Aaron Shirley Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Tony and I fished the lower Niagara River yesterday, and let me tell you, it was a wild day of fishing! while people were shoveling out their driveways, we headed for Bill's Bait and Tackle to pick up common shiners and head down to the Niagara for a day of walleye fishing since it closes at the end of Feb We were the only boat down there on the canadian side. This picture is what greeted us on the way down to launch the boat. It didn't take long for the heavy wet snow to build up in the boat.. and slush up the river heavily We tried jigging, rigging and slow trolling, but found it very difficult to properly present our baits due to the heavy slush impeding our lines and trolling motor! We persevered regardless, but Mother Nature proved to outwit us for walleye fishing, as the icy Niagara slush set in and kicked our butts in the back eddies. After hours without a bite through difficult conditions and frozen wet fingers, we decided to try steelheading faster water where the icy slush may not be as bad. This was a great decision! We got 14 bites in 3 hours, but only landed 7 or 8 of them. Still, a great 3 hours of fishing, and a great way to spend a snowy winter day. Rainbow roe tied in Tony's secret bags worked like a charm. I got to really put the new Rapala Volt reel to the test with line-peeling steelies, and it was flawless. The best depths for us were between 18' and 22' along breaks. Water is clear with about 6' of 'steelhead green' heaven. The launch was a tough go, it's a good thing I took a shovel (thanks for shoveling Tony!). We eventually got out at the end of the day with 4 wheel low and shoveling. A few more pics from the day with Niagara winter steelies A really tough and slow start for us, but we salvaged the day with a bang catching the more reliable chromers the Niagara River is so famous for. Good fishing! Aaron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uglyfish Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 great report as usual aaron!! great lookin trout there for sure!! the snow may have made the walleye fishin tough, but sure made for some beautiful scenery!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Nice fish guys. Can't wait to get out with Tony! You look older with the beard Aaron..lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevy727 Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 who would want to catch walleye over those beauties anyway? nice fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 WOW! Very impressive Aaron and Tony! You guys work hard at it so you always do well. Thanks for posting this great report! ps. ummmm since when have you grown a beard Aaron? Are you trying to emulate me? It won't work...you'll need to be much shorter, have white hair and be very bad at fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 (edited) The color of the water in a few of the shots is amazing.. not to mention the fish. WTG Edited February 28, 2010 by Shore_Lunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great stuff lads!!! Beautiful colours.. fish/water/background all works great. So Tony left his boat high and dry in the garage though eh Aaron... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishhunter Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great report. Beautiful pics!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syn Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 You guys are hardcore with all that snow on the boat, but it sure did pay off. Really great pictures you shared. Amazing size and colour on those beauties. Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 That second picture looks like you guys are on top of the escarpment ready to hit the river! Great shots Aaron! Rob C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandbag Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Wow guys...great day. some of those pictures are gorgeous. The colors are awesome. Thanks for taking the time to post the report. Cheers Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tybo Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Nice fish. It makes me really want to de-winterize the boat. It will be soon enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msp Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 I just woke from a long winters nap ( 2.5 months ) and this is the first report that I saw. Looks great. I might hit that next weekend. Thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Stellar effort there guys and clearly a change of plans payed of in spades! There's some real tanks in those photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 I knew I shouldn't have showed Tony those bags I tied down on the Catt a few months ago. Nicely done boys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anders Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Fishing in a boat with those conditions deserves an atta boy.....so ATTA Boy....those are some nice fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverowbotham Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 i'm jealous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitter Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Beauty Fish! I really miss fishing the Niagara River, and I used to love going to Bill's Bait & Tackle. If I want to catch fish like that at this time of year, I have to stand waist deep in the St. Mary's rapids, it's cold in May, it's unbearable in February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest steel'n'esox Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 Great looking fish, no Lampreys or you showing us the good side, surely all the Lampreys cant be out east? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdve23rveavwa Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Some absolutely beautiful steelhead!!!!!! Nice going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Shirley Posted March 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Thanks everyone. It was an adventure! Msp, That's one heck of a nap! Bill, Tony's accidental secret was the garlic container, man did those bags reak of garlic. They were giant 'golf ball' sized bags though Aaron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pike Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 Thanks for sharing your 'secret' with us Aaron. And a terrific report with some absolutley gorgeous photos of gorgeous fish. Bet that day woulda made a nice TV show too. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyb Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 It was an awesome day to be on SOFTwater for a change, and not a bad Plan 'B' to resort to the Steelhead...BUT we were really after some Walleye! The poor hook-to-land ratio was almost entirely because of me! I couldn't believe how many fish I hooked, got a couple of headshakes and a run or two out of and they would come off! I lost one fish that was a real beast too! I think Aaron, somehow by doing some Niagara River Sturgeon Voodoo, transferred his fish-losing curse from the past little while over to me I'm going to have to rub some chicken bones together or something desperate...I even broke my own rod tip accidentally, that's never happenened to me before ! Yes the secret is out...if a steelhead you catch in the niagara has garlic breath, you can blame me Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin booth Posted March 1, 2010 Report Share Posted March 1, 2010 nice fishes boys way to go,iam trying to get out myself but dont know were to access the river yet,but soon as i get some info ill see ya out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Shirley Posted March 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 iam trying to get out myself but dont know were to access the river yet,but soon as i get some info ill see ya out there. Queenston boat ramp is at the end of Dumfries road in Queenston. Good luck, but take a 4x4 truck, shovel, salt and ice chisel with you for winter and early spring. Aaron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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