Chinook Salmon

[mpagnan]

I was going for a walk today along one of my favourite creeks and I saw two Chinook just hanging around a few eddies. I have seen the Chinook make their fall run from Lake Ontario but why would they be here now and how long would they be staying?

[4thgen]

The fish you saw were likely migratory rainbow trout known as "steelhead". They mostly spawn in the spring.

[mpagnan]

I initially thought that as well but from the surface they looked more like the Chinook. They had a dark backing with dark spots and a red/amber band running horizontally. They were not "Silver".

[kemper]

The horizontal band gives it away.

 

They were steelies, but after they have been in the river for a while they lose the silver colour and turn a darker colour with reds and greens. The fish you saw were likely larger males

[mpagnan]

So that means there here to spawn and bolt. Or will they be sticking around until next weekend?

[kemper]

So that means there here to spawn and bolt. Or will they be sticking around until next weekend?

 

 

Should have asked them!

 

They will likely be around next weekend...or they may have been caught and slain by the 400 meat hunters that will be on your river on saturday

[mpagnan]

Great point! Actually, there was a guy out there with his son fishing. I gave them a hard stare but that was all. I didn't have the courage to say anyhting since they both seemed pretty rough around the edges and were carrying more beer than gear. But to beat the rush, I can already feel an illness setting in for next Monday.

 

How about bait for these two bandits? They were hanging out in about 2 feet of medium to fast riffles at high noon.

[kemper]

Great point! Actually, there was a guy out there with his son fishing. I gave them a hard stare but that was all. I didn't have the courage to say anyhting since they both seemed pretty rough around the edges and were carrying more beer than gear. But to beat the rush, I can already feel an illness setting in for next Monday.

 

How about bait for these two bandits? They were hanging out in about 2 feet of medium to fast riffles at high noon.

 

You could toss everything in the book at those two fish and you likely wont get a sniff.

 

Unless you can get to them in the near dark, and toss something like a fresh worm upstream at them you are probably out of luck. They would be spooked like crazy.

 

After hearing that they are in 2 feet of water in a riffle I would leave them be, they were probably a male and a female spawning.

[danc]

There is a small population of spring spawning Chinooks in the Nipigon River. I see them every year in May and June.