The Province of Ontario and it’s partners are working to restore Atlantic Salmon to Lake Ontario. Initial stocking will focus on Duffin’s Creek, the Credit River, and Cobourg Creek. All of these tributaries have ideal spawning & nursery habitat. The Province and it’s Partners will be stocking about 400,000 Atlantic Salmon fry & fingerlings starting this spring & fall. Another 50,000 will be stocked next spring. To get more details go to, http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Newsroom/LatestNews/MNR_E004015.html .
Archive for March, 2009
Fishing in Florida
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Barbara & I came back just before the Toronto Sportsman Show from a trip to south-east Florida. The weather was great and you might wonder what we do when we are on holidays. We golfed and fished. We had a chance to fish in the north Fort Lauderdale area both from a party boat (trolling for tuna, dolphin fish and king mackerel), and also fishing the piers for a variety of pretty bottom fish.
Even though we had windy weather and a Florida “cold-front” (temperatures dipped to 40F), we still made the most of it and golfed or fished almost every day.
Medium-action spinning or baitcasting outfits is all you need if you are planning to travel to Florida and you are thinking of doing some shore, pier, or bridge fishing.
If you go out on a charter or party boat, they have all the proper gear so you don’t need to take any of the heavy saltwater rods & reels.
BC Steelhead Fishing Warming-UP
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Jesse Houston holds up a brigth, fresh-run Kitimat River steelhead he caught on March 25, 2009 on a pink plastic worm.
Noel Gyger reports that they have been getting nice weather all week in northern BC. The spring melt-off from the mountains has not started yet so the rivers are pretty clear. Despite low water conditions some of the guides are doing well putting their clients onto some trophy steelhead. Both the upper and lower sections of the Kalum River are in good shape and water is very low, almost too low for jet boats, so it’s drift boat and inflatable time. The lower Zymoetz (Copper) River is still holding a few Steelhead and has attracted a fresh fish. A few fish are bing caught there by fly anglers. A few anglers are now starting to fish the main Skeena River looking for the spring run of steelhead. In the meantime lot’s of Cutthroat and Dolly Varden Char are keeping anglers busy while they work to get a steelhead on.
If you would like to get more info. on planning a world class river fishing trip in BC, you can contact Noel Gyger at, noel@noelgyger.ca .
Attention Fishermen-Changes to Ontario 2008-09 Fishing Regulations
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Anglers need to check the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources changes to the 2008-09 Sportfishing Regulations before heading out to their favorite spot. You can do this online by going to, http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/239044.pdf .
Walleye & Perch Action – Eastern Basin, Lake Erie
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Mike Atkins shows off a chunky "early-Spring", Detroit River walleye.
Frank DeAngelis from La Salle, ON reports that the walleye are starting to move-in along the Michigan, US side of the Detroit River and anglers are starting to catch fish in higher numbers in front of the steel plants across from the north tip of Fighting Island. Top presentation has been vertical jigging right on the bottom using a 1/2 oz. jig with a 4″ plastic worm grub. The walleye are holding on the 17-27′ structure break off the shoreline. Anglers are also having excellent success catching jumbo perch out of Colchester Harbor, Lake Erie. Best presentation is fishing a “pickerel-rig”, or a “drop-shot” rig with live minnows near the bottom.
As the water temperature warms-up, more walleye will work their way up from Lake Erie and will hold throughout the river. If you are planning to fish the Detroit River anytime soon, make sure to also check the water clarity. Strong winds on Lake Huron and on Lake St. Clair can really muddy-up the Detroit River water clarity which makes walleye fishing much more difficult.
When water clarity is normal in the Detroit River, natural colored 4″ plastic worms work excellent as a plastic trailer on the jig. If water clarity is murkier, try using a larger, bigger profile plastic grub such as a 4 1/2″ Finesse Minnow, or 3-4″ Twister Tail grub.
Clear, Low Water-Tough Lake Ontario Tributary Fishing
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
Roger Cannon smiles as he holds-up his first steelhead of the year.
Just prior to the rain we had this weekend, water conditions in all of our southern Ontario tributaries were low and clear, which made for tough steelheading conditions. Cold morning temperatures of -5 to -7 C, combined with north-westerly winds of up to 50 km/hr. made it almost unbearable to drift light floats using long rods. I fished with Roger Cannon and Bill Selby in Newcastle, ON and found that the steelhead that had moved up up to 1/2 km. from Lake Ontario, had dropped-back to the harbor and to the first current area up from the lake. Our best presentation was using long www.rapala.caMagnum steelhead rods ranging in length from 10 1/2 – 13″, with a main line of Suffix & Rapala 6 lb. test monofilament line and a 6 lb. test fluorocarbon leader. African Porcupine quill floats performed best using light shot to register the “light-bites”. Our best fishing was from about 8am – 11am, and than the fish turned off, or moved back into the lake. Bright sunny conditions did not help, and I’m sure as the sun rose, the fish became less active in the clear-water conditions.
Bill Selby was checking out the conditions daily and reported moderate success landing about 6-fish per outing. Most of the fish were fresh-run, they hit spawn sacks lightly, and fought sluggishly. The bite was short each day, lasting only about 3 hrs. Going to a lighter fluorocarbon leader did help to get more strikes once the sun rose higher. Most of the steelhead were female, with only about 2% being male. Even the male steelhead were lightly colored telling us that the fish were still moving in and out of the harbor daily.
We found that using smaller spawn-sacks from the diameter of a dime, and smaller, worked best as it got brighter out. Small hooks also made a difference. We both used #10 & #12 short-shanked hooks.
Good Time To Intercept Fresh-Run Steelhead
Monday, March 30th, 2009
Monday, March 30th, 2009
I had the chance to fish a Lake Ontario tributary stream in Newcastle, ON and can confirm that the conditions yesterday were challenging. The air temperature in the early morning was around -2C and there was a cold 20km wind blowing from the NW. The water clarity was about 3′ and the fish were lathargic. We fished fresh-tied rainbow trout spawn sacks and tested some of the new Rapala Magnum series steelhead rods ranging in length from 9 1/2 – 11′. My friend Roger Cannon and I landed 8 migratory trout in about 4-hrs. fishing. The fish ranged from 3-12lb. in size. All but one were silver, fresh-run female rainbows.
Italo at the 2009 Toronto Sportsman Show
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
Come meet Italo at the Toronto Sportsman Show. The following is Italo’s appearance schedule at the show.
Wed March 18th
11-12 noon: Insect Defend Patch Booth # 1108
12-1 pm: Horwood Lake Lodge Booth # 902
Speaking 1:30 pm
Rapala
Speaking: 5:30 pm
Thursday March 19th
11-12 noon: Yamaha Booth # 1201
12-1 pm: Eagle Lake Island Lodge Booth # 851
Speaking: 1:30 pm
Rapala
Speaking: 5:30 pm
Friday March 20th
11am MNR Artwork Contest Presentation
12-12:30 pm: Horwood Lake Lodge Booth # 902
12:45-1:15 pm: Eagle Lake Island Lodge Booth # 851
1:30-2:00 pm: Insect Defend Patch Booth # 1108
Rapala
Speaking: 5:30 pm
Saturday March 21
Speaking: 11:30 am
Bass Pro Shops: 3:00 pm
Sunday March 22nd
Speaking: 11:30am
Bass Pro Shops: 3:00 pm
