at the same time.

All in all, I think Salmon Fishing in the Yemen provides an awkward romantic comedy that could appeal to an acquired taste, especially an acquired taste in british film.

Fishing Report August 12th, 2012

I decided to hit the Forks of the Thames on Sunday afternoon. It was the middle of a sunny day so I didn't expect to hit too much, but my Fantasy Football draft was in the evening, so daytime it was.

I was using worms on a perch rig. Instead of catching a lot of fish I talked to a lot of people and took a brief nap on the dock.  The water was up and flowing well from the rain on Saturday. I fished from 3:30 until 6.  My first bite and fish came at 5:55.  I caught a nice little (14") Redhorse sucker.  Not much of a fight, but I was grateful for not getting skunked.

I'm hoping to get down to Hamilton on the weekend to fish.

Extinction rate of North American freshwater fish could double by 2050

The extinction rate of freshwater fish in North America could double by 2050, the USGS has warned.

The findings are the result of a USGS study to be published in the September issue of Bioscience.

Read More...

BioLite CampStove™

Our Scout group received our BioLite CampStove™ yesterday. We have been waiting for months for it. It didn't take us long before we had the package ripped open and the stove fired up.

BioLite CampStove™

First impressions are the materials are of a good quality and the item is well made. The exception that the carry case is a thin nylon bag.  If it were by personal equipment I would look for a hard case to protect the screen or a least a heavier bag. The base seems very stable on flat ground. 

With one sheet of paper and some twigs we got the fire going. As soon as the heat hit the copper probe the thermal-electric generator started up the fan which really got the fire going.  The stove gave off a lot of heat. After five minutes the LED turned to green which meant we could charge our device via the USB port on the stove.  We plugged in an iPhone in and it began charging.

One the fire was done, the device cooled down quickly.

Overall I was very impressed with the device.  We'll be putting it to good use and better testing over the next few months. 

St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass

This spring I bought a St. Croix Tournament Legend Bass rod. (6'8" Medium power, extra-fast tip)

I've been fishing with it for about 4 months now. I've caught a wide variety of species on it and I am very happy with the rod's performance. I have it paired with a Shimano Symetre 2500.

Look: The rod looks great. I love the blue colouration and the split grip. My only complaint is my reel no longer matches. 4.5 / 5

Feel: It is very comfortable in my hands. Cast and retrieve is very easy and the rod is perfectly balanced.  The only concern is when fighting a fish I have to change my grip higher up the rod to get the full power from it.  With wider gripped rods that aren't split you can grip below the reel. This one I have to choke up on.  It is not a major issue, but on a long fight it does tire my arms out more. 4 / 5

Sensitivity: This rod is extremely sensitive.  You can feel a fish cough.  When dragging tubes on the bottom you can tell what the bottom is composed of.  Loose sand feels different than packed sand, which is different from dirt, which is different from mud. You can tell round rocks from angled rocks.  One of the side effects of the sensitivity is fish bites become amplified. Early in my use of this rod, I was pulling the bait out of the fish's mouth because I could feel every little thing. Now I've learned to be a little calmer in my hook sets. 5 / 5

Power: Speaking of hook sets, this rod has power to spare.  I've dragged in decent sized carp and catfish on it without issue. It feels very powerful and sturdy bringing fish in. I'm not sure I'd use it to hunt 40 lbs Lake Trout, but for what I fish it has excellent power and flexibility. 4.5 / 5

Casting: The rod is fairly stiff, but it does flex on the cast.  For casting distance and accuracy I would say it performs as expected, which is to say good but nothing spectacular. 4 / 5


Overall: This is the first premium rod I have owned and I can see where the extra money goes. It looks and performs great. I'm sure my next rod will be a St. Croix and I would recommend this rod to anyone who asks. 4.5 / 5

Where Have All the Good Bass Gone - Part 3

I had written to the Thames River Anglers Association (TRAA) about the perceived lack of bass in the Thames River in the London area.

I received a response back that indicates that bass catches have been decent this year and in the recent past.  The exception being in the South Branch by the Pottersburg Creek pollution plant.  Apparently there was a change in their outflow which destroyed the bass fishery in the area.

They assured me that bass fishing was still good.

