Lower Niagara?

[PikeSlayer.]

Hello to everyone at Fish-Hawk! I see some great posts and lot of activity - awesome!

I've been lucky enough to fish the Lower Niagara River before, however it was only in the Spring and Fall time.

Does anyone know if there is any good fishing down there this time of year, say down at the Whirlpool?

Rumour has it that casting big heavy tube jigs in the summer can result in big heavy bass... ...but perhaps that is just a rumour?

Cheers!
PikeSlayer.

[FLOATFISHIN]

Fast current, long walk up and down, but if you go down, the fishing is hot year round!Almost everything that swims can be had, but yes big weights are needed to contact bottom.

F.F

[Markus]

I've never done it PikeSlayer, but I've been wanting too....but appantly drifting the bar at the mouth with tubes can produce some very nice smallies.

Shoot Denis a PM. He has a tackle shop there and can help you out, he knows the area well and is constantly catching beautiful big smallies. He'll point ya in the right direction.

[PikeSlayer.]

Thanks a lot guys...you've boosted up my confidence! I'll make sure I've lots of weight and let you know how we make out. We are going to head down for Sun-Up so hopefully that helps.

I sent Denis a note and we'll try to stop by and grab some tackle!

Tight Lines!
PikeSlayer.

[heatmiser74]

Hey PS,

I fish the lower river year round (both from a boat & shore) & not only does it have an amazing fishery throughout the colder months but the summer fishery is also exceptional.

Smallies are the main target through the summer months but there are enough walleye, muskie, pike, sheepies etc. that keep things more than interesting.

Some top spots to look at if fishing from shore, going downstream from the Falls would be: Maid of the Mist - located directly below the falls. There can fantastic fishing here but most of the area has been recently fenced off & can be a bit sketchy to get into.

Further down river is the Whirlpool - A long way down & even longer walk back up . The Whirlpool has a lot of room to fish & at times the fish can be spread out, but definitely a hotspot. Fish the corners & small eddies of the pool & you should find them.

Next would be the Glen - My personal favourite. Although not as bad as the Whirlpool, the walk in & out of the gorge can be a long one especially if you get lost on one of the many trails. So make sure you know where you're going. The Glen has many pools & eddies to fish & they can be absolutely packed into the smallest of eddies, so don't over look anything. One of my favourite pools is the Horseshoe, big boulders, deep water & usually lots of fish.

If you're looking for something a little more acessible then Queenston would be the place to go. Just a few steps from where you park your car & you're fishing. This is also where the only boat launch on the Canadian side of the river is located. Although a hotspot through the Winter, it can be hit or miss through the summer months. But definitely worth checking out, especially if you're looking for Walleye.

Futher downstream in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is the Naval Hall Dock. Like Queenston it to is easily accesible, but also like Queenston it to is hit or miss. This is probably a good place to take the kids & plunk a worm since there is usually a lot of Rock Bass & Sheepies in the area, not to mention a nice safe dock to fish from. Hint: try fishing the corners on either side of the dock.

Lure Selection - since a few of the places require a good long hike to get to, a big ol' tackle box ain't going to cut it, so try & be selective in what you take with you. Some lures you should have are: 3"-4" Tubes in X-Mas Tree or Erie Smoke (dark greens & browns). 3"-4" twister tails in Smoke or White. I've also had good luck on Berkley Power Minnows & Fin-S-Fish(Shad & Rainbow Trout) fished with a darter head jig. A few #7-#8 Rapala Shad Raps in Shad, Black/Silver & Firetiger are a must. I've caught some of my biggest fish in the river on these lures. Fat Raps & Bomber Fat Free Shads in Shad & Crawfish colours are another good choice. A couple of stickbaits like Storm Thundersticks, Rogues & Husky Jerks would also be smart to bring along. Spinners like #3-#4 Blue Fox Vibrax, Mepps Black fury & Double Loon should go along, as should some topwater lures like the Zara Spook, Zara Puppy & Pop-R for when the Bass are busting the surface.

Hope this helps .

[Niagara Nick]

That was an excellent read Heatmiser74 .
I haven't fished the Maid of the Mist in years,, here's a bad scan of some small bass with a nice background .