Trolling for Spring Rainbows at Port Bruce and Burwell
- Thread starter bigdog
- Start date
It's the funnest time of the year on Lake Ontario trolling the shallows for bows and browns. There are more fish in Lake O, but I think it would still be worth it. It works on one lake why wouldn't it work on the other? I just might try this spring after a few outings on Lake O to get my fix first.
It might be an untapped fishery that nobody really takes advantage of on Erie. I also wonder about the salmon fishery in Erie as I always seen tons of chinook salmon in the creeks every fall and pinks every few years, but you never hear of anyone targeting them.
It might be an untapped fishery that nobody really takes advantage of on Erie. I also wonder about the salmon fishery in Erie as I always seen tons of chinook salmon in the creeks every fall and pinks every few years, but you never hear of anyone targeting them.
jrr
Well-Known Member
This summer I plan to head out to the deep 'blue' (or closest I can find) water on Erie and see what I can find. I do enjoy spring time off Grimsby though. Every trout and salmon species in Lake O in 15 feet of water. I would imagine they do the same on Erie -- they look for warmer water and chase the alewife (if there are alewife in Erie, imagine there are). The water likely heats up faster on Erie though so the window is shorter.
On Lake O they stayed close to shore into June last year and it feels like spring is in no hurry again this year.
On Lake O they stayed close to shore into June last year and it feels like spring is in no hurry again this year.
can't miss
Well-Known Member
Grew up on the lower Kettle cr, kinda a sister to Catfish cr ( Pt Bruce). There are fairly good run's of bow's in the spring. Farm I lived on had a couple feeder, cold water stream's, but shallow. Often found huge bow's, more or less land locked, way upstream, as stream's went shallow after spring. Guess they were waiting for a summer storm to add water and they could escape, and it usually happened.
But I do bet they stage in-front of these creek's, pre spawn?
Some will tell you, your taking the breeder's, I've also seen stat's that it is a wasted spawn with less than 2% survival rate, from factory, put and take stocking program's?
I'm sure there will be some replies from folk's who have knowledge here, but please post if you fish them.
But I do bet they stage in-front of these creek's, pre spawn?
Some will tell you, your taking the breeder's, I've also seen stat's that it is a wasted spawn with less than 2% survival rate, from factory, put and take stocking program's?
I'm sure there will be some replies from folk's who have knowledge here, but please post if you fish them.
Guys have reported some early season trout catches out in front of Young's Creek and maybe Fisher's Creek... @Stick... any help here? 
. Haven't heard much about fish caught staging in front of Port Bruce. Personally, I'm looking forward to a weekend stay at the A-frame at North Erie Marina in the last half of June for some early summer rainbow action. @Mickey Finn and I once landed 21 bows at Port Bruce at this time and we are hoping to surpass our record! I think Sam and Greg have created the ideal fishing command post with their "Fish Shack".
See http://www.longpoint.on.ca/forum/in...spring-to-north-erie-marina.23717/#post-61777 for pictures and info.
. Haven't heard much about fish caught staging in front of Port Bruce. Personally, I'm looking forward to a weekend stay at the A-frame at North Erie Marina in the last half of June for some early summer rainbow action. @Mickey Finn and I once landed 21 bows at Port Bruce at this time and we are hoping to surpass our record! I think Sam and Greg have created the ideal fishing command post with their "Fish Shack". See http://www.longpoint.on.ca/forum/in...spring-to-north-erie-marina.23717/#post-61777 for pictures and info.
Catfish Creek gets some bows but a relatively small numbers in comparison to many Erie tribs, Otter included. IMO your early, ice out chances for staging fish are really slim. On the other hand, I think the post spawn, early Mayish near shore bow fishery has some potential. Everyone races out to 50+' to begin the trolling season, waiting for them to arrive when in reality the Steelies are taking advantage of ideal (warmer) near shore temps when they leave the creeks putting on the feed bag after the spawn.
I know for a fact many missed the early season action in the past when a majority of the bows in Erie were fall spawning stockers from the south side of the lake things may very well have changed with the US making changes to their stocking programs.
It's still a much better bet spending the extra gas to hit Lake O tho if early season trout and salmon are your target species.....
