# Fishing Season 2009



## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

I don't know how many of you as fish keepers are actually fishermen/women, but I thought it would be great to see some of the fish you are catching on your outings. Post pics here of what you have caught during the 2009 season. I'll start...

1. Have no clue what this is, it was like a cross between a pike and something. It came from Lake Ontario so could be some mutation.









2. Big Ol Nasty Carp!!









3. First Pike of the season


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

You keep your fishies?

I dont really unless someone nearby wants them. I keep them to show the kids and let them go again lol.

I caught a huge pike before and cut my line. I really didnt want to bring it up. XD


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

No Ciddian I do not keep them, never have. I fish for the relaxation, fresh air, and walking excercise....catching a fish is just a bonus. Today I had kept one little guy though, he's in my Need ID post, I think it's simply a freshwater herring, but not 100%


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Oooooo I see, i see 

Ya I couldnt think of what that fish was either ...


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

Well seeing as most people here are used to seeing tank raised or foreign species of fish i didn't think I would get much help with the Id, but worth the try.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

I've been fishing since before I could walk...lol


I do keep the big guys, when it's worth it...maybe kept 20-25 fish in my lifetime (22 years).... up until 2005, the last last fish I had kept was in like 1995 lol.... fished every year too...since 2005, I've kept 12-15 fish or so....and they were all yummy .... and my girlfriend since 2003, I have taught her what a keeper really is lol...she used to keep the 1-2lb bass, not anymore! she knows that 4-5 lb bass is where the keeping starts  and we've caught about 5-7 of those in 5 years between the two of us


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

Ok thanks to my cousin who's a fishing finatic I now know the fish in the first pic is a Bowfin or otherwise known to some as a Dogfish. Regardless, it's some strange looking fish and with the teeth it had I doubt it's a herbavore, lol.


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## mr.sandman (Mar 22, 2007)

The first pic doesnt look native.


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

The Carp is not native either.

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) - Originates from Asia and Eastern Europe


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## novice (Mar 14, 2006)

*fishing spots*

still a novice at this sport -
So which are the good fishing spots in or around the GTA to get the above mentioned types of fishes -
do you fish from the shore or take the boat/canoe what ever and go mid lake for the big un's -
been last year to buckhorn - and just caught sun fish & some type of bass - 
am i supposed to be getting a fishing licence every year ??

and whats the best bait for the big ones ?


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

novice said:


> still a novice at this sport -
> So which are the good fishing spots in or around the GTA to get the above mentioned types of fishes -
> do you fish from the shore or take the boat/canoe what ever and go mid lake for the big un's -
> been last year to buckhorn - and just caught sun fish & some type of bass -
> ...


I've never fished lake ontario, nor do I want to lol... nice fish, but dirty ...

pretty much go north (out of GTA) or Northeast (at least an hour) and you should find good fishing anyway... skip the muskoka's they are over fished....good further north - north of north bay

you can catch any fish on anything basically... Worms work for all fish IMO, lures and spinning works mostly with the larger stuff... bass eat anything, and give the best fight usually... 

and yeah, in ontario you need a license every year.... buy your outdoors card once, it's good for three years, just buy a sticker for the following two years, and then you have to renew... what PITA!


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

I fish in Lake Simcoe they bay that breaks off of it Cook's bay 20 mins south of barrie, Not bad fishing but only for perch really you get some nice pike out of their and of course sunfish rock bass and Bass. alot of 1-3 pound bass. Noticed the smelts are coming back and the Walleye are showing up near the mouth of the bay actually.

If i catch anything good ill post it up. but i will never beat the 22lb pike out of a lake up in Nolalu Thunderbay


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

xr8dride said:


> Ok thanks to my cousin who's a fishing finatic I now know the fish in the first pic is a Bowfin or otherwise known to some as a Dogfish. Regardless, it's some strange looking fish and with the teeth it had I doubt it's a herbavore, lol.


 I dont think its a dogfish Ive caught a few in simcoe not the right color.Looks more like a rainbow herring.


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## mr.sandman (Mar 22, 2007)

novice said:


> still a novice at this sport -
> So which are the good fishing spots in or around the GTA to get the above mentioned types of fishes -
> do you fish from the shore or take the boat/canoe what ever and go mid lake for the big un's -
> been last year to buckhorn - and just caught sun fish & some type of bass -
> ...


You can find out info regarding fishing license since there are different kinds here 
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165301.html.

As for fishing location, me and my dad mostly head to peterborough cause of the pollution in the great lakes. As for the location on the lake, you just have to keep searching for a spot that fish will gather either in the morning or at dusk.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

i forgot to add but yeah the first one is definatly not a dog fish i can second pat on this one . i caught a 8 pounder and it was much different. Dog fish always have the Peacock eye looking thing on their tail.

Not a herring also. i caught at least 4 this winter. herring look like a whitefish just smaller. and the mouth doesn't have any teeth. much like the whitefish.

The fish you caught has a very different set of teeth i am unsure of the species.

I think its a mix of something it has the tail of a dogfish without the markings but it has the gill and teeth look of a trout but the head is too wide for that species even lol good luck finding out what species it is.


