Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

This is where it's all going on. One can ask for advice or general information or simply chew the fat about fishing tackle, tips, and locations.
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NorthernGuy
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Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by NorthernGuy »

Dear Fish Hawk community,

This is my first fishing report ever & unfortunately it will be an awful one concerning the amount of fish we (me & my gf) have caught during the past few weeks & even last year all around & probably my knowledge using the"good" fishing terms. I will be including a couple fishing "trips" in this one to try & figure out what Im doing wrong. I will try & keep it short but I doubt it'll happen, So, without keeping you guys waiting! Here we go! :

It all started on the St-Lawrence around Long Sault area dropping off in Guindon park. Tested out the boat, everything went well... Tested out our new fishing rods... Perfect! Gosh! this will be an awesome day catching fish... Nooooot We ended up catching nothing at all, not even a single bite. Ok, we told ourselves, no biggy, its our first day! we are probably just a little rusty! hehe. We mostly fished around the shorelines using Rapala & just a worm & hook which I believe is called Senko the way we rigged it

During the week, we go fishing on the Nation river in St-Albert after suppers considering we live literally 40 seconds from the dock! There aint big fish but at least we catch fish which keeps it fun. We have been there about 4 days out of 5 on the week days & haven't caught one walleye nor one bass! Actually, I missed a bass 2 days ago! Gave us a bit of hope haha! I just find it really really weird that we haven't been catching any of the main fish (I consider bass & walleye our main fish) To clarify... we aren't really fishing for anything in particular but we would love to catch most likely walleye right now since the season is open. I don't know but maybe that's one of our problems... not targeting any specific species for that "trip". I have spoken to a couple of other guys fishing the Nation & no walleyes to talk about! crazy no!?

This brings me to this long weekends fishing tripS :

Sunday May 17th 2015

We went from 8 AM to 2 PM on the St lawrence dropping of in Cornwall so about 6 hours of fishing. We fished not too far from the launch deck following the Cornwall island up to the far est end using bottom bouncers. We went 10-15-20-25 & 30 feet deep in intervals without any luck :( After that, we went South of island St-Regis then more south following like a small canal leading to the island Chatelain... no luck still. So then we tried fishing very closely to shore near some weed beds with some Rapala, Senko since I had no clue what to do or where to go anymore.... still no luck. By the way! holy cow the St-Lawrence is such a huge body of water! Pretty much overwhelming on where to start!

At night after supper we went on The Nation again... in St Albert & had a bit of fun with some small fish like crappies & bullheads! Hey! better then nothing!

So this leads me to today, Monday, 18th May 2015 :

We decided to go on the Ottawa river dropping off in the park between Plantagenet & Wendover in the Nation river not too far from the Ottawa. We fished from about 8 AM till 2PM so roughly 6 hours again. We used Bottom bouncers allot! with a worm harness with live worms... Guess what folks! We didn't even get a bite :( We fished in 5 feet, 10 -20 & almost 30 feet even! but no bite. We also tried using Rapala, crankbait & some of those soft plastic imitating fish or whatever they are called hehe. Again, story of our life, no bite at all, well, actually, just before we left my girlfriend caught a small perch! Woohoo! a perch! hahaha (We were actually pretty happy not getting skunked again) Then it started pouring rain & we went back home.

So to conclude this many report(S) & to ask some questions to you guys...

Am I the only one? What am I doing wrong! We are not giving up but gosh! our heads are pretty low at the end of allll those hours spent on the water! (this might not seem much, I know, but Im including all of last year too!) For the amount of fishing hours we put it... Our end results are extremely low! Of course we are having fun! But a fish or 2 would be pretty nice! We just don't know what to do anymore & yah... just out of ideas, spots, tricks.. you name it! If some of you have read my noob intro... I am from way up northern Ontario more specifically Hearst Ontario. I have fished all my life up there & down here as I like to call it : The South (lol) I feel like Im lying telling people I have fished all my life hahaha! It is sooooo hard I cant believe it! Almost depressing! Its like Ive never fished in my life! I dont even know what to do anymore... I might be complicating myself too much, overthinking. I might be asking too much... I'm just looking for pointers too point me in the right direction because I just think there's something we are missing or you guys here are just very very veryyyy patient! (I thought I was patient lol) I read tons of articles & stuff on the net but all I got a say is: boff... ok, it does sorta help but once you are actually on the water your like eeem, ok,? what should I try or do? Sometimes Id just like to find a Pro, go on one of those big rivers & see what they are doing ahaha! See if they are having as much trouble as me to find those pesky fish hahaha!

Anyhow any comment will help!

Thank you very much to whoever will read this & comment :) greatly appreciated...

P.S. I will try & keep my other fishing reports to one specific day & shorten them for the next ones!
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Kerrazy
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by Kerrazy »

Hey!
Your report was good, it offered lots of info of your experiences here.
I am not sure what your tackle box looks like, but... Time to start thinking like a southern fisherman.

As the fish up north are not as pressured, they are willing to take anything presented, Heck I have seen like get caught in a twizzler!

