On my last trip, I had a real issue with round goby eating the corn off my hair rig. So my solution for that was to make some of my own boilies for carp bait. I made them big enough so that the gobies cannot eat them.
So last night I was up until 12am making boilies. They didn't turn out very well...but I took them to the Island with me today anyways.
I woke up at 5:30am this morning, thinking it was a holiday and the subway would not be running...and I would need to take a bus instead. With about 1h worth of bus ride, I had to get up this early. I only had 4 hours of sleep last night.
It turned out that the subway was running on Friday schedule instead! Darn! I could have gotten more sleep
I was lucky though that there was an early special ferry today since they ere having a regatta at the Islands, so there was an early service to take all the participant over to the Islands for early preparations.
I started fishing by 8am. I had one rod rigged with a circle hook and a whole nightcrawler, and the other rod with a jighead and a T&C. I made a round in the back bay but I didn't see any bowfin. There was two very active carp feeding though...so I just HAD to toss out one of my homemade boilie to see if it can get bit.
Unfortunately, my boilies are not very flavourful and they are rather hard...and the carp didn't like it (I had a hit and spit...). I was really hoping the carp would eventually eat it...but after having the carp eat all around my boilie, I had to stop being stubborn and just give in to corn.
I tossed out a handful of corn again to chum, and put corn on my hair rig. These two carp are ravenous. Normally, carp are very cautious and any splashing would scare them off. These two had chum tossed on top on them and they could care less. I tossed in my hair rig in the middle of all the chum. I had a fish took my bait but the hook didn't set. I usually don't miss fish with the hair rig...so I reeled in my line and found a lot of bottom debris choking my hook.
I needed my rig to sit above the bottom debris...so I put on a piece of yellow foam in between two pieces of corn on my hair rig. While I was fiddling around, the carp left to feed about 50 feet away. It took a while for the carp to return...but when they did, I got a solid take...and FISH ON!
Instead of using my usual 9' MH rod, I took a 7' M and 6'6" M rods with me. I really didn't want to be fishing carp so I tried to discourage myself
On my lighter, shorter rod, the carp really gave up a great fight. It made one long run, then a second shorter run...and a third good run. I thought maybe my rod was too light...but after 10 minutes, I got a look at the fish and it was a nice one.
86cm length
53cm girth
This one tied my record for length...but it was not as fat as my biggest carp unfortunately. My carp weight formula gave it only 19lbs.
Still, it was a great fish 
After this carp, all the feeding activities ceased. It was time to go bowfin hunting again. I did another tour around the back bay and didn't see a bowfin...but there were two pairs of bass on their beds. Our weather is about 3 weeks later and bass were just in the middle of their spawn now.
I decided to check out a new spot I found on my last trip. On the way, I passed by a canal where the regatta was held. There were a lot of people lined up along shore, but there was this little corner area where there were only a few people. I took a look into the water and saw a dark shape. At first I thought it was a branch...but it was fish shaped. Then I thought maybe it was a carp. Upon closer inspection, it was a BOWFIN!
The bowfin seemed to have seen me since it started raising its dorsal fin (a sign of caution or excitement). I immediately moved back from the water's edge and put down my swimbait rod and net. In one fluid movement, I pulled out some line from the reel and gently flicked the nightcrawler about 18" to the side of the fish. The fish slowly turned. At first, I thought it was not interested (as I have seen this before when they acted this way), but instead, the fish made a move to the worm and gulped it!
For a second, I was so shocked I finally got a bowfin to hit that I was just staring at the fish
Finally, I snapped out of it and set the hook. FISH ON!!!
The fish pulled out all the tricks including bulldogging, twisting, turning, surface splashing, jumping, and even tried to rub the line on its body. I was really nervous fighting this fish with thoughts in my minds that the sharp teeth may cut the line, the twisting and turning may work the hook out, the fish landing on my line from the jumps may snap the line...there was so much anxiousness my heart was about to explode!
Finally, the fish was getting tired and I grabbed my net. My first netting attempt failed as the fish made a last effort just before I could scope the head. I turned the fish again toward the net and finally lead the fish into the net...but the fish was so long that the tail was still outside the net and the fish wasn't folding inside the net! I gave the net another jiggle and finally had the fish fully in the bag...and I made a dash backward and moved the fish about 20 feet from the water's edge
FINALLY!!! After 7 trips, a lot of frustration, careful observation, patient learning, I got my bowfin (Amia calva)...species #197!!! It was a nice one too!
70cm! (27.5")
It was a female (no eye spot on the tail)
In all the excitement, I didn't get a picture of me holding my prize
I was so happy there was no words to describe it. I still have to check out the new spot, so I put on a fresh nightcrawler and made my way there. The spot didn't have any bowfin today...so I decide to do another round back in "my" back bay to see if I can find the bowfin getting active.
I got to a area where there were some branches and bushes right by the water's edge. I had often seen bowfins using this area...but in May, all I could get to bite in this area were bass.
As soon as I arrived, I saw 4 carp in the area. When one of the fish moved, I got a better look and it was another bowfin! I quickly put my swimbait rod and net down, and again in another fluid motion, I pulled out some line and flicked the nightcrawler at the bowfin.
When the nightcrawler landed, the splashed scared the carp and the bowfin also felt the fear...and it started to swim into the branches. I quickly reeled in my line and flicked a cast between two branckes beside the bowfin...but the fish was still spooked. I reeled in and let the fish calmed down a bit. The fish made a turn and started heading out of the branches...and I landed the nightcrawler about 8" in front of the fish. As the worm was sinking, the bowfin paused, then it pointed its head down...and gulped the worm in!!!
FISH ON AGAIN!!!
This bowfin played dirty. It immediately swam into the branches, and I immediately dipped my rod tip into the water to prevent my line getting tangled in the branches. The move worked and the bowfin soon swam out of the snags, and made a 40 feet run. Then it twisted, turned, jumped, and did all the usual bowfin pi$$ed off maneuvers. But I had the best of it...and it turned out to be another 70cm bowfin!
Beauty shot for my fish list
And this time I remembered to take a picture with the fish
Freaking eh!!!
After my second bowfin, I called it a day. I was sleepy, hungry...and the temperature was starting to get really hot. There were also too many people on the Island so it was getting crowded.
I decided to break down all my rigs and rods so it would make my trip home easier. Just as I put everything away, there was a pod of 3 carp feeding heavily in the middle of the bay. I was so tempted to tie on a hair rig and have a go at them...but they were so far away that they were out of chumming range...and there is no telling if they would move in closer to shore...so I decided to leave them be and catch them next time.
It was a great day on the Island! Having landed my first bowfin...then an hour later landed my second bowfin...is still pretty surreal at the moment. I just couldn't believe how willing they were to bite today!
Illegitimus Non Carborundum