Where have all the rainbows gone

[SirCranksalot]

I'm fairly new to the Wasaga Beach area and I'm trying to figure out how to catch rainbows. I caught a couple last fall on lures, Little Cleo and 5 of Diamonds, but have caught none on roe. I've mostly been using roes this year because that's what everybody tells me works best. I just have a reg spinning reel and an 8 ft rod. I've tried float fishing with roe but I guess my technique is not very good--it's difficult to keep a little bit of tensiion on the line so that the float slows down and the roe plus sinkers go downstream ahead of the float. That's the technique I've read about on-line anyway. Maybe some fish are hitting but with some slack in the line I haven't felt them. Anyway, not a single hit despite several outings.

 

I'm reluctant to but a centerpin reel and a 10-14 ft rod. Then I noticed that quite a few fishermen were using bottom bouncing with spin reels and roe. I've now tried that several times as well w/o a single strike. Part of the problem might be poor timing. I find it very hard to get out for sunup like many folks seem to do---I've mostly been fishing midday. I've had a couple of hits when I did try the lures again, but if roe is a lot more effective under most conditions I'd like to 'get in on the action'l.

 

Any tips?

 

sign me 'frustrated in Wasaga"!!

Edited November 7, 2011 by Knuguy

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

ha. fishing at mid day sure isn't helping your cause. that's my tip!

[BillM]

You are most likely running too short. You should be ticking bottom fairly consistently with your rig. No need to buy a centerpin, your spinning setup + float will work fine.

 

Also pay attention to what the other guys are doing..

 

You also need to get up early I found the other day the action was fast and furious first thing in the morning then slowed down considerably into the afternoon.

[canadian_copper]

WAIT FOR RAIN.

AND AS FOR WHERE THEY HAVE GONE I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IN TOO MANY BELLIES. HARVEST RATE GETS WORSE EVERY YR.

NO CO'S TO ENFORCE AND MNR DID TOO LITTLE TOO LATE LOWERING THE LIMIT.

SAME CRAP EVERY YR

[BillM]

WAIT FOR RAIN.

AND AS FOR WHERE THEY HAVE GONE I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IN TOO MANY BELLIES. HARVEST RATE GETS WORSE EVERY YR.

NO CO'S TO ENFORCE AND MNR DID TOO LITTLE TOO LATE LOWERING THE LIMIT.

SAME CRAP EVERY YR

 

Not in this river. Lots and lots of fish..

[canadian_copper]

WAS MEANING IN GENERAL. I KNOW SOME STILL HAVE GREAT RUNS AND OTHERS JUST GETTIN MURDERED.

FISHED ONE CREEK OUT HERE FOR 13YRS NOW AND ONLY EVER RAN INTO 5GUYS AT MOST FOR 10YRS. PASS THREE YRS YA CAN HARDLY FIND A PARKIN SPOT NOW AND JUST WATCHIN FISH AFTER FISH BEIN TAKIN WILL KILL IT EVENTUALLY.

GLAD THE NOTTY STILL RUNNIN STRONG THEN

[Twocoda]

i too had a hard time getting my carcass out of bed this morning so i didnt get to the river until 11 30 or so ....seems everyone that did get up early had a fantastic morning and went home to enjoy the day....leaving me all alone at the river to fish by myself ...so i put in a long 5 hours of fishing to go 3 for 6....

 

what Bill said or your shot pattern is incorrect...

Edited November 7, 2011 by Twocoda

[BillM]

WAS MEANING IN GENERAL. I KNOW SOME STILL HAVE GREAT RUNS AND OTHERS JUST GETTIN MURDERED.

FISHED ONE CREEK OUT HERE FOR 13YRS NOW AND ONLY EVER RAN INTO 5GUYS AT MOST FOR 10YRS. PASS THREE YRS YA CAN HARDLY FIND A PARKIN SPOT NOW AND JUST WATCHIN FISH AFTER FISH BEIN TAKIN WILL KILL IT EVENTUALLY.

GLAD THE NOTTY STILL RUNNIN STRONG THEN

 

I agree with ya. I was up on another GBay trib a few weeks ago and saw lots and lots of fish strung up. The best thing that ever happened to the Notty was the no kill zone being created.

[ChrisK]

This time of year can be confusing even to experienced steelheaders. I would try changing up your presentations from roe to stone flies and even dew worms. Today I caught my fish in crystal clear waters with all of the above baits mentioned. My tippet material was Maxima 4 lb Ultra green mono and in the afternoon I switched to Maxima 6 lb fluorocarbon. Trick is to use long leads from your main line to your hook. Get your presentation as far away as possible from anything visible,floats,weights,swivels..

