YakFisher Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 I noticed today that so far I have only caught female trout in the Niagara. I am very new to cold water fishing and have only caught about 10 or so, but they have all been hens. I am curious why that might be. are they more plentiful, more aggressive, or is it just a coincidence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centre_Pin_Assasin Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Both males and females eat duringbthis time in the run but females tend to be more food eager as they must keep up their strength as producing eggs is hard on their bodies. Males are to busy fighting for good beds. Butbas the year goes the females willbthen be laying their eggs and males protecting so any other eggs that come near thier bed they will hit. And you will start getting into males then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 I agree....centerpinassassin and i fished together and all we were catching was hens....afrer going back 2weeks later all everyone was catching was males. I have to believe the hens arrive first with the males closely behind them. I have found from personal experience the males seem to hit very aggressively when they show up. Expect your next or future outings after the hens to be more males. And when the hens are spewing eggs expect the steelhead bite to really pick up...which has been evident these last couple weeks. The bite will switch to minnow pattern as it gets further on into the season. These have always been my observations. Last years brown bite started rreally heavy first week nov....this year seems has been about 3 weeks later. If you study it all and keep track its usually pretty predictable. Having said that sometimes there is just no bite....and conditions look perfect....these are the times when so many things could be going on. I think just observations sometimes is keu or a change in presentation or offering makes all the differance. I have had many days of crap man....whats going on? Only to come across some guy nailing them on something totally unusual. I never stop learning....and i have been fishing for decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centre_Pin_Assasin Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Actually dave male browns arrive in the rivers first believe it or not. They arrive to start fighting for the beds and are very aggressive towards all other fish including salmon, bows, other browns, and any other fish in their path. They usually show up about a 3 to 4 weeks before the hens. But they hit out of aggression most of the time. Steel on the other hand run together males and females mixed as they are in to eat the eggs of the browns and salmon. They dont start spawning untill late winter/ spring. But as of right now you will catch 70/30 hens as they are feeding aggressivly and as feburary roles around it will become 60/40 males. A now they are starting to protect their beds and females. As for browns you will catch 50/50 males and females as hens are mostly spawned out and now feeding to restkre vitiwmines and bucks to protect those fertilized beds from other fish and other eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niagarangler89 Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Actually dave male browns arrive in the rivers first believe it or not. They arrive to start fighting for the beds and are very aggressive towards all other fish including salmon, bows, other browns, and any other fish in their path. They usually show up about a 3 to 4 weeks before the hens. But they hit out of aggression most of the time. Steel on the other hand run together males and females mixed as they are in to eat the eggs of the browns and salmon. They dont start spawning untill late winter/ spring. But as of right now you will catch 70/30 hens as they are feeding aggressivly and as feburary roles around it will become 60/40 males. A now they are starting to protect their beds and females. As for browns you will catch 50/50 males and females as hens are mostly spawned out and now feeding to restkre vitiwmines and bucks to protect those fertilized beds from other fish and other eggs. That's been my take on things...thanks for confirming CPA! For the Niagara...the big male browns seem to show up late Sept, just after the first few runs of the chinnys. Some bows (male/female) follow these migrating fish in to feed on the eggs. A couple weeks after the male browns have made an appearance, the hens follow. Right now the majority of browns in the system are done spawning and should be dropping back towards the Lake...there will still be some late spawners, but you'll notice the fish you're catching are a lot more beat up right now. That being said, I've caught a disproportionate amount of hens vs bucks as well Yak. I've always chalked it up to the fact that I can only fish for trout in very small windows throughout the winter. The more consistently you start fishing an area, the more your ratio will even out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 We usually catch male smelts first when the spring run begins , which is smart thinking as they want to be ready ,willing and able to put their magic formula on those sterile eggs . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 Your probably right on them showing up first...cause come to think of it i did see some in the pool in early oct. But its wierd to me and like i said....it will be hen after hen...then week or two later its male after male. At least thsts my experience. The two times i fished the catt this year the steel fishing has been garbage even though the flow was just over 300 and nice green. Last year could not keep them off. On the other hand the east tribs have been pretty good in the gta. My last year was way better than this year....maybe im just too old and losing my patients. Fish couple drifts....nothing move....seem to have done more moving than fishing...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blairwelsh Posted December 13, 2012 Report Share Posted December 13, 2012 So far this year .... Month of Nov/and early Dec, Been about 80% Hen vs 20% Buck on the Chrome up here for me in the GTA TRIBS. Dont have enough browns for any "reasonable stats"... lol Earlier during the Salmon runs (First of Season in Aug) ... was 70% males (Sausage Fest) out in Port Hope. Then in Sept, I experienced about 85% hens in a west trib... I like to think that i have the "MEMORY" of a BEAR ... but tend to "Compute the Facts" like a soap dish. lol Great input guys! Your observations and analysis are far more than mine. KUDO's! I think I will just put a line in the water and contiue to see "what happens".... I'm an equal opportunist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoWithTheFloat Posted December 14, 2012 Report Share Posted December 14, 2012 Earlier during the Salmon runs (First of Season in Aug) ... was 70% males (Sausage Fest) Lmao octoberfest in august Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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