Fishing in Port Dover

[Carpe Diem]

I do apologize in advance for asking yet another question. Feel like i am getting a lot more than i am giving on here. Please keep in mind that this is all new to me, and i am just trying to learn. Promise once i actually start catching a fish or two, and figure out how to post pictures i will contribute more.

 

My friend's daughter wants me to take her fishing for her 12th birthday on Saturday. Thought Port Dover would be a good location. Lots of other fun stuff for her and her friend to do if they get bored with fishing.

 

Any suggestions about bait would be much appreciated.

 

Know about the pier of course. Any other suggestions for fishing spots in Port Dover? Just in general. Also learning message board protocol, and know it's not kosher to advertise fishing spots. No worries, i won't.

 

Thanks.

Edited August 2, 2007 by Carpe Diem

[Clampet]

Here is the spot..

 

[Carpe Diem]

Thank- you Clamp-It. I think i know it. If all else fails we can follow the people with the poles.

 

Any idea what perch like to eat?

[Sinker]

I've never fished there.....and I"m sure someone who fishes the area will chime in sooner or later, but I catch most of my perch on minnows.....or worms.

 

Good luck, perch are usually willing to bite.

 

Sinker

[Carpe Diem]

Thanks Sinker.

 

Would love to fish up in your neck of the woods someday.

 

Should have mentioned i can't use live bait. No problems with anyone who chooses to though. Just can't do it myself.

 

So guess what i should be asking about is lures, or anything else not living.

 

Thanks.

[Rich]

Minnows and pickerel rigs is all you need! Worms will catch you a zillion gobies.

[douG]

Carpe Diem, you can catch perch very nicely with small tubes on small jigs. These would be 1/8 or 1/16 oz weights molded around hooks onto which you skewer and impale a coloured skirted tube of rubbery plastic (THE SCREAMING THE SCREAMING I CAN"T STAND THE SCREAMING).

Other hard minnow shaped jigs will work for perch too.

[Canuck2fan]

Carpe Diem- If you really can't use live bait then see if any of the local bait shops there will sell you some salted or frozen minnows.... Minnows rule on Lake Erie for perch. Especially if you are taking a youngster out fishing it is very important to do all you can to enhance the experience by having them actually catch FISH.... I was using salted minnows last Sunday on a pier near by Pt Dover and having a lot more success than the people using live ones. The bite was light and with salted minnows being a bit more leathery the perch were having a harder time pulling them of the hook.

[Beans]

Crappieperchhunter and I do well using 2 1/2 inch Fin-S Minnows in the Arkansas Shiner color on a 1/16 th oz. Fin-S jig head under a slip float...

 

If you are not familiar with slip or fixed floats just use it without a float close to the bottom for perch...

 

If you can't find any Fin-S products by Lunker City...try the Berkly Products but remember ...no bigger than 2 1/2 inches or less...

 

Have fun and catch a bunch...

 

PS...small Mepps spinners tipped with a 1 1/2 inch twister tail might produce also...

Edited August 3, 2007 by Beans

[Rich]

The artificial baits will not work on the Port Dover pier. Trust me.

[FishFinder]

why cant you use live bait?

[MJL]

If you're squeamish about using live bait, you can always go to the local tackle shop and pick up a jar of those Berkley Gulp worms. I've done quite well using them for panfish. A little expensive though if you ask me.

[kennyman]

Ask NautiFish. She seems to be the queen of Dover. I'd use minnows if I were you though.

[Carpe Diem]

Thank you so much everyone. Will give it all a try eventually. I agree wholeheartedly Canuck2fan, about taking kids out fishing. Want to increase their chances of a catch even more so, because they are excited about going.

 

FishFinder; can't put a worm on a hook because it's gotta hurt. As for minnows, the book i mention in my introduction says that there is no proof that fish actually feel pain but......

 

And, i went to "Buddha School". Buddhist Meditation Classes at a Temple here in Hamilton.

 

Guess it makes me hypocritical to be okay with using salted minnows.

[FishHeadRic]

But you're going fishing??? At some point during your trip you are going to wish to impale a fish on your hook...?

 

Go with gulp grubs if you're squeemish about the process but this is a little odd, no?

 

 

FHR

[gbalardo]

you'll get the bass on rebel crayfish lures, off of the rocks. Lots of small ones though.

[danbouck]

The artificial baits will not work on the Port Dover pier. Trust me.

 

 

Rich is right, Pickerel Rigs and minnows for perch.

 

But if you just want to catch SOMETHING then put anything small on and get rid of some gobies!

[Carpe Diem]

Point taken FishHeadRic. Hopefully the fish will survive the experience. I'm not saying i have a problem with the use of live bait. Just that i cannot manually do the impaling myself.