Lower Niagara Bass Report - September 7th

[Rich]

Having never fished the Niagara but hearing great stories from everyone that has, I had high hopes this morning as dad and I loaded up the bass boat. We got to the launch in Queenston and I noticed some bass chasing minnows by the dock. Good sign!

 

Dad brought me to a spot that he had always done well at years ago. Where the Niagara dumps into Lake O and the warm water meets the Lake O cold stuff. Unfortunately the 30kph winds made boat control near impossible, not to mention fighting to stay out of the US side of the river. I did get one little smallie at the mouth, and the "big one that got away" story of the day. No idea what it was, but it smacked my tube and took off running like a freight train. Definitely didn't feel like a bass to me. Who knows, could have been salmon.

 

After getting annoyed and wet we moved up river to a spot I had scoped out on the way down. A bend in the river made a nice little eddy in the current. I turned on the sonar and found we were sitting in 25 feet of water and the graph was loaded with fish. The next few hours brought me about a dozen bass this size:

 

Note the life jacket. I wasn't taking that thing off! There are areas on that river where if you go overboard without one, you die. Figured I'd put the odds in my favour.

 

The wind got worse and it was getting late after that. We tried a couple more spots, I caught a few more dinky bass and it was time to head home. Poor dad never caught a fish out there!

 

All in all I have to say my first experience on the Niagara was a good one. I'd definitely go back sometime. I think my hopes were just a bit too high starting out this morning.

 

Great day to be out. One thing I noticed about the Niagara is that the fishing sort of takes a backseat to the sight-seeing. The river is massive, deep, and incredibly fast. It has high banks that are bare in some spots and littered with pricey mansions in other. We even scoped out the fort at the end of the river from a distance. That being said, I didn't think to take any scenery shots. Maybe next time!

[fatherof3]

good report and nice bass

[Joey]

Great report Rich.

 

Ya, the mighty Niagara commands respect that's for sure. Good on ya for wearing your life jacket, good call.

 

Nice smallie and its good to hear you got into a few of them. Too bad you lost the monster Could have been a muskie or steelhead too.

 

Joey

[mcallister.grant]

Nice smallie!

[mattyk]

nice fish.

[Mike the Pike]

Nice mini report Rich good on you for wearing your PFD which I prefer to do full time but thats just me.

 

What ever happened to your funny face fish pics and kisses saving those for your new baby.

 

Hope to see your funny fish faces in the next report.too bad the old man got skunked.

 

MTP

[b2kptbo]

A dozen of those is pretty good Rich...

[foggy]

nice bass rich! and thanks again for the help with the silver bass.

[tbayboy]

Nice stuff Rich. Glad to hear stories of new water success from OFNers

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Great Report. Nice dark smallies.I have also heard about the smallie fishing in Niagara and was invited to give it a try. Never mind the PFD. I'm not going out on Niagara without a survival suit!!!

[Smokey]

Great fish Rich and the life jacket is a great idea.

[Hellfish]

nice catch rich, the Niagara is probally ontarios best kept secret and hopefully it will stay like that