Muskies alive and well in Ottawa

[ajm1961]

Found this article in the Citizen:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/great+fish+story/7107608/story.html

This guy, the "Muskie King", is a local legend. Never knew that Dows Lake and the Rideau Canal could contain such big fish!

[bergenm]

Don't forget the Rideau River between Hog's Back and Billings Bridge - I 've seen some big muskie through there as well...

I believe Ottawa is considered one of the best musky fisheries out there.

[Stussi613]

I wish they hadn't shown him pulling out that large mouth bass in the video, I've been fishing in the canal for years and when people walk by and ask if I'm "getting any" I say "nope" in the hopes that they continue to think there aren't any fish in it.  I've caught 7lb + largemouth on light tackle on a regular basis in the canal for 15+ years...

[lucius]

I've caught 7lb + largemouth on light tackle on a regular basis in the canal for 15+ years...

Do you have any pics?  I was part of a fishing club and the biggest one I've seen with my own eyes was just over 6 lbs caught on the Ottawa River, near Wendover.

[Stussi613]

Do you have any pics?  I was part of a fishing club and the biggest one I've seen with my own eyes was just over 6 lbs caught on the Ottawa River, near Wendover.

I had a picture of one my uncle caught at the Laurier bridge near the NAC in the late fall that went from the bottom of a 7 foot fishing rod to the top of the cork above the reel. I'll see if I can find it and scan it. 

Largemouth do very well in the canal, lots of cover, good water flow and an abundance of smaller fish to eat. I've caught sunfish, bluegill, perch, crappie, bass, pike, carp and Muskie in the canal over the years...it's actually been featured on fishing shows as the best urban fishing water in all of Canada in terms of variety of species and ease of access.

[zenins]

A couple of years ago, I remember seeing lots of blue gills and sunfish in the canal in between Laurier Ave and the pedestrian bridge at the foot of Somerset, but no muskie - they scare me