steellee

Nice fish. Crazy winter we've had where there isn't a single snowflake in the fish pics! Used to be you were landing fish off an ice bridge all winter

Spin and glow were originally a west coast steelhead / salmon thing in the late 80's, early 90's or so along the time corkies came around and way before beads became popular. They would trail them with yarn or roe or shrimp. They fish alot differently out there than us, and some really fast, shallow runs we would never really try around here. Fish out there seem to grab anything that gets there attention as they don't have any time to inspect so these probably took their share of fish. I remember trying them in the lower river a few times back than and never got a fish....All that said they should probably be relegated to the bottom of your tackle box where they'll never be seen again!

On 1/3/2024 at 8:57 AM, smerchly said:

This ?   Make a home made version .

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pjmpUcJRR8

Haha, this guy kinda stole our old invention from 30+ years ago. We used to use an old bike rim with the same 4 ropes tied into one idea. Brought many, many a fish up the walls of the Niagara Power Canals back in the day. We used a deep rubber mesh zip tied to the rim and only was seen a fish I couldn't fit in which was a musky at least 50" probably more... 

I've picked them off floatfishing with bigger than usual bags tied in chartreuse mesh and a glow corky or bead pegged right at the hook. Bigger hooks are fine at night as fish obviously won't see them. Floats that accommodate glow sticks are a must if my plan is to night fish browns

5 hours ago, hometownhandyman said:

Is there a boat launch into Lake Gibson? 

There used to be a half ass launch good enough for a 14' tinner in the middle pond of the 3 at Beaver dams and Marrlatts. We would launch a couple tinners and boot around with minn kotas back in the day. The only thing they said was no gas engines. This was almost 30 years ago but we did fish those first 2 ponds alot... we did get the very odd 5 pounder but most largies we caught were closer to 2 pounds from what I remember. I am sure like anywhere easy access fishing there has been on a downhill slide from how I remember it

On 6/14/2023 at 6:04 AM, Port_D_Guy said:

I remember talking to a fishing section guy at Bass Pro about having a Carp/Catfish section as the area is good for those.

He didn't disagree and would welcome it, but it would be a Head Office decisions.

I guess they want to keep every Bass Pro exactly the same instead of catering to different areas.

I just got home this morning from out west and popped into Cabela's in Abbotsford as it's right near the airport and it definitely has a more catered approach to their style of fishing as opposed to the BPS or Cabela's near here. They have a different way of fishing everything out there and obviously an ocean fishery but don't have the bass, carp, walleye fishery we have in Ontario

Tubes fished off a drop shot rig can be deadly too if you had a heavy enough dropper weight. I fish them that style for both bass and Lakers in the currents of Niagara River. Also snags up less on snaggy, rocky areas like lower river

Port Stanley up where I am has same system. Free to launch but app based system to park in public lot. I just pay my $140 honk app fee each season and never think about it again.(Very reasonable for the amount I walleye fish last few summers) Launch prices are getting ridiculous and combined with gas, boat and gear prices it adds up fast

Run into large schools of them while trolling on Erie often. Always in large schools,, you can go days without seeing one at times but than 3-4 rods will go off at once when you hit a pack of them. Lots of big ones out on the lake. Never tried to eat them though

9 hours ago, steelshady said:

Two good friends fished the "Geen" on Monday and Tuesday at the dam, was loaded with drop backs, not one fresh fish.

 

 

Ya I have been hearing that on most Huron tribs the fish being done and gone or on there way out. I've been out at my local Erie trib here almost every day and am still seeing some spitting roe! Can usually get fish on this particular trib right up until May 24 weekend if you can keep the OOS bass off

I find it best just lightly hooked through the fat section on a small sac hook so kind of in between. Than I can switch between baits easily as well. One from past trip this year you can see in photo kind of... A lot throw the plastics during fight as I hook it so lightly.

I was thinking it was last Saturday in April not 4th the way things landed this year. Around noon figured it out and grabbed my float rod and headed out into the pouring rain.Hit up a small Erie trib close by with a modest run of steelhead. Nice only seeing 2 others in the couple hours I fished before getting pretty much rained out. Never thought much of them but the Berkley 3"pink worms with a bead have been hot for me going back to last spring and were bait of choice today

All really spot on advice in above posts. Proper shot pattern like said above is critical for cast distance although sometimes a bulk shot is needed to get down in fast currents quickly which usually is a compromise with casting. As for line Fireline crystal is hands down the best float line I have ever used and I keep it on at least one of my centerpins and a few spin reels at all times. For mono Suffix Seige 10 lb is about the best float line I have used

RIGID products lifetime warranty is great for that. Had the same 18V drill/driver for like 15-20 years. Been through a few sets of batteries and a chuck all replaced free by them. Saves throwing away other perfectly good tools. Not sure if they still offer the free batteries for life these days on new purchases

1 hour ago, Bubba14 said:

The reservoir behind the floral clock. The smallies in there were large and plentiful and more than wiling to take pretty much any offering.

We used to hit the crayfish pond on the way in catch 60 or so softshells in short time. Fish the power canals all morning watching the time and be back for 3 when you could start walking out to the point as the giant smallies started their migration for the night back to the deep side as the dropped. And ya spring time had lots of landlocked rainbows around the entire edge. The power canals were a system in themselves with tonnes of bows even through summer and bass although you literally never knew what you had as there wasnt too many species we didnt catch at some point. You could vertically jig cleos, crocs and williams off the walls with constant action. When we did get a big one we had a custom made drop net with rubber mesh on a mountain bike rim that we would leave in the bushes. Only fish we couldnt get up was a musky I got 1 time that must have went close to 50 pounds, just couldnt get that guy to fold in lol. Still have lots of cool fish pics from that area in the days of disposable cameras. I moved away from Niagara now and often miss it than think most of what I miss doesn't really exist anymore... 

It sucks but money talks.  Its crazy the amount of fishing and naturalization thats been lost in Niagara in the last 25 years. Grew up spending most of our days at the river or in the never ending world of Ontatio Hydro property that was its own world of fishing opportunties way back when that was less frowned upon haha

I also mix a maintenance dose in CT premium gas for all my equipment. Seems to keep everything problem free. Summer time I go through a tonne of it so I make sure to stock up at sale times. 8.97 is a good price, I will have to check my local flyer here

Napa auto stores always have it at the lowest everyday price around. It use to be 7.99 last year everyday price, this year its 9.99 but still better than most shops sale price. Home hardware also puts it on every month or so for the same,, at least the ones around me

18 hours ago, smerchly said:

Nice fishing tooner Steellee ! ....Will the new agm batteries work the trolling motor ? The big deep cycles are back killers for older angler like me ! 

After watching some videos on agm & lithium batteries erses deep cycle batteries , I can't decide which way to go for using a lighter battery for my 16' alum.canoe's trolling motor.  I would only need about 2 -3 hrs of slow trollling time ...  Most vids are long winded before reaching a conclusion .

Ya I am sure the lithiums would power it just fine. They are supposed to be about half the weight and extra time under power as you can run them all the way to empty with out power loss.  I use that minn kota and battery setup in my aluminum also so have a big group 31 battery. If the price keeps going down I will probably go that route myself when this one bites the dust

I've got a personal pontoon inflatable I use. I find it very comfortable to fish creeks and ponds but even deflated if still takes up a lot of space. It hangs off my garage wall when not in use. 

Theres a guy who fishes carp alot up by me on Kettle creek using the tenkara technique. Long rod with a single piece of corn and he does as well as anyone. Dont think he even weights it. This is a narrow section of creek with little current in summer though. You can almost walk across the carp on somedays there is so many in a small area. Like most Erie creeks the challenge is to keep them out of the sticks!

Interesting about the swans showing that aggression towards the geese...

Nice way to open the spring. Judging by your pics that spot wasn't as busy as I would have thought. I've been hitting some real small erie tribs this week. Really have to work for fish but its nice hiking for hours and not seeing another angler

18 hours ago, Bass-turd said:

Are there any articles where fish populations are booming? How come there’s never any of those?

Tonnes of articles about the great success of the walleye on Lake Erie for last few years now. Mostly put out by USA as they seem to have much more interest in fisheries management...

Mono does still have a time and place. I like to keep at least 1 of a spin, cast and centerpin ready to go with mono. The rest are filled with various braids. The stretch of mono is nice for floatfishing especially light leads, larger crankbaits at times and for me carp fishing. Also handles better below 0°. Most everything else braid has too many advantages for me