South of North Bay and Parrysound, it's a different kettle of fish, as the population of anglers literally explodes. With that explosion comes hundreds of presentations and many fish have seen them all before.

So, I am not sure what Rapala you are using, as there are about 400 of them available, lol, but, you need to match what is available in the hatch, (small perch, SR5) and fish it in the evening from 6:30 on in 10-15 feet of water. If you get one, go back over it and get ready for another hit. They school up, and yes there are lone wolves, but typically they are schooled together.

When you are fishing in your boat, go 30' from shore and cast to shore and retrieve back to the boat, if you can find a drop off you will typically find fish banging there. In the cool thermocline ready to snack on a wayward treat in a shallower area to present itself.
Lure colour and size are crucial. I am finding the last 2 summers that my go to is a Storm Hot N Tot in a purple as you would love to get a Bass or Walleye, as would I, you too would just really love to have an epic battle of a great fish!
So go bye a couple of those, and Mark my words, you will be back here telling me how great they work!

Hope this helps!
Now go bend that Rod!
Kerrazy

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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by ShawnD »

Life gets better after the third weekend of June.
Topwater bites in shallow water on a fogging morning.... :D :D :D I get the chills talking about it.

From my experience this weekend, I tried going for walleye and was unsuccessful but I would switch it up and go shallow for panfish every now and then..
Cheer up and keep at it!

If you want to get on the fast track to catching fish you could always hire a guide and go out for a day. I went out with Yannick (Ottawa River guiding service) and learned plenty.

Shawn.D
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by TheMaverick »

“Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion”
“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm”

Quotes every angler should go by!

Joey,

Fishing will always have its ups and downs, seems you’re caught in a slump, but the fact you’re reaching out and asking questions shows no lack of enthusiasm.

Keep in mind,
There’s no secret color,
There’s no secret lake,
There’s no secret bait.

The St-Lawrence and the Ottawa River have many variables that need to be taken in consideration in order to draw successful outings.
Current, migrating bait fish, water levels...to name a few.
They can be very hard bodies of water to target, from the weekend warrior to the tournament angler.

With that being said, I would suggest navigating smaller waterways, preferably lakes. (Mississippi, White lake, Muskrat).
Going back to the basics and keeping it simple (points always produce fish, structure, drop offs).

The smaller lakes should be less overwhelming and will help you build confidence.
I’m certain you’ll be able to catch’em!
Good luck!
If fishin ain't your mission, then you can kiss my Bass!
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by Oneeleven »

+1 to what Mav said about smaller bodies of water. I will add the Rideau River to the list. It's quite small and narrow in many sections, and also the current isn't nearly what it is over much of the Ottawa.

This way you can cover lots of area to find out what is, and isn't working for you and to establish a bit of a pattern.

Right now, the Mississippi is a great body of water to fish as it holds many of the in-season species. And it's a pike-fest. Always a good fish to get your line wet with (when you can't fish bass). And they're easier to catch than Walleye, (IMO) and they hit in all depths of water too. And they hit on a wide variety of baits. You can try a bunch and see what you prefer.

Personally (again.. JMHO I'm a newb too!) Senkos rigged wacky style aren't what I would suggest this time of year. If you're keen on using a Senko, I would Texas rig it and swim it. Better yet, use swimbaits that have some flicker and create some vibration from the tail end. (I think you were referring to swimbaits when you said 'those fish-shaped plastics :lol: )

The weeds are going to probably grow double in size in the next week or so, this will be great for fishing. And then in a couple of more weeks... *BASS SEASON OPENS* **angels sing**
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by scarkner »

Sounds a bit weird but... HIRE A GUIDE!!!

If you have invested this much time and effort, then the cost of a guide for a day is nothing and you will learn an incredible amount. Out in your neck of the woods I know Yannick is a top choice, sorry, don't know too many other guides so can't provide a list, but they are out there.

It's not so much about finding the spot, but learning about the rigging AND what is a bite!!!

I have gone out fishing with friends and said "you have a bite" or "you have a fish on" and they have no idea!!! Some fish bite very soft and not for long. Others will take a sharp peck then a pause before really taking the bait (jerk the rod on the first peck and the fish will be long gone).

So either head out with a guide or get our there with someone that is catching fish. Trying to diagnose over the internet likely isn't going to help as much as doing it and having someone else watch what you are doing!

Good luck and keep posting!!!!

:D :D :D
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by Mike M »

Totally agree with Scarkner. I spent many days on the Ottawa R trying to figure out how to catch walleye consistently and got nothing for my efforts. My wife gave me a half day with Yannick Loranger at Ottawa River Guided Fishing for my birthday a couple years ago and I've completely changed my fortune. I highly recommend you give Yannick a call.

As for the S Nation, I've also spent a lot of fruitless hours between Casselman and Chrysler. There are some very nice walleye in that stretch and I've picked up a few here and there, but no consistency. If anyone has any tips for this river, I would be most interested in hearing them.

