Tips and good fishing spots at centre island

Anyone wanna share some hot spots at centre island, I went there today and got lots of bass minnow and some sunfish and perch, but they were very small fish, not even bigger than a hand yet when they pull the floater down they are vet aggressive rofl... I wanna target bass, pike, and carp that are decent size for fun any now of any decent spots that big fish consistently hang around?

Fish around structure, docks and the bridges. Pike and bass are easily caught with some spinners. You're probably going to lose all your bait through smaller fish if you're using a worm on a bobber.

Yeah I was at a bridge once, but all I got is worms... I can't stock minnows in my fridge, I can try to fish the smaller fish to use as minnows with worms though. I'll go buy some spinners and some new lures. I hope you are correct about the pike, i've never caught one yet and really want to lol. As for bass, I caught 20 ish of them 2 days ago and released them all, but they were like small perched sized basses... very small... I'm aiming for something that's at least a pound for picture and then catch and release lol

Somenomai said:

Fish around structure, docks and the bridges. Pike and bass are easily caught with some spinners. You're probably going to lose all your bait through smaller fish if you're using a worm on a bobber.

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I never used a spinner before, is there a technique to use it? Do I leave it there for the fish to strike, or do i slowly reel it back, or do I quickly reel it back, etc... What works best for the spinner? With live bait, I just leave it there and wait.

Look for some youtube videos on how to fish spinners. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it. As for live bait, I dont usually fish with it so I'm not too sure either.

LargeMouthBassFisher2011 said:

I never used a spinner before, is there a technique to use it? Do I leave it there for the fish to strike, or do i slowly reel it back, or do I quickly reel it back, etc... What works best for the spinner? With live bait, I just leave it there and wait.

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Just toss it out and reel it back in, you don't want it too slow, the blades need to spin so it looks enticing to predator fish. You could possibly go too fast, but I'm pretty sure if you look it up on youtube you could guess a good average speed. As for live bait, there isn't much you can do, unless you rig your bait various ways

Do plastic fish baits work for pikes? I have a bunch of them STORM brand that are small and medium sized, never caught anything with them before when I used them though, so I stopped using them. The islands are prob a good place for me to test them out.

For Crank bairs and spinners are floater neccessary?

Thanks

antoniojay said:

Just toss it out and reel it back in, you don't want it too slow, the blades need to spin so it looks enticing to predator fish. You could possibly go too fast, but I'm pretty sure if you look it up on youtube you could guess a good average speed. As for live bait, there isn't much you can do, unless you rig your bait various ways

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Mix it up, don't just toss and retrieve. Burn it for a short distance and let it flutter down to the bottom. Add some jerks to it. let the fish tell you what they want whether it be a slow crawl near the bottom or a fast burn on the surface.

LargeMouthBassFisher2011 said:

For Crank bairs and spinners are floater neccessary?

Thanks

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Nope.

LargeMouthBassFisher2011 said:

I never used a spinner before, is there a technique to use it? Do I leave it there for the fish to strike, or do i slowly reel it back, or do I quickly reel it back, etc... What works best for the spinner? With live bait, I just leave it there and wait.

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Honestly, just go out there and experiment...you will find out how it works...if you feel the vibrations then it's working fine if not then the spinner is not rotating. If you are targeting pike then i suggest you get a red and white spoon (it's really cheap) and get a steel leader...pike have sharp teeth and can easily cut the line so use a steel leader just in case you get a monster pike on...but go out there and experiment, most likely you will find people fishing at the islands...go up to them and ask questions, you'll be surprised how helpful they can be

good luck

I used a metal fish bait that I lost and now I'm using a spoon for the fIrst Time but it keeps hook weeds... What kind of fish will take a spoon other than Pike?

LargeMouthBassFisher2011 said:

I used a metal fish bait that I lost and now I'm using a spoon for the fIrst Time but it keeps hook weeds... What kind of fish will take a spoon other than Pike?

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Most fish....salmon, trout, walleye, muskie...go to a local store and ask em for spoons...i dont fish for bass so dont know much

If the weeds are fairly thick, consider buying some of the johnson silver minnows. There is a thread on pike here on page 1 i think(or maybe page 2), where myself and many others delve into proven tactics and lures for pike.

