Fish-Hawk.Net

Fishing & Fireworks! Happy Canada Day!

Location: Ottawa River (Quebec side)
Time: 6pm or earlier as it is a holiday
Parking: street parking on Bld de Lucerne (map)
Species: Brown Trout, SM, walleye, channel cats
Suggested Flies: weighted woollybuggers, weighted muddlers, stoneflies (nymphs, emergers, dries), caddis (nymphs, emergers, dries), stimulators, poppers, etc.

Notes:
High Water! - I fished the Ottawa on Friday and the levels are significantly up. Wading opportunities are limited but the fishing can still be good. We were out on Friday for a couple hours and were able to land half a dozen.

It's been reported that the recently released trout are feeding well in the evenings. Assuming the water levels stay at their current level, we're looking at slightly higher than normal levels. Proper boots, wading belt, wading staff and possibly a PFD are recommended.

For parking, take the Champlain Bridge to QC. Turn right on Bd de Lucerne. Parking is available on the street. The bike trail access is approximately 100m from the intersection. Take the trail downstream until you get to a footbridge. This will be the meeting spot/put in.

Yes, the brown trout put on a great show for Katch Moore and I last night

Tip-up,

Since you & Katchmore enjoyed fishing the browns so much, why don't you join the Champlain Run Trout Club stocking program through the Green Drake Outfitters? It only costs $25 per person and you get the satisfaction of knowing you've contributed to the local fishery. They would really appreciate your support. Participating in the annual stockiong event is a lot of fun and it's very satisfying knowing that you've made an effort to enhance the quality of fishing in the Ottawa River.

BTW - the fish you were catching were only put in the water last Saturday. Maybe you guys could hold off fishing for them a little while longer to let them adapt better.

When you fish them, try a fly rod with a nymph pattern. It's way more challenging than fishing with spin tackle and it's way more fun. After all, fly fishing is the only honourable way to fish for trout.

That's pretty much how Todd. B put it. Thanks Fishboy, I will take that into consideratin... All the troutsies were released unharmed and went back to swim another day. We were targeting the big boys.

BTW - Were you one of the 15 other flyfisherman out there the following day

Might see you guys out the night of your Canada Day fish! I only live about 2 minutes away

-Andrew

Tip-up wrote:That's pretty much how Todd. B put it. Thanks Fishboy, I will take that into consideratin... All the troutsies were released unharmed and went back to swim another day. We were targeting the big boys.

BTW - Were you one of the 15 other flyfisherman out there the following day

Might see you guys out the night of your Canada Day fish! I only live about 2 minutes away

-Andrew

Wasn't me out there....I practice what I preach.

As an active member of the club, I'd like as much info on the trout as possible - Did you guys notice whether or not the trout were rising? What were you catching them on? What about the catch rates of the fly guys...did you notice how they were doing?

Any feedback would be appreciated - thanks!

Matt and I decided to stop in after a 2 hour hike into a Quebec speck lake yesterday, being so exhausted, we only fished it for 15 minutes. Trout were not active at all.

As of last night the browns were rising everywhere and leaping completely out of the water, actually kind of cool, we watched them for a little while. Catch rate went as followed. The flyfisherman were getting them on every cast. I believe they were using imitation caddis flies???? I don't do the whole flick and tip thing. I have tried the fly rod and it's not for me. The majority of browns that we had caught were on small mepps spinners and by using an adjustable slip-float rig to help keep our worm on the bottom. No big fish although I did see a few risers that looked to be in the right size we were targeting

Tip-up,

FYI, only small (6-8") stockers were released this season. Hooking into one of the previous years breaders would probably be like winning the lottery.

Todd B. wrote:Tip-up,

FYI, only small (6-8") stockers were released this season. Hooking into one of the previous years breaders would probably be like winning the lottery.

Like I Didn't notice, there were hundreds of the little guys everywhere. I knew what was stocked. Watched two fish in the last two days come out over 2lbs(Where I was fishing by hte foot bridge)...Someone must have hit the jackpot Also must add they were flyfishing. Why so many small trout this year. It must be hard to compete with the walleye and pike that sworm the Ottawa. The chance at a big brown trout is very possible around there.

The reason for only stockers this season was due to facility upgrades at the hatchery, which prohibited them keeping any holdovers from last season's stock. Hopefully we'll see some more larger fish either in 2009 or 2010.

Good to know. Thanks Todd.

Assuming you contribute your $25 to the cause of course.

yeah a good amount of fishermen/fly-fishermen last night. we were the only ones praticing catch and release. watching the fly-fishermen last night was like watching a fat kid in a candy store. trying to put everything in their bags. one guy came over to us with a cat fish and asked if we wanted it. well let's just say a family took care of that fish.

it's funny to see that the fly-fishermen think they own that body of water and have the right to set up right in front of you and start casting.

also we were told that we weren't allowed to have more then one line. we all know you can only fish with one line in the water but you can bring 1000 rods with you if you chose to. the other fly-fishermen jump to conclusions about us too soon. i didn't appreciate it. i'm glad he was concerned though, but until you see people breaking the laws, you shouldn't be acting like the fish-police.

as for contributing we have!!! released every single fish!!!

Katch Moore wrote:yeah a good amount of fishermen/fly-fishermen last night. we were the only ones praticing catch and release. watching the fly-fishermen last night was like watching a fat kid in a candy store. trying to put everything in their bags. one guy came over to us with a cat fish and asked if we wanted it. well let's just say a family took care of that fish. It's funny to see that the fly-fishermen think they own that body of water and have the right to set up right in front of you and start casting.

Not true. My buddy and I were there last night and released everything we caught on barbless flies. If you're practicing catch and release its best to debarb, three barbed hooks are hard on the small trout.

Brown Cdc and elk caddis dries in a size 12 were perfect for staying afloat in the current and matching the hatch. I'm going to wait a while for them to settle in. It was still a little early after the stocking to be fishing for them IMO.

Have fun tonight, and be safe down there. The water is close to a foot higher than it was last week, reducing the number of spots you can fish but also making it much more tretcherous to wade.

Well appart from one other fly fisherman, I think I was the only participant from the Evening group. The water is still crazy high, even higher than on Friday. The next outting on the Ottawa won't be for a while unless they start holding back some water upstream.

Even with the high water I was able to land 7 small browns, all on dry flies. Around 7ish I decided to move to the Ottawa side and see if I could get into some smallies in the shallower bays, etc. Unfortunately somehow during my relocation I managed to break the tip section of my rod. Argggg! Off to the shop now to have it repaired! (Gotta love warranties)