Technosis 0 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Has anyone been fishing the Port Maitland pier from shore lately? I used to head down there all the time, but I've only been down once this year so far. Does anyone have any techniques or best time of the day to suggest. I'd prefer Bass and Pike, but really I'll fish just about anything.....Thanks people! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smerchly 3,133 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Hi Tech........A bud of mine was telling me they were getting some walleye at the mouth of Maitland last week , but just off shore in a boat . You can prob. get bass anytime there now from shore using anything from minnies ,worms ,crayfish,leeches, senkos, tubes, spinner baits etc. Sometimes it's best to go there and snoop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bassmaster 8 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 Port Maitland is sort of like Port D, you just never know what you're gonna get... 3-4lb pickerel have been caught off the pier in broad daylight. Bring lots of hooks and sinkers with ya, because you'll be donating plenty to the fishing gods unless you use a float... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FishSlayer Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 I usually head down there for perch, but I have caught bass from there as well. I usually use a big sinker on the bottom of a pickerel rig with size 6 hooks, and minnows as bait. I have found that with live worms the gobies are hard to keep off your hook. I have never caught any walleye off of the pier, but I have seen people catch them, and that was usually at dusk. They were using a float and a minnow, but they were hooking into a lot of sheephead too. I think the walleye was kind of a fluke thing. I have used 1 inch Berkley chartreuse tubes for perch, but I haven't ever caught anything on them.As far as senko's, and spinners, I haven't tried them and I haven't seen anyone using them there. Although senko's might work for some bass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pike007 18 Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 It must be me but I find pier fishing you have to use live bait... 007 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Technosis 0 Posted July 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 It must be me but I find pier fishing you have to use live bait...007 I've found a few things are pretty consistent there. The best spots seem to be at the rocky point at the very start of the pier, and off the end (which on weekends can be pretty busy). I was down there two Saturdays ago and got a couple of small largemouth and smallmouth bass off the start of the pier (all released), river side. In some cases they were picking up the jigs a few feet from the rocks. I tried spoons, but no Pike. I also tried on the lake side immediately west of the pier, but the water is just to clear and shallow to hold any real fish during the day, as you can see your lure from a long ways off. Right at the half way point of the pier (where the "elbow" is) a European guy was fishing a minnow under a float (3' lead) and was getting a sheephead about every minute. He must have had about 25 of the 3 lb variety on a stringer.....fine dining I guess..heh... I have to imagine that since they fixed up the pier and filled the river side with rubble, the fish habitat near shore has really improved. I know that the rocks at the end of the pier at the "mudline" between the river and lake is quite good, but there almost always seems to be anglers that come down from Toronto, even in the early morning hours, so it's usually occupied. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest scoobydue4 Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 MMMMM... Sheephead Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bassmaster 8 Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 MMMMM... Sheephead Don't knock em till ya try em While I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to catch a mess of them, I've said it before on this forum and I'll say it again... sheepshead have flesh just like smallmouth and contrary to popular belief, they are not bony at all. I wouldn't eat the huge monsters, but the smallers one if it was mortally wounded, yup I'd take it home! Took one home last year to try it and turned out decent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FishSlayer Posted July 16, 2007 Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 Left at 2 a.m this morning arrived at Port Maitland at 3 a.m. Was expecting the pier to be empty, but there were 5 or 6 other guys there with glow bobbers. Flatt's and were out of minnows, and of course the minnow trap turned up nothing. So, worms was the live bait of choice. Tried that for a while, caught a little cat (released) and a few gobbies. Spinner baits, and a few small Rapala's turned up nothing either. Pretty slow day, I think the perch have moved on by now...out of the reach of shore fishermen like myself. We tried the very end of the pier, worked my way down slowly, and then over near the brown metal wall with picnic tables and still nothing. Highlight of the outing was the view of the stars at 3 in the morning from the end of the pier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Technosis 0 Posted July 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 I think the perch have moved on by now...out of the reach of shore fishermen like myself. We tried the very end of the pier, worked my way down slowly, and then over near the brown metal wall with picnic tables and still nothing. I've always found that Port Mailtand is best in the early Summer, as the fish seem to go deeper as the summer drags on. Mind you your chance of "incidental" catches of big fish is always possible. Also, Largemouth bass often hang out just up the road off the shore of the Grand, kind of where the red barn/marina is. Large crappie there too throughout the whole summer. There are some submerged pilings there ,etc. that make it best by boat, but you can fish it from shore, just lots of snags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FishSlayer Posted July 16, 2007 Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 I am not sure what location you are talking about Technosis. I have heard good things about fishing mohawk marina, but I couldn't find it. The only marina I saw on the way to the pier is "Port Maitland Marina", right after the skydiving building. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Technosis 0 Posted July 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 I am not sure what location you are talking about Technosis. I have heard good things about fishing mohawk marina, but I couldn't find it. The only marina I saw on the way to the pier is "Port Maitland Marina", right after the skydiving building. The area that I am talking about is about 100 yards north of where the metal retaining wall ends at the north side of the riverside park in Port Maitland (pier side). The "marina" that I'm talking about is really just a marine repair/salvage yard that is on a dead end section of the road just up from the riverside park. This area in front of the houses on the Grand often holds largemouth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FishSlayer Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Oh okay, I know what your are talking about now. Is that the spot referred to as "Mohawk Marina"? I have seen guys down there from shore...never thought anything of it though. Next time I'm down there I'll give it a try though. Thanks alot Technosis Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richardl33 4 Posted July 17, 2007 Report Share Posted July 17, 2007 Mohawk Marina is not on the grand river, it's in Lowbanks a few miles from port maitland going towards fort erie. You can't fish from shore there you need a boat to go on lake erie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
metall 0 Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 mohawk marina is just past port maitland on the other side of the river Quote Link to post Share on other sites
biggmacc99 0 Posted April 5 Report Share Posted April 5 any recent updates on fishing the pier? Â Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Surf and Turf 413 Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Not in 14 years😎 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tyler0420 994 Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 I was there on Sunday opposite side of the piers though. Didn’t look like too many people were fishing.  I’m sure there’s always fish to be had though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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