Reason for my tippet switch ? Nothing more than adaptation..Fish where larger in the afternoon and went to the air after hook up braking me off as they cartwheeled bye,dang frustrating !!

Also, a lot of the times you can be doing everything right and not catch a thing only because there were no fish where you were fishing at the time so just keep at it,be patient.

[SirCranksalot]

"You are most likely running too short." I'm not sure what that means. Do you mean my leader is too short? I've been using about3 ft of flourocarbon down from my swivel and varying the distance for the sinkers -I'm guessing staring out with about 16" up from my hook and varying 6 " or so either way.

[BillM]

"You are most likely running too short." I'm not sure what that means. Do you mean my leader is too short? I've been using about3 ft of flourocarbon down from my swivel and varying the distance for the sinkers -I'm guessing staring out with about 16" up from my hook and varying 6 " or so either way.

 

I was referring to the overall length from float to hook. If you run a leader of say 24-36inches, there is no need to put any shot on your leader at all. You aren't fishing super fast water down there, it's mostly frogwater. Lengthen your lead until you are touching bottom consistently, shorten it up a few inches and you should definitely be in the zone.

[lookinforwalleye]

WAIT FOR RAIN.

AND AS FOR WHERE THEY HAVE GONE I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IN TOO MANY BELLIES. HARVEST RATE GETS WORSE EVERY YR.

NO CO'S TO ENFORCE AND MNR DID TOO LITTLE TOO LATE LOWERING THE LIMIT.

SAME CRAP EVERY YR

 

 

I just spent the last two days on the Saugeen and I did not see too much catch and release going on and the number of fillet carcasses strewn on the river bank was not a pretty site!

Edited November 7, 2011 by lookinforwalleye

[ChrisK]

Stealhead in rivers use the whole water column when they feed as well so just fishing the bottom of the river is actually limiting your success to a certain few. Change the depth of your rig often and find the zone where the fish are feeding mostly.It may very well be just off the bottom but not always pending on your presentation.

[northernpike56]

maybe just drift a worm, my buddy got a few today that way.

[Twocoda]

I just spent the last two days on the Saugeen and I did not see too much catch and release going on and the number of fillet carcasses strewn on the river bank was not a pretty site!

 

 

i agree....sad sad state of affairs....

[SirCranksalot]

I was referring to the overall length from float to hook. If you run a leader of say 24-36inches, there is no need to put any shot on your leader at all. You aren't fishing super fast water down there, it's mostly frogwater. Lengthen your lead until you are touching bottom consistently, shorten it up a few inches and you should definitely be in the zone.

 

Bill,

 

Are you saying that in slow moving water you use no sinker at all?

 

The last few kms of the Notty is quite slow, but from the big sandbanks up to near Klondike Rd. is, for the most part, quite a bit faster. I see people using quite a bit of shot in there. Even now there seem to be lots of weeds, so bottom bouncing is a bit tricky.

 

NP56--I've tried both nightcrawlers and 3" pink worms w/o any luck either.

 

ChrisK,

I'm surprised that you say they are at various depths. Most everything I've read says that they hang about near the bottom.

 

 

I've talked with quite a few guys over the last 2 days and things seem to be quite slow, so maybe we do need rain. As a novice it seems to me that if we have several fine days in a row the fishing peters out. I guessing that by now most of the fish that came up river when the water was fairly high have gone quite far upstream by now.

[BillM]

Bill,

 

Are you saying that in slow moving water you use no sinker at all?

 

The last few kms of the Notty is quite slow, but from the big sandbanks up to near Klondike Rd. is, for the most part, quite a bit faster. I see people using quite a bit of shot in there. Even now there seem to be lots of weeds, so bottom bouncing is a bit tricky.

 

 

 

I was assuming you were fishing the slower sections of the river near the beach. I always use shot, but if I'm fishing slower water my last shot will be just above my leader, I won't have any shot on the leader itself. If I am fishing faster water that requires my rig to get down quickly, I'll A) run a bigger float with more shot to get things down quick and Usually run a few dust shot maybe 18-20inches up from my hook.

 

I was also out today and had one blow up and that's it.. So sometimes the fish just aren't there

[misfish]

I was also out today and had one blow up and that's it.. So sometimes the fish just aren't there

 

 

While I was walking to the truck at 5 am to go to work,I wished I was heading to the river. freeze yer know what off on sunday, and wear shorts the next day.