Mike M
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by RJ »

Some great responses here!

Other than hiring a guide (I do guide as well, but not in those areas) I'd strongly suggest the following.

Pick a species and target that one, you seem to be just going out and fishing with no real plan. If it's Pike then throw Pike baits in Pike type water. If it's Walleye then pick a few spots on a map and fish em. Have a plan.

In Eastern Ontario there are better times to fish for some species than others, learn them and roll with them as the summer rolls on.

Some of the areas you fished can be tough and even when you do find some fish they will likely be on the smallish side.

RJ
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by Wally »

Well mister Northern Ontario welcome aboard,i come from Kapuskasing and experiencing the same thing for the last a few years.It's not like Hearst or Kap here
the walleye won't jump in your boat,The water depth is a lot deeper here than up North.I bought a cottage on Lac ST-Marie last spring and haven't done to well.
Fishing is my passion but getting skunk everytime is not fun.One thing i did notice up here is bottom bouncer with a worm harness,trolling slow feel the bottom
all the time will get you a few on a good day.jigging drop off with minnows is also a good way.I know nothing about Bass,can't help you there.I go on you tube,
they have nice video's too,last resort take a week in June go to Brunswick Lake and catch fish as much as you can,good luck and have a great summer..Waly
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by NorthernGuy »

Kerrazy wrote:
Time to start thinking like a southern fisherman.

I am finding the last 2 summers that my go to is a Storm Hot N Tot in a purple
"Southern fisherman" LOL!!! Guess what! I just bought a storm hot n tot purple hahaha, I cant wait to try it out tomorrow morning!!
ShawnD wrote:
If you want to get on the fast track to catching fish you could always hire a guide and go out for a day. I went out with Yannick (Ottawa River guiding service) and learned plenty.

Shawn.D
Plenty of people have suggested me Yannick, I quickly met him at the ottawa boat show & I am veeeery close to book a half day with him one day this summer maybe! It's in mind no worries hehe
TheMaverick wrote:
They can be very hard bodies of water to target, from the weekend warrior to the tournament angler.

With that being said, I would suggest navigating smaller waterways, preferably lakes. (Mississippi, White lake, Muskrat)
Can be! they ARE hard hahahaha & for smaller waterways im thinking about it... I just find it far from home. The rideau river sounds better for my location & some people told me its not such a tough river to fish...
Wally wrote:
Wally wrote:
last resort take a week in June go to Brunswick Lake and catch fish as much as you can,good luck and have a great summer..Waly
Good ol Brunswick lake! love that place!

I tryed replying to everybody but theres too much too say! I just wanna say thank you everybody, all the info was awesome & greatly appreciated! I will be trying out the Ottawa R again tommorow. I was debating between the St-Lawrence & Ottawa & chose the Ottawa because right now i find the st-Lawerence wayy too much overwhelming... so much water I dont even know where to go hahaha! Ill be dropping off in the Plantagenet park again heading maybe around the "Baie Noire" or around that area... We will be fishing pike in the beginning too put our spirits up then hopefully be courageous & try again for walleye!!

Have a good weekend fishing people!
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by tbone1088 »

Fishing gets tough for everybody bud, beginners and pros alike. Secret is to simplify and do what your good at to get out of the slump. If you don't know many techniques yet, I would suggest sticking with BASIC tactics that have been catching fish for decades. Slip bobber and worm/leech is deadly. So is a hook then sinker worked on bottom. If you think the problem is FINDING the fish then you have to move around till you get bit... sorry if this sounds simplistic or cliched but it's the truth! You can have the best technique and gear but if your fishing in your bath tub, u gotz problems :) :)
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by NorthernGuy »

for sure! finding them to me is mostly the hardest... sooo much water to cover hehe. The techniques well, as you said, basics will still catch fish so that doesnt really worry me. A fishing rod is a fishing rod (unless you get a fisher price rod) hahahaha
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by Moosebunk »

It's May... coming into June...

I dunno.... maybe stick to the Ottawa for walleye/pike if that's your target species. JUST the Ottawa. Stick to an area on the river that you know (or others know, or you strongly feel) will hold these species you like most. Pound it!!! All efforts there. When those easier bass open up have fun with that but keep trying on pike and eyes too.

Guys like Yannick, Firefox, Wallyboss, kinda sorta myself too... came down here from the same type fisheries you did, and adapted well. Research, time, pressure, repeat. It'll come for ya. :)
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Re: Fishing Report #1 A.K.A. Sad story of my life...

Post by NorthernGuy »

Thanks @Moosebunk I think I might stick to only one for now for walleye as you suggest... We are just trying to do it all and well... it aint working lol... I am sorta kinda seeing a tiny light at the end of the tunnel right now... going on fish-hawk puts a bigger light too lol I think this weekend was really not a good weekend for fishing as one of my friend told me... a cold front... youll catch fish, but not allot and youll work for it & well, lesson learnt! So many hours, so little fish lol... itll get there... if only gas was cheaper! hahahahahaha Have a good one guys!
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