Finally, my first 2009 softwater report!

[MuskyBill]

Yup, time to put away the auger. The only ice I wanna see this time of year is hockey playoffs, & with my rye 'n ginger ale... :good:

My buddy & I hit up the marina in town after work on Tuesday looking for some ice-out Pike. We found the opening to the harbour was very inviting, but there was still ice all around the park, & in the back bays. You can just make it out on the far right of the pic...

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Bluffs001Small.jpg

Surface temps were only 3 degrees above freezing, so we'd toss out our jerkbaits, have a nap, pull/crank, nap, pull/crank, & nap again.
Ok, not exactly, but we fished very slow. Looooong pauses.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Bluffs007Small.jpg

We couldn't move a thing, but it didn't matter to us, we were just grateful to be floating again... :dirol:
We made plans for Saturday.

So, we got on the water at the crack 'o noon, & hit up the local power plant in search of anything that swims. I didn't even have my line in the water yet & Graham had one on. One what, you ask?
No idea, it was gone faster than you could blink...& look what it'd done to G's minnow!!!

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309001Small.jpg

We went through a BUNCH of minnows with this same result. We knew we were into a bunch of Brown Trout, but they were like sunfish with their baitstealing abilities.
Finally, I was able to get my hook into a l'il guy...

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309008Small.jpg

Not much else swimming in Lake Ontario is a beautiful as a spring Brown...

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309011Small.jpg

Graham had a nicer one come unpinned at boatside, which was dejecting to say the least, as he'd never caught a Brown before.
After weeding through a few small Freshwater Drum, G was finally able to get one in the net. It was a little smaller then mine, & my camera was malfunctioning at that moment, so no pic was taken... :angry2:

Once we ran out of minnows, we switched to the old reliable worms. Wow, I don't know if it was the time of day, or the bait-switch, but that's when the BIG Drums showed up!
Again, my camera might've seen it's last trip, cuz it was really starting to tick me off. We only got a couple more pics that actually worked out...
G releasing one...

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309007Small.jpg

Me getting the small hook out of a small one...

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309005Small.jpg

This was one of my bigger ones, probably close to 9 pounds!

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k266/muskybill/Plant210309015Small.jpg

These drum are pretty tough fighters. Most of the time, you can reel them up quick until about 40' from the boat, & then it's just time to hold on, & off they go again. I was going to do this report last night, but my left arm/shoulder were absolutely killing me. I took some pain 'relief', turned on the hockey game & passed out....just woke up an hour ago!!
Hope you all get out on the water soon. Good for the soul.... :good:

[Clive]

Nicely done, great looking brown!
are you able to fish from shore in that area or is it fenced off?

[Master Basser]

Congrats on your pretty brown...nice to get out on the water. Where were you on lake Ontario? Looks nice there.

[Woody]

Top report yet again Mr Bill, i'm surprised you get any time off for Fishing, you must be so busy singing for Metallica! (nice face fur!)...Those Drums look nice and chunky, what weight can they get up to?

[MuskyBill]

Hahaha, Woody.... :lol:

We get the Drum at that spot up to about 12 lbs, but I know further east (another 200 kms) they get them in the Bay of Quinte in the high teens-low 20's.

MB- the marina was at the Bluffs, & the plant is in Pickering.
Sadly, after 911, all shore access has been taken away.

Glad you guys enjoyed.... :good:

[Clive]

We also cal them sheep head Woodrow - we posted the new Ontario record awhile back, I'm sure you remember it.

http://www.fishingfury.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/potential-ontario-sheephead-record1.jpg

[Woody]

I remember that Pic, i can't remember what weight it was though...The other thing i hate is when people hold the Fish right out in front of them so it looks 10 times bigger than what it is. Why not hold it against the body or to the side so everyone else can see how big it really is?!...The bloke on this pic is doing that a bit i think!

[Clive]

That beauty was 22.2 lbs.

I for one always hold the fish out a bit - not to over exaggerate its size, but to make sure that its the focal point and center of attention.

[legacey]

That's an awesome Sheepy.....the guy that caught that (Mike) was walleye fishing in the fall near Picton. He's a hard core fisherman!

