Summer (Un)Success Grade?

[wolfe]

I don't manage to get out fishing nearly as often as I'd like, but this summer I made an effort to try some new places and for the most part was rather disappointed.

Just wondering what everyone's overall impression of their fishing success is so far this season? Mine is below (my personal) average. I don't know if there's a rhyme or reason for this, but I think the weather is partly to blame. It's been so unsettled here with cold fronts tracking across us in relay fashion. If I had to "grade" my catches to date, (and if I were being honest!) I'd score myself a C- . Anyone else feel as though they had on a (fishing) dunce cap? Seeing posts/pics from CCB, Markus & HawgWobbler, of course, there are those who are ready to graduate with honors.

Regardless of my barely passing grade, I'm not giving up yet! I'm trying some different tackle based on other's suggestions. You CAN teach an old Wolfe new tricks....I hope....

W.

[wolfe]

P.S.

Also -- what would you consider your best fish this summer? Mine was a nice, but somewhat lanky, 19" smallmouth caught on a WallyDiver. A good fish, certainly, but could be better!

W.

[Rescue78]

Wolfe

I think a lot of people will agree that typical patterns are off this year. I personally, I still manage to find them, but I have to look a little harder for them. Seems like they are slightly off the typical structures and depth.

We had cool nights for most of the summer in this area and I think that has a lot to do with it. Also, it seems like we don't have steady weather. Every day is different.

Hopefully the fall fishing will be good.

As for best fish........A few 19" largies and 18" smallies. I just can't seem to break 20". Have a look at my pictures in team four gallery. (I'm the one who post the pics with dates) There are two good pics of my two sons there. I know you like those.

[Rex Mundi]

My fishing this year bits the big one. I am really letting the screaming reels down. I have only been able to get out twice since Bass season has opened up. I have been working a lot and been out of town. But as a contractor when the heavy hours come in you take em. I hope to get out this weekend but I think the chance of that is slim. As for best fish of the year, that is pretty sad as well. I have only managed 2 nice Bass, no Pike and 2 small eyes.

Thats it, sorry sreamin reels.

[eye-tracker]

Well so far this summer I would rate the fishing a B. Only because it has been a summer of trying different things with all of the cold fronts and cool water temps.

This summer I have tried all sorts of new ideas I have wanted to try for a while. I trolled with down rigged spoons for suspended walleye in the main basin of the lake and managed a few nice 22-25 inchers. Started using scent on my spoons for lakers and added flashers and gang trolls to the downrigger ball and managed my personal best 25" Laker this summer. Still need 1 more inch for an Ontario Angler award

Looking forward to fall fishing...

[ganman]

Wolfe,

I have a unique perspective. I grew up here (1000 Islands/Rideau)and fished here for 30 years but in the last decade I seldom did. A lifetime fishing is full of twists and turns and along time ago I got interested in fly fishing. Over time I became so absorbed in learning all its nuisances that I gave up the fishing I grew up on. I became a fly fisherman and sooner or later you get drawn into trout fishing in streams. Well eastern Ontario has tons of lakes but a paucity of trout streams.

So it was weekends on the Beaverkill and Delaware in the Catskills, the Ausable in the Adirondacks, the Grand here in Ontario, day trips to West Canada Creek and longer trips to Pennsylvannia and Vermont. For more than a decade I rarely missed a weekend. I had some incredible fishing and fished in some beautiful places.

Sometime last fall something happened, a shift in the matrix perhaps. I found myself checking out boats and bass tackle. I started looking at cottages locally. Over winter I tied very few flies and this spring I bought a new boat. I haven't gone trout fishing yet this year. I went back to all my old places and some new. I was a little rusty at first but I knew I was a smarter angler.

There has been some suprises and but mostly disappointments.

I think next spring I'll waste no more time trying to catch walleyes on inland lakes. That fishery is pitiful now.

The pike fishing on the St Lawrence was a pleasant suprise. I had heard all about its demise but after a dozen trips I found just the opposite. I caught more fish than ever, however they were smaller but hopefully thats indicitive of a fishery on the rebound.

I was never a lake trout troller but it looks like they are holding there own and I might take that up next year.

I'm mostly dissappointed with the bass fishing everywhere. As bad as the walleye fishing is, truth is it was never that hot. But our bass fishing......that was a different story.

I'm catching some fish but something is wrong. My opinion is our bass are facing a lot more pressure now and doing what they can to cope.

I say that because on every lake I have fished this season those spots that you know should have a bass, 9 times out of 10 don't. Bass are pretty adaptable and I believe they have learned to avoid places where there is angler pressure and thats what they are doing.

Twenty years ago you could go to any pad field on the Rideau all season and with a weedless spoon catch tons of bass. This year I haven't caught a bass in weeks from a pad field. Despite pounding the water in those places.

Ten years ago when there was a cold front we would dunk jigs into holes in those big thick deep patches of coontail. Then everyone got onto it.

Most of my largemouth bass now are caught in 10-20 ft of water just off the weedbeds in deep water. Why? I think its because as I say, any visible structure is being pounded and the bass have moved off.

I remember when nobody went to Charleston lake and fished for bass. It was known as a place to fish trout. The bass were almost untouched. Today they are being hammered. Traffic at the outlet ramp spills out onto the highway every weekend now. Guides from the St Lawrence are now taking clients there.