3 types of lures for pike will get you fish almost always.

Spinners
Spoons (i like 3.5" models, and 3" weedless)
Spinnerbaits (i like 3/4oz)
Soft Plastics (i like 4.5" yum tubebaits)
Crankbaits (i like 4-5" crankbaits like rapala, cc, bomber)

Since the topic has drifted to lures and how to use them I have a simple yet hopefully useful suggestion: Whenever I purchase a new lure, even if it's a type I have used before but a different brand, size or shape I usually take it out for a spin in clear water. In my case that means the pier at JC Saddington Park. (not the one packed full of salmon chasers near the mouth, the other one farther west)

When I get there, I toss it out a short distance and reel it back in with varying speeds, rod positions and consistency. The idea is to actually see how it behaves in the water. Once you think it looks plausible test it on the small baitfish/goby in the area. If it's realistic, they will follow it around as if in a trance.

Of course water clarity, weather, time of day and the species you are targeting will all play a part. but this should give you at least a "feel" for that particular lure and what it looks like under water even when you can't actually see it.

LargeMouthBassFisher2011 said:

Do plastic fish baits work for pikes? I have a bunch of them STORM brand that are small and medium sized, never caught anything with them before when I used them though, so I stopped using them. The islands are prob a good place for me to test them out.

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Are those the ones that have the hook point sticking up out of the back, if so, you'll drive yourself nuts trying to fish heavy cover with those, get something weedless.

Somewhere to fish thats not on the main drag....
Theres an inlet / pool off the beaten track that I fish bass in, that has a ton of fallen trees and cover. It's a pain in the ass to get to on foot, but if you want to try your luck......Head over the old stone bridge that leads to the Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC island) walk all the way up to in front of their huge ass pleb deflector (gate) and look to your right. There's a path along the edge of the narrow inlet, head down it.... preferably without falling in as I have done more than once. You can fight your way down to the point where you can fish the pool filled with fallen trees. You wont avoid snags with those Storm lures that have a hook sticking out the back, I wouldn't use them in this location. I usually fish a 4" shad / minnow type plastic (flat sides and paddle tail) on a wide gape worm hook. I drop the hook through at an angle so the lure tilts over slightly onto one side when fished. Sliding a tiny willow blade (size 0 or size 1) onto the gape of the hook so it hangs directly under the lure adds a bunch of flash and flutter action.

If you're using a spinning reel, try adding a twitcher to your rod. You can make one from a paper clip and some electrical tape..... I have used one since I was a kid!

EDIT* I have tried to get to this pool from the Snake Island side too, but no luck.

Minor update on the islands for Oct 1st.

I took the 8:15am Hanlans ferry and fished around the edges of the Hanlans point ferry dock for an hour (Ferry is now running once an hour on the weekends until Oct 10 and then no more regular Hanlans ferry until next spring.) Landed one small bass, lost two more on hook up (cant confirm fish type ). I walked the bank south through blockhouse bay and fished around the boat docks and mooring wall. No bites. I saw a few kids pulling panfish out from under the floating dock, using worms. Walked around the trout pond, saw two guys fishing the entrance, but no reports of any action from them. Continued along Lagoon road and crossed over the white bridge to the canal south of Olympic island. Fished around where the swan boat docks used to be... they have been pulled to the shore, no bites. Walked to Eastern passage and fished a jig 20ft down over the edge. Got a good bite about 15 minutes in, not sure of species, fish broke off by jumping, took the jig with it. Walked to the Ward island ferry dock and fished the ward island slip while waiting. several good bites and landed one fish, not sure of the species, definately not bass or carp.

So in short, all my action was around the ferry docks or the outside edge of the island, buttkiss in the canals....

I was fishing 4inch black and silver shad plastics on red wide worm hooks fitted with a size 1 blade for wounded action, lure was sprayed wth garlic yum.

Man you landed the fish and you dont know the species?? You really do need a camera! lol

NADO said:

Man you landed the fish and you dont know the species?? You really do need a camera! lol

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LOL, I know! Not enitrely my fault, I did spend a lot of time fishing elsewhere. I can tell a mahi mahi from a dolphin head....:wink:

i find i have my most luck for bass on a float and worm LOL caught a 2 pounder