This spring I’ve spent a fair chunk of my free time at the Milne Dam Conservation Area in pursuit of carp.
May 11:
Well I headed out this afternoon in search of small carp in Milne Dam Park in Markham.
The main gates were closed so I took the “back route” through the local schoolyard.
Had a slow afternoon. Worm under a bobber got me a chub. Worm on the bottom got me a pumpkinseed.
I decided to walk about at 7pm. I saw a small trail leading down to the water and decided to leave my gear and check it out. Good thing I brought the rod!
I scoped the water from the distance noting good cover and great fish-holding potential. Then I saw a huge swell. Tell-tale carp sign.
In goes the worm and bobber and within seconds my bober’s swimming away! Too excited I was to loosen my drag and snap went 6lb line as I saw the majestic creature surface, head shaking!
Re-tied and went back for round two. Saw more carp activity right in front of me! This time I had my drag set right!
Again, my bobber starts “swimming away” slowly. What an amazing sight!
After a great fight, Milne Dam has produced my biggest carp yet!
I was pretty pleased, just look at my face! LOL
May 14:
I went to Milne this afternoon from 6pm-9:30pm with my friends in chase of Markham carp. We got there and cast out worms under floats to the east of the beach area.
I caught a small sunfish…. horay!
After about an hour I started walking back and forth along the stretch of path to the east of the beach. I saw what I was looking for: big carp moving inches from the surface.
After casting near carp activity I had my bobber go down, but I should have waited longer before I pulled because the hook did not set. I’m trying to let the carp take the bait and swim away before pulling, so I can be sure I have them. It could also have been a fish bumping into the line.
It seemed two of them were moving together, swirling around each other. A sign of spawning.
None would take the bait.
Good heart-pumping sight-fishing nonetheless 
May 19 and 20:
I visited Milne near the beach area both yesterday evening and this evening. The water level has dropped a few feet and it’s drying up.
The carp are vigorously spawning in the shallows just meters from the shore. Quite a spectacle.
Only 1 taker on a worm yesterday though… they’re too busy gettin’ busy…
As you can probably guess… getting the carp out of the mud and goose poop swamp that has become the shoreline was not a clean task. And to top it all off, the carp decided to shake itself clean in my arms. My clothes, face, and sunglasses were well splattered.
Gotta Love Fishing!
May 25:
An update on the carping at Milne. While most of the carp are spawning, I’ve been able to locate the few lonesome carp and cast towards them. Tonight I must’ve had about 5 or 6 takes and zero hooksets. I’m likely mistaking bullhead bites for carp bites, but I’m confident at least a half of those were carp takes.
Looks like we’re going up one hook size.
Fish or no fish, Milne is a grand spectacle right now. I was able to sit quietly enough in the dark for a pair of spawners to swim right up to me in 6″ of water. Fantastic.