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People do, I don't - I've caught them more in the Thames but early to mid summer. Can't seem to hit them in the river late summer and fall. Sometimes you find them in bunches. Seem to like shiny things

Hey all, A few years ago in Oct. I went out maybe mid month and temp outside was around 12 degrees, light drizzle, I was looking for Bass, but most of my spots are shallow river (0-6 ft) so it seems that shallow water cools quickly and bass move deeper I think? Anyway, in searching for Bass with little gold minnow crankbaits (live target), I hit something, didn't even know what it was, up and down stream, 20 min battle. Couldn't believe it when I saw it was a beautiful trout, perhaps 4-5lb. I thought Bass could fight, they have nothing on these boys. So I was wondering what type of water temps do trout start to run up rivers, shallow fast currents, never caught one there in summer ever, but have in Oct. Last year I didn't time it right and didn't get into any. Would like to have an idea because I don't seem to catch anything else there in Oct, like Walleye etc.

Hey all, Just some observations and some input requested from those who fish the lower grand, typically Paris down to Cayuga/York. I started fishing in 2008, I google mapped the area, and was so happy to simply wade into the water and find my own spots, much more thrilling that being told where to go. I managed to find an island and negotiate a path right out into the middle of the river, the convergence of two streams made a great hole for walleye. I met a guy there who was hitting them and he gave me some tips. I began to hit walleye that Aug and Sept, 5 or 6 each 4-5 hrs out there, sometimes only 1, sometimes 6 in 2hrs, not big, not keepers but hey a lot of fun. I thought Walleye were easy to catch (which they aren't really) because that's all I knew. That's all I would hit. 1-2lb at most. I had no waders but kept on going out all the way to Oct (crazy I know) but it was too much fun. Came back in 2009, tried to hit same spot, no walleye in June and July but found new spots, began to learn about rainfall (got swept away one day, went out 2 days after a massive storm, made it back to shore, barely, took me 30 mins to climb out i was so drained after all the swimming, and no, your life doesn't flash before your eyes, your freaking lungs burn instead, I lost my new rod and reel combo, $200), I learned about water clarity, vegetation, currents, pools, started to move away from crank-baits and to tubes and drop-shots and anything else I could learn. In this new spot further downstream, I hit tons of bass, something new to me, they fought better than walleye and were seemingly everywhere. It was too much fun! I would go back once a week, I was off work with stress leave that year and fishing helped me refocus and calm to heck down. I scanned a 2km area wading (in waders now!) finding new holes, I rarely so a soul, only cows. It was great, bass were hitting all over the place but couldn't nail anything else, all smallies. Was a fun year. I went back to my Walleye spot, Only got walleye last week of Aug and first of sept. Small ones, and not much, like 6 one day, 1 the next week and nothing before or after, didn't think much of it, after all I was a rookie. 2010 - started to get better, using finesse worms and a dropshot rig, I began hitting bigger ones, 2 pound + which is good in the Grand, hit the big one one time and it swam towards me, saw me, then pulled down so hard, my rod time slammed twice through the water onto the rocks, what a thrill. Was again a good summer and Sept was the month the big boys came out to play. Good year 2011 - Wasn't as good, did hit the big guys in Sept but made a mental note that fishing was poorer in the Grand, just less action, could be me, could be the year, the weather, still trying to figure it out, maybe its a cycle but I did note that it wasn't like so many people were out there, in fact less people were out. You see wading is the least popular way to fish, boats rule (but not in this area, not fully navigable by boat, too shallow in parts) and then shore fishing, but dirty ol wading, people don't mess with it. Fishing was again good in Sept, big bass came out but not as good as 2010, Walleye ZERO for the entire summer/fall? 2012 - fished form June to Sept, began using minnows, live bait, starting hitting catfish, sometimes one or two but one day about 20, some over 5lb, it was a blast, as for Bass, they were not hitting as much as 2011, which wasn't good either but it was utter garbage compared to 2008 or 2009, I would hit Bass less often, when i caught them, they were little guys, I became to worry, what's going on on this river? It can't be me, I'm getting more experienced, using multiple techniques even mixing in spinners now, so I'm in my 5th year, starting to grow up in fishing years. I hit Bass all summer but not in large amounts and all small guys. The entire summer, I didn't get one over 2lb and Sept, the usually best month was crap. I did hit more Catfish though. And and the Walleye, gonzo, I was actually catching them so often in 2008 as a first time fisherman, I was sick of them, boy, little did I know they would go away for good? So....I bumped into the guy I met in Aug 2008, after 5 years, never bumped into him in between. He said the same thing, the walleye are gone? We don't know why, overfished? water quality, conditions, clarity, low rainfall? chemicals? No idea. So I thought, let me post something, hopefully you are all having a great time on the Grand and all of the above means nothing, if you have done well in 2011 and 2012, quash this post. If not, then post likewise, I'm wondering if the MNR needs a heads up, if I'm right and I hope I'm wrong. But what was a fortress of Small mouth Bass and good amount of Walleye in the Lower Grand has seemingly fallen right off. Anyone?

