Where is everyone heading for the zone 17 opener?

[ec1]

Thanks for the info Dirk! I wonder why the water temps are still so cold this year....We've been having warm temps for sooo many days!

 

[diggyj]

It will take more than a couple of warms days to warm the water temps by 10 degrees. The temps are still going down to 2 or 3 degrees overnight so it will still take some time. If any of you are going up north to Simcoe or the river, take a thermometer with you if you have one and measure the water temp.

Dirk.....

 

[chosen 1]

I was out on simcoe on Fri and according to the fishfinder on my boat, surface temp satrted at 47 and by noon it was at 51 the fishing was decent but still no size. I got one that was 10 plus inches and lost another that was a little bigger, right at the boat (i know without a pic it's just a fish story lol) the rest were just little guys and lot's of sunfish, and by lot's I mean at least 150 they are fun to catch, but they are not CRAPPIE. I have also noticed that the perch have moved out of the canals and the bass were moving in. Can't wait for RICE LAKE slabs it has to be better then simcoe. I think that I might try one more time before the kawartha opener.

 

[ec1]

So how did you do on Saturday Anthony?

 

[eddycpl]

I fished at Bradford after work on Thursday for about an hour and it was a good day for crappie.. from what I was told by a local, the fish are starting to move back out to the lake. But i don't know if it's true.

here are some of the crappies that i caught and kept:

 

[ec1]

That top one's pretty big!! Nice job.
So far out of 2 years of trying the Holland River, 1 small 6" crappie for me....It's terrible!!

 

[frozenfire]

same story in teh morning...LOTS of small ones.
saw a couple decent 10+ inchers get pulled out though...not me haha

 

[eddycpl]

Thanks!

Only another guy and my are pulling out crappies on Thursday, the rest of the people are catching catfish and perch. I end up with about 25 of them and kept 4 of them. I was at the kewsick last week for crappies and same story. I guess presentation is very important to catch them.

That top one's pretty big!! Nice job.
So far out of 2 years of trying the Holland River, 1 small 6" crappie for me....It's terrible!!

 

[frozenfire]

good work eddy!

you heading out to zone 17 this saturday?

 

[eddycpl]

will most likely head out to Scugog for some crappies for the evening. The warm weather we will be expecting should help.

Ed

good work eddy!

you heading out to zone 17 this saturday?

 

[frozenfire]

Let us know how you do. :mrgreen:
Scugog produced well for me last year from shore shortly after opener.

 

[diggyj]

Not sure if any of you are aware but you can already go fishing in Zone 17. :mrgreen:

You can fish the Trent River between lock 1(Lake Ontario) and lock 9(Myers) all year round for panfish. Some of you can get a head start.

PS. I may need a weekend fishing partner as my usual partner has to work. Will keep you guys posted.

Dirk....

 

[frozenfire]

yeah, i was aware that there was an exception in zone 17... :mrgreen:
too bad the trent river is so far haha.
i wonder what kind of pressure it gets?

 

[diggyj]

It isn't that far away. Doesn't get nearly the pressure that RICE does.

Dirk......

 

[ec1]

Thanks!
Only another guy and my are pulling out crappies on Thursday, the rest of the people are catching catfish and perch. I end up with about 25 of them and kept 4 of them. I was at the kewsick last week for crappies and same story. I guess presentation is very important to catch them.

I really havent figured out the presentation you need for simcoe crappie. The big ones avoid me, and the small ones just don't feel that special especially when I know only simcoe produces ones of those sizes..BTW, which side of scugog are you gonna be on the opener? I think I'm gonna end up at Scugog since it's closest for me.

And Dirk, have you went fishing since you had your baby yet? :mrgreen:

 

[diggyj]

Haven't fished since the baby. Pike closed end of March and Crappie only opening this weekend in Zn 17. No worries.

I will be hitting the water somewhere this weekend. Not sure if I want to go to the cottage or I will have to put the dock and boat lift into the water. Start up the pumps for water. That would cut into my fishing time. Wouldn't have anywhere to secure the boat, would smash up onto the rocks and shore. It's a pain in the butt to keep putting it in and out of the water at the launch down the road. Time consuming. Would rather just go and fish, so I might hit one of the other Zn 17 lakes. Not sure yet. I will be somewhere though....you can take that to the bank...... :mrgreen: :lol:

Dirk.

 

[frozenfire]

It isn't that far away. Doesn't get nearly the pressure that RICE does.

Dirk......

That stretch of river is about a 2 hour drive from where i am :mrgreen:
Having no experience with that area (good shore access points), i don't know if i would risk it? I would have to spend a good part if not the whole day driving around looking for fishable water with public access. :lol:

 

[ec1]

Well, anthony your best bet would be to fish at any of those dams there probably. I don't know the exact locations, but I think it shouldn't be too hard to find. Maybe next year we gotta get there as soon as ice out happens. No more crowds at simcoe :mrgreen:

I'm skeptical about finding crappie at dams at that time of the year though. We probably will have to look for some other spots...And those first 9 locks are kinda hard to decide. First one connects to BOQ, and the rest are just little stretches of river....And I've tried one of those that don't connect to lakes in Peterborough. Most of what you catch is rock bass / sunfish and small smallmouth. But who knows, I haven't tried that area yet.

OH Ya, and Dirk, You've gotta join me for some scugog shore fishing soon then! You're so close to scugog anyways...a 15 - 20 minute drive only!!

 

[frozenfire]

yeah...those 9 locks are definitely options...and are probably the best bet, but like you said... there are quite a few to choose from and i'm not sure how they will be during ice out...i'm guessing big chunks of ice would tend to be collected at one end and whatnot. i'm generally not a big fan of fishing dams for crappie...which is why i would probably try to look for other locations rather than fish them..

i'm not sure what happens to the crappie along the trent....do they just find shallow water along the shoreline? or are they kind of lost when it comes to migrating? ie..trapped between locks.

Dirk, sounds like you have experience fishing the trent after ice out....any advice? :mrgreen:

 

[eddycpl]

I want to fish the causeways but it's closed for fishing until 2nd Sat in May. I think I will just try the park at water st or Caesarea. Btw, I only fished the causeway but I guess it's time for me too look for some new spots. Any suggestions for spots?

I love to fish at Scugog because I enjoy going to the Casino for their all you can eat dinner and spend the rest of the night fishing.. LOL

Ed

Thanks!
Only another guy and my are pulling out crappies on Thursday, the rest of the people are catching catfish and perch. I end up with about 25 of them and kept 4 of them. I was at the kewsick last week for crappies and same story. I guess presentation is very important to catch them.

I really havent figured out the presentation you need for simcoe crappie. The big ones avoid me, and the small ones just don't feel that special especially when I know only simcoe produces ones of those sizes..BTW, which side of scugog are you gonna be on the opener? I think I'm gonna end up at Scugog since it's closest for me.

And Dirk, have you went fishing since you had your baby yet? :mrgreen: