Need some advice for fishing the nith river.

[AquaSkink]

Hello! So for the last 4 days I have been going down to the nith river. I mainly target pike and bass but I have not caught any only some small panfish and some large suckers. I am casting spoons and using jigs. What am I doing wrong? is it the lures? I also want to try fishing for pike using dead bait how should I go about doing that? Also I have seen several perch which was a surprise I did not know they were in the nith.

Thanks in advance!

[LostAnotherOne]

Walk up the river and look for holes.  A hook, worm, split shot, and bobber worked for me in the past.  Good luck

[AquaSkink]

Thanks! I will give it a try!

[cisco]

Fished it for years years ago.  Hard to gain access now due to signage and citiots moving out there and upset farmers dealing with litter bugs/vandals/etc..

Use small hooks and worm piece to catch minnows/chubs in and below rapids or in nearby streams where roads cross small bridges. Into the minnow pail and go walk along the Nith to find deeper slow water. Best for us was large pools at bends. Then use bobber with minnow/chub on to cast into slow deep parts. Be patient. May take some time before bobber goes down. Wait till it stops and then starts moving again since this is the time the pike turns the bait to injest. When it moves again it has it squared away and hook is ready to be set. Thats's single hook set up. Quick strike way allows immediate set for planned release. Pike there cruise around and like to hide along shore under banks and fallen trees/stumps. Do not be afraid to use huge minnows/chub/suckers. Some biggees in there. Seen em up to 42 inches long. Was told some are a musky cross also and seems they did kinda resemble this. 

Edited May 21, 2021 by cisco

[BillM]

I'd be using a circle hook with live or dead bait.  

[AquaSkink]

Thanks everyone! Just to be clear it is ok to use live bait that is from the same water body? 

[craigdritchie]

If you're talking about the Nith River that flows into the Grand, then you shouldn't be targeting bass at all. The season is closed for another month.

 

[AquaSkink]

Even just to catch? I would never keep a bass. I can’t remember the last time I kept a fish. Well I guess it’s a good thing I did not catch any. Thanks for the heads up I will look into that.

Edited May 21, 2021 by AquaSkink

[AquaSkink]

Huh I just looked I did not realize the grand was different so I can’t fish for pike either?