This might be a long shot but I was hoping to bring the family up there for some good fishing. I would need a cabin and a boat 2-3 days. Would it be unrealistic to think I could get one later this week or weekend on such short notice? You guys recommend anywhere in particular. I heard it is beautiful up there. I live in London and would take the road up from Grand Bend.

ahh...my 10lb test may not win that one. I think i'd panic with that monster on the line, amazing catch.

12lb fish on the end of the line, serious bicep curl!

Cool! Bullheads are just smaller or do they look different. Which tastes better BTW? With most fish, I find the small ones taste better than monsters anyway. He did fight like a little Bull driving down into the water digging his head left/right.

side question: I have caught cats between 1-5lb in the grand and thames. I heard there are 10lb ones in there or maybe more, is there a more proven technique to get the big guys or is it just rare to find them so big?

Heres a look at him with the gobbled up spinner! Good to know it can work on Cats!

Managed to bag a decent cat whilst fishing for bass in the river. I'm new to working Mepps spinners - caught pike and bass, is this a rarity or can this lure catch cats too? Mepps #4 silver

are tubes strictly a bass lure? Would that be correct?

I think he is aiming for north end closer to manatoulin island. Would like to rent boat, Also shore fish and wading. Different things different days. Lake and river. He's planning to set up at a camp ground.

Great thread. Well I only get bass but will learn from what others post. I get bass on 4" garlic finesse whom on drop shot, dragging it wading the river. I get catfish on same rig only with live minnows.

A friend of mine is planning a trip there labour day, would like me to come. Anyone know how fishing is up there or which rivers or lakes to target for good fishing?

What are slammers, I drop shot 4" finesse worms. Would love to try something new. Plus does drop shotting generally only work on bass, I get catfish on it but only with live minnows.

Do people eat them?

Got out to one of my summer spots during our March Summer last week. It was weird, the grass was still low and yellow, no leaves on the trees so it looked like the dead of winter, water temp was higher than 10c, and it was 29 degrees (St. Mary's ON.). I didn't feel in the grove, almost felt wrong like ice should be floating down stream! Anyway, I found a lot of activity on river, lots of minnows, huge catfish and pike in the shallows, hooked into a few things, seemed foul hooked and got off. Fish seemed a bit dazed still and now it is -6 tonight. I was surrounded by flies or gnats, each strand of grass had like 50 of them resting on it, they were all over me (in March), I ate some, even cleaned some out of my eyes when I got back to the car, I never seen anything like that even in July....my question is, will the frigid temps that have returned kill off the early signs of flies and mosquitoes? I hope so, because if that is a sign of what's to come, it will be tough fishing without eating a steady diet of flies this summer!

I have ran into them with minnows on a drop shot rig. I was targeting bass but have hooked into them from time to time. A minnow can get you into many species I guess.

yup "the pond" and hey, the river just down from it isn't too bad either!

Hey all. This seems to be the earliest spring I've witnessed in Canada. I usually hit a local pond which is teaming with Bluegill (on a good spring day, I can hit 20-50 in 2-3hrs, I wade a pond!). Bluegills aren't so big but they are surprisingly aggressive. Last year, the thaw didn't occur till April and they didn't start hitting till mid-April. This year would seem to be different, my question is what water temp is ideal for bluegill to start hitting. Other than that, what about Pike and Catfish! (temps) I was able to land pike at a river spot, May/June but not a lick in Summer, seems like they like cooler water. Thanks all

Hope you are all well. I have been fishing a few years, most relaxing thing on earth no? I mainly catch bass, mainly fish Grand and Thames (Grand better but Thames often bigger!). I wanted to learn two things 1. Where to target river walleye (or do they enter the lakes when the water is warm - I mainly wade) 2. How to target Catfish, I went to basspro and got: a) Catfish lure (stinky fake liver stuff) catfish hooks c) sinkers (I tie the hook about 1ft from the sinker?) Basspro dude also suggest a float set up also? I know that Bass usually are found in pockets, pools or edges or currents etc. Pike, shallow pools but what about Cats? Shallow or deep? slow moving or not? Need a few tips to get me on my way, only caught 3 catfish in three years, but that was ass-sidewards on crankbaits! seemed I swiped them with the crankbait more than anything! I know the Thames has Cats and can put up a fight. Guy also suggested 30lb braid but I have only ever used mono 6lb test spiderwire which suits me for bass, walleye, would 12lb spider-wire mono be enough or are the cats so big I need a different setup, I have a 7ft medium light and 7ft medium quantum rod with a shimano 2500FD reel. (not one of those guys who can afford 20 rods and 20 reel combos). Thanks for the help, PS went to the Thames near St. Marys and near Komoka - wow - I was in Turkey and Greece for a few weeks - must have been some rain in South Western Ontatio, looked like a chocolate covered niagara falls out there, might take a week to be wade-able again.

River Walleye are hard to find (for me), they seem to come and go, water temp etc. etc. that's cool.

I used to get a lot on Chugbugs (bass that is), top-water has gone to crap for me. Could be a Thames river thing.

Made a post some years back, asked for tips on places to wade with small kids - he was kind enough to PM and google map out some nice calms spots on the Thames - we went we caught - very helpful. Life is temporary. Wow.

If you want to fish in the canal it's dead! Hanging out fine - fishing nada - looks beautiful put probably was over fished for decades