He tried reeling in but quickly found he had to adjust his drag, loosening the tension on the line so not to snap. The Saugeen River also has a dozen tributaries that anglers can fly fish for trout and maybe steelhead, bass, and pike. Depth is relative: the deepest spot in a small stream could be as little as 4 or 5 feet deep or as much 20 feet. If you want to fly fish Ontario for trout, this is one of the nicest stretches of river you will find in Southern Ontario. You may also consider using a heavy fluorocarbon leader, which is not a bad choice either. This is one of the best steelhead and salmon rivers that flow into Lake Ontario on the Canadian side. They know this river better than any other fly fishing guide on the Credit River. Muskie Fishing Video 1 Muskie Fishing Video 2 Walleye Fishing on Lake Erie: Colchester Harbour & Wheatley Harbour Steelhead Fishing / Rainbow Trout Fishing on Lake Erie: Wheatley Harbour Maps: Map showing locations of Belle River Marina, Colchester Harbour & Wheatley Harbour Contour Map of Lake St. Clair Fishing Tips: Walleye Weight Calculator Home to some of the best and biggest musky, walleye, pike, and smallmouth bass found across Ontario. The entire Credit River is good for fly fishing. Tree branches, wooded areas, bulrush, and chara is also usually a good area for spawning. Remember that no matter what lure you decide to use or whether youre fishing from a boat or from the bank, always perform a figure-eight motion in the water with your rod tip after every cast, working the lure like a scared baitfish trying to hide. Manage Settings They realized Harry had snagged the monsters side beside her dorsal fin. With a little basic knowledge of the species and how to catch them, you can greatly increase your odds. If youre already an experienced angler and youve already got good fishing technique, then we recommend both kinds or rods and reels depending on the fishing conditions. After winter ends, the muskie become a little slow and sluggish, so they will not spend much energy chasing after prey. Now, it might seem like a fish that big in such a small environment would stand out like an elephant in a Quonset hut. The Upper Credit River is known for its brown trout and book trout fishing and is an excellent area to fly fish. Known in fishing circles as Doctor Pyzer, he worked for 30 years as a senior manager with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources before devoting all his energies to fishing. It was as great of catch as catching a musky, said Chris still shaking in excitement for Harry. Musky fishing is not something for the faint of heart as it takes time and dedication to find those best spots, earning one of its various nicknames the fish of ten-thousand casts. There arent very many river guides on the Nottawasaga River and its tributaries, and the best river guides on that river since 2006 are the guides at A Perfect Drift Guide Company. Karl of Extreme Angler recommends must do walleye lakes in Ontario. The title carries a lofty and somewhat dark mystique bestowed by other anglers. Ill never forget the time buddy Bob Izumi came up and filmed one of his Real Fishing Showepisodes with me in mid-August. Thanks to cold clean groundwater, there is an abundance of cold clear rivers and creeks for fly anglers to cast a fly. If you are fishing the shallows (1' to 5') and see that the bottom of the lake is black; it means there is too much decaying organic material on the bottom, which produces high amounts of nitrates and methane. The upper river above Heathcote can be good for brown trout. There is good access to this river and I hope to have a page on fishing the grand river soon listing all the access points. This is a fast-flowing river with much of it set in a deep valley and its an easy and fun river to fish. Muskie also have 6-9 pores on each side of their jaw. This makes the Nottawasaga River one of the best fly fishing rivers in Ontarioif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ontariotroutandsteelhead_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_9',134,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ontariotroutandsteelhead_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ontariotroutandsteelhead_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_10',134,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ontariotroutandsteelhead_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-2-multi-134{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}, You can get more details on this river on my page The Best Rivers In Ontario For Trout And Steelhead. Whats your best advice for moving muskies based on water temps? This is a favorite river of the guides at A Perfect Drift Guide Company who report catches of over 5 brown trout over 20 inches on some guide trips. Theres got to be at least a musky waiting around here of all places, said Harry before tossing his lure towards the falls. Many anglers spend days, weeks, months, even years hunting big lakes and rivers in search of their first muskie. Then half-way way to the boat there was a violent eruption, I set the hook, and one if the biggest muskies I have ever seen leaped out of the water and into the air twisting and turning like a tarpon. Guest Kevin, on the other hand, commented that he fishes on the Kawartha Lakes, where he has these concerns: Boat traffic, pressured water and warmer water in the summer. If I had to guess, she was around 56 to 58 inches. One of the best ways to locate muskie filled waters is to check your states DNR stocking and fish report. There are also great opportunities to fly fish the abundant large carp of the area. The muskellunge, or muskie, is the largest member of the pike family. For muskie fishing, we recommend braided line. Anglers can also find pike a from Walkerton down to Lake Huron. The reason I mention the Nottawasaga River as a great river for fly fishing in Ontario is because of its many tributaries. There are hundreds of rivers and streams that hold all kinds of species of fish for fly anglers that want to fly fish Ontario. