NSR Fishing tips

[Markl11]

I'm looking for some tips/tricks to help me fish the NSR. Ive fished lakes for 25 years and just got into riverboating and fishing. Ive tried jigs, cranks and about everything I know works in the lake. 1/4oz to 2oz, texas rigs, Lindy rigs, gulp plastics (leaches, worms, split tails, almost every color).

I anchor just ahead of a pool/drop/ledge and have tried jigging and casting. I see fish on the fish finder but no bites.... so far ive got about 20hrs fishing on the river with ZERO luck. This is all around the Edmonton area. Thanks.

[Strikemaster]

Hi Mark,

Interesting as it seems what you are doing you should be hitting some fish with 20 hrs invested. Sometimes the fish do not like movement and a stationary minnow on a 1/4oz jighead is the ticket. Make sure you are on, or close to the bottom. Sit just off the current seam where it drops off. 6'+ depth.

[Markl11]

Thanks for the tip, I will try this next time I'm out. I'm not very good at sitting still I like moving around lol.

Do you use plastic minnows or salted?

[Red Bullets]

Thanks for the tip, I will try this next time I'm out. I'm not very good at sitting still I like moving around lol.

Do you use plastic minnows or salted?

I just use frozen minnows or fresh caught. A bare leadhead jig with no rubbertail body with a minnow hooked thru the eyes. If the minnow is bigger I will sometimes put a stinger hook in the minnow tail too. Not so sure about salted minnows.
Now as the water gets colder slow down your presentation. Fish right on bottom and twitch, stop and go slowly. The fish bite lightly too.

You say you anchor at the head of deeper pools. I my experience the bigger fish will hold on the back end of big pools too.

[Markl11]

I just use frozen minnows or fresh caught. A bare leadhead jig with no rubbertail body with a minnow hooked thru the eyes. If the minnow is bigger I will sometimes put a stinger hook in the minnow tail too. Not so sure about salted minnows.
Now as the water gets colder slow down your presentation. Fish right on bottom and twitch, stop and go slowly. The fish bite lightly too.

You say you anchor at the head of deeper pools. I my experience the bigger fish will hold on the back end of big pools too.

Good tips, thanks! yes ive been setting up so the tail of the boat is right on the edge of the pool. Working the lure up and down the drop, also casting to the back of the pool and very slowly reeling it in letting the lure drag the bottom.

I'm going to grab some minnows and try Saturday while the weather is still cooperating

[Red Bullets]

Also, a good place to focus this time of year is near beaver houses. A person has to watch out for the feed piles for snags. Typically a river beaver needs at least 6 feet of water to winter it's feed pile.
I've had good luck at Dawson Park (right before the river bends east and the north end of the park) and in front of Strathcona Science park late in the year. In front of fire station 21 at Riverdale is really deep so it might be a good place to try too. not really a pool but deep slower water.

[Markl11]

Thanks for those locations to try!