Rideau River Shorefishing Report

[FishingIsHealing]

Today I was lucky enough to get a lift down to the Rideau River. It had rained all day and I was expecting a good fish but boy was I wrong.

The water level was relatively high and I couldn't get out to my special place which I like to fish from. So I fished from the shore from the reeds.

After 3 hours, nothing, not even one bite.

I tried Yum Black Walleye Jigs, 3 inch minnow grub Gulps in the color of Chartreuse. I also tried small tubes which are usually my life saver and catch when nothing else will, and NOTHING.....

I switched to one of those weedless white spoon type things that move back and forth, I don't know the name of them.

After that I used a Yo Zuri red and white small minnow which is used for trout when we go to streams, and I couldn't cast it far enough due to the weight so that was a no go......

So I move up to the top of this Bridge and start fishing from the top thinking I can hit more places, more effectively, I try the same things again, and then put a bobber on so my jigs/tubes can float around in the back eddies of the river.

I get a HIT....and boy was it big one, it was 10 ft long if it was 2 inches! Man this was amazing, a HIT...finally............

I pull this out of the water and this is what I find...........................

I fished for another hour and a half on the bridge but had no more bites.

ZERO BITES.............

I really don't understand what has happened, I'm guessing the rain turned the fish off. Because they weren't feeding at sundown as they usually do. usually you see them jumping and eating things off the surface......But not tonight.....

Sorry for the let down boys and girls, I'll try to do a better report next time..........if the fishies cooperate....











By the way, I swear to God I saw a ghost in the mill or something that looked like it. I saw a white person shaped thing in the top window, and then when it became dark, you could see no white figure, yet the mill is lighted at night and the windows are left wide open with mesh on them.....Very strange indeed....the place is rumoured to be haunted, some people have met their maker inside of it.......One young woman got her dress caught in one of the pieces of mill machinery and was sucked into the gears....

Maybe she is who I saw? Was on the exact floor she died on too....

Creepy place.....at night..

[Bass Addict]

Fishingishealing Dude ................

Your breaking me up man


Jeeeez can you ever tell a story

As far as the fish not biting,, yeah we were out last night and like you say
they didn't turn on in the evening like they usually do.

Must be the mooon phase or something the water is high on the Ottawa
for this time of the year


Anyways don't worry one day soon your going to hit a frenzy, so be prepared


Good Luck

[Rico24]

Nice fish!! Im just joking around Nice report tho, always a good read! And its funny, i was just going to say that that building in the back looked a bit creepy! And well towards the end, i saw the ghost story, good stuff man, too bad on your bad luck
Oh well, good luck next time

Rico

[FishingIsHealing]

haha

So you had the same luck more or less on the Ottawa eh?

Well thats too bad, maybe the next time............I'm gonna go fishing again this week if I can.....Maybe the conditions will be changed...I know there are fish there, it's getting them to bite which is the problem.

Maybe something to do with the moon phases as you said.......

I wish you luck when you fish! haha.......

Take Care man!

[Sportspal]

I was going to post this on another report, but it seems fitting to do it here.
I went on a tour of the mill tonight, right near closing, and I found a flour bag, cut a hole for my head, put it on, and snuck up to top floor and danced in the window.
I saw someone on the bridge having a heart attack, I guess it was you.....just joking.

Actually, I heard that the young woman was like 21, only married a few months, and got her dress caught in the gears, but was thrown against one of the support pillars as opposed to being crushed in the gears. Who knows.

I've never had much success below the rapids, but I've seen some decent walleye and smallies caught above it.

[FishingIsHealing]

hahah.........man I almost believed you had actually been the one in the window until I read on a bit more....

you are right about her being flung into something after being caught in the machinery...........i looked it up and you are right........in any case, the poor woman died. Also more people died in the mill too. There is supposedly multiple ghosts there.......


The bridge has been a let down lately, it's seeing alot of fishing pressure, more than I knew. I had not been there for years, and thought it was relatively unfished until I started fishing again maybe 2 months ago. I'm slowly noticing that at least 5 people fish the bridge per day. When I go down I always run into people, so people are fishing it. The only reason I go there is because I'm disabled and it's within range of home incase I have a problem...

There just seems to be mostly panfish, and when you see the huge fish, they just ignore anything you throw at them......they must learn over the years to avoid things that are foreign to them and stick to bait fish, crayfish etc.

Everytime I've went people have been down there......or ontop of the bridge......theres always a group of teens under it smoking or hanging out....it's quite the happening place.....

but hey, it's still a nice place to sit and watch the water and fish underneath you...i love it down there it's so relaxing....

The mill is better for fishing but the key is to go at a certain time of the day..........

As you said that spot down below is amazing......there is a big 20ft hole at one point where the big fish lurk!

It's mostly a panfish affair at both places, I must say......but for me that is fun.............

For others, not so fun.....

If you have a Kayak and can get down below the manotick bridge street bridge, a bit, it's quite good...u just have to know where to go, and know not to go beyond the barnsdale bridge downstream or you'll end up dead after running into the big water control dam and set of deadly rapids which a kayak/canoe could never get through with the human still in it..lol

[Jimmy_1]

Then I guess jokes about using "Spooks" would be in poor taste here?

When did this lady die? Is the mill still in operation?

Maybe the fish are scared of the ghosts?

Sorry I couldn't help myself!
I fished from the docs in the town of CP 2 days ago and the fishing there sucked too! I usually get 1 or 2 pike but nothing.

I was at Dalhousie last night. My buddy caught his usual 4.5 lb smallie...I wasn't catching anything until WHAM! A 2lb+ walleye on a white Big-O!!!
The pics didn't turn out as it was dark out....(10:00 PM).....

[Summer visitor]

Hi All Apologies for this general question which is probably in the wrong forum anyway here goes...I will be visiting Ottawa mid 2 weeks of August from the ME and want to do some fishing. Is there anywhere that anyone knows where I can hire some tackle please??? Many thanks Steve

[almontefisher]

Many spots Steve...just google Ontario fishing resorts...Lots of places. As for tackle some may rent those as well or chartered guides usually supply tackle and gear.

[Anton88]

Today I was lucky enough to get a lift down to the Rideau River. It had rained all day and I was expecting a good fish but boy was I wrong.....

By the way, I swear to God I saw a ghost in the mill or something that looked like it.

I might go there to see the Ghost, but I'm never going fishing on the Rideau...

Oh, yes - I must have scared all the fish away last time I was there -
since I had a similar experience to your's-
don't fish there if there are so many other good spots. You just need to drive a bit more..

[Sportspal]

The mill is still in operation today, and all of the flour used by the Richmond Bakery is made at that mill. I read in the paper a few weeks back that you can call the mill and place orders for bread.
If I remember correctly, the woman died in the late 1800's.