Claireville Conservation Area / Brown Bullhead

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

Went to try it out again today for an hour, second time. Went last week, spent about three hours, caught four brown bullheads approximately 6 inches give or take, my father-in-law caught another six. We were using worms. I tried screwing around with other lures like spinners, crankbaits, etc. and nothing. Today I caught another four brown bullhead, same size roughly. Have yet to find any other species there, but if you like brown bullheads, this is the place for you.

Will posts photos and maps of spot I was at, it was fun for a place only 15 minutes from my girlfriends place, but the next trip there may be the final.

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

So went back with my father in law two days ago, caught and released another 14 Brown Bullheads between the two of us, and about 6 or 7 tiny Sunfish (2")

Then I took a buddy of mine yesterday so he can try it out, between the two of us we caught and released 18 Brown Bullheads, actually caught 2 small Rock Bass', and to my surprise, caught 2 White Bass! Both were only 9 inches, 0.16 kg's.

Starting to like this place as a spot to hit up within 15 minutes when I don't feel like going far. We took chairs with is and it was great to sit and fish.

 

[usernamehere]

Bullheads?



Jumbo bluegill

 

[getin]

Do you have to pay a fee to enter the conservation area?

 

[yush_gta]

I believe you enter Claireville from the west side of Hwy 50/Albion. Park and walk down to the river. Don't have to pay. I think it's about a 10 minute walk. And it's not easy to get access to the river. Very few spots if I remember correctly. But this is going way back. I've read on the CA website or somewhere that there is a resident bass population but they are very hard to find. Also there is definitely carp in that stretch of the humber. I have seen pics of people holding them up but that was from the campground area, which you have to pay to get into I believe.

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

getin - I access it off Gorewood Drive, at Finch and Steeles, Finch turns into Gorewood Drive. You drive to the end (short drive maybe 1 minute) until you get to the closed gate, and right off to the right is a parking section you can park for free. Admission is also free. From there, walk through the gate all the way down the gravel path until you get to the bridge. About a 4-5 minute walk.

I will post a map showing how I get in, and the spots I've used and have had success in as well as some more details.

usernamehere - yeah that's about the size of the ones there, give or take, nice bluegill. Where is this? There?

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

This is how I get in and where I go:

This is where I get in from zoomed in:

Keep going along Gorewood until you reach the gate (marked in yellow), to the right will be free parking (circled in green with a P):

Once you go through the gates, keep walking down the gravel path until you reach the bridge:

The red dots indicate the three spots I've tried. The blue dots indicate where the white bass were caught. Anywhere along there you'll get the brown bullheads, no particular location.

The spots other than the bridge, are suitable for chairs. The spot farthest away from the bridge was great until the water dropped five week a week ago (think they opened the dam) and now you'd have to stand on sand to fish from there, you'll see what I mean if and when you try it out.

Anyway hope this helps

Caught the following species there:
Brown Bullhead x34
Rock Bass x3
Sunfish x5
White Bass x2
Chub: x1


Also, the water is murky, very murky.

Great place to go nearby, whether with the kids or just to kill time and scratch the itch.

 

[yush_gta]

interesting. that place where you parked never used to be open. the gate was before that if i remember correctly. i have parked in the circular part before but there were signs saying no parking.

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

No not that large circular area, that has ample signs stating no parking, it's just passed that, where I have circled in green and drawn the green P

 

[fisher12]

Oh It's the Humber river that you're fishing, I had assumed it was the reservoir. Seems like a good spot if you like catching bullheads, what's the longest fish you've caught there?
I know you said you got nothing on lures but I believe if you persist on using them, you will avoid catching catfish and catch other species if that's your desire.

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

Yeah the West Humber River I believe it's called. When we originally attempted to try it out, it was the reservoir we were intending to reach. Unfortunately, the entrance to Indian Line from the east was closed off with do not enter signs, and from the west you either had to pay to get in through Wild Water Kingdom, or pay per person to park through the Indian Line Campground. After going into Claireville Conservation Area itself to park and find a way through, we were unable to, and my girlfriends father is rather old now and can't walk too far without getting tired and stopping, so I remember the bridge area from when I'd bring my dog there in the past and sure enough we found our way in through the method shown above in the images I posted and tried it out. I really didn't think we'd catch anything, but sure enough it was nonstop. Had a good time. It was my first time catching Brown Bullheads so that was neat and I eventually learnt a bit about them. Then the next visit we caught a couple sunfish, tiny, but it proved they were there. Then we found rock bass and by the last visit, freakin' white bass!

Free parking, free admission, good action, very close by to my girlfriends (10-15 mins) and to me (25-30 mins).

Oh yeah, somewhere in the paragraph above I meant to mention, one day we did finally try out the reservoir by entering through the Indian Line Campground, and that's when I tried a bunch of different lures (J13's, Aglia Spinners, Crankbaits, etc.) and not a bite. Finally went back to the worm and yup, caught a bunch of Brown Bullhead there too.

I'll play around with the lures at West Humber River and see how it goes this time.

What other species that I haven't listed because I haven't come across yet there, do you think there may be there?

 

[Chikikajimo Katarukuari]

Oh and as for longest fish there, I honestly can't say because I haven't measured/weighed any of them but the bass which were very small, 0.16 kg's and 9 inches.

Brown Bullheads were about 7 inches average I'd say with the biggest being maybe around 8 inches.

 

[fisher12]

I think suckers may exist in that area and possibly the odd bass.
A place nearby with a similar fishery would be Centennial Park Pond, lots of bullheads there with some other fish such as largemouth bass which is why I suppose bass could coexist with those bullheads you're catching.

 

[manasmdesign]

Wow I've fished from the bridge before never had a bite, I guess I'm going back !!

 

[Drop_Shot]

White bass.. Really... ? Wonder how they got in there? I've caught them below the damn which I figured must've been up on their spawning migration from Lake Ontario...