6 species in 4 hours

[Ken]

Thanks to Mr. Harper, my supervisor gave us all a long weekend seeing as our lab is a stone throw away from Queen's Park.

I went out with some university buddies last night and had a pint...and I missed my 6:30am alarm this morning.

By the time I got up, it was 8:30am. I went online to check the water level (seeing as we had a nice storm) and called the local bait shop for a confirmation...then got on the road at 10:30am.

It took a while to get there with some of the G20 traffic as well as the usual Friday traffic. However, I did made it to the local Timmy's by 11:45am for a quick fueling up.

I went to the bait shop and chatted with the lady behind the counter for a while gathering some info and purchased a dozen of nightcrawlers. My mission today was to catch a sheephead for a nice picture (for the life list) and see if I can find any redhorse sucker species to add to that life list.

As I was putting on my waders, I pondered whether to take the big net or the trout net...ah, I'm just catching little fish today...I'll just take the little wooden trout net.

First couple of casts into the hole...tap, tap, tap. I fed it some line, tap! Set the hook...and the fish jumped. Steelhead? No...too small...Oh...1lb smallmouth. Out of season...so snapped a quick pick in the water...back it went.



After that first first, it was quiet for about 30min. I moved slightly over for a better casting angle. A few drifts later...bang! The fish fought decent...but didn't last too long. It was a shortnose redhorse. I've caught this species before but didn't have a good picture. So I spend 15 seconds getting a couple of snaps for the life list. Happy, happy.



Next cast...bang! That was fast. This fish dug deep over and over again...and I had a feeling what it was. Yep, sheephead (freshwater drum). Woohoo! I got my beauty shot for the life list



Then it went quiet again for 30mins. I kept at the hole since I had the occasional tap. It was a good decision since I got a hard tap and had a feeling what it was. Yep...a little channel catfish.



After that catfish it was quiet again.

I decided to fish another hole. On my third drift, I got drilled hard and lost the back half of my nightcrawler. Hm...bait thief, eh? I think I know who that is. I put on a new chunk of worm and got stolen again. This happened for 2 more times until I started snagging my bottom bouncing rig to the big rock in front of me. I retied twice before I finally got my bait thief...a little rockbass...just as I thought.



I was nice to it though. See those three parasites on it? I removed those...plus another one on the other side. The fish thanked me by giving me a mini face wash.

And it was quiet again.

So I moved to a new hole. On the first drift, I got drilled again and had the fish on for a short run...then the hook fell out.

Next cast, I snagged a boulder.

I rigged up again and got hit the next cast...but somehow, the hook didn't stick again (a new hook mind you...and I checked that it was sharp).

Next cast, I snagged...and re-rigged and snagged...and re-rigged and snagged.

Okay, this is now getting annoying! Three casts, three snags!

But knowing there is a fish out there, I rigged up again. This time, I cast a little to the left. As I was bouncing the bottom, I felt a bump and then a solid weight! BINGO! 8O

This fish was fighting deep and dirty. I could feeling some big tail kicks and that only meant one fish for me...a big carp! I could feel the slow, deliberate dives and the broad body. I was fishing light lines so I had 6lb mainline and 6lb leader. I played the fish carefully and felt the line scraped rock a couple of times. After 5 min, I finally got the fish to the surface close to me. I tried to net the fish with my little trout net Yeah...that didn't work Worse yet, it woke the fish again and it went for another run and it took another 3 min to bring the fish in again.

This time, the fish kinda floated up to the surface sideways. Hm...I hope I can release this guy.

I didn't want the fish out of the water for too long...but this fish definitely deserves a picture. Of course...I was fishing by myself and there wasn't anyone close to me



I tried to revive it...honest I did. Most people wouldn't think twice putting this fish in the cooler. I didn't think twice about releasing this nice breeder. However, after 10 mins and 5 release and retrieve (ie...released the fish...it tried to right itself for a bit...then it floated sideways...and I had to grab it again to rest it some more). Anyways...this fish was just not going to make it after the long fight in the warm water. I didn't bring my cooler (I was just looking for a few fish pictures) but this fish was a goner. So I decided to cut my day short at 4:30pm and went to shore.

A few more shots...

I took a picture while reviving the fish.



Here's a nice shot for my life list after I decided to keep the fish.



Elephant on peanut.



Back at the parking lot, a couple of strollers took a picture for me



What a way to end the day! I came here not expecting much...and ended up with my second largest walleye! I thought it was a personal best...but after measuring the length and putting it on the scale at the bait shop, it was only 25" and 6.6lbs. My biggest was 27" and 7lbs.

Still...not that I'm complaining.

On my drive home, I put the fish under the passenger side floor mat and blasted the AC to keep the fish cold. Was the fish cold? I don't know...but my sandal clad feet were purple when I got home

[pogigod]

Very nice fish, never had the privalage of fishing for them, always wished I could..... But after reading your posts Ken I decided I'm going to steal your counting thing of different species of fish. I Guess I will have to start at zero, since i want to take a picture of every species and then keep the largest picture I have of each .... but thats going to mean i have to re-catch a blue marlin and a yellow fin tuna ... but once again nice fish

[Ken]

Thanks.

Regarding that life list, I have some species I caught long time ago (before I started counting species) that had no pictures. For the ones that I positively identified them, I counted them. The ones that I was not sure, I didn't count them. So not necessary to have pictures for all of them.

As for which picture to use for the list, I use the picture that shows the best characteristics and colour. Some species are so similar that unless you have a clear pictures, you cannot identify them. (like the surge wrasse female and the rainbow wrasse female). So I use the best picture (usually with all fins clearly shown and the one with the best colour). I still have all the pictures of my big fish though.

I also use the scientific name (latin name) for each fish species on the recorded list (including class, family, genus, species...etc) so that you can see how similar species are related (eg. in the same genus or family) and you can also see sometimes two very different looking fish are actually more closely related than you think.

But...you keep whatever picture means the most to you on your list. It's a fun game to play and no one can tell you how to play it your way

[pogigod]

I'll probably store them on my external and sort them into folder after folder and keep all the pictures..... Just gave up video games a few months back so trying out new things and this one seems fun (the cataloging and list, not fishing itself

[Stan Wright]

Look at those teeth... no wonder you have a net.

[Ken]

Look at those teeth... no wonder you have a net.

The funny thing is that I took the wrong net The trout net was too small and the fish that I need the net most couldn't fit in it Go figure, huh?