The Fish’n Canada Television Show has taken a turn in the last decade or so in that now we are looking at Carp, as a viable target fish species, as well as a great television subject.
“Back in the day,” says Angelo, “we were like most other Canadian anglers in that we didn’t even consider Carp fishing, but that’s all changed.”
Let’s face it, how often do you have the chance at catching a 10-40 plus pound fish? Add to that, the fish you are after is swimming in a school with a bunch more of similar size.
On this Fish’n Canada episode, Ang and Pete took Carp fishing a step further.
It stems back to an ardent group of Carp anglers who took things to the next level… tournament fishing. In 2017 there was a Carp fishing event called the Canadian Carp Cup. It went very well (Fish’n Canada aired an episode on it) and unfortunately—or fortunately depending on who you are—the title sponsorship was dropped and became available. Fish’n Canada quickly put our hat into the ring and it was an instant connection.
The host location for the event was Long Sault on the St. Lawrence River. The Long Sault Parkway is the perfect place for such an event because it’s essentially a roadway that splits apart a small area of St. Lawrence, accessing some of the best Carp fishing “swims” in the entire province.
Each team sets up in designated “pegs” (the area they fish from on land, for the entire event) along the parkway and attempts to catch fish for the following three and a half days.
Thanks to companies like Coleman Canada, the competitors have shelter, cooking devices, flashlights, etc., all aiding these hard-core anglers in their quest to be the best.
To make an extremely intense and long event’s story simpler, we not only filmed the entire Fish’n Canada Carp Cup, but we got to see the best of the best-going head-to-head in one of the most unique fishing tournaments we have ever encountered.
Long Sault was rapid in the St. Lawrence River west of Cornwall. It created a navigation barrier along the river for years, making it harder and harder for the increasing ship traffic as well as the size of the vessels to navigate. Something needed to be done. The Moses-Saunders Power Dam was constructed in 1958, and the St Lawrence River’s character was totally transformed.
The construction of the dam required the flooding of a large swath of land near the rapids, both to facilitate a hydroelectric dam and to make the rapids area more navigable. The flooded region includes Ontario’s Lost Villages.
The now-modern Long Sault Parkway is a series of 11 islands that were created from high points of land left after the flooding. Several villages once stood where the river now lies all of which now are underwater.
Through time, all types of fishing for multiple species have flourished here, especially for Carp.
Congratulations go out to Sidi Rachid Lalami and Maxime Theriault for their phenomenal catch of four Carp (their four best of the event) with a total weight of 108 lbs. 2 oz.
“To be honest,” says Pete, “these two guys were busy almost every time we drove past them. They obviously knew what they were doing.”
Carp are here in Ontario, and they are not going anywhere. We suggest anglers embrace them as Ang and Pete have done. Simply put, they’re big, they bite, and they fight extremely hard.
Bay of Quinte – Merland Park Cottages
All the various Great Lakes harbours (be sure you have permission to fish)
https://www.destinationontario.com/en-ca/things-to-do/outdoor-adventures/fishing
https://www.facebook.com/GoFishInOntario/
http://fishncanada.com/ https://www.facebook.com/FishnCanada/
