Beginners Help.

[Fish Newb]

Hello there and thanks for adding me to the site. I have just bought my first fishing boat and as my username suggests, I am new to boat ownership and it has been awhile since I did any serious fishing. Anyway I am retired now and am super stoked for the coming summer.

So what I was hoping to get out of this topic is some help in getting started and maybe some advice on where to go. I live in eastern on near Ottawa and right on the Ottawa river. I am most interested in fishing for pike walleye and bass so Ontario is a great place to live.

[aplumma]

Welcome to the board I am no help on where to locally fish being so far away.

 

 

Art

[Shloim]

I am a bit ahead of you as I got my first boat last year. The best advice I can give you is to take it all very slow. Go with an experienced friend if possible the first time so you can get some pointers and focus on what you are doing. I went from being nervous as heck to launching and loading solo with relative ease. Also avoid busy launches if possible as all those nice folks that wave on the water aren't nearly as nice at the launch ...

[captpierre]

You live near an awesome fishery in the Ottawa River.

Need nautical charts. Either paper or GPS.

Find an experience friend to go out with initially or use a guide and pick his brain.

[fish_fishburn]

I fish the Ottawa as I live on it as well. Best advice I can give you is get the charts for your area and study them. The river is full of obstructions so take your time out there. If you want to catch fish you have to put lots of time on the water.Keep it simple.

[bigbuck]

Make sure you have the navigation charts for the areas you take your boat. Not the fishing maps, NAVIGATION maps that show you where the hazards are. Go slow until you get used to the areas you will be boating in. Props, skegs and lower units get expensive quick.

[smitty55]

Nice thing about being on the Ottawa is you don't have to deal with the slot size for Walleye most of the season, and it is a great fishery. Lot's of other places within an hour's drive for you as well. Mississippi, Clayton and White lakes for a start. Plus the headpond at Arnprior. A bit further but still not bad would be Centennial, Charleston or the Big Rideau.

Good luck with the new ride.

 

Cheers