The TRAA say "The weather patterns of late remind me of 1986 when we had all time low water levels which combined with the high heat created algae blooms which lead to the sudden decline of the bass fishery. That is why our group was formed in 1986." This information makes sense given the weather.


Randy Bailey of the TRAA continues, 

"One of the other reasons I see is the exploitation of the bass fishery and blatant disregard for the regulations. Case in point, I reported 2 gentlemen to the local CO and tips line who were fishing on Rebbecca Road. The two of them had 14 smallmouth on a stringer and they were all in the size range you are talking about. The best part is the local CO busted both of them a week after the tip and confiscated their gear as well as a hefty fine." It is good that the offenders were caught and charged

I heard that overfishing was the primary problem with bass populations before.

I have received information from a few sources that say the bass fishery is still in good shape in the Thames River. I hope this is the case.  Now all I have to do is get out there and find them.


I'll continue to monitor the situation and post any additional information I uncover.

Where Have All the Good Bass Gone - Part 2

The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority got back to me regarding the questions and comments I had sent them about the lack of smallmouth bass in the Thames River over the last few years. I'll copy their followup to me below.

"FYI - sampled two locations between Hwy 7 and St. Marys today - water temperature doesn't seem to have much effect on my fishing success. Sm bass were fairly abundant at both with at least 4 year classes observed. At one time we had at least 10 lbs. of bass in the bucket with three that would have been pushing 3 lb. Good news in terms of bass population but bad news in terms of water levels. We are normally only able to catch the smaller ones, while the bigger ones escape to deeper water that is non-existent this year, and it's not even the middle of July yet! This could make them vulnerable to a variety of types of predation."

It would seem, that the smallmouth populations are doing okay in the North Branch outside of the city. I'm still convinced there is a problem with bass inside the city limits. I'm going to continue to contact relevant groups to see about this.  I'd like to be able to land large bass within London again.

Bread Bait Ideas from FishToronto.com

Toronto area Carp will take bread from the surface, off the bottom or even suspended mid-water. The local Carp all along the Toronto waterfront clean up a lot of bread thrown at the waterfowl by the kids at the duck pond, and across the Harbourfront parks. Learning to use bait that your local fish routinely come across as a free food source is a key tactic for sight fishing Carp in shallow waters. My friend Blair is the absolute master of free-lining a bread crust, while sight fishing for Carp in the margins here in Toronto. Blair routinely lands big Carp on bread crust like no one else I have seen.

But what about using hair rigged bread fished at distance on the bottom? Bread doesn’t have a very good reputation for this style of fishing and I hear the same complaints time and again.

Read full article...

Fishing Report - July 12, 2012

I went to the Forks of the Thames last night for a couple of hours.  Tossed in some bacon. I caught a small bass and a large snapping turtle. Both were returned to the water.

Where Have All the Good Bass Gone?

When I got back into fishing 6 years ago, smallmouth bass were abundant in the Thames River. I fished from Plover Mills to Komoka and every trip usually produced at least couple of small bass.  Sometimes we'd get 10 or more on a trip. Sometimes was would get larger smallmouth upwards of 16 inches. Bass were abundant in both branches of the river.  Excellent areas in town included Highbury Ave and the North Branch, the dog park on Hamilton Road and Thames Park downtown.

For the first couple of all areas of river produced bass. As time went on there were less and less bass to be had.  Since 2010 I've only been able to catch less than 10 bass in the river and they were all small (8 inches or less). I fish the Thames River at minimum 50 times per year and usually more. I try a variety of locations, techniques and tackle. I've been successful in other locations where bass are present. There is a problem with the bass population in the Thames River within the London City limits.

To address my concerns I emailed one of the aquatic biologists at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. The person I emailed returned my email right way, acknowledged my concerns and shared with me that he has received additional concerns from other anglers.  In addition he said he was going to start gathering some baseline data. He shared that water quality bethos sampling had remained stable and good for the last decade or so.  It does not seem to be a water quality issue. Also they have not "noticed any significant habitat changes, which fish communities tend be more responsive to and indicative of."

When I receive more feed back I will post for everyone to see.

