Carp Anglers Group
PO Box 69, Groveland, IL 61535 USA
Call us at 309-387-2277 (CARP)
1998 Bay of Quinte Fish In, Canada
Hosted by Chris Marshall
Reported by Terry Fishlock
A vermilion sun sinks slowly below the horizon turning the bay bridge into a silhouette against the crimson sky. To the east on the other side of the causeway, the sky darkens to the purple of night. As I sit watching the skeins of geese heading south for the winter, and the giant monarch butterflies heading on their way to Mexico. I ponder my own return to the UK. My mind takes me back over the two weeks of a truly exceptional holiday and I think of the things I have done, the friends I have made, and the fish I have caught.
It all started through www.carp.net, with a request for information on fishing in Ontario. With the naivet� of ignorance I had asked about thousands of square miles of fishing. However the local carp anglers notably Brian, Carpsava, and Chris came to my aid and pointed me in the right direction . They all took exceptional trouble to ensure that the trip went as smoothly as possible. Brian even meeting me at the airport and escorting me across the chaotic Toronto traffic, to calmer waters on the other side. Other transport problems were not a difficulty really, put in the context of the trip.
On arriving at my host Chris Marshalls house, at an ungodly hour. I was greeted with the warmth that was a hallmark of the entire trip. The local carp anglers of Belleville aged from early teen to late sixties were without doubt some of the most open, helpful and genuinely friendly people that I have met. I am delighted to count them now as good friends, and fishing pals.
The first outing resulted in us catching a channel catfish, ugly looking brute about 10 lbs. The next day we went to the venue for the fish in, Chris caught a 21 and I had eleven smaller fish. So things looked good for the middle weekend get together.
The next day Chris, Glen (holder of the Ontario record at 38 lbs.), and I went to another location, fishing from a causeway in order to get beyond the thick marginal weed. We had several fish during the main part of the day up to 19 lbs. Chris left at lunch time to keep an appointment, leaving Glen and myself to continue. My first objective was to beat my personal best common of 19 lbs., This I managed when both Glen and I had takes at the same time just as the sun was setting. Glens fish turned out to be 26 lbs. Mine a 21. I was delighted with this fish but more was to come.
My next target was to catch a 30 plus to go alongside the 30lb plus leathers that I have caught in the UK.
The next day turned into a red letter day for me. Fishing from the same spot into the teeth of a strong wind, with breakers crashing into the large stone blocks of the causeway. I started with a 22 LB fish, then a 23 LB fish, then a 28 and a half.
Chris and John joked that I was working towards the thirty by degrees. And so it proved. The next take seemed like the rest, but on hooking the fish it took off for the far side of the bay. As this was 2 miles away it was either going to take all my line, or I had to stop it at some point. As it turned out after taking about 100 yards of line the carp turned left and headed for the narrows at point Anne.
By applying some side strain and leading the thing like a dog I managed to guide the fish into the margins, taking care to avoid the sharp rocks coated with razor like zebra mussels. Eventually, and it took all of twenty minuets John expertly netted the fish. On lifting the net it would not come free of the rocks. I bent down to release the mesh only to find that it was not caught, on applying more muscle power I manage to get the thing off of the ground, I knew I had got my thirty. It turned out to be 33 lbs. of burnished gold.
I did not have all of the action, John caught fish to 26 lbs. and Chris also did well with fish to the twenty one pound mark.
The next time I was on my own on the causeway, fishing a morning session.. I got to the spot about six thirty, the sun was just about to rise, I was caught in two minds, one to photograph the exceptional sunrise, the other to get set up and get a bait in the water. I did both.
