Trolling Lake O river mouth in a Canoe

[_Ra_]

Hi All,

 

Long time reader of this forum, absolutely love all the advice here.

 

I'm considering trolling Lake O in my canoe for salmon / trout.. early morning before the big waves. Thinking of trolling in front of the credit river. Is this totally insane or is it doable? I'm thinking I'll stay very close to shore... just outside casting range.

Where can I monitor wind forecast? Any advice on how to translate that into how bad the conditions will actually be on the lake?

What kind of extra safety equipment / precautions should I take?

 

I have good experience canoeing, close to 20 multi-day overnight trips, but only small lakes that are relatively calm. I'm talking small algonquin lakes and other northern lakes. Never really been on big lakes in my canoe before.

 

Would absolutely love to hook into a salmon or a trout! I would really appreciate any advice most importantly about safety, but also fishing.

[Acountdeleted]

Geez. It's your call but I remember going through the eastern gap once on lake O was a little scary. Just with the time of year and how the water can be a little colder I probably wouldn't do it.

 

Best of luck if you do try. Don't forget that PFD.

[J Roelofsen]

Better yet, go out between dusk and dawn and throw some glow spoons or maybe rat-l-traps. Watch the winds and stay close to shore, you don't need to go far Offshore winds this time of year = cool water and hot fishing.

 

Josh

[Chuck Enwinde]

I've done it but I wouldn't do it again unless condtions were absolutely perfect and boat traffic was very quiet. Those big swells and cruiser wakes will throw the canoe around pretty good not to mention dealing with a big fish boat side.

[BillM]

This doesn't sound very safe.

[porkpie]

I'd do it if you are s very competent canoist and you light your vessel very well so that guys like me that fish stagers can clearly see you when leaving the ramp. Some of our best fishing over the years has been just outside of casting distance before dawn or at dusk. Not every day has the lake wavy. If you get a day with light north winds and the night before hasn't been incredibly windy then you can get some pretty flat water! You will need a high mounted white light, and make sure it's high enough that your body can't obstruct it when your sitting on your seat. It will also be interesting landing a Chinook in a canoe, they aren't as stable as SOT kayaks.

[BillM]

Great advice, can't be too visible out there in a canoe. Reminds me I need to head down for some night fishing.

[blaque]

I personally probably wouldnt do it in a canoe......a sit on top kayak would be a better choice. We go out on Erie (close to shore) all the time at night trolling for walleyes in the spring on SOT's. If theres any threat of winds picking up its a nogo........but when winds are favorable, we get out there. Life vests obviously, a keen eye west on weather to verify doppler is on point, and full nav lights and theres really no worries out there in a stable SOT. Having said that, we launch at the beach and stay within slow trolling speed traffic with the other boats so nobody is zipping around us. I actually would not mingle in areas where boats can be going full rip

 

I actually plan on gettin the kayak out in a few weeks out of Olcott to do some trolling for staging boots lol........

[Old Ironmaker]

Look at sailflow.com or windfinder.com. They are my go to wind forecasts.

[_Ra_]

Thanks for the advice guys. Very helpful.

I don't think I'll go out at night even if the fishing is supposed to be better. That just sounds scary at this point.

I'll try early dawn for a few hours most likely (if the forecast is favorable)

The canoe is a prospector, a bit tippy, but I'm fairly light and very comfortable in it. I fish while standing up the majority of the time.

About catching a salmon... I've caught some pretty big pike and muskie in my canoe before. We'll see how it goes with an angry Salmon!

 

I'll report back if i end up going out.

 

Thanks again!!

[dave524]

There are other creek / river mouths that receive smaller runs that might be a better choice for and evening paddle.

[Sinker]

I would be more afraid of other boaters than the waves from wind. You will obviously pick a calm day, but there are some real meat heads that run out of that port. I would need eyes in the back of my head to feel safe in a canoe. I have nearly had my 16ft boat swamped by big charter boats running in or out of the channel. Just keep your eyes open.

 

S.

[blaque]

I would be more afraid of other boaters than the waves from wind. You will obviously pick a calm day, but there are some real meat heads that run out of that port. I would need eyes in the back of my head to feel safe in a canoe. I have nearly had my 16ft boat swamped by big charter boats running in or out of the channel. Just keep your eyes open.