Another fish kill feared

By RANDY RICHMOND, The London Free Press

After a brief rainy respite, rivers and creeks in the region have returned to the "worrisome" low levels that may have led to the recent fish kill in Pottersburg Creek, scientists warn.

"We've got levels in mid-July that we usually have at the end of August," Mark Helsten, a senior water resource engineer with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, said Tuesday.

Read more...

Fishing Report July 10, 2012

My daughter and I hit the Forks of the Thames after dinner tonight. We were down on the dock from 7 - 8:45 PM. We used worm and bacon on perch rigs for some lazy fishing. On the worm we landed a white bass and a small sucker. (both in the 1 - 2lbs range) We switched to a piece of cooked bacon I brought.  Thanks to the Ghetto Fishing Show for the tip. In the 30 minutes we fished the bacon, two fish annihilated the bait. The first was a small carp (3lbs). Carp normally play with their food, this guy hit so hard and fast I assumed it was a giant bass being eaten by a pike at the same time. The next fish was a 5lb catfish who hit and ate with normal catfish gusto. All fish were returned to the water no worse for wear. The cooked bacon really cam through for me. I can't wait to try it again!

3lbs Carp

5lbs Catfish

Fishing Report July 8th, 2012

My friend from Burlington came down today and wanted to do some urban fishing. What place is more urban than Labatt's Dam.  I cast in with a perch rig and worm and right away land a small rock bass. My friend is using a hook and weight on the bottom and is getting nothing but snags. I throw in again and get a nice 2lbs channel cat.  Across the river there are some guys starting to smoke crack, so it's time to move on.

We go to the Forks of the Thames next. Over the next couple of hours shooting the breeze my friend snags 2 little bass. About 8 inches. These are the first bass I've seen in this area in a long time. Needless to say they were put back with care.  I manage a small turtle that was let go with harm or trouble.

Not an awesome afternoon fishing but it was good seeing my friend.

Power of the Angler

I was reading an article on FishingFury.com (I recommend you check them out) and I came across a graphic that blew my mind.  I'll let it speak for itself.

Fishing Report - July 3, 2012

I'm battling bronchitis, which has kept me away from fishing for 3 days. I went to work today, so I figured I'm well enough to fish.

We hit Dorchester for all of about 10 minutes before thunder storms rolled in. On the way back to London things started to clear and we decided to hit the forks of the Thames.

We went down to the dock and I was casting a perch rig with dew worms on it.  In the hour we were there I caught two 5lb channel cats and a 4lb carp.  Not bad for a what the heck excursion.

I hope to be better soon and start hitting the water after work more often.

F You and the Bass You Rode In On

I took the day off because the kids had a PD Day and needed supervising.  We decided to hit a local hole and do some fishing. Well I did at least, the kids mostly played around the water. I got 4 bass (about 1lb each) and some micro perch.  The we caught on a tube dragged across the bottom and on worm on a perch rig.

It feels great to get some bass.

Basses, we don't  need no stinkin' basses.

Getting my Bass Kicked

On the Bas Opener I got my ass kicked.

I threw all different kinds of lures, all different presentations and all different locations. I had one nice bass on, but it threw the lure on a big jump.  That was the only bass sighting I had on the weekend.  Clearly I was in the wrong spots for hours and hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Weekends like that really kick your ass. Everyone I spoke to was getting shut out last weekend on the bass.

I did manage a white sucker on a Live Target perch down at Gibbons Park on Sunday morning.

I will soldier on and get back at it this weekend.

Carpe Carp.

Fishing Report: Bass Closer

So, the bass opener was a bass closer! Mark and I hit a private pond, and then the river by the Highbury Bridge, and nothing. I had lots of little guys chasing my lures (they were quite interested in the Live Target 3-segment Blueback Herring which behaves much like the Storm Kickin' Stick), but nothing bit.

The private pond is intriguing though, and I'm camping close to it next weekend, so I might have to hit it again.

Mark continued on through the day, so his report might yield some afternoon success, or even Sunday as I'm sure he'll be out.

Weapons of Bass Destruction

This is what I'm packing for tomorrow. Starting at the top left going clockwise.