The pooper on that thing is just not right! :sarcastic:

Cheers,

Paul

[Woody]

Hey Paul, i never even noticed that until you pointed it out, it looks almost deformed!

[JonnyButts]

I've been waiting for this report from you Bill, I figured it was about that time of the year for you and the Crafty one to get out at the pp. Great Report bud, got me envious.

Woody: Thats one of my mates Mike as said in the photo. To give you some perspective he stands about 5'6 max and I don't think he is holding that fish out, just struggling to keep her up for the photo.

[Woody]

Fu**in' 'ell, i'm only about 5.7, if i caught something that size i would look like a Fishing God!...That's the best bit about not being sooooooooo tall, the Fish will look bigger against me!

[MuskyBill]

I checked some older pics, Jonny, & found we're getting out earlier each year.

2007-April 21
2008-April 5
2009-March 21

[Clive]

Hey Woody, Mike is pretty short, he even struggles to hold up panfish! :)

http://www.fishingfury.com/ff-content/boqcrappie.jpg

[Woody]

I think me and Mike will have to start a club up and only people 5.7 and under can join, so that will be me and Mike in the club anyway, it's very exclusive!

[MuskyBill]

I'm in, Woody. I'm 5'7 on a tall day.

[legacey]

Count me in too.....this pike was only 2 lbs. :smile:

cheers

[Woody]

Is that the Pike that wants to be in my new 5.7 Club or you mate?!...And as for you Bill, i'm sure you're only saying you're 5.7 so you can get in as well, i don't know, people will lie about anything for these exclusive Clubs. :lol:

[Master Basser]

I guess thats me out...I am gonn cry discrimination...being 6`5 shouldmt exclude you from anything. Oh well!

[Woody]

Don't worry mate, you'll just have to start your own club, the over 6 footers!...I don't know, Bill sends us a really cool Fishing report and half of this thread has been hijacked, sorry Bill, signed Mark Woodhouse (Woody) Chief Executive of the 5.7 Club.

[Clive]

Well that leaves me out of both clubs, I'm over 5'7, but under 6'.

Haters.

[Woody]

There's always one that has to be different!

[legacey]

Is that the Pike that wants to be in my new 5.7 Club or you mate?!...And as for you Bill, i'm sure you're only saying you're 5.7 so you can get in as well, i don't know, people will lie about anything for these exclusive Clubs. :lol:


Nope, that's me that's 5-7".

All hail CEO, Woody! :good:

Cheers,

Paul

[jwm]

This thread is hilarious, I don't even know where to begin commenting! :lol:

Beautiful shot of that trout being released, I think I'll have to throw that one on the main site.

[Woody]

Right then Jonathon, you have 3 options and i'm guessing it will be the 1st one you pick!... 1 - My 5.7 Club 2 - The over 6 Club and finally Clive's over 5.7 but under 6 Club!

[Master Basser]

If ya can`t find any 5.7 to 6 footers, than you can always join us 6 footers...we can just pretend!! Or you can be our token short guy, your always allowed one!

[pierre]

Hi Master Basser
I'll joined the club if there is one of the more than 6 foot. I'm 6.9 lol

[Woody]

Lies lies lies Pierre!...even if it's true, that only has you and MB in the Club, i think the stats look like this...My 5.7 ish Club 97%, You and MB's Club 2% and Clive's all on his own Club, 1% :haha:...Anyway, can't stop and chat, Meetings to arrange, T-shirts to print etc etc, you know the kind of stuff that Club Presidents do! :lol:

[pierre]

Sure and i don't want to start an argue with a person of small size :lol:.
Anyway the most important is that the foot touch the floor that's why i intent to explain every day to the person which are asking for my size in the street, the only problem is that when i take a picture whith a fish it looks really small all the time :fool:

[Nico]

Hi,
I'm 6'5, and when im looking at Pierre (my cousin) my neck is hatching :lol:

[Woody]

I think you French should start your own tall CLUB and let Master Basser join so he's not on his own! Au Revoir. :good: