seeking salmon

[chesapeakeman]

Went to Goderich Monday to try pier fishing for salmon. Found no place for fisherman. Posted $225 fine near the salt mine, metered parking on public side off harbour. Won't be going there again. Went to Bayfield next. Pier easily accessible for fisherman. Beautiful weather, but no fish for me or others there. tried float fishing with spawn sacs and chucking spoons. One kayak angler reported catching a salmon at dawn. I talked to another fisherman who reported seeing black salmon at the fish ladder the previous week. I'll try again Wednesday. Maybe the Lake Huron Kings have shot upriver despite the warm enough to swim in water. Hopefully the coming cooler weather and rain will begin to draw in the rainbows.

 

[Twister]

I spent a nice afternoon trolling around Goderich 2 weeks ago. No fish lots of marks.

 

[Derkd9]

Water levels too low? They probably all stuck somewhere up stream

 

[Tyler0420]

Water levels too low? They probably all stuck somewhere up stream

Easy pickings

 

[floater66]

Easy pickings

water is low and very warm in rivers still ... cottage neightbour has been having good success bass fishing in evenings in the mouths of rivers lately .... along with past few years #'s on bayfield and maitland are VERY low from experience . had a buddy tell me he was getting coho in 80' of water last week out of bayfield. ( east winds + 30 degree weather will push them out as well.)

 

[Tyler0420]

water is low and very warm in rivers still ... cottage neightbour has been having good success bass fishing in evenings in the mouths of rivers lately .... along with past few years #'s on bayfield and maitland are VERY low from experience . had a buddy tell me he was getting coho in 80' of water last week out of bayfield. ( east winds + 30 degree weather will push them out as well.)

Can’t be any warmer than Lake Ontario tribs and they have fish. At a certain point I don’t think it matters about water levels and temps if they don’t run they’ll die in the lake.

 

[Steellee]

Salmon run regardless, sometimes up 6" of water not like trout who are more often entering to feed and will drop back push up with rain. We need a couple good rains in the next bit for trout fishing to get worthwhile. As mentioned above I just don't think those 2 piers are really high percentage spots these days as well as most fish that are in for spawning are probably already pushed up river. I would try Port Dalhousie if your looking for easy access. Even when the pier is done(probably a while ago) the channel has lots of mature salmon all throughout as well as bows, browns, odd Atlantic etc all through the fall into winter

 

[dave w]

Went to Goderich Monday to try pier fishing for salmon. Found no place for fisherman. Posted $225 fine near the salt mine, metered parking on public side off harbour. Won't be going there again. Went to Bayfield next. Pier easily accessible for fisherman. Beautiful weather, but no fish for me or others there. tried float fishing with spawn sacs and chucking spoons. One kayak angler reported catching a salmon at dawn. I talked to another fisherman who reported seeing black salmon at the fish ladder the previous week. I'll try again Wednesday. Maybe the Lake Huron Kings have shot upriver despite the warm enough to swim in water. Hopefully the coming cooler weather and rain will begin to draw in the rainbows.

Did you try the harbour away from the salt mines?

 

[chesapeakeman]

Yes. There is metered parking now. Bayfield is much better for fishing the rivermouth. I'm not into boating or wading further up the river where the Maitland is much bigger than the Bayfield river. I'll try Port Dalhousie and see if there are any salmon still there.

 

[stomp]

What about Port Albert?

 

[spincast]

Try the Nottawasaga, assuming you aren't interested in the zoo that is the Ganaraska

 

[Fisherboy]

Alaska rivers has awesome fighting Kings.

 

[floater66]

What about Port Albert?

numbers just are not there like they used to be, was out for a walk with kids last weekend & water is so low and clean didnt spot 1 fish in a couple KM's, have a cottage right there so i know the river very well, better to drive a bit further north , just flat out better fisheries a bit further north if you dont mind another hour in car listening to some music.

 

[dave w]

Yes. There is metered parking now. Bayfield is much better for fishing the rivermouth. I'm not into boating or wading further up the river where the Maitland is much bigger than the Bayfield river. I'll try Port Dalhousie and see if there are any salmon still there.

Ya I get that.

 

[chesapeakeman]

Went to Port Dalhousie on Saturday and tried for salmon there. Several locals and me fishing, saw two salmon caught, one brown, the other nearly black. I saw a few more still light in colour, siver with a bit of brown. While fish were jumping, non were biting. Most were tossing spoons. The one caught near where I was fishing was caught on a firetiger J13 jointed Rapala. I tried spawn sacs and spoons without success. There was little to no current as there was a problem with the dam/lock according to local fishermen. Thus drift fishing spawn sacs was more like still fishing / plunking. I'm hoping the cooler weather and rain and a properly working dam will help, when I try again next week. I'm thinking salmon are about finished and the trout fishing will start soon.

 

[Red Hering]

Lake Huron river’s,such as the Bayfield,Maitland and the Saugeen river,etc.,are now “spiking up,” from our recent rainfall yesterday & into the evening,plus we have been also getting cooler overnight one digit temperatures. Once these river’s drop back down to favourable levels for fishing,there should be a fresh run of Steelhead’s & perhaps some salmon are still around as well,for anyone who is interested in fishing also still for salmon. I will be trying out my luck mostly for Steelhead’s,on one of these river’s flowing into Lake Huron,for it has now been 3 year’s,( photo’s),since I have tried my luck for Fall Steelhead’s,so I am very overdue!! lol Tight lines to All!! & Steelhead’s & perhaps salmon on as well,to All!!

 

[Red Hering]

Did you try the harbour away from the salt mines?

@dave w you had mentioned the harbour to @chesapeakeman if he had fished it away from the salt mines,and it brought back memories for me,from when I used to fish the Goderich Harbour. I used to troll the Goderich Harbour out of one of my boat’s back then that I had owned,or me fishing off the rocks in the Goderich Harbour,while casting various lure’s for salmon.The salmon fishing was much better back then,compared to now,and just my opinion. Here are some photo’s from the early 80th’s to the early 90th’s,when I used to fish the Goderich Harbour,and also the Maitland Rivermouth.Yes,even a sheep head was caught,lol out of one of my boat’s that I had owned back then,but it was in the Spring of that year,( early 80th’s),when I had caught it, and not in the Fall season,( last photo ). Maybe there will be an early winter this year,( no hurries for the winter season,lol ),if so,I am looking forward again,to be fishing for steelhead’s & the odd brown trout as well,during the winter months. Tight lines to All!!

 

[rockin-steelhead]

The rivers need to spike a lot more yet and then the fish will head in. With the cooler temps as well that will help get things moving as well. As far f right now based on the graphs I’ve been looking at still need them to go up over a foot yet to make for favourable conditions.

 

[Steellee]

The rivers need to spike a lot more yet and then the fish will head in. With the cooler temps as well that will help get things moving as well. As far f right now based on the graphs I’ve been looking at still need them to go up over a foot yet to make for favourable conditions.

Have to agree. That rain helped,, but flows are still low to many bring fish in. A good blowout is needed and than it's easy pickings to time things on the drop

 

[chesapeakeman]

I'll try Port Dalhousie this weekend, hoping for a late running salmon or early trout. I am guessing Lake Huron salmon have been unable to run up the low rivers and have died in the lake. Maybe cool weather and rain will call in the trout later. Has anyone ever had any luck with salmon or trout by the Bluewater bridge? It's closer than St. Catherines.