22 replies to this topic

[I'm_A_Drifter]

Since I had to drop off the wife to work for 7am, I figured I'd go fishing. Started off in Port Dalhousie Marina.....nothing, just carp swimming around and seen a couple largies near shore. Then I went to a spot on Martindale.....same deal. Went by "Beaverdams" and took a hike down to where I hooked my last pike. Well, I did have one good un follow in, but by the distance, he wasn't too interested. Sure got the heart going though. About 6 more casts hoping to coax it to hit, I caught this. Nice sized fish, but wasn't what I wanted.



Then I got a small smallmouth. Didn't even have to touch him...just shook the bugger off.

Then finally a pike, then another, then another. Absolutely small guys, but I only bothered taking the pic of this tiny guy on a senko (used as a weedless jerkbait).



Everywhere I went though there is lots of activity in shallow. This heat and the amount of new weed growth is triggering all the fish to come shallow to either spawn or eat.

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Now the concern
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What I'm concerned about is the Catfish Derby this Saturday and the vulnerability of these nesting bass. For the most part, they don't want lures, but a well place bait will take 'em. I understand kids don't know any better, a fish, is a fish, is a prize to them. Some of the spots I've seen could be easily ravaged in a morning.

In the future, I think the officials should make it clear that any out of season fish like smallmouth and largemouth should not be allowed weigh in. There should be a pre sign up, with a pamphlet of what not to keep given to every entrants. This way they are released immediately on the water. This event brings out the special occasion fishermen, so they won't know or understand these fish need to be released.

I know this has been going on for a long time and such, but still, it would be nice to see the Derby either held on bass opener or make it clear that bass won't be weighed in.

Edited by Odysseus, 31 May 2006 - 02:59 PM.

[Tom Chopin]

Is it not understood that Bass aren't in season? I've never heard of a problem with people bringing in bass. The angler(parent) should know what is in season and teach the kids accordingly. If your out and see someone keeping a bass, inform them that it is out of season and ask that it be released. I'll be out there Saturday with my son. Have fun!

[smerchly]

I would hope that the little kids are accompanied by an adult who knows the rules , ans the older ones should know what bass look like and release any caught . Hopefully they won't target them for fun knowing there is no bass allowed for the derby .
Hey Odys.....nice sheephead ......The pike looks a little diff. with rows of dots rather than having dots scattered all over .

[Rob McIntosh]

ommy: You are correct the bass are targeted and yes a fish is a fish and they do bring them in but they DON'T get wheighed in and when I was there I tried to hide the bass that were brought in. Then I would take the parent aside and explain to them that they are OOS fish, but most of the time they would just look at you and say You explain this to a 3 year old that they can't bring it in for a prize then my responce to that would be So your children can do what they want,then they seemed to get my point and explained it to them . And ya it is hard to explain it to a very young child and then the fist thing they say is SO I'M NOT GETTING A PRIZE if you take a look they mosty only come out to fish this derby only BUT THAT STILL DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT. I have not been with this event since they started charging the kids to wheigh in there fish, and this is the brain child of the hospital as ways to raise $$$$$. I suggested to them that they should put a sponcer sheet in the paper 3 weeks before the derby and they can go around and get sponcers for 5$ each and this way each child would bring in atleast 20 or 25.00 each, you do the adding 25.00 x 1000 kids, I think more would be raised for this event but they didn't see it my way so I parted way's. It's to bad because I always enjoyed this event.Maybe one day it will change and I will gladly give my time again Catfish

[I'm_A_Drifter]

$2.00 is nothing to donate.

As for the bass and the derby, I think its up to the organizers to inform the parents at pre-registry.

If I wasn't fishing Saturday's tournament, I'd be at the place where I've seen lots of bass in shallow.

Rob, I hope to see you for draw night on Thursday, I've got an idea I'd like to pass by you.

Edited by Odysseus, 31 May 2006 - 03:00 PM.

[Dallas]

This is rediculous

Obviously you people don't get or read the St.Catharines Standard

Because in tonights paper there is a ad about the derby on Saturday and in the ad there are pics of what fish can and will be weighed in only.

Fish that will be weighed in are as follows: Carp,Catfish,Sucker,Perch,Rock Bass,Sheephead,Silver Bass,Crappie,and Sunfish.

Fsih that are oos:Pike,Muskie,Large/Smallmouth Bassare all out of season

Ad is in section C page 4 Bottom corner.