1. Tube for wacky-rigging worm.
2. Live Target - perch colouration.
3. Assortment of small and medium tubes.
4. Rockstar inline spinners.
5. Weights, hooks and jigs.
6. Worms.
7. Russian Lure - see posts from February.
8. Storm Kickin' Stick - perch colouration.

I'll let you know what works.

Bass Opener

Bass Opener, the third holiest day of the year. (Easter, Christmas, Opener) It is the beginning of summer for me. It makes the end of the Scouting season. (I make sure we're done by opener) It is the day I begin fishing in earnest. My goal is to get out 100 times before Halloween. I've been out about 20 times so far, so I really need to hit it in the summer.

I have my new rod Charlene, my new lures #1, #2, my old stand bys. (tubes, inline spinners and worms)

The only questions is where to fish? The river is a little low but now within normal tolerances. Do I hit hit the North Thames? (In town, out of town) My old spot by the dog park on the South branch? There a new pond I was turned onto that I want to try. So many choices, so much guess work as to where the bass will be.

I might try and hit about 5 spots on Saturday and give no more than 45 mins at each unless the bite is on.

I'll post about where I fish and the success of each early next week.

Weekend Report

I only had a short time on Centre Island in Toronto on the weekend. We tried a number of location but nothing was happening.  At our last spot we saw a number of good sized carp (7lbs range) swimming along. They were not interested in feeding.

Next time out there, I'll make sure I have more time and a variety of baits.

It was a nice morning and the Jays game in the afternoon was awesome. I'll definately do it again, but I think I'd do a night game.

Weekend Fishing

The plan this weekend is to get out to Toronto early Saturday morning and take the ferry over to Centre Island. We plan on doing some carping over there and then catch the Blue Jays game at the Roger's Centre in the afternoon.

Hopefully we'll be able hook into some big Lake Ontario carp.

Fishing Illegal in Toronto City Parks

For the full story which has been brewing form months, click this link.

June 6, Signs went up in Toronto City Parks

This is Toronto, not London. However, who's to say city hall won't do the same thing when they start redeveloping the downtown as they are planning right now.  This is an important fight, to make sure fishing rights are maintained everywhere. I encourage everyone to get involved with this battle. My thanks go out to those in Toronto, contacting the media, calling politicians and city staff. Please remember that...

"FISHING IS NOT A CRIME"

Lack of Fishing

Well, it is that time of year again where the Scout programs wind down, so of course there is tonnes to do. Camping, camping, meetings, awards etc. So fishing will have to take a back seat until Bass opener, the third holiest day of the year behind Easter and Christmas. It was been over a week since I last fished and I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms. My prospects for fishing this weekend are almost none. Another meeting on Monday and busy with Scouts for the rest of the week. Maybe next weekend.

Secret Carp Bait

I like to fish for carp. I've caught them on a lot of different baits, but the one that always brings them in is bread. I work a small dough ball in my hand until it is a little sticky. Just use the white parts, the crust isn't as good. Cover the hook completely, or you can use a hair rig.

The secret ingredient I use on my bread is vanilla extract. A few drops in a sandwich bag with the bread will make the bread smell irresistible to the carp.

I like to use a perch rig with two hooks covered in bread. It takes a little while until the carp zero in on the bait.

Happy Carping

Fishing Report - May 29th, 2012

Hit the Forks of the Thames with my daughter.  Lots of ducks, lots of geese, little bit of fish.  I got one carp (7lbs)  It was a nice night with the temperature gently going down.

Money targets Asian carp

By QMI Agency

The federal government said Monday it will invest $17.5 million over five years to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of Asian carp.

The money will be targetted at prevention, early warning, rapid response, and management and control, said Sarnia-Lambton MP Pat Davidson.

Emphasis will be placed on educating people about the danger of invasive species and ways to prevent humans from bringing Asian carp into Canadian waters, said Davidson, who has been leading a team of Great Lakes MPs advocating for a great control effort.

"One of the main components in an effective strategy to block the advance of the Asian carp into Canadian territorial waters is the need to educate communities that these species are not welcome in our waters, and in fact will cause irreparable harm if they are introduced," she said.

Asian carp, which have proliferated in the U.S. Mississippi River system, aggressively compete with native fish for food and habitat.

Some fear the Great Lakes sport fishing industry could be devastated if Asian carp become established.
Canada will work with U.S. counterparts to develop an early warning and monitoring system, and work with enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with regulations when transporting the fish, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.

"We know that this species specifically could have an enormously negative impact on our waterways," Davidson said.

"And with the current study we have heard first-hand from important local stakeholders including Jake Van Rooyen from the Bluewater Anglers, Tim Purdy and his family from Purdy Fisheries Ltd. and also the president of the Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce, Garry McDonald, Davidson said.

Reprinted from the London Free Press.

Long Weekend Report

I fished a lot this weekend, in a bunch of different places.

Saturday night I fished Black Creek while visiting, a couple small sunfish. We did get a boat ride on the Niagara River, which was very cool.

Sunday I fished Hamilton harbour for a bit, lots of gobies and a nice sized bullhead.

Monday I hit the Thames and pulled in a nice 10 pound carp. I've never fought with a fish for so long. It took me 10 hard minutes to land it and my arms were like rubber. Awesome fish though. Carp are definately heating up in the warm water.

Weekend Report - May 10-11

I only got out once this weekend. I was supposed to meet up with Derek on Saturday morning, but I couldn't get out of bed after a late night Friday. My daughter and I hit the forks at Ivey Park in the afternoon.  After some nibbles, I did manage a Redhorse sucker and she fed the ducks. The weather was great and it's fun to get out for the afternoon.

I discovered a new bass hole last week and can't wait to try it.

A... Trout Hole?

So, we get an insider tip that there could be some good trout fishing inside Komoka, close to the bridge. This is potentially amazing news, as we'd heard there was some limiting factors on them getting that far up the river.

Anyway, needless to say we're taking the information we've got and heading out Saturday morning.

One concerning suggestion was to have a fishing buddy tag along. Generally, this isn't a big deal, but Mark and I don't always get out together, and if this hole pans out to be good for trout, I'm going to be keen to get there often. The advice suggested that while the fishing buddy probably couldn't directly save your ass if it starts going down river, at least they can call for help. What?! I guess if it's not difficult, it's not fishing!

Finally, it'll be a bit of a sore point if this advice turns out to be true. We've been fishing that bridge for cats going on 4 or 5 years now! It always delivers fiesty cat fish once the sun goes down. If there's trout in the same neighbourhood, think of all the times we could have been sporting the evening away, and then slumming it with cats after dark!

Weekend Report

The weather was nice when I arrived at Port Burwell on Saturday around 7PM.  I setup and fished some worms on a perch rig for a while.  A number of little bites, but no real action and no fish.  I spoke to some of the locals who had been out on the Friday night and were slaying the catfish, so I was excited. As soon as the sun went down the temperature dropped and the clouds came in.  We fished until 10:30 but never got a single bite. It shows what one night's difference there can be in fishing. It looks like a promissing spot, so I might go back at some point.

Fishing Report

I disturbed about half a dozen red tails and maybe a catfish (dark). That annoyed me.

Otherwise, I got skunked. Lost 2 flies, realized my Voltaeus needs new braid (got down to the backing after a long cast).

The Live Target 3 segment is amazing. It's action is completely remincient of the Storm Kickin' Stick. The extra weight it seems to have gives it better casting distance and makes it dive a little bit. It should kill, once I find the fish.

My hip waders are interesting. I got up to my thigh in depth and they have this weird vacuum sensation when all the air gets pushed out. It's nice to be dry after a morning out though!

Ditto, on the Weekend Fishing

Being more sport fish oriented, I'm foregoing the late night cat fishing and will instead be busting out the new waders and hitting Komoka Provincial Park... ok ok, it's not really a provincial park, just called one.

Anyway, there's a sweet spot, or at least a spot--it's sweetness is yet to be determined, that looks like something out of River Runs Through It. Low and behold, guess what my weapon of the day will be! A Loop fly rod. :)

Anyway, as Mark mentioned awhile ago, Trout's in season, so I'm hoping to wash the skunk off my rod with a nice little trout. Komoka Park rests nicely between the Komoka Trout Farm and Oxford Street. Rumour has it the Komoka Trout Farm stocks the river, and the Angler's Association stocks brookies somewhere around Oxford Street. This may not be a great hole this year, but it's time is coming (back, as I heard this place used to rock the town).