Edited November 7, 2011 by Misfish

[BillM]

While I was walking to the truck at 5 am to go to work,I wished I was heading to the river. freeze yer know what off on sunday, and wear shorts the next day.

 

Brian, I wasn't too upset about getting skunked today. Great way to spend a few hours, weather was awesome! Although we need some rain for another push of fish!

[misfish]

Brian, I wasn't too upset about getting skunked today. Great way to spend a few hours, weather was awesome! Although we need some rain for another push of fish!

 

 

Ya, bring on the mud waters again.

[BillM]

Give me muddy waters on the drop anyday!

[misfish]

Give me muddy waters on the drop anyday!

 

 

Yep,no fishing,and they get up and do the thing.LOL

[Twocoda]

Ya, bring on the mud waters again.

ask and you shall receive

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tluDI88lEvc&feature=fvst

 

 

its supposed to rain tonight

Edited November 8, 2011 by Twocoda

[thalweg]

99 percent of steelheading is timing a run. After a rain, when the water recedes, usually results in a fresh run of fish. At this time you can throw almost anything and get fish..it feels so easy. It's when conditions are not ideal that truly experienced guys can get fish when others leave empty handed.

 

In tough conditions, stealthy presentations, unique offerings and knowing to read water is key. Despite herd mentality, you don't need a centrepin setup. A decent noodle rod and spinning gear works in most circumstances and in fact is more versatile when trying other baits and lures such as spinners and small crank/jerk baits. For longer drifts and less hassle working your bail on the reel, a centre pin helps. A quality bait caster and rod is ideal. It will trot floats for a long way as smoothly as a centrepin, will be easier to cast and retrieve long distances and weigh almost half that of a standard centre pin. Not to mention virtually eliminate line twist.

 

Roe is likely the most popular and effective bait. And not all roe is equal. Water hardened, unhardened, cured, skein chunks, scraped skein, boiled single eggs from a variety of specie are your general options. Personally, I like Georgian bay untreated salmon scraped skein for early fall, loose water hardened for mid fall, singles for late fall and early winter and scrapped rainbow skein for late winter and early spring.

 

Under certain conditions, namely gin clear low water conditions I like the fly rod and have out fished roe in the conditions more often than not. Stone flies,caddis, buggers in a variety of colours usually work well as do San Juan worms etc. When the water is low and gin clear the fish are usually in the system for a while. If they haven't been filleted riverside then they are smart and weary and have likely seen a blizzard of roe bags come at them all day.

 

Last but not least, soft plastics, spinners and small crank baits can be absolutely deadly.....leaving centre pinners with mouth agape as you land numerous beauties in succession while they do an extra water harden of their roe bags.

Edited November 9, 2011 by waterrunner

[Twocoda]

99 percent of steelheading is timing a run. After a rain when the water receedes usually results in a fresh run of fish. At this time you can throw almost anything and get fish..it feels so easy. It's when conditions are not ideal that truly experienced guys can get fish when others leave empty handed.

 

In tough conditions stealthy presentations, unique offerings and knowing to read water is key. Despite herd mentality, you don't need a centrepin setup. A decent noodle rod and spinning gear works in most circumstances and in fact is more versatile when trying other baits and lures such as spinners and small crank/jerk baits. For longer drifts and less hassle working your bail on the reel a centre pin helps. A quality bait caster and rod is ideal. It will trot floats for a long way as smoothly as a centrepin, will be easier to cast and retrieve long distances and weigh almost half of a standard centre pin. Not to mention virtually eliminate line twist.

 

Roe is likely the most popular and effective bait. And not all roe is equal. Water hardened, unhardened, cured, skien chunks, scraped skein, boiled single eggs from a variety of specie are your general options. Personally, I like georgian bay untreated salmon scraped skein for early fall, loose water hardened for mid fall, singles for late fall and early winter and scrapped rainbow skein for late winter and early spring.

 

Under certain conditions, namely gin clear low water conditions I like the fly rod and have out fished roe in the conditions more often than not. Stone flies and caddie usually work well as San Juan worms etc. When the waternis low and gin clear the fish are usually in the system for a while. If they haven't been filleted riverside then they are smart and weary and have likely seen a blizzard of roe bags come them all day.

 

Last but not least spinners and small crank baits can be absolutely deadly.....leaving centre pinners with mouth agape as you land numerous beauties in succession while they do an extra water harden of their roe bags.