And if you goto the www.Catfishderby.ca/catfish all the info is there as well



Thank you very much Dallas

Look before making a statement

Edited by Dallas, 31 May 2006 - 09:39 PM.

[chilli]

Tommy legit concern whether it's in the paper or not. Alot of these kids and parents are non fishers and do so once a year because it's always been free and the kids have fun and bring home prizes just like all the kids derbies. Some don't know what a bass is. We are lucky to get them outside enjoying our sport and maybe a few each year will get hooked and join one of our organizations.
Although we should consider our children lucky to have so many derbies, it would make it a heck of alot easier to have the derbies after opener. Then everything is open. $2 donation is still basically free and for a good cause. The private quarries etc can have them earlier as not to conflict.
What do you think?

Dallas easy does it there. Thanks for the link

[Dallas]

Hey guys

Sorry for jumping the gun but like chili said it should be held after the seasoner has opened.

And yes Dan i agree with you on that 100%.


My appology and your very welcome for the link

Dallas

[PickerelHunter]

They might have just meant for the tourny their out of season? If not then I have no clue either.

[Tony]

Odysseus makes some very good points.....There are many adults, who only fish a few times
a year, so I doubt if they know which fish are out of season ( I can speak from experience)...And
not everyone, checks out these excellent fishing sites..........I will gladly donate $2.00 to any
hospital, in the Niagara Region....We're very lucky, to have a variety of kid's fishing tournaments
in our area...................................................

[I'm_A_Drifter]

Hey I first suggested it being held on opener which is a Saturday anyways, just three weeks later. Hopefully by then the shallow and vulnerable bass will have moved off. Granted there still will be the odd bass caught deep, but my concern is that these nesting bass will be targetted. Not because they're bass, but because they are a lot bigger than the sunfish that are around.

The focus of the derby should be on carp. Those numbers need to thinned down, not bass. Not everybody reads the paper and not every body has internet. Preregistry is the best way to do it and to inform parents of what is legit.

Is the Derby still having that live holding tank that'll be shipped off to Fireman's Park?

Rockfish: That's a "sheephead sucker", very rare fish. That's been like that since I last fished the derby.....17 yrs ago.

[I'm_A_Drifter]

It was a joke, Rockfish.

Edited by Odysseus, 01 June 2006 - 09:54 AM.

[Rob McIntosh]

WOW 1 post and you are confused already,DAVEY you should re-read my post but I will try to make it easyer for you. I was with this derby for 12 years, I was the one that came up with the tank thing to try and make it a c&r derby. If you look at the description of derby and Tournament you would under stand a derby is catch and kill a tourny is C&R (thats catch & release) I released atleaste 1000 fish into Firemans park for 3 years and then it was changed to take the fish to Marineland and was told that the fish would be kept in a tank for the kids to see the many differant fish in Niagara (? food)Anyway back to my point now follow Davey I will only state this once because it is not a big isue. The Catfish derby was ALWAYS FREE and you got a prize bag even if you didn't bring in fish, Then after 25 years of running this event Marty&Mechell decided that it was long enough so the General decided it would be a great event to raise $$$$ GREAT IDEA but to charge the kids to wheigh in their fish (not a good idea) only because some of the kids don't have the $$ so they would drop their pail of fish because dad or mom not only had their kids but their freinds and the neigbors kids and their freinds so it would cost dad or mom 10 or 20 $$ to wheigh in all the fish. Now this is were it gets complicated Davey I suggested to them when they took over the derby why not have a sponcer sheet like a walkathon and they can get sponcers to donate $$$ for them to fish for the day,ARE YOU FOLLOWING DAVEY now instead of only $2.00 for each child to wheigh in it could be $10.00 or $20.00 per each child that would go to maybe 2 or 3 great cause's for the hospital,but they thought $2.00 would be enough.This when I decided maybe it was time for me to move on also and with my involvement with Tourny fishing and all the other events that I attend for the kids my plate was getting to full and no time to do much else,and not spending much time with the better half and you all know how that goes. So this was the reason I decide to move on. I useually don't explain my self but in this case seeing it was a new member asking I thought I would make an excepiton.I hope this helps,Oh and welcome to the board Davey you will pick up some good info here if you ask. Catfish

[The_Fish_Dawg]

geeezzzz they've been doing it on the same day for over 25 yrs leave it alone!!!