Carp in Dow's lake

[canoedude]

First, thanks for everyone's tips a while go when I posted about getting an inside edge for Brookies in Quebec.

In anycase - to the current matter: I've been out a couple of times trying to get Carp in Dow's lake/Rideau Canal (this is my year of breaking my old patterns/fishing habits and hence the newbie questions). Of course, all you have to do is walk along the canal for 10 minutes to realize that there is a VERY health carp population in this particular body of water.

The problem is, however, is that I can't seem to catch them...I've been using wonderbread balled up around a small hook with a couple of split shots further up to get it down (or sometimes use a small float) but thus far it hasn't produced - at all.

As far as location, I've tried along the Western shore of Dow's lake, as well as just below Hartwell locks....I've seen them jumping in my vincity, just not at the end of my line! Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong - judging by all the reports, they can't be that hard to catch.

I'm going out this weekend, so I'll be sure to follow up with any success stories.

This weather is awesome (finally).

Canoedude

[Pints]

Try the eastern side of Dow's Lake where people feed the ducks. With all the feed for the ducks, it also attracts the Carp. Try baiting your area with corn (canned, frozed or make your own from dried corn soaked over night in water, kool-aid, jello or boil it for a while as well). Lots of suggestions from someone who hasn't fished them(all info gathered from pervious poster here at Fish-Hawk), but like yourself I'm looking at expanding my horizons. Good Luck.

[Mike Lennox]

I love dows lake. My number one crappie and bass spot"when they open"
I have not targeted carp but have seen many non the less. Try further up the canal, near canal ritz. There is a small pond therew laced with carp right beside the canal that i highly reccomend but you gotta be sneaky.
p.s. I have seen about 20 muskie to the right of the pavillion but have not targeted them since they were oos
-yung

[tonyholt]

hi guys
have you had anymore luck with the carp in dows lake?
where is dows lake cant find it on the map!
sorry stupid englishfisherman mad on carp fishing
tony

[Pints]

Hi Tony, Dow's Lake is part of the Rideau Canal system, and is located in the heart of Ottawa. It is nestled between Carling Ave on the north, both Driveways on the east and south, and the Arboritum on the west. The boat house is at the intersection of Preston St, and Prince of Wales Drive.

[cockney carper]

hi larry
thanks for the info - couldnt find it on the map
will have to spend some time at that end of the rideau then!
tony

[Mike the 'Tender]

Canoe,

I caught this puppy in the Summer by the Manotick Locks.



To catch it, my and my buddy Mike (yeah, I know) used fairly large Treble hooks (I can't remember the size, he bought them, I just used them) then used pickled baby corn cobs wrapped in white wonder bread. We tried without the pickled baby corn, we weren't getting any hits.

Mike had a slightly larger one on and it completely bent the snap snivel to the point that the hook simply slid off.

That one there we estimated to come in at 40-45 lbs. Mike played as a running back fo the UofO football team in 2000 and he had a hard time lifting the darn fish out of the water so we could get a comparison shot with the Bat...we had nothing else in his truck to compare it to After a couple quick snapshot, it was off back in the river.

I was using a heavy action Gorilla Stick with an Abu Garcia 5600 Reel and 30 lb test fireline. Even with the drag set as tight as it could go and my thumb on the spool, the carp still made 3 60+ yard runs. Make sure you have some good gear to handle a good sized carp. They're powerful fish.

[cockney carper]

hi mike
thats a monster - heard a couple of guys mention manitock, will have to stop there first on route from the uk via ottawa airport!
we use lighter rods and 15lb line to make more of a sport of it - play the fish first.
thanks for the info - see you there sometime?
ill be the guy with all the gear!
tony

[SkeeterJohn]

The bat is about 32" in length so i'd say more likely a mid 30 than 45+
Also using trebles isn't a great idea because they have soft mouths you'll just tend to rip go for a good size 2 instead.

[Mike the 'Tender]

Tony,

Believe me, I had no choice but to play that fish, lol. The best I could do was try to reel against the drag. Everytime that fish got back anywhere that I had originally hooked it, it was running again. After it ran the three or four times, I was able to reel it in like I was reeling in a dead log. Didn't even move.

And John, that bat is 33", but that carp looked like it had CFL ball and then some for a stomach. It was a very girthy fish. You never know though, you might be right, we didn't have anything to weigh it with. I'm just going to keep saying 40-45 lbs for posterity's sake though

-Mike