FisherGrrrl
11-21-2011, 09:16 AM
Hey everyone! I just got back yesterday from an incredible fishing road trip to southern Ontario and wanted to share the trip story along with some pics that came of it.
So 3 weeks ago a group of us headed out to Niagara Falls Ontario (again) some flying and some driving (including myself). Very Long Drive!!! Finally, 3600 km later (completed in 48 hours), we all met up and headed straight to the river in search of chrome Steelhead, Browns, and maybe an old Chinook.
That first day people were already hooking into the silvery steelheads. I however was not having the same luck and just kept tossing my float set up in the river watching the bobber.. float. Not quite what I had wanted but I was still glad to be out. Finally! half way through the day my bobber took under and I set the hook and the fish plunged straight down and my drag squealed. I had no choice but to let the fish take my line since we were running 8 lb test (6lb leaders) when it started to head back down river towards some fast rapids. I managed to turn the fish around and after about 10 minutes of holding on to what felt like a heavy log the fish decided to show itself at the surface and began to fight stronger. It was a big old Chinook. My buddys grabbed the net and finally helped me to land it. The chinook is in one of the pictures below.
After that fish I finally started to hook into steelhead. The first few days were awesome and people were pulling them in frequently. The sun was out and everyone was hooking in to them. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day of fishing. With the fish biting the river became busy with other fishermen and good spots were soon fought for. This led us to setting up camp for the night at our spots in order to have them at first light. So we would set up fire on the boulders, tie roe bags, and try and sleep until the fire would go out and the cold (before the sun rises) woke us. Across the river you could see other fishermen with the same idea setting up there own camps either night fishing or waiting for the sun.
A few days go by and the Niagara Dam gets turned off for the season and the river stayed down low and the fish either moved or stopped biting. This forced us to try other means of fishing. We spent a day walking the stretch of the river, tossing our lines in and spending no more the 15 minutes at each spot. Managed to still bring in a few fish during the hike but few and far in between. We tried fly fishing with trout beads and little minnows and couldn't hook anything. We tried way up river and way down river, float fishing, bottom bouncing, roe, minnows, flies... the fish were not around.
So we decided to cross the border and fish the Cattaraugus River in New York State. The night before heading across the border I invested in a used g.loomis Centerpin reel and g.loomis 13 ft float rod from a buddy and had a blast with it!! First day I used it I hooked into steelhead on the cattaraugus and got to feel and control the drag with my palm and fingers.. aahh what a rush!!!
The rest of the trip carries on the same for two more weeks. Chasing fish around and having awesome days outside fishing with friends. Waking up early or not sleeping at all.
Last few days of the trip people were reporting that browns were swimming up by the plenty. We decided to try and target a few big browns before heading back west. We headed down to a spot that was known for being shoulder to shoulder with fishermen but that meant there was fish! I pulled in my very 1st brown trout ever!! (now if I could just hook a golden trout :)).
The very last night, before the drive back, we decided to spend it night fishing, hiked out at 2am to the spot, and tossed out little glow beads and bobbers with little glow sticks on them. Browns were jumping non stop in the whirlpool. We managed to pull in a few (including the female I caught in my last picture).
All in all the trip was an amazing one :) lots of fish caught and lots of good times. The drive back was pretty rough driving through the snow storms that hit Edmonton, but we took it easy and made it back safe and sound!!
Now enjoy these pictures!! (hoping that they work lol)
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6231/6376532159_3fd2b5ccf3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376532159/)
DSCF0248 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376532159/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6236/6376566803_b6273bbcaf.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376566803/)
DSCF0333 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376566803/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6034/6376570025_27abe30b55.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376570025/)
DSCF0431 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376570025/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6044/6376560319_4dbe9edde9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376560319/)
DSCF0285 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376560319/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6376657875_0acc65d9d6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376657875/)
DSCF0456 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376657875/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6038/6376646553_8e9de2cce4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376646553/)
DSCF0252 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376646553/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376582057_5df40568f1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376582057/)
DSCF0520 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376582057/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376580191_40415ccf55.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376580191/)
DSCF0455 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376580191/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6218/6376589745_7d2d8598df.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376589745/)
DSCF0532 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376589745/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6050/6376591383_31c9549b91.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376591383/)
DSCF0537 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376591383/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6376600423_6810e76d5f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376600423/)
DSCF0666 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376600423/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376595117_afa57a58b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376595117/)
DSCF0632 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376595117/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6049/6376642907_8334f212c3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376642907/)
DSCF0241 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376642907/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
So 3 weeks ago a group of us headed out to Niagara Falls Ontario (again) some flying and some driving (including myself). Very Long Drive!!! Finally, 3600 km later (completed in 48 hours), we all met up and headed straight to the river in search of chrome Steelhead, Browns, and maybe an old Chinook.
