Jonny Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 This week I saw my first white bass from Nipissing in many years. I was wondering whether others have come across them more often?
Muskieman Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 Tons, Tons, Tons,........... they're all over the North Shore of Nipissing right now....just getting off spawn and on their way out back to deep water.... you can catch them all you want at the Government Dock in Sturgeon and all down the Sturgeon River... buckets full. I've caught them in the winter while fishing deeper 40+ feet ... and can often be caught in the Walleye holes come fall... Actually you should be able to get them in The Little Sturgeon River and Laronde Creek. Randy From Sturgeon
Jonny Posted June 1, 2009 Author Report Posted June 1, 2009 Well I'll be darned! Thanks for the info. I must be moving in the wrong circles. But I wouldn't mind targeting these little critters a couple of times a year.
mattyk Posted June 1, 2009 Report Posted June 1, 2009 (edited) I have caught them in the french river. Edited June 1, 2009 by Mattk
kickingfrog Posted June 2, 2009 Report Posted June 2, 2009 And for someone who has fished for over 30 years in the south shore area of the lake: I have never caught one nor have I seen one caught in Nipissing. Location, location, location.
love2fishhave2work Posted June 2, 2009 Report Posted June 2, 2009 We catch a few every spring when we get into the callander bay area. When they get active it is non stop action and then poof, they are all gone.
capt_hooked Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 We catch a few each spring, at the bridges on the West Arm of Nipissing. I've never try eating any. How's the taste? the cap't
Jonny Posted June 6, 2009 Author Report Posted June 6, 2009 They taste is fine! We fried one up and enjoyed it. I checked a resource I have - a book called "Freshwater Fishes of Canada" by WB Scott and Ed Crossman (Ed was a director of the OFAH during some of the same years that I was, very knowledgeable gentleman) - and there was a commercial fishery in Ontario for white bass. In 1965 the total catch, mostly out of Lake Erie, was 2,700,000 pounds! By 1968 that had dropped to 800,000 lb. I have no idea whether the fishery still exists.
Marty Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 Been fishing the Nip and the Upper French for almost 30 years and never seen one. I'd like to get into some though.
4thgen Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 I caught a 17" off of the government pier a few years ago when I was up there along with a few smaller ones. I also caught 15 pike that day and lost a pile more -- why did I only bring my ultra-light...? The walleye bite at dusk was pretty good too with a bunch of sheephead inbetween.
fishnpro Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 Like Randy said the sturgeon river is full of them. We were there one year on the may long weekend and we could not keep them off our lines. They put up a hell of a fight and they taste great! -Fishnpro
love2fishhave2work Posted June 7, 2009 Report Posted June 7, 2009 Just got back from 3 days at Nippissing. Caught no less than 30 in 2 hours when we targeted them. Great trip all around, limited on walley every day. Also a personal best Pike. Waves get big but LOVE that lake.
lunkerbasshunter Posted June 7, 2009 Report Posted June 7, 2009 abut 5 or 6 years ago i was out by the manitoo islands july 1st it was so hot no wind, we couldnt get anything to bite at all and to make things worse the mayfly hatch was in full swing. If you have ever been on the lake when there is a hatch it looks like huge 50yd clumps of weeds floating on the water. Well this day for some reason triggered a feeding frenzy, to give you an idea we caught about 300 white bass in about an hour. we were even catching them with a hook and no bait, it was wild after i was at billy bobs bait store and telling some locals about it and there was a musky fishermen there that said it is the best time to cast around the edges of the feeding frenzy for big musky or pike. i guess it triggers them to feed seeing all the activity of these white bass feeding. But anyway yeah there are millions of them in nip. Cheers!
Jonny Posted June 7, 2009 Author Report Posted June 7, 2009 (edited) "Millions in Nip". Could be, but they don't get caught much, it seems, except in the spring when they come in to shallower water and rivers to spawn. I've been checking my reference book (mentioned above) and it says they are schooling fish, stay in deep water areas during the summer, but they tend to stay in the upper 20 feet of water. If they tend to suspend that might be the reason they are less likely to be caught in the summer. Mayflies are mentioned as a favourite food. They also move a lot, according to studies which show they move up to 7 miles a day. Who knows, at times when you're making a hi-speed run with the boat and the depth finder shows a "cloud", you might have passed over a school of white bass? Edited June 7, 2009 by Jocko Point Jonny
kickingfrog Posted June 12, 2009 Report Posted June 12, 2009 And for someone who has fished for over 30 years in the south shore area of the lake: I have never caught one nor have I seen one caught in Nipissing. Location, location, location. Well what do you know??? First fish out of Nipissing this year... Second... Tasted good. Those were the only 2 white bass that were caught. Now about that 15lb walleye and 55 inch musky that I have never caught in Nipissing...
Jonny Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Posted June 12, 2009 Nice one! Now that you've mentioned the others, keep your hooks sharp!
JustFish Posted May 26, 2015 Report Posted May 26, 2015 I just went there this Monday, but no white bass was found. Where are those species going now?
manitoubass2 Posted May 26, 2015 Report Posted May 26, 2015 Wow! Thats on old thread brought back to life lol
Joeytier Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 Wow old thread. Used to fish the river in sturgeon. I'd bet their spawning run is just about prime in the river right now, and yeah they're absolutely delicious!
kickingfrog Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) And for someone who has fished for over 30 years in the south shore area of the lake: I have never caught one nor have I seen one caught in Nipissing. Location, location, location. Well what do you know??? First fish out of Nipissing this year... Tasted good. Those were the only 2 white bass that were caught. Now about that 15lb walleye and 55 inch musky that I have never caught in Nipissing... And I haven't seen one since. Edited May 27, 2015 by kickingfrog
Angler management Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 I got into quite a few while in Trenton last week. I debated keeping one to try but changed my mind once i hit my limit of eyes. Hahaha
Old Ironmaker Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 We call them Silver Bass here on Erie. They were in by the thousands at the Hydro plant at Nanticoke in April until they shut it down. They would hit a bare jig when they were in, nothing but the jig was needed. They were getting bigger every year. Lately they will hit when fishing for suspended Walleye here. Fresh they are as good as Smallies, they will start to turn after 24 hours, day 3 they are crap. Frozen they are crap. Eat as soon as caught.
JustFish Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) Thanks Joe. I went to sturgeon river, just beside the marina, but nothing was got, even a bite. My friend went there on Saturday and got two white bass. I drove along the river to nipissing. I tried to rent a boat to fish in the river, but the marina owner told me there's no white bass right now. I just confused,normally the white bass should be here a week after Victoria day, when the fish will come this year? Edited May 27, 2015 by JustFish
craigdritchie Posted May 27, 2015 Report Posted May 27, 2015 White bass seem to be coming back everywhere. Port Credit was absolutely full of them earlier this month.
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