Whisker1

Looks like some great fishing indeed.

Congrats on your PB, that's fantastic!

 I may have to book a day out with Handlebarz myself next year. I live right around the corner from him!

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Cheers!

Simon

Awesome catch! I used to target cats a lot. the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish.

Thanks!

You're absolutely right about bait size for these fellows - they definitely love a big mouthful don't they?

 What was your favourite bait to use?

I'm trying to learn as much as possible, to be ready for next year, as I know that there are even larger specimens in the river. Some years ago, a friend and I found the remains of a truly massive dead one, which I think someone had caught and sadly just killed and left on the bank to rot, such a horrible crime!

 I can't wait to get at them in the spring-time.

Cheers!

Simon

Here's the biggest one that I got... around the 36" mark easily, I'd say. Fought like the very Devil. Surprised the heck out of me!

Please pardon the crappy pic - camera on tripod and self-timer (and likely the wrong setting), low light, fish flopping, and me totally astounded and a bit in shock, LOL!

We both managed to survive, though.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers!

Simon

Thanks guys!

They are definitely pretty tough customers and a really good-sized one will test your gear to the max. 

I've never caught one 'til I moved down to this area.

Lots of smaller ones are easy to come by using worms, but you also get a lot of sheepsheads ripping at your worms and amazingly swallowing even the biggest hooks (I don't know how they manage to do it!).

Larger cut dead bait seems to be the way to go, as it seems to discourage the smaller cats and other "undesirables

Cheers!

Simon

Hi,

You're really bringing back some beautiful old memories with those gorgeous pics!

It seems like a million years since I used to go into the backwoods near Algonquin park with my friend and his step-dad who knew the area, as he was an ex-game warden and knew all the good streams.

 We were just kids, and I can remember catching the prettiest little Brookies in crystal-clear, moss-covered streams that were so narrow that you could just step over them, and if you were thirsty you could drink the water with no ill effects at all!

 Such great times, and so long ago, I'd almost forgotten about them.

Thank you so much for sharing your post with us!

All the best of luck in the future...

Cheers!

Simon