That first day people were already hooking into the silvery steelheads. I however was not having the same luck and just kept tossing my float set up in the river watching the bobber.. float. Not quite what I had wanted but I was still glad to be out. Finally! half way through the day my bobber took under and I set the hook and the fish plunged straight down and my drag squealed. I had no choice but to let the fish take my line since we were running 8 lb test (6lb leaders) when it started to head back down river towards some fast rapids. I managed to turn the fish around and after about 10 minutes of holding on to what felt like a heavy log the fish decided to show itself at the surface and began to fight stronger. It was a big old Chinook. My buddys grabbed the net and finally helped me to land it. The chinook is in one of the pictures below.
After that fish I finally started to hook into steelhead. The first few days were awesome and people were pulling them in frequently. The sun was out and everyone was hooking in to them. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day of fishing. With the fish biting the river became busy with other fishermen and good spots were soon fought for. This led us to setting up camp for the night at our spots in order to have them at first light. So we would set up fire on the boulders, tie roe bags, and try and sleep until the fire would go out and the cold (before the sun rises) woke us. Across the river you could see other fishermen with the same idea setting up there own camps either night fishing or waiting for the sun.
A few days go by and the Niagara Dam gets turned off for the season and the river stayed down low and the fish either moved or stopped biting. This forced us to try other means of fishing. We spent a day walking the stretch of the river, tossing our lines in and spending no more the 15 minutes at each spot. Managed to still bring in a few fish during the hike but few and far in between. We tried fly fishing with trout beads and little minnows and couldn't hook anything. We tried way up river and way down river, float fishing, bottom bouncing, roe, minnows, flies... the fish were not around.
So we decided to cross the border and fish the Cattaraugus River in New York State. The night before heading across the border I invested in a used g.loomis Centerpin reel and g.loomis 13 ft float rod from a buddy and had a blast with it!! First day I used it I hooked into steelhead on the cattaraugus and got to feel and control the drag with my palm and fingers.. aahh what a rush!!!
The rest of the trip carries on the same for two more weeks. Chasing fish around and having awesome days outside fishing with friends. Waking up early or not sleeping at all.
Last few days of the trip people were reporting that browns were swimming up by the plenty. We decided to try and target a few big browns before heading back west. We headed down to a spot that was known for being shoulder to shoulder with fishermen but that meant there was fish! I pulled in my very 1st brown trout ever!! (now if I could just hook a golden trout :)).
The very last night, before the drive back, we decided to spend it night fishing, hiked out at 2am to the spot, and tossed out little glow beads and bobbers with little glow sticks on them. Browns were jumping non stop in the whirlpool. We managed to pull in a few (including the female I caught in my last picture).
All in all the trip was an amazing one :) lots of fish caught and lots of good times. The drive back was pretty rough driving through the snow storms that hit Edmonton, but we took it easy and made it back safe and sound!!
Now enjoy these pictures!! (hoping that they work lol)
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6231/6376532159_3fd2b5ccf3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376532159/)
DSCF0248 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376532159/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6236/6376566803_b6273bbcaf.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376566803/)
DSCF0333 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376566803/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6034/6376570025_27abe30b55.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376570025/)
DSCF0431 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376570025/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6044/6376560319_4dbe9edde9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376560319/)
DSCF0285 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376560319/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6376657875_0acc65d9d6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376657875/)
DSCF0456 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376657875/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6038/6376646553_8e9de2cce4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376646553/)
DSCF0252 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376646553/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376582057_5df40568f1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376582057/)
DSCF0520 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376582057/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376580191_40415ccf55.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376580191/)
DSCF0455 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376580191/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6218/6376589745_7d2d8598df.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376589745/)
DSCF0532 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376589745/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6050/6376591383_31c9549b91.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376591383/)
DSCF0537 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376591383/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6376600423_6810e76d5f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376600423/)
DSCF0666 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376600423/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6212/6376595117_afa57a58b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376595117/)
DSCF0632 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376595117/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6049/6376642907_8334f212c3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376642907/)
DSCF0241 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/70262468@N08/6376642907/) by ambuler44 (http://www.flickr.com/people/70262468@N08/), on Flickr