Josh
I know for a fact many missed the early season action in the past when a majority of the bows in Erie were fall spawning stockers from the south side of the lake
things may very well have changed with the US making changes to their stocking programs.It's still a much better bet spending the extra gas to hit Lake O tho if early season trout and salmon are your target species.....
Josh
@Stick... any help here?
OK @stomp, I'll bite.
What ever happened to?
"Saturday morning I'm going fishing (insert that place you think would be the best choice for the conditions you should face)" and go!!!!!!!!! ?
A good days fishing isn't a destiny, it's the experience from sun up til sundown on a day that you could get away and devote 100 per cent to what you love to do, while you still can.
Very true Stick...
Why target Erie tribs at all??? No stocking... The only small chance of survival is natural reproduction... If you want to fill coolers go to Lake Ontario a put and take fishery...
I bet its been over 10 years since I harvested a Erie salmonoid other then in front of burwell/bruce when the ones from the American side follow the bait over...
Why target Erie tribs at all??? No stocking... The only small chance of survival is natural reproduction... If you want to fill coolers go to Lake Ontario a put and take fishery...
I bet its been over 10 years since I harvested a Erie salmonoid other then in front of burwell/bruce when the ones from the American side follow the bait over...
The OP simply asked if Bows can be caught at the mouths of Erie tribs, not whether these fish should be harvested or not. The season for bows is open all year on Erie and the limit is 5 so I'm sure the population can handle a spring harvest if anglers choose to legally keep some fish.
I wonder why Lake O is a"put and take" fishery and has a 2 fish limit while Erie has "no stocking" and a limit of 5 fish?
I wonder why Lake O is a"put and take" fishery and has a 2 fish limit while Erie has "no stocking" and a limit of 5 fish?
Lake O is far from a put and take fishery. The vast majority of both Trout and Salmon that return to the north shore tribs are natural fish. NY, however, does dump some big numbers into their streams.
The reduced limit for Rainbow on Lake O and it's tribs is thanks to vocal, conservation minded anglers giving input and sharing their concerns at FMZ meetings and through the voice of various clubs and organizations.
Like Lake Ontario, the stocking on Erie is concentrated south of the border but those fish show up in good numbers on our side of the lake during the warmer months. Stocking numbers on the US side of Erie have been noticeably reduced over the past few years and as such a drop in the harvest limit might not be a bad idea for our side of the lake as well.
Josh
The reduced limit for Rainbow on Lake O and it's tribs is thanks to vocal, conservation minded anglers giving input and sharing their concerns at FMZ meetings and through the voice of various clubs and organizations.
Like Lake Ontario, the stocking on Erie is concentrated south of the border but those fish show up in good numbers on our side of the lake during the warmer months. Stocking numbers on the US side of Erie have been noticeably reduced over the past few years and as such a drop in the harvest limit might not be a bad idea for our side of the lake as well.
Josh
erie feeln
Well-Known Member
do you guys eat these fish or smoke them seems to me I think our freezers will glow like neon lights
wayneC
Member
yes there are rainbows in spring and some good pink salmon in early fall; but not off the rivers that carry a lot of slit. a lot of poachers working out of season and on private land with out owners permission. contact the Aylmer fish and game and they will help you out some what. I grew up fishing every little stream from Wheatley to the Grand river, and the Mouth of the Thames to Suable Beach, Owen Sound to the Nottawasaga . the ones that produce the best a clear and cold water. Lake Erie has quite a few but a lot of them are small. Port Bruce when the clean water of lake Erie is in close can produce, as far as the river goes the trout can be found farther up stream at certain times of the year in clear water. Browns will tolerate more dirty water than Bows and Salmon in my opinion. hope this puts some light on your question. P.S. commercial fishermen seem to like Erie O to Peeley Island for Bows and Walleye, and more this way for Perch. good luck.
I caught a nice brown trout in lake erie flat lining along the north shore last year around this time. I saw another one caught from shore in the same area on a float and dew worm early spring. I have never caught any rainbows trolling or jigging the north shore in the spring, tried it about five times.
Majority of spring bows are on the feeder streams on the southern shore. You will catch a few on the North shore but not many until the waters warm up too much for the southern shore and then those on the north shore are very happy campers, I mean fisherpersons.