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Musky fishing is the alpine climbing of the rod and reel world. This section is dedicated to answering common questions that anglers may have about muskies. No matter the scenario, from shooting a big buck to meeting a new partner in a bar. Another good river for fly fishing for steelhead in the spring and fall and for salmon in September. Another common type of muskie is the barred muskie. Muskie usually spawn right around April when the water temperature is between 49 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. These lures when retrieved properly move side-to-side in a zig-zag manner that attracts fish. What flies to bring when fishing for brook trout. If youre not paying attention to your lure, you might miss a great opportunity when a muskie begins to follow your lure. In the lower river below Walkerton, anglers can experience some of the largest runs of steelhead in the province. This is not true. Not everyone can afford that fancy boat, motor, or trailer, as well as all the bells and gadgets that go hand in hand with the ultimate watercraft. It seemed like the fish was going to win but diligences paid off. P0M 1A0Tel: (705) 857-2757. The two seasoned musky fishermen had decided to come for season opener and fish the river for ten days with sights of catching trophy musky over 50 inches. And while that meant we couldnt have the face-to-face discussions that we normally look forward to, there was a benefit:Guests wrote down their questions while we were doing our presentations online, and we answered as many as possible. So given two identical deep weedlinesone at the back of a shallow bay, and other out near the main lake basinIll take the latter every time. When the muskie are more active and likely to chase heavier and larger lures, using a baitcasting rod and reel can be a great choice. After another successful release, the two continued to fish around the Sturgeon Chutes for awhile in hopes of finding a second musky that might have spawned with Harrys catch. Eagle Lake is synonymous with big musky! We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. But they have also been known to reach size up to 6 feet and weigh over 70lbs. Most rivers in Southern Ontario will have species like brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, as well as a few different kinds of salmon. Spin Fishing for Small Stream Muskie All Rights Reserved. MuskieFIRST | Rainy Rive Muskie General Discussion Muskie Fishing These are some of the rarest of all muskellunge because they mostly exist in their natural habitat. Small Water, Big Fish Some muskies will also use these places to spawn. Generally, their underbelly is also a white color. The beaver river is known for its large steelhead runs but it also has good fishing for salmon, brown trout, brook trout, and smallmouth bass. Check out the section around the Sylvan Glen Conservation area. Warmer water means baitfish concentrations. You can have all the best equipment, but without a good fishing line, it would all be useless. South River Resort is located 2.5 hours north of Toronto and in the south-east corner of Lake Nipissing near the mouth of the South River, which is one of Ontario's top Muskie fishing hot spots. They are commonly found in many lakes and rivers throughout the Great Lakes region spanning parts of Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada. Musky Innovations 11" Magnum Swimmin Dawg. But if you arent into arts and crafts, there are several quality fly retailers online. Try letting your lure hit the bottom of the lake and then reel it in. In this guide, we will cover the different types of muskie species, their feeding habits, habitat, seasonal patterns, weather patterns, the equipment you will need, the best kinds of lures to use, and a few additional tips and techniques to help you make a successful catch. We are going to cover some of the best kinds of lures that are essential in every muskie anglers tackle box, when to use each kind of lure, and how to use them effectively. They are known to grow very fast but do not grow to the size of other types of muskie. Just like when youre fly fishing for large pike, youll want to approach these small-stream monsters with heavy gear. They were primarily hunting their smaller cousins, the northern pike along with any other . Once any part of that plant breaks water, it becomes a superior heat conductor. But, for the last 20 years it's turned out giant muskies in central Minnesota. Hooking one feels like going toe-to-toe with a velociraptor in a phonebooth. It is a great question, because early in the season, I rarely leave the dock without a white Mepps Muskie Killer tied on at least one rod. The Grand River is another massive river that almost starts in the same area as the Saugeen River around Dundalk but winds its way south and enters Lake Erie. Ang Fishing from shore looking for that big catch. These are naturally found throughout the Ohio river region and have also been stocked throughout many other bodies of water. Try fishing your topwater lure tight near cover like fallen trees or weed clumps.