River Fishing - When does it end?

[oates]

Just curious, a question for experienced river fishermen. Last year, around mid-Oct. that was it for me, it just stopped, no more hits, no more fish. I guess water temp had dropped as low as 12-14 degrees celcius, water depth I fish is up to 5ft max. (wading). I wanted to know at what point in the fall does it dry up in the rivers and is this due to the water just getting to cold? On the plus side, as the autumn season progressed, the water got clearer till the point it was crystal, when in the summer it was a murky mess.

 

Fishing waters that hold mainly bass, then walleye, then pike.

[Kinger]

Well, I plan on fishing right into January. My plan on attack is to target different things as the season changes.

As the salmon and walleye bites die off I plan on focusing on the rapids for steel and the main river for my first brown trout.

I guess thats the luxury of being on the st mary's though.

[JohnF]

Just curious, a question for experienced river fishermen. Last year, around mid-Oct. that was it for me, it just stopped, no more hits, no more fish. I guess water temp had dropped as low as 12-14 degrees celcius, water depth I fish is up to 5ft max. (wading). I wanted to know at what point in the fall does it dry up in the rivers and is this due to the water just getting to cold? On the plus side, as the autumn season progressed, the water got clearer till the point it was crystal, when in the summer it was a murky mess.

 

Fishing waters that hold mainly bass, then walleye, then pike.

 

For me the river bass bite seemed to end around the 4th Saturday in June.

 

JF

[Twocoda]

Ill stop river fishing usually in the second week of Feb open water permitting ....then start back up about the end of March till the end of May then back on the boat.......creature of habit i am

[steelhead hunter]

my river season starts now and ends around june the fish are there you just have to work a little harder in the cold months to get them

[charlied]

I never stop river fishing....fish it all year long. Gotta love the Niagara!

[oates]

would anyone who fishes the grand, speed or thames rivers agree?

[KelfuN]

river fishing began about 2 weeks ago, and will end by next may-june

[laszlo]

would anyone who fishes the grand, speed or thames rivers agree?

 

you can pretty much fish it all year long although the species you target and your level of

success changes.

 

April - Trout Opener. Lots of Suckers.

May - Pike and Pickerel Opener. Trout now travel back down to the lake. Still lots of Suckers.

June - Bass Opener

July, August - Dog days of Summer - Bite can be slow and then random days are ON FIRE!!!

Sept - Some Salmon then followed by Rainbows and some Browns. Bass and Pickerel fishing can pick up again.

Oct - More Rainbows and still good for Pickerel and Bass

Nov - Bass bite dies off but still good for Pickerel and Rainbows.

 

Those are the months I fish.

 

Dec., Jan., Fed., Mar., too damn cold for me.

Edited September 25, 2009 by laszlo

[BillM]

River fishing never stops, you just need to drive to the open water

[oates]

Wow -thanks for all the answers, I was told when it gets cold, like below 10c water temp. the bite is done, fish stagnate, don't bite etc.

Wrong info I guess.

[timmeh]

Wow -thanks for all the answers, I was told when it gets cold, like below 10c water temp. the bite is done, fish stagnate, don't bite etc.

Wrong info I guess.

 

All depends on what you're after. When some species slow down, others usually pick up. The Grand can be fished year round, including ice fishing on the lower stretches if you're into that.