Erie Tributary Pinks

[Rich]

I've lived here 15 years and heard tales of the pink salmon run the whole time, but never seemed to catch it. Me and my girlfriend were driving around aimlessly a few days ago and I had the idea, let's go check for salmon activity at all the local tribs.

 

The first 4 spots were motionless. We fished them, a little. Not even the finest offerings of a beautiful live nightcrawler could tempt much but some suckers. The final spot, was like heaven for me. I got to my spot which is right at the mouth of the creek pretty well going into the lake. The lake was real rough so I had to go slightly upstream to check, sure enough, the pinks were running. Very beautiful fish in the water, you don't even see that they have a hump on their back.

 

All I had was a Mepps Musky killer for spinners, I don't salmon fish much. And all I had was a 6'6 baitcaster (bass rod) spooled with 15lb mono. Figure I'll try it, and the hoardes of unsuccessful snaggers upstream dropped their jaws when I hooked and landed 5 in a row, that absolutely smashed my spinner on the surface.

 

These fish were exciting when they bit, but all I can say is I was well able to handle them just fine with my bass rod. Thank goodness I didn't run into a school of spinner-hungry kings, I'm sure I would have been spooled. The pinks were great. Fight similar to a big pike. Everybody tells me (even the snaggers... why are they snagging?!) the pinks around here are worthless for eating. So I released each and every one.

 

Was awesome to finally experience the pink salmon run. Which according to stories, sorry folks the run lasts about 5 days. The bows, browns and chinooks (which are considerably smaller and fewer than lake O) will be up soon. Can't wait.

 

 

 

 

And to tickle the trib bug's taste buds, I was at another local trib last week with a live worm on a hook, low and behold I got a little male brown. Thought at first must be a resident fish but it had a kype jaw... I have resident browns in my backyard and have never seen such a pronounced kype in similar sized fish.

 

 

[misfish]

Awesome Rich. There was a pink caught in the Notty last fall. Huge fish. It,s said,they run a different trib every few years.

 

Real nice fish. Im hitting a small trib after the notty sunday ,in search of some fall spawning browns.

[timmeh]

Awesome fish man. I've heard stories of pink runs in several tribs but have never seen it. Do you know if they run every year? I've been told it's every 3 or 4?

[misfish]

I've been told it's every 3 or 4?

 

There was a pink caught in the Notty last fall. Huge fish. It,s said,they run a different trib every few years

[Rich]

I think they still spawn every year, but as brian says, switch tribs every 4 years (so ive heard) but last year i talked to a guy who showed me pics from this particular trib of a similar morning he had in the same spot. So maybe theres a year or two more of a short pink run to come!

[Rod Caster]

Great looking fish! Sounds like you hit the jackpot

[Joey]

Wow, look at that hump. Nice catching Rich, beauty fish

[Joeytier]

Awesome fish! Those are chunky pinks. They must smash the spinner.

[davey buoy]

Nice looking fish,always had good luck for salmon with the panther martin 20's and 28's. Similar size and style. The salmon seem to be really aggressive towards them.

[glen]

Great report BigPinkRich. Never caught one myself. I have heard of other people catching then to eat though.

 

You get some real nice fish.

[12footspringbok]

Nice! Those are some decents sized pinks.

 

Haven't caught one of them for a few years now. Hopefully they make a comeback with the rest of the salmon.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[spincast]

nice coouple of fish there - I didnt even know Erie had pinks, thnks for sharing.

[solopaddler]

Wow, that's an enormous pink! Very cool.

[Dutchy]

Nice going Rich. I have only caught them once, in the English River on Vancouver Island. They hit spinners like crazy, I caught 10 in about 3 hrs. Like you said, not sure why people thought they had to snag em.

[MJL]

That's awesome Rich. Over my lifetime I've only seen 3 pinks caught from the rivers I fish. I'd love to land one of them. They look pretty nifty especially with the large hump.

[tb4me]

I dont salmon fish all that ofetn..How would "they" snag those fish? Thats crazy. Thats not fishing..

[Musky or Specks]

One of my favourite things about steelheading the Superior shore was the years the pinks showed up.

[dave524]

Man, that is a big'un Young's used to get quite a run of them when I frequented that area back in the late 80's, they would really getted stacked up in the santuary area marked by the wire below the culvert down at the mouth. Is there even still a sanctuary there and a wire? There was the occasional lake run brown back then too. The male pinks are pretty aggressive on small spinners the females were a tough catch.

[Ralph Field]

Seeing your fish bring back many pleasant memories of catching pinks on a few Erie Tribs. Like you we never kept any , but enjoyed the challenge. We always thought they ran every other year, but we didn't always time it right. Congratulations on your catch and thanks for the memories.

[northernpike56]

Thats a cool fish for sure! I didn't know we had them in Ontario. I can't wait for the steelies to start running the tribs, looking forward to some smoked/barbecued rainbow trout.

[Headhunter]

Awesome BBR! Thanks for the report and congrats on yet another species PB...

HH

[Mike Pike]

A real beauty there Rich. Must have been a thrill. I too am one of the guys who used to fish for 'em in the 80s and, as others have said, back then we thought they ran the rivers every 2nd year. I was never able to catch one that nice, though. WTG!

[fishnsled]

You really should change your user name to Big Fish Rich. Beauty fish Rich and very cool!!

[ttahhan]

Awesome Catch! Those are beautiful fish. I never knew there were pinks here...nice browns as well..

And you did this as on a whim hit a tributary..And got rewarded.... Awesome report !

I also despise people who snag fish, I wish i was an MNR Officer....Hmmm maybe ill apply part-time....

 

Good Job Dude!

Edited September 24, 2012 by Topwater Strikes

[Twocoda]

Koodos to you man...thats the biggest pink ive seen...its not uncommon to catch them on Huron but they are usually little dinks...Nice Shootin