New Angular: Fishing Hamilton: 2015

[philantropie]

Quite new to this here forum, seems like a great community of people and a wealth of resources.

I just recently started to fish, Canadian Tire had a fishing sale on, so I bought just over $300 worth of gear including an Shakespeare 6'6" UglyStik rod and a Shimano FX 4400 reel. A large smokey planko tackle box with two layers, a net, and a bunch of spoons, lures, sinkers, and plastics. From the resulting sale, I had only saved less than $10 with all the gear I bought. Laughingly so, I shook my head because I was determined the sales was larger than anticipated.

So since then, I've packed up my gear into my 55L backpack which everything fits very nicely. I usually just ride my bike to a spot to the water and seek out a spot, or multiple spots around the waterfront trail/ Pier 4/8 park.

I've yet to have no luck with getting any fish hooked, I'm uncertain what I'm doing wrong or if it's the weather conditions but I'm just stumped to why I'm not getting any bites.

Seven times I've been out with my gear within the last 2-3 weeks, I've gone to Desjardins Canal, waterfront trail just before the fish gate under the bridge, Pier 4 just east of the marina. I've rode down to the police dock by the coffee shop and to the commercial pier around where the tugboats are. This is usually my routine when I go out. I've yet to get any hits, but it seems like it's getting a little nicer out now, the warmer is getting warmer. Hopefully the fish become more active and start hammering the line.

Could anyone suggest the type of lures/ spinners, or spoons I should be using around these areas? Or possibly a better area? I know it would better if I suggested what type of fish I wanted to catch, but I'm just not that stage yet. Anything would be great.

Any suggestions would be great.
Thanks!

[Fossil Fish]

Welcome to the forum. The easiest way to catch fish in general would be a worm on a hook under a float. I realize you want to use your new purchases, but nothing beats worms. I'm also fairly new to fishing and I don't want to think about how much I've spent on lures, most of which have never even been in the water yet.

[Randy]

The best way to start fishing is definitely what Fossil Fish described. I'd start out with half a worm as most panfish and small bass will readily take it. I've been fishing for ~5 years now and on my last fishing trip, all the small bass and pumpkinseed I caught were on ~1-2 inch pieces of worms. I still find myself resorting to worms but this year I'm trying to use artificial lures more. Over the years, I've bought many lures and some of them have only hit the water for 10 minutes or not at all. Other lures such as small(1-2") plastic minnows could work as efficiently as worms though in regards to fishing for panfish. When fishing worms, try to fish them a couple feet off the bottom or right on the bottom if you're looking for catfish.

A tip when shopping for fishing gear is to avoid Canadian Tire as their prices are usually much higher than fishing stores. Their selection isn't great either.

[philantropie]

(06-28-2015 11:55 AM)Randy Wrote:  A tip when shopping for fishing gear is to avoid Canadian Tire as their prices are usually much higher than fishing stores. Their selection isn't great either.

Yes! I agree. The day I went to get some worms at Fishing World I browsed throughout the store and realized some of the lures were $1-$2 less than the ones at Canadian Tire! At which point I grabbed a couple, and some re-usable sinkers.

Has anyone found any type of worm vending machine anywhere in Hamilton? It'd be nice to grab some worms without going out of my way. Iknow Bill's Bait & Tackle, and Fishing World has them, but it's more-so out of my way. I'm pretty much between both places in east Hamilton.

[zippyFX]

(06-28-2015 01:51 PM)philantropie Wrote:  

(06-28-2015 11:55 AM)Randy Wrote:  A tip when shopping for fishing gear is to avoid Canadian Tire as their prices are usually much higher than fishing stores. Their selection isn't great either.

Yes! I agree. The day I went to get some worms at Fishing World I browsed throughout the store and realized some of the lures were $1-$2 less than the ones at Canadian Tire! At which point I grabbed a couple, and some re-usable sinkers.

Has anyone found any type of worm vending machine anywhere in Hamilton? It'd be nice to grab some worms without going out of my way. Iknow Bill's Bait & Tackle, and Fishing World has them, but it's more-so out of my way. I'm pretty much between both places in east Hamilton.

May Canadian Tire locartions carry worms (call ahead) also gas stations and convience stores near fishing spots sometimes carry them.

[MuskieBait]

As everyone said already, worms on bottom will catch you fish there...although there are many Round Goby on the rocky bottom that can be a nuisance after a while.

Learn to tie a dropper loop knot. Then tie a dropper rig. You only need 8lb mono line for this rig...don't need anything heavier. For hooks, you can use #8 baitholder or octopus hooks. For the weight, bell sinkers are fine. Depending on the speed of the current (if there are any), use 1/4 to 1/2oz. You don't want the current to pull your rig around.

Most of the dropper rig illustration are intended for fishing in deep water. For freshwater situation, you can tie the first loop 8" from the sinker, and the second loop another 8" from your first loop. Most of the fish you'll encounter are closer to the bottom.

Desjardins Canal has fish. You just have to learn to catch them. In one 5 hour session a few years ago, we've caught White Perch, Freshwater Drum, Brown Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Rock Bass and Common Carp. The White Perch were on their spawning run and it was literally fish every cast for a while.

[philantropie]

Thanks a lot for giving me that dropper loop knot info. I'll learn with rope, then move over to fishing line. I can't wait to test it out. Looking at videos on YouTube, it looks like a great setup to catch fish. I never thought about something like that before. Enabling the sinker to sit at the bottom while two hook apart from each other have the freedom to move around with whatever slack is given.

My recent trip was at the Desjardin Canal. just before the head of it, right near the parking lot. I had a couple small bites. Most action I've had all the last seven times I've been out.

Many thanks.


Made my first dropper loop knot/ down rig, what a set up! I can't wait to use it on the water. Are there any rules to how many hooks I can use on a line in Ontario?

[MuskieBait]

You are allowed a maximum of 4 hook points on the line. That means you can either have 4 single hooks (1 point each), 2 double hooks (2 points each), or 1 single hook (1 point) plus 1 treble hook (3 points)

Lures are the exception as one lure counts as one hook. But honestly, it is very difficult to fish with more than one lure in most cases.

[OldTimer]

(06-30-2015 12:23 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  You are allowed a maximum of 4 hook points on the line. That means you can either have 4 single hooks (1 point each), 2 double hooks (2 points each), or 1 single hook (1 point) plus 1 treble hook (3 points)

Lures are the exception as one lure counts as one hook. But honestly, it is very difficult to fish with more than one lure in most cases.

Here's a clip from the MNR's 2015 Ontario Fishing Regulations:

   

It's 4 hooks. Points are irrelevant.

   

Cheers,

OldTimer

[MuskieBait]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. In the past, it was hook points, and not hooks. I used to make quick strike rigs and always had to be mindful of how many hook points were in the rig because (at one time) only 4 hook points were allowed.

Honestly though...do you need a gang of 4 treble hooks to catch fish?