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

*ads*

im pretty sure the first one is a bowfin... crazy lil buggers.. great fight. I've caught a few of those. So where do u fish.. I fish every yr.. havent gone out yet.. ready though


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

In and around the GTA there are a few good spots...The Rouge River, at the far east end of Lawrence, and Bluffers Park at the very south end of Brimley. All fishing I've done has been from shore, and in general I use a #2 spinner...always been lucky with it for Bass, Pike, Trout...even smaller fish like perch, sunfish etc.
Rules and regulations require that all individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 years have a valid license when fishing...The penalties are severe if you do not have one. Good Luck, hope this info was useful.


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

Everywhere i have searched on the net says that it is a bowfin (female). I required the info from a Bowfin Anglers Group website... http://www.bowfinanglers.com/bowfininfo.html


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## novice (Mar 14, 2006)

Thanks guys - info,tips,tricks & locations very informative and useful.

will try and hopefully try to graduate into some bigger catches this year - and yes will pop into canadian tires to renew my licence.

Back in the days in the Mid east used to fish on breakwater/shore of the ocean - landed some pretty huge - Barracudas, Tuna Fish and KingFish - sardines and mackrels or the "artifical rapala" were the bait - 3 inch hooks with a lead wire - 80 to 100 mm lines, many a broken rod - but fishing at 2 in the morning at high tide was a blast - no catch and release there - and no licences too.

need to look in to my old albums to get some photographs - didnt have digital cams in those days - good ole Kodak cameras.


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## xr8dride (Feb 24, 2009)

Last summer in The Dominican Republic I had caught some amazing Mahi Mahi...they put up an amazing fight though you didn't catch many.


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## Hippopoctopus (Feb 20, 2009)

I have no car, I have no boat, and I have the gear to fish pretty much anything from smallmouth to muskie and everything else in between.

I live in Toronto... Does anyone know any local spots with good shore fishing that's accessible without a car? I catch and release so I don't really care how clean it is, I just like fish that put up a bit of a fight.

If you ever get the chance, go salmon fishing on Lake Ontario... Yes, it's sort of filthy, but if you've never caught anything that strong before, you're missing out.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

bringing this one to the top!  

I landed a couple decent bass a few weeks ago up in norland.... 3 and 4 lb small mouths, my dad ate them both ... he cleaned them as they went home in his car... and I went to eat them two days later, and the fillets were gone...he admitted to devouring two fish lol

the 4 lb'r was caught around 1am, and the 3lb'r in the next morning...

same night as the 4lb'r I lost a good 20lb Muskie off the shore.... I went to grab it and it tried to do a flip while half it's body was out of the water on the bedrock, and got loose... I was fishing alone, my brother in law came 3 minutes later to join me fishing, with our net.... won't happen again lol

and It was a muskie, not a pike... I know the difference


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

xr8dride said:


> In and around the GTA there are a few good spots...The Rouge River, at the far east end of Lawrence, and Bluffers Park at the very south end of Brimley. All fishing I've done has been from shore, and in general I use a #2 spinner...always been lucky with it for Bass, Pike, Trout...even smaller fish like perch, sunfish etc.
> Rules and regulations require that all individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 years have a valid license when fishing...The penalties are severe if you do not have one. Good Luck, hope this info was useful.


A friend asked me about that licence thing a couple days ago. She asked me if it's possible to fish without a licence, how can they tell who has a licence and who does not and how/when/often do they check your licence?

I just told her you need a licence and that I didn't know the answers to her question. Seeing as I saw this thread I thoguht I'd post and see if an answer will turn up as now I'm curious myself.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I used to fish with family up in Simcoe lake. Shore and pier fishing mainly. I remember catching I think sunfish and/or perch. Still got the tackle box with an assortment of hooks and lures and have been always wanting to go fishing but no one to really fish with or know where to fish inside the GTA then going up north. I'd prefer inside the GTA. I remember seeing once someone in High Park fishing there. 

Do any of you shore/pier fisher wo/men use any fishfinders to check for the fish activity and distance/depth? I've seen a product that floats that is white and light green that is a fish finder that you cast out on a rod and I think the display is a mount on the rod or on your wrist. It's a wireless fish finder and I remember it can with a few units around to widen your scan.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

AquaNeko said:


> A friend asked me about that licence thing a couple days ago. She asked me if it's possible to fish without a licence, how can they tell who has a licence and who does not and how/when/often do they check your licence?
> 
> I just told her you need a licence and that I didn't know the answers to her question. Seeing as I saw this thread I thoguht I'd post and see if an answer will turn up as now I'm curious myself.


of course it's possible to fish w/o a license, but it's illegal.... a ministry of natural resources officer can come by anytime, as they randomly show up at peirs, fishing spots, shorelines, even confront you on the water (boat to boat).... they would be more common in well known areas than the middle of no where... GTA and camping grounds are the most populated with checks IMO.....

if they catch you without a license they have the lawful ability to seize all fishing gear, all fish, tackle, rods, etc.... and if they have just reason, they can even take your vehicle.... more power than a police officer


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