 

S.

 

Exactly, Im always more afraid of the decisions others may make around me than my own. Armed with only an oar and a minn kota........theres no getting out of the way of a numbskull on plane staring at his fishfinder

[OhioFisherman]

Too much risk of running into problems on big water with a canoe for me.

[porkpie]

 

Exactly, Im always more afraid of the decisions others may make around me than my own. Armed with only an oar and a minn kota........theres no getting out of the way of a numbskull on plane staring at his fishfinder

I am sure a lot of fishermen or boaters could say the same about kayakers and canoeists. Many take little to no precautions in the way of flags or lights, and then fish in front of busy ports or boat ramps, I have witnessed it personally numerous times now. I actually had to talk to a dude about it on a local reservoir parked a few hundred yards in front of the ramp in a green kayak at dusk with no lights or flag. It's easy to cast aspersions and sling names around but there are just as many offenders in both camps!

[woodenboater]

Have friends who regularly paddle Superior so a canoe can be fine, *IF* you have the chops. The Prospector is a stable canoe if you know how to swivel at the hips. Keep a very close eye on the wind and get off the water before it ratchets up. If it were me, even if I was lit up like the CNE, I'm not sure I would trust other boaters to be paying attention, so I would probably skip the Credit.

[blaque]

I am sure a lot of fishermen or boaters could say the same about kayakers and canoeists. Many take little to no precautions in the way of flags or lights, and then fish in front of busy ports or boat ramps, I have witnessed it personally numerous times now. I actually had to talk to a dude about it on a local reservoir parked a few hundred yards in front of the ramp in a green kayak at dusk with no lights or flag. It's easy to cast aspersions and sling names around but there are just as many offenders in both camps!

 

Agreed.......Im a member of both/all camps as i have a canoe, a kayak, and a motorized boat so ive seen it all from all sides over the years. No argument from me on that

 

I shake my head just as hard at the kayaker at night with no lights, or the overloaded canoe with no life vests, as I do the boater i hear going full clip under just the light of the moon

 

Theres a ton of missing common sense out there from all angles

[BillM]

I'll be out this weekend in the boat casting staging salmon, I'll try not to run over any canoeists in the middle of the night

[J Roelofsen]

I was out last night in one of my little boats off port credit....theres zero boat traffic at night this time off year. Got into a few salmon too I'll be out again on another part of lake O for an all nighter tonight as soon as get off work...

 

Know your abilities and have a safety plan. If your comfortable and competent go for it!

 

Josh

[esoxansteel]

use to do that 30 years ago in a 14 ft sportspal canoe, with 2 J400s off each side, with a old Garcia flasher in the middle, a 2 hp Johnson on the back and a 12 volt trolling motor on the front as a backup, when conditions were favorable, sportspal was like a floating cork,

 

[_Ra_]

Thank you all 1 more time for the advice. I made it out, and made it back alive.

Picked a river that doesnt see as much boat traffic. Went out and bought a light, picked a day with low wind (blowing North @ 10km/h). No problem with waves at all. Definitely dealt with bigger waves in some norther lakes. We paddled to the mouth and cast for a while before we'd drift out further than we're comfortable with, then we'd paddle (troll) back in. Did this for a couple of hours. Kept an eye out for boats but no encounters at all. Just the size of the lake felt a little intimidate. Otherwise I'd say pretty safe.

 

Totally different experience that what I'm used to. I'm definitely hooked and will go back out again very soon

 

About the fishing... Let's just say I don't have any lures left. I need to go shopping before I can go out again. LOL.

Edited September 10, 2017 by _Ra_

[J Roelofsen]

Glad to hear you survived! Lol!

 

I did pretty well Friday night in my little tinner;) Heres a sample.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did run into a couple idiots out in a canoe with that were not lit up at all. And I'm not sure why guys on the bigger boats feel the need to turn out all lights while drifting around fishing!? It's nice to be able to keep a good distance from other boats, no lights in the dark makes that kinda tough.

 

Josh

[dave524]

Nice, they are still quite silvery for this time of the season.