Spring kayak fishing for Lake Huron pike

As featured on WFN;

Spring came about a month early in Southern Ontario, and so did the ice out Northern Pike fishing. Most regions of Ontario have closed seasons for pike after March 31st, but Lake Huron is one of the exceptions. I was out on Lake Ontario March 9th trying for some early spawners, but it was just a bit too early then. Mid April to early May tends to be the window in normal years.

Most of our early season Great Lakes fishing is concentrated on bays, harbours and river mouths. That is what makes the use of a kayak such an invaluable tool for chasing down these big toothy critters. The kayak allows us to access the skinniest of waters, going totally undetected by the fish. Not to mention, it is a total blast to hook up with any fish over 10lbs from a plastic boat!! When the weather/wind cooperates, we can cruise many miles shoreline while stopping to fish all the bays and river outlets along the way. Kayak fishing for pike anywhere between lower Lake Huron and north towards Tobermory can be very productive when timed right, and you may even find yourself battling 50"+ fish! However, the majority of what we catch is in the 36-42" range and still very respectable.

Northern Pike, a member of the Esox family and often referred to as the "water wolf", tends to be very hungry and ferocious when coming off the post spawn activities. There's no mistaking what's on the other end when one does hit, even though the water temps are hovering in the high 40's-mid 50F range. The pike are feeding on perch, bass, suckers and even carp. So any lure resembling a baitfish or fish is fair game. We tend to throw a lot of large spoons, big crankbaits and swimbaits. Presentations need to be a little slower due to the cold water and even a stop and go retrieve may be necessary to entice these pike. Large Husky Jerk cranks work well using that method. 
Below: Brent Mattock and Mike Blumhagen with 36" & 38" Northerns

The great part about early season yak-pike is that you get a chance to fish when most inland waters seasons are closed. Aside from the great pike action, you may also experience incidental catches of bass, brown trout, steelhead, salmon or walleye while paddling down the coastal waters. Please be kind to the out of season fish and know the regulations before arriving.

Early season cold water kayak fishing is not for everyone and can be very dangerous, so take an expert and know the conditions before you go!

Nomad Adventures offers excellent guided kayak fishing trips and is a great way to find out if kayak fishing is your thing while allowing you the opportunity to land a trophy fish with their experienced and knowledgeable guides.

This type of outdoor activity is a great way to escape the house and get some cardio too!

Niagara River Anglers Forum

Following the closing of the Niagara River Steelheaders fishing forum, the core membership has re-formed to become the Niagara River Anglers. 
Unlike the previous NRS forum which was private, NRA has an open forum section but can only be accessed by registered members.  Also, carrying on the tradition of the old NRS board, there is a private section allowing all old NRS members to acess.  To become part Niagara Steelheaders group and gain full access to reports and conditions, new members must be referred or become regular contributors with valid reports.

The forum is very similar to the board plus the addition of a Kayak Fishing category and a 2010 NRA Virtual Derby.

If you live or fish the Niagara Region, then please stop by and see what's going on.

Good Fishing!!

Jeff Wall WFN Ambassador

That's right folks, I got accepted to the WFN Ambassador program, and all I had to do was apply!!
Here's my link - Jeff Wall on WFN, please show your support and read my contributions, thanks.

I'll try to be more creative than my first post was, but I wanted to get something up quickly to get the process started.  Better yet, come out fishing with me and become part of the stories!

2010 spring Steelhead season came early to Ontario

Can you believe the weather!!
We've had daytime temps ranging from +15/25C for close to three weeks now.  Ontario is the new Florida!  They wish they'd had our weather.

Unfortunately for a lot of steelheaders in Southern Ontario, it means they miss the spring runs if they don't get out in the next few weeks.  There are always the dropback fish I guess.  Smelt runs have been in full force with each sprinkle, for the past two weeks and there are guys steelheading the northern rivers around Sault Saint Marie for a week now too.  Crazy!
Can't wait for Brookie season around here because they'll be good and fat by then with the spring season being so far advanced.

The Niagara River has just started picking up for shore fishermen and has been decent from boats for about two weeks.  I'm predicting it to get real hot in the coming week and there already huge deluges of people flocking to fish it.  I picked up one fish in 6hrs on the big river last Wednesday after covering several miles of the gorge, and ended up breaking out the hardware to do it.  Lost a massive muskie in the process; estimate in the 50-55" range!



Reports from Lake Huron rivers are positive with decent catches coming from the Saugeen to the Maitland.  The water is clear and low for this time of year though.  Brown trout, steelhead, coho/chinook salmon, perch and pike are being caught.  Georgian Bay should soon pick up too.

So get out there and Good Fishing'!!