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Spring Kings (And Trout)


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Guys, I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to the Niagara living 3 hours away out of state. I keep hearing about salmon being caught in the spring, but I thought it was a fall run? Where can I catch salmon or trout for that matter in the spring? I fish out of a kayak and have done well in Olcott Harbor, and fish the lower Niagara in front of Fort Niagara (mainly for smallies there).

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As soon as the ice leaves and the lake can be safely accessed, great brown trout fishing can be had all along the shoreline from Hamilton to the mouth of the river. Look for isolated warmer stained pockets of water. As the water creeps into the 40 degrees and higher mark, cohos and eventually kings will be had in 20-50 FOW. How long they stay in these waters varies year to year...

Lake trout often come in these shallow waters when the bait is present, and the odd drop back rainbow can be had as well!

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Thinking this spring should be good!..especially the Western end of Lake Ont. (Grimsby to N.River)..typically when Lake Erie has a lot of ice..fish stay in western end a lot longer due to the cold water and ice coming out of river which usually flows east (U.S. waters). Will probably take a lot longer for river to clear this spring!

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I heard there are guys that fish the Olcott breakwalls all winter for Browns, but I've never been this time of year.

As a rule of thumb, the Canadian side of Niagara doesn't heat up until they pull the Ice Dam from the Upper river. Then a glut of ice & cold water floods East of the river, and the bait & fish stack up in the shallow flats on the Canadian side looking for warmer water.

And then it's tailor made yak fishing for a month. Just bring the long underwear.

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Not to hijack my own topic but is there a time this spring where the nearshore waters at the mouth will be hot for trout, salmon, and smallmouth???

Never because our bass season does not open until the 4th saturday in June. We kayak fished the south shore of Lake O most of March last year, and the majority of catches were Browns 5-15lbs, the odd steelhead, a couple coho, and one decent chinook. Last year was a very early spring, so fishing should be good into april this year for the same area.

PM me if you want more info or would like to get out.

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I seem to get conflicting information over PM's depending on who I ask. During the closed season, can I fish the Lower (US side) and into the lake for smallies? I am a strict catch and release guy. In Ohio, we can fish for them during the closed season, we just can't keep any. Someone told me it's closed in Southern Ontario, but I am not sure.

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In ontario closed season means no catching them no matter what the intentions are.

There is a pinned topic with regulations in this forum ... might be worth a read ... dont trust everything posted here as some people still think pike dont close in soithern ontario

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Never because our bass season does not open until the 4th saturday in June. We kayak fished the south shore of Lake O most of March last year, and the majority of catches were Browns 5-15lbs, the odd steelhead, a couple coho, and one decent chinook. Last year was a very early spring, so fishing should be good into april this year for the same area.

PM me if you want more info or would like to get out.

when you do kayak fishing there in march do you troll spoons or drift roe/bead/streamer? or cast and retrieve the lure?

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when you do kayak fishing there in march do you troll spoons or drift roe/bead/streamer? or cast and retrieve the lure?

Good question. I prefer casting even if it might be less productive. Something about feeling the rod almost yanked out of your hand on that hit.

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Good question. I prefer casting even if it might be less productive. Something about feeling the rod almost yanked out of your hand on that hit.

Rod is always in my hand when trolling under 25fow. The advantage of having pedal drive.

Should move this topic to kayak fishing.

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