Hello, I am new to the forums, and here is my first attempt at a fishing report.
I usually fish off docks in Lake Simcoe or rent a boat at Rice Lake, but this year I've made an effort to save gas/money, and discover some urban fishing opportunities.
Thank you all for this website, and I hope i gain access to the fishing report section after this report.
So far this year, I've been skunked on every outing to the Rouge River Marsh, Humber Bay Marsh, and Ashbridge's Bay.
I decided to try out Toogood Pond, located near the intersection of Kennedy and Highway 7.
One block west of Kennedy is a street named Main St/Unionville, take that north of Highway 7. You will drive through Unionville, which consists of a lot of ice cream parlours and old style boutiques, I call it the Yorkville of Markham. Once you drive through all the shops, there will be a street on the left named Toogood Pond Drive, there is a parking lot there. Just a few steps from my fishing spot, which I have drawn in red on the map where I fish from.
I have been doing my research online about urban fishing, and read that there was an angling association that was trying to help stock up the large mouth bass population at Toogood Pond. They built spawning beds last year there, so I figure I would check it out and see if i could catch a LMB. I believe they built the spawning bed straight ahead from where I am casting from, in front of some bullrushes. I usually can't cast that far, but when I did once, i snagged my little cleo on what i think were the spawning bed rocks at the bottom. I've stopped trying to cast far after that.
Ok, so far this year, I might have visited Toogood Pond around 8 times or so. I have only caught LMB there on back to back days, I believe on July 7-8, 2009. On another visit, on my first cast I threw out a little cleo and a small rock bass took it, I was shocked and happy, and went home after a few more casts as it was getting dark. I have also seen small pumpkinseed come up right to shore. Also, almost on every visit there, carps can be seen doing their somersaults and backflips out of the water.
Below are pics of me and my buddies fishing for LMB.
On those back to back days that I did manage to land LMB, 3 were caught on one day, and another 3 were caught the next day. They were small, maybe a pound or so. Right after my buddy landed one of his bass, I saw a huge bass jump and i threw my line in and it took my bait, i had it on for a few seconds and it spit it back out. I won't know for sure, but it felt like a 3-4 pounder. On another occasion i saw 2 big LMB swim in front of us, but they slowly swam away.
As you can see in the picture, my buddy caught 3 of his LMB on a small Rapala crankbait. I caught my 3 LMB on a crankbait in the shape of a frog. I saw a sign that said frogs are pond residents, so I figured what the heck. Also all 6 bass were caught quite closs to shore, maybe 6-10 feet in front of us, I guess there's a little drop off maybe. I have used worms there, senkos, spinner baits, and crank baits, but only had LMB success on crankbaits and a rockbass on a little cleo.
The water there is usually a murky green colour, not like algae infested but muddy and silty. It's hard to see into the water with polarized sunglasses, but you can manage to see LMB and carp swim by if they are a foot or two below the surface. The pond has a few fishing spots all around, but I usually stay at the spot i outlined above. The spot i use can get quite mosquito infested come sun down, so bring bug spray. Also, all 6 of the bass were caught between the times of 6pm-9pm.
In conclusion, there are fish in Toogood Pond. Pumpkinseed, rock bass, carp, and large mouth bass are definately swimming about. I would not say the LMB there are plentiful, as I've been skunked on quite a few visits. The angling association intends to plant more weeds in the water or something in the future, I hope this will increase the LMB population and make it easier for us to catch and release. I suggest locals take the quick drive to give the pond a shot, instead of sitting around watching TV at night. I live near Ashbridge's Bay, and will make the 30 min drive up to Toogood Pond just to try to land that 3-4 pounder that got away. It is quite a scenic pond, there are bird wildlife there such as ducks and geese and swans, and the odd Great Blue Heron. Many locals use the pond to go for walks or go biking, not many locals fish the pond. Locals are actually surprised to see me fishing there, thinking there can't be fish in there. It was a great pleasure to bring up the LMB to show off to the locals like HA FISH!
And Hi to tangledline, who I met at ashbridge's bay, while he was scouting for salmon. He suggested i post this report to gain access to the other reports page.
I usually fish off docks in Lake Simcoe or rent a boat at Rice Lake, but this year I've made an effort to save gas/money, and discover some urban fishing opportunities.
Thank you all for this website, and I hope i gain access to the fishing report section after this report.
So far this year, I've been skunked on every outing to the Rouge River Marsh, Humber Bay Marsh, and Ashbridge's Bay.
I decided to try out Toogood Pond, located near the intersection of Kennedy and Highway 7.
One block west of Kennedy is a street named Main St/Unionville, take that north of Highway 7. You will drive through Unionville, which consists of a lot of ice cream parlours and old style boutiques, I call it the Yorkville of Markham. Once you drive through all the shops, there will be a street on the left named Toogood Pond Drive, there is a parking lot there. Just a few steps from my fishing spot, which I have drawn in red on the map where I fish from.
I have been doing my research online about urban fishing, and read that there was an angling association that was trying to help stock up the large mouth bass population at Toogood Pond. They built spawning beds last year there, so I figure I would check it out and see if i could catch a LMB. I believe they built the spawning bed straight ahead from where I am casting from, in front of some bullrushes. I usually can't cast that far, but when I did once, i snagged my little cleo on what i think were the spawning bed rocks at the bottom. I've stopped trying to cast far after that.
Ok, so far this year, I might have visited Toogood Pond around 8 times or so. I have only caught LMB there on back to back days, I believe on July 7-8, 2009. On another visit, on my first cast I threw out a little cleo and a small rock bass took it, I was shocked and happy, and went home after a few more casts as it was getting dark. I have also seen small pumpkinseed come up right to shore. Also, almost on every visit there, carps can be seen doing their somersaults and backflips out of the water.
Below are pics of me and my buddies fishing for LMB.
On those back to back days that I did manage to land LMB, 3 were caught on one day, and another 3 were caught the next day. They were small, maybe a pound or so. Right after my buddy landed one of his bass, I saw a huge bass jump and i threw my line in and it took my bait, i had it on for a few seconds and it spit it back out. I won't know for sure, but it felt like a 3-4 pounder. On another occasion i saw 2 big LMB swim in front of us, but they slowly swam away.
As you can see in the picture, my buddy caught 3 of his LMB on a small Rapala crankbait. I caught my 3 LMB on a crankbait in the shape of a frog. I saw a sign that said frogs are pond residents, so I figured what the heck. Also all 6 bass were caught quite closs to shore, maybe 6-10 feet in front of us, I guess there's a little drop off maybe. I have used worms there, senkos, spinner baits, and crank baits, but only had LMB success on crankbaits and a rockbass on a little cleo.
The water there is usually a murky green colour, not like algae infested but muddy and silty. It's hard to see into the water with polarized sunglasses, but you can manage to see LMB and carp swim by if they are a foot or two below the surface. The pond has a few fishing spots all around, but I usually stay at the spot i outlined above. The spot i use can get quite mosquito infested come sun down, so bring bug spray. Also, all 6 of the bass were caught between the times of 6pm-9pm.
In conclusion, there are fish in Toogood Pond. Pumpkinseed, rock bass, carp, and large mouth bass are definately swimming about. I would not say the LMB there are plentiful, as I've been skunked on quite a few visits. The angling association intends to plant more weeds in the water or something in the future, I hope this will increase the LMB population and make it easier for us to catch and release. I suggest locals take the quick drive to give the pond a shot, instead of sitting around watching TV at night. I live near Ashbridge's Bay, and will make the 30 min drive up to Toogood Pond just to try to land that 3-4 pounder that got away. It is quite a scenic pond, there are bird wildlife there such as ducks and geese and swans, and the odd Great Blue Heron. Many locals use the pond to go for walks or go biking, not many locals fish the pond. Locals are actually surprised to see me fishing there, thinking there can't be fish in there. It was a great pleasure to bring up the LMB to show off to the locals like HA FISH!
And Hi to tangledline, who I met at ashbridge's bay, while he was scouting for salmon. He suggested i post this report to gain access to the other reports page.