After about an hour I had a 22. While unhooking the fish a large Carp rolled to the right of me in the weed close to the causeway. I returned the fish and took a look at the place where the ripples were just disappearing. I climbed to the top of a metal support and scanned the water. I caught sight of a good looking fish it looked like a mid twenty. I returned for my can of corn and baited the area. On returning about twenty minuets later for a peek, I saw a swim full of bubbles. Amongst the bubbles I caught sight of a big fish. It looked about the same size as the thirty three, following it were another four fish, two smaller, two a tail longer and the same breadth and depth, These I put at upper thirty lower forty. I broke down my tackle and went to freeline tactics. The fish were about 12 feet from the bank. The fish had by this time gone down on the bait and were not in view. I cast to the biggest set of bubbles. The bait sunk through the weed guided into a small gap. After a minute the line twitched and then sailed away, I struck still perched on a 4 inch girder three feet off the ground. The fish went berserk and shot through four weed clumps eventually going solid. I heaved as far as I dared and managed to pull the fish to the surface tight to a weed clump with its tail poking out above the water. There was no way this fish was going to be landed from the bank. The only way was for me to go in for it. So I stripped off to pants and shoes and waded in rod in one hand net in the other. It seemed to take ages to free the line from each weed patch, but eventually I managed to get close to the fish. Careful not to spook it I decided to try and net it tail first as its head was buried in the weed and it seemed to be content with just lying there. I tried this and got half of the fish in the mesh only for it to realize something was not right, it wanted to be away from me, the line, and the net as soon as possible. Off it went into another weed bed further out. I once again freed the line, waded further out, now up to my chest in water and made contact with the fish again. This time it came free of the weed easily and I commenced to play it again. It went around in circles making short runs, I was scared it would go completely around me tangling me in the line. Eventually it tired and I managed to get it into the net. It looked bigger than the 33, I waded to the shore, anticipation running amok as I thought of the weighing ceremony. I managed to heave carp, net and rod up the slippery rocks to the grassy causeway. On parting the folds of the mesh I was greeted by the sight of a big but not huge carp.
Into the weigh sling it went and onto the scales. 34 and a half read the scales. I had caught the middle size fish. I was delighted with it though . How else could I feel after such a fight, both of us in its element and I won. I sacked the fish and packed up. The swim had been thoroughly disturbed and the big fish long gone. We returned later to photograph the fish then went Salmon fishing, hoping to catch a thirty pound Salmon to go alongside the carp. As it turned out the Salmon were staged at the mouth of the river waiting for the rain. None were caught but we would be back.
The next time Chris accompanied me to the causeway, this was becoming my favorite swim, I wonder why. This time the hole in the weeds was empty but the visibility was poor due to the rain and waves coloring up the water. I baited up the hole and left it for a while. On returning, once again there were patches of bubbles in several places. I freelined for a while, then changed to a float setup. I struck the first bite and a one pound mud catfish nearly hit me in the head as it was launched into a grace full curve. On unhooking and returning it I debated about continuing I did not want to catch a succession of small catfish, but I thought I may as well have one more go and cast to another patch of bubbles. The bait sank, the float settled and immediately sank from view. I wondered if the spot was deeper and in a split second was answered by the line tightening, I struck, this time I was nearly pulled off of my vantage point, no catfish this. A large fish broke surface and proceeded to do a repeat of its cousin from yesterday. I shouted to Chris and he came with the net. I said to him that I was going in for the fish and he gave me a strange look. I once again stripped. Went in and action replayed the same events. Chris may like to tell the story from a spectators point of view? Suffice it to say this was another 33 LB fish and very welcome. Chris had a 25 another personal best. I was really pleased for him.
Following the rain the salmon were running up the river, I had arranged to go with John, once again a chance of a thirty to go with a carp of the same weight. I did catch a few on a reservoir fly rod. Good fun with fish running down several pools while torrential rain ran down my face, neck, and all points south, and amazing lightening and thunder rending a black night sky. I did not get a thirty a fifteen being the best, but next day I did manage a 25 LB Chinook.
I caught fish that I had never heard off during this trip. Channel Catfish, Pumpkin seed, bass of three sorts, and other things I did not know the name of.
All in all it was a great holiday. There were many high spots, John doing a head first dive into the bay on returning his twenty six, the sharing of information and cementing of friendships at the fish in (it was a pity the fish were scarce), Chris with his eternal pipe in his mouth sat tense awaiting a bite. But the best bit of the whole trip was watching (and smelling) Brian Barlow hooking a dead Skunk out of Chriss well.
Once again, thanks to everyone for all of your help. The memories will linger at least until next June when I will return to have a go at catching a thirty on a fly. The stalking possibilities at this time of the year fill me with anticipation.
If any one is interested in joining me on an organized trip please email me, as with Chriss help and that of the other local experts I would like to share some of the carp riches that this special place have to offer. The cost should be comparable with a trip to France at a normal venue.
Terry Fishlock
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