Niagara Browns and Erie Smallies

[Aaron Shirley]

I fished with a friend Mitch recently for Niagara browns and Lake Erie smallies. The lower Niagara was good for browns, and we had a riot with an average of one fish per drift. Roe wasn't working well, but a silver with pink polka dot Kwikfish was the hot ticket. Our Kwikfish got pretty beat up by the end of the day The browns are in full spawning colours with the kyped males looking nice and the females spitting gold. I absolutely love the way these fish smash a Kwikfish!

 

The fishing on the lower Niagara will only get better into December. Strange that not many steelhead are present yet, but that should change into Dec.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Erie was also good. We hit some fish on tubes and Mr.Champs, but again the hot bite was "strolling" a three-way rig with a jointed walleye coloured Shad Rap. We strolled with the bow-mount electric about 1- to 1.3mph allowing the 2oz dropper weight to pound bottom and stir up the smallies. The bigger fish seemed to be in about 30- to 36-feet of water just off the structure with a lot of small fish in deeper water.

 

Water colour on Erie is stained green with about 3-feet of vis in the Eastern Basin. Water temp at surface is around 50 F. There isn't a lot of time left for big smallies, so get your jointed walleye Shad Raps and hit the lake if you can!

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck to those that are able to get out and take advantage of some of the best fishing of the year!

 

Aaron

[mercman]

Oh Man !!!! Thems some real nice fishys. Love the color of the fish this time of year.

Thanks for sharing them with us.

[TDunn]

Awesome report and pics Aaron!

I have noticed the kwikfish technique from the Niagara before and I'm thinking it would be stellar here on the St. Marys aswell....I'm gonna have to try it!

Thanks

 

TDunn

[Rod Caster]

Nice photos Aaron! Those smallies really have bright green colors (especially the first one) ...wonder if it has to do with the green tinge in the water.

 

Those browns are bee-you-teefull!!! Probably the only thing that makes me jealous of not living in southern Ont.

 

 

[Familyfisherman]

Fantasitc pics Aaron. Thanks for doing that.

 

Simcoe has been very, very good for us this fall as well on the smallies -- we've found Mark Kulik's new slammer swim baits dragged along the bottom to be the best...it's been fun to have every single person I've taken set their new PB in Smallies

 

Again, great pics...if I was more confident I'd try the Niagara -- looks like a blast!

[I'mHooked]

Sweet Browns there Aaron!

 

Funny about the roe / Kwikfish.

 

Last weekend we were mostly catching the beauty Browns as well, on roe only.

 

Steelie action was light then too. About 11 Browns to only 3 chromers.

 

Fun none the less!

[Steel28]

Great report! nice live pics of mustang integrity two piece suit as well

[Joey]

Excellent report and fish Aaron. Beauty colours. Looks like you dodged the wind in the pics.

 

Joey

[msp]

Great pictures Aaron. Do you rig the kwikfish on the 3 way rig as well ? 7-8ft rods with 6# flouro leader & 8# mainline, mono ? I have noticed that many Niagara anglers are not using really long rods anymore when fishing from a boat.

[Leecher]

Love the colors on those browns and they sure are pretty to look at

Excellent report and pics Aaron!!!

Thanks for sharing your time on the water

Leechman

[Aaron Shirley]

Thanks everyone, it was a fun time out there

 

MSP, actually, I was using the 9'6" Rapala North Coast rod in medium action with the Kwikfish. It is an awesome rod for drifting roe and kwikfish. I was using a medium heavy rod at first, but my friend was kicking my butt until I switched to the medium action rod. I prefer to use an 8'6" to 9'6" (with the 9'6" my fav) rod in medium action on the Niagara, as I find it not only handles the long leads I use in clear water much better, but they are a lot more enjoyable with the fight

 

Yes, a three-way rig is how we fish the Kwikies. The reel is spooled with 12lb mono main line with a 12lb Maxima fluorocarbon leader approximately 7-feet in length (dropper to slinky 12lb as well). Slinky weight worked much better than pencil lead as well. Sometimes the lead works well making a racket down there, but the softer stealthier slinky worked much better this week. I also drift a little quicker than when I use roe so that the Kwikfish has a good thump and action. I drift just quickly enough to maintain bottom contact with a 3/4-ounce slinky. I also had a lot more line out with a larger angle than I normally do, as I found it worked better for the skittish browns this week.

 

Good fishing!

 

Aaron

[johnnyb]

Amazing report as usual...thanks for the detailed technical info

[fishhunter]

Great report and pics

[ctranter]

Those browns put my pb to shame! I love their vibrant colours as well - very healthy looking fishing.

[zdan]

Nice job, great looking fish and informative report!

[WeedLine]

Great report! I love KwikFish

[beginner]

those fish are so pretty.. good report

[fishnsled]

Great report and pics!. Love the colours on the browns.

[lunkerbasshunter]

great report and pics! Those smallies are huge!

 

Cheers!