Weekend Fishing

I have high hopes for the weekend.  Full moon, warmer weather and an insider tip regarding catfish.  It may turn out to be a false lead, or a week or two early, but I am hopeful. I'll be getting all of my catfish gear and bait together and be off to fish this weekend.

I've been hearing about this place for almost a year now, the excitment is palpable.

Rock Bass Opener

I went down to Labatt's dam on Saturday,  after picking up a dozen minnows from Angling Sports on Adelaide. It was about 10 AM when I got there.  There was one other fisherman and his son on the other side of the river. It didn't look like they caught anything.  I fished from 10 AM until 12:30 PM. No trout, but I did hook into a bunch of rock bass. They ranged from 6 inches to 15 inches and maybe a pound in weight. They were not what I was looking for, but 10 fish are better than nothing.

The water level was really low at the dam. You can see the gravel and rock at the base and it looks less then a foot deep there.

Trout Opener

As you already know Saturday April 28th is the Zone 16 trout opener.  I've never been a real trout guy and I've only ever caugh one wild trout in my life and it wasn't targeted.  That said I think I'll grab a dozen minnow, some perch rigs and try my luck at the river tomorrow.  I doubt I'll catch anything, but it's still good to get out there and fish. I'll probably hit Labatt's dam mid morning.

Good luck to all the real trout fisherman tomorrow.

Secret Fishing Handshake

What is with all the secrecy around fishing? Sure, there's magazines, news articles, blog posts, etc. but if you look an angler in the eye and say "what are you fishing with?" he's liable to punch you in the face, or worse: give you bad advice.

There's this operating theory that too much fishing pressure is going to reduce our sport to farming worms to be thrown into rivers. While I see the impact as a valid concern, fishing isn't the new yoga or anything like that, when I'm out on the water I see maybe a few other anglers.

From a competition standpoint, I can reason it out a little bit. I mean, if I tell you my secrets, and then you catch a 48-incher, but I only get a 24-incher, I'd be pissed. But until that happens, let's talk, about fishing, tactics, success, failure. This sport is fun, and if we don't keep the information flowing, future generations will be less and less interested in maintaining it.

A Sporting Desire

Mark's been on my case to write something for the blog, which is fair as I've been busy with backyard projects, home brewing and other stuff.

Ultimately, it comes down to this: I'm not a big fan of fishing in the pre-season. Bring on the game fish!

That being said, looks like my first opportunity is Walleye starting the second Saturday of May (Ontario, Zone 16).

Now... can I fly fish for them? On what kind of fly? Maybe I'll break my fly rod in on Walleye, even though I have yet to catch a Walleye! :)

Lost My Skunk

I went out in the rain tonight, since the fish are already wet. Rebecca, Charlene and I hit the forks of the Thames.  With hot dogs on steel leaders and 1/2 oz sinkers we went after catfish. Only one was caught. A 3 pound cat on Charlene. (no picture because of the rain) I am very pleased that I have wiped the skunk off my new rod. I was getting a little nervous.

Upper Thames Watershed in Level 1 Low Water Condition

Taken from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority web site.

While most people enjoyed the past winter’s lack of snow and warmer overall temperatures, one impact of the unusual weather is becoming evident in the Thames River and its tributaries.

The Upper Thames River Low Water Response Team (LWRT) has declared that the Upper Thames River watershed is in a Level 1 Low Water Condition.

Low water conditions are evaluated by looking at several indicators, including precipitation over the past three months, and stream flows over the past month.

Precipitation from January to March was well below the normal range across the watershed. By the end of March, stream flows were also significantly below normal for this time of year.

“We had a really unusual winter,” said Mark Shifflett, Senior Water Resources Engineer at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA). “Precipitation was below normal and temperatures were above normal, so any snow that we had melted quickly. The result was we had no significant accumulation of snowpack in the Upper Thames watershed this winter.”

The melting winter snowpack typically feeds into rivers and streams in late winter and early spring, contributing to high flows at this time of year. Flows usually drop in the summer.

“There is concern that these dry conditions may continue and worsen in the summer months, when water demands are higher,” explained Mark.

