B. Jarvinen Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 Greetings from the south shore of Superior - Michigan. I am looking to learn about Coasters. The way I understand it, the latest theory is that simple stream population totals of Brookies creates Coasters. So if fishing for Brookies is more limited, more Brookies will exist in a stream and then more will opt out to the big Lake. Has this become true anywhere in Ontario besides the famous fishery in Nipigon? (And how has that been lately?) I believe Minnesota has had success with an improving Coaster fishery via tight limits on Brook Trout. Michigan is experimenting with the same idea on a dozen streams. I haven't been able to fish those. But I know some streams where I am at ... well, tales are told. I know the streams hold Brookies, but are hardly fished. I want to catch a Coaster, but it's a mysterious topic. When do they start "Coasting" ? I have heard July. But that creates many other questions - what time-frame are they in-shore vs. in the river vs. back out to deeper waters? I want to fish for them from the beach - is this worth pursuing? My only idea is to throw a crawler out on a rig normally used with spawn for Steelhead. And, I was thinking to try casting a little bit too. I already catch Cohos in small creek lagoons on Superior, simple enough. I would of course try the lagoon first but it wouldn't take long to discover a Coaster willing to strike. I caught four nice Brookies just a couple dozen yards up from a lagoon the last couple days, all 10"+. I kept one that started to bleed but otherwise have no plans to do so. The one I kept had a surprise - small spawn inside about the size I would have usually seen in stream Brookies at the end of the open season for them in late September. I wonder a few other things - can a Coaster come out of the same stream as Steelhead do? Does the Nipigon River have a Steelhead run? And how long do Coasters live? Do they spawn more than once? I know Brookies are technically neither a Trout nor a Salmon, which differ on that question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 What's a coaster? Welcome aboard by the way. A hint, not the best way to join a fishing forum by asking where to catch a fish with your first post. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Jarvinen Posted August 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 A Coaster is a Brook Trout that has gone out from a stream to the Great Lakes and then returns to spawn. They also do this on the Atlantic coast. I'm not looking for spots to fish - I have those figured out already. It would be nice to know runs have developed elsewhere than Nipigon, non-specifically, as has slowly become the case in Minnesota via a 20" size restriction, I believe. I'm trying to figure out tactics. I'm not really sure when Coasters are where. Specifically, when I can try beach Steelhead tactics, or try the lagoon. Some lagoons I want to try would close here on Sep. 30 and I could only fish from the beach. Maybe they are too rare to target and I should stick to stream Brookies and hope to catch a Coaster accidentally while fishing for fall Coho. I think Brookie habitat is always improving but fishing pressure on certain small streams is declining. The one I hope to find Coasters at also hosts Steelhead however. It is one of those creeks that is so small, I can't imagine actually trying to land a large lake run fish in - and thus is one to fish at the mouth only. My best Coho creek is like that. One thing I can share re: Superior Cohos is I am really looking forward to the fall of 2018, after seeing a great run here in 2015. For that matter, I am really looking forward to seeing what this fall brings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bacon Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 What's a coaster? Brook trout that spend part of their life in Lake Superior and part of it in the rivers. I guess they could occur in other lakes too; but they are usually associated with Lake Superior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Farmer Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 What's a coaster? Someone from the east coast, Brian & Myself Just couldn't resist Johnny OK I'll shut up. All I can say their darn good eating them Trouts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 I have no experience with coasters, or your area, but I would try when you have a good offshore wind. An offshore wind pushes the warm water away from shore, and the cold water wells up near shore, bringing cold water species closer to shore. That's all I have for you. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Jarvinen Posted August 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 Ahh, the "flip" - I am familiar with this from fishing Lake Michigan. I am still trying to learn this on Superior, where the cold tributary water could well be warmer than the lake water. The offshore wind is tricky. Only a strong one works, for fishing success with the water temp change. A light wind merely serves to blow all the goodies (that Trout like to eat) out to deeper waters I think. And there are a lot dynamics with the plume of water from the trib involved as well. I did read a capture/survey study from Minnesota, where many of their historical Coaster-potential waters are short stream segments from the Lake to a barrier Falls. It found the Brookies only entering the stream starting in October with water temps in the low 40s F. But that wind idea is a good one, thanks. Where I am at though, an offshore wind will be a South wind - hot. Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted August 6, 2017 Report Share Posted August 6, 2017 It doesn't need to be too windy here on the north shore of lake O for it to flip, but It helps that we need a north wind. Warmer water is less dense, so moves fairly easily. A steady off shore wind is all it takes. Day 2 of a steady south breeze could help you. Its alawys worth a shot! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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