The 1000 Islands bass are really in the tank. Thank BASS and countless destination articles and TV shows that exploited it. Throw in a major hit from commorants and another from zebra muscles, too many pleasure boats and poker runs etc. There are bass there but they are becoming very difficult to find here one day and gone the next. Witness the FH Caigers trip. Ask CCB who lives on the water how tough it is to find bass.

I find it hard to be excited about things like Bass pro Shop opening more and more stores. Just what we don't need... more and bigger boats, more rods, lures and fishermen.

I hope I'm wrong about all this.

[MuskieWannabe]

I can honestly say that I've had the best year of my life. Growing up I always only fished at my cottage, a small lake about 2 hours west of Ottawa. This yaer I've taken up going for Muskies. Landed 2 beauties my first time out, 40" and 47". Since then I've landed about 8 pike with an average length of about 30", the biggest being a mammoth 35" in the Rideau! I've gone out with numerous lads from fish-hawk, all great and all have taught me a few things. I love catching pike and muskies and have had an absolute blast so far all year doing it. Thanks to all the lads here for there help and one of the guys I work with for takling me out and making this year great so far. Hopefully I'll be getting some bigguns this fall!

[RJ]

I've had my best year ever....though it may have alot to do with having my own ride.....I fish where I want...when I want...and how I want....

Big eyes in the spring...a huge gar in the boat...some dandy smallies....a couple of nice buckets....in 4 musky trips 6 have hit the net....a nice salmon with Big-O....and my first downrigged fish in my boat....been a great summer!

RJ

[Cancatchbass]

The 2004 season , to date, has been the slowest I can remember. Numbers and quality are down drastically.

The one bright spot is the Rideau River in the Kemptville area. How that stretch of water continues to produce is a source of amazement for me.

The St. Lawrence has been dreadful so far. The fish are there, but it is VERY hard to find them with any consistency. I'm hoping weather (with the resultant problems) is the main culprit.

Again, ganman has given some very interesting insights. Read and heed...

And anyone who correctly uses the word paucity in conversation is someone I have to meet!

CCB

[Muskiemagnet]

This has been my best fishing year to date, 19lbs laker, 16 muskie over 40", one 51" Muskie (seven years to break 50"), 52" gar, 33" walleye, 40" Pike, Salmon, Bass......... and the season is only half over. Its a year to remember for sure.

[saskie]

In Sask it was much slower than usual. Some can blamed on the weather but in general the fishing was down. The most telling thing for me was how difficult it was to catch small (<30in) pike. Usually these little friggers are a nuisance but this year you actually had to work to catch them. The numbers may sound high in our post, (23 pike each) but that was over 4 days fishing, specifically targetting them twice. Only 6 total were over the magic 24" mark.

I have nothing to compare it to around here. I would rate the fishing around the NCR as fair, which is quite impressive considering all the waters I've fished have been less than an hour from a major urban centre. Very rarely did we go out and get completely skunked. Some days were slow but we almost always caught at least a couple perch, rock bass or dink smallie. I caught several new species: my first sunfish, crappie, catfish and muskie all came this season...(still working on that first large mouth). I did get spoiled growing up where I did, but I'd still rather go fishing here on Saturday than stay home and watch Fish n Canada.

[Scum Frog]

It has been mixed for me. I have done my best ever on walleye in terms of numbers caught and size. But , the Lakers and Smallies have been nothing more than okay.

[FireFox]

This fishing season gets a 'D' grade for me. I havent been able to get out as often as I wanted to, but the fact is that a 'good' outing this year is one where I can get 2 bass (yeah - 2, and 8" ers count in that 2 ... ugh) in a 4 or 5 hour stretch. Im trying my best to learn new techniques, and try various depths and get away from the spots that attract the most attention, but its just not working for me. The pike have been decent in numbers this year, but I know many spots where I grew up where I could go and catch hammerhandle pike until my arms fell off.

I wonder what kind of impact on the fish the tournaments have - what is considered normal mortality rates for the released bass ? 20% ? 10% - still a fair number. Also, things like the zebra mussels clearing up the waters of most of the major lakes around - how does that affect fry survival rates ? So many variables. I dont know how many people catch and keep bass (nowhere near as many that keep walleye), so Im pretty sure that reduced limits and size restrictions wouldnt change much.

Compared to a lot of places, we do have incredible angling opportunities here in the Ottawa area, and we should treat them with respect.

Enough rambling for now

Fox

[FLOATFISHIN]

Gotta say this year well more or less since I joined fish hawk has been pretty darn good.My fishin this year has seen my biggest chromer,2 pig smallies,my biggest cat,my biggest perch,and my biggest LM in almost 3 yrs But aside from the wall hangin pics the people Ive been so lucky to meet and fish with,Ive got out more than I could ever dream of and had very few skunks aswell

Off the wall weather makes it real odd to fish this year but,I find myself workin harder to find em and it surely pays off.New techs I have used and not to forget to mention again the people I have met and offered me a trip on the water or from shore is all owed to this,the best site on the net!!!!

Gotta give my year so far a A+ And I havent even started floatin yet,for the fall run

P.S Markus and Hoover,you guys are gonna see FF come up on ya pretty quick Points and the lead shall be mine

T.L F.F

[M.T. Livewell]

Fishing in general ... C+. I have stopped actively chasing pretty well everything but bass and am finding my ability to catch walleye on those occasional outtings to be pitiful at best.

Tournament bass fishing ... E-. Sorry JimW. I really remembered myself being a better fisherman than this.

MT