A Level 1 Low Water Condition is part of a three-tiered advisory system used in Ontario to inform the public of local low water conditions. Level 3 is the most severe low water advisory level.

The Upper Thames LWRT includes representatives from agencies and industries across the watershed, including municipal government, the UTRCA, and several provincial ministries, as well as the local golf course, agricultural, and aggregate sectors.

The Upper Thames watershed includes the communities of Mitchell, Stratford, and St. Marys in the north, and Woodstock, Ingersoll, and London in the south, as well as surrounding rural areas and smaller communities.

Still have the skunk on

I went out a couple of time Easter weekend with my new rod Charlene.  I tried a number of areas to get some catfish but turned up empty.  I am assuming that the combination of the weather, bait and location were not what the fish were looking for. I tried bacon on the bottom at Springbank, warm water discharge at Greenway and the Forks of the Thames.  No nibbles at all.

In good news I watched Derek play with his new 3 segment Live Target lure. The swimming action was great, just like a fish and it kicked around and did a 180 when stopped on the retrieve. It looks like that could be a devastating lure come bass season.

I need to get something soon to get the skunk off my new rod. The weather looks decent for Saturday. I'll have to give it a try.

Fishing Rights Erroded

"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty—power is ever stealing from the many to the few"
~Wendell Phillips

Our fishing rights are being erroded! Every day we see new threats to our recreational activity and for some their livelyhood. Here are 3 stories from just this spring that will change the way we fish. Some of these are just test cases that will allow other municipalities to put severe limits on our fishing.  If the city of London goes ahead with their Forks of the Thames revitalization plan, we must make sure that our fishing rights are guarded.


1. Loss of fishing grounds in Woodstock, Ontario
Southside Pond Lost

2. Loss of fishing grounds in Toronto, Ontario
Toronto Harbour

3. Loss of bait fish in Ontario
The MNR is looking at severely restricting the use, harvesting and transportation of bait fish.

Keep vigilant, talk to your MPP and city councilors, make sure they know that our fishing is an issue we will vote on.

Ghetto Fishing Show

The Ghetto Fishing Show is a YouTube series based in London, featuring all sorts of great fishing spots. It is very cool and I've watched almost all of them now. Hopefully there will be a fourth season.

Ghetto Fishing Show

Breaking the Lead

Aside from my near-incessant--I'm sure you'll agree--ramblings on the Storm Kickin' Stick, I must said it lead me to a rather good customer service tale.

You see, back on that fateful fishing trip up in Huntsville when said lure paid for itself in a few nice catches, I lost it to the depths of the lake.

Here I am, three catches into the day, the sun setting and the mosquitoes rising. Confident in the power of my lure, I cast out far and clean. I'm skimming the weeds, hoping to draw out the predatory instinct of the pike to make him take my bait. Suddenly, I yank hard, there's something on my line... only to determine after a bit of reeling, that I'm snagged. No problem, if you're not snaggin', your not fishin'.

So I work the rod back and forth, holding it straight like my braided line prefers. I figure my leader's a solid 30 lb test, my line 20, and I've pulled harder before, so if anythings going to snap, it's my line. Yank, yank, tug hard, tug hard... nothing, it's not coming. I keep tugging, yanking, and snap! I almost fall back. I broke my line.

No worries, I say to myself, I'll just padding over there and retrieve my bait from the weeds. I row the boat, and it starts to glide right for where I believe the lure to be. I get closer and the lure comes in sight. I think I'm a bit high, so rather than try to grab it I try to slow the boat down. I've overshot, and the boat slides right over.

Unconcerned, I back paddle, assuming the weeds will pop-up and my lure will be retrieved. Instead, she's nowhere to be found. I life weed bed after weed bed with no success... my lure is sunk.

Pissed off, I reel my line in so I can swap out the leader and put on a blue shad, it still kicks, so I'm hoping for similar results. Once the lines in I take a look, and I'm shocked to see that the leader is intact, the end of which slipped out of its weave resulting in my lost lure.

Not wanting to miss the moment, I swap the leader out and get the blue shad into the water. The balance of the day shuts me out, and we head back to camp for a beer.


Returning to civilization I contact Matzuo's customer service and relay the whole story to them, impressing my dismay at losing my lure off their faulty leader. The response is simple and straight forward, they ask for my address and offer to replace my leaders and the lure with their competitive brands. A few weeks later I received two packs of non-Matzuo's leaders (Mark thinks they went to Walmart to grab them), and four Matzuo lures, that seem to be roughly competitive to the Storm Kickin' Stick.

My battle-hardened Kickin' Stick remains lost to the depths of a lake in Central Ontario, but I'm pleased with the response from customer service, and I'll be trying these new leaders--replete with welded connectors--on my new lures this season... I may even give the Matzuo leaders a run for their money.

Fishing Report - March 19th, 2012

Who: Myself and my daughter
What: Fishing with chicken hot dogs on catfish rigs and perch rigs
Where: Forks of the Thames, south shore
When: March 19th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Weather: 19 degrees Celsius falling as the night went on. Stable and clear skies.

The catch:

• 6 lbs Channel Cat on hot dog with catfish rig.
• 1 lbs Smallmouth Bass on hot dog with perch rig on the retrieve. Returned to the water immediately.

The bite was just starting to heat up right around 8:00 PM. I had several bites on my line that came and went, but time was up and we had to go.

The Weather

I didn't get out fishing this weekend as I was taking my cub pack camping. A good time was had by all and we got to see lots of cool things camped next to a swamp. Several mosquitoes landed on me and it got me thinking about how this winter is going to influence the upcoming fishing season.

I imagine the biggest change will be the breeding season of the fish.  Fish have thermometers not calendars, so once the water heats up, so will the breeding. Will the trout have moved through the rivers before the season begins?  Will the bass be off their nests by later May? Will the dry winter make for very a shallow Thames River?  A few years back when we had a really dry summer, the bass fishing was awesome because they were all holed up in the few deeper sections of river. Wet wading also becomes a lot simpler.

Of course the warm winter could be no indication of the summer and it might be a cold rainy summer when the fish are turned off the bite completely.

Hopefully the nice weather continues. I hear the perch will start running in Lake Erie soon.

Asian Carp Threat

I have been following the Asian Carp threat for the last couple of years now.  Here is a recent article.

http://www.theobserver.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3502621

Pond Fishing

Pond fishing can be fun when you don't want to hit the big water, or just want to get out for a short time. Ponds can also work out great for fishing with kids where there are lots of little fish to catch. I usually hit the ponds a couple times a week in the summer with my kids.

Below is a list of just some of the ponds in and around London.

Westminster

Location: London (Wellington and Southdale)

Access: Off Wellington Rd; from Parkwood Hospital; various trails throughout the conservation area

Fishing: Sunfish; Largemouth Bass

Notes: The Southernmost pond (Tumblesons Pond) is a private pond with no public access.

Pond Mills

Location: London (Pond Mills Rd between Bradley Ave and Southdale Rd)

Access: Parking lot off Pond Mills Rd, various trails lead to fishing spots

Fishing: Sunfish; Largemouth Bass (I've seen 4+ lbs in the North Pond); rumored Pike

The Coves

Location: London (Springbank Rd, west of Wharncliffe Rd.)

Access: From Greenway Park; Springbank Rd.; Cove Rd.; Duke St. There are some paths to the various ponds.

Fishing: Sunfish; Carp; White Sucker

Notes: http://www.thecoves.ca/

Komoka

Location: Komoka (West of London off Glendon Dr.)

Access: Parking off Komoka Rd.

Fishing: Sunfish; Bass

Notes: Only some ponds are public access, please check before fishing.

Dorchester Mill Pond

Location: Dorchester (East of London off Hamilton Rd.)

Access: Numerous access points off Mill Rd and Pondview Ct.

Fishing: Crappie; Sunfish; Largemouth Bass

Notes: Connects to the Thames River which is abundant with small bass in that area

Sharon Creek Reservoir

Location: Southeast of Deleware off Longwoods Rd.

Access: Parking lot off Springer Rd; Bridge off Carriage Rd

Fishing: Sunfish; Bass; Pike; Walleye; Crappie

Arva Mill Pond

Location: Arva (North of London off Richmond St.)

Access: Limited public access

Fishing: Sunfish; Bass