St Lawrence smallies

DanElliot · **Joined:** Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am **Posts:** 4329

I've made a few trips down this summer including this past friday and I have to admit I'm finding it tough to find those bigger bites. On the last trip didi t see one over 4lbs. A marked difference over past years. Anyone else noticing this or am I just sucking this year lol?

Turk32 · **Joined:** Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:42 pm **Posts:** 368

Hi Dan...I'm going up to Algonquin next week for 5 days looking for my first 5 lb smallie, and hopefully a 10 lb laker.

legacy · **Joined:** Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am **Posts:** 992

I was out last week from Thursday - Saturday, spending all day on the Lake but didn't hit the river.

It was tough for us and probably the hardest fishing in a long, long time. It was almost like fishing smallies in the Fall; marking few, sporadic and tight lipped.

Fished around the Ducks, Charity, Bays and everywhere between. Seen a few big fish in the shallows but they wouldn't turn on our baits so no interest. The Lake was very green in a lot of areas, hard to see the bottom and dragged baits were getting junked up.

We did manage a few over 5 on Saturday and a couple of 4's mixed in with a bunch of smaller ones. Thought we were on a pattern but that quickly changed and once the heat and sun hit, they wouldn't play.

We put on a lot of miles searching and was hoping the river was better to try that but am hearing the same results.

Oh well - it was still great to get out. :-)

Good luck.

Cheers

chaser · **Joined:** Sun Dec 12, 2004 1:14 pm **Posts:** 17

With all the tournaments on the river the last few years you wonder why there is not many large Bass. You can not keep taking the large fish and expect to have any.

DanElliot · **Joined:** Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am **Posts:** 4329

Legacy,
Thanks for sharing it makes me feel better lol. Hopefully they start showing up with the right attitude and soon

legacy · **Joined:** Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am **Posts:** 992

chaser wrote:

With all the tournaments on the river the last few years you wonder why there is not many large Bass. You can not keep taking the large fish and expect to have any.

They're there but I think this hot and crazy summer has given them lock-jaw.

As for tourneys and fish, I think we get a bad rap. We don't keep our fish and do everything we can to care for and maintain the fish populations. After all, it's in our best interest.

I think blaming tournaments is like pointing a finger at the weekend and shore anglers.

When I was launching out of Collins Bay last week, I started chatting with a guy fishing from shore and asked how the fishing was.

He pointed to the railing at the ramp and said "look down!"

He had 2 fish on a stringer and at first I wasn't sure what they were, being that big and I was looking down on them so asked if I could lift them up a bit. Sure enough, they were 2 huge largies; 1 - 6lbs, 1 - 5lbs.

I saw him the next day and he confirmed the size and said they "were tasty!"

Please understand my comments are not to stir up doody...I'm not against keeping fish and every once in a while, do myself.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here but it's all about controlling what you're going to keep, no matter WHAT OR HOW you fish.

We're truly fortunate to have such an amazing fishery so close and blessed to get any time on the water with friends and family. :-)

Wait, did I say "doody?!?" lol

Cheers

Fisher18 · **Joined:** Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:38 am **Posts:** 83

legacy wrote:

chaser wrote:

With all the tournaments on the river the last few years you wonder why there is not many large Bass. You can not keep taking the large fish and expect to have any.

They're there but I think this hot and crazy summer has given them lock-jaw.

As for tourneys and fish, I think we get a bad rap. We don't keep our fish and do everything we can to care for and maintain the fish populations. After all, it's in our best interest.
I bet they were tasty! lol

I think blaming tournaments is like pointing a finger at the weekend and shore anglers.

When I was launching out of Collins Bay last week, I started chatting with a guy fishing from shore and asked how the fishing was.

He pointed to the railing at the ramp and said "look down!"

He had 2 fish on a stringer and at first I wasn't sure what they were, being that big and I was looking down on them so asked if I could lift them up a bit. Sure enough, they were 2 huge largies; 1 - 6lbs, 1 - 5lbs.

I saw him the next day and he confirmed the size and said they "were tasty!"

Please understand my comments are not to stir up doody...I'm not against keeping fish and every once in a while, do myself.

I know I'm preaching to the choir here but it's all about controlling what you're going to keep, no matter WHAT OR HOW you fish.

We're truly fortunate to have such an amazing fishery so close and blessed to get any time on the water with friends and family. :-)

Wait, did I say "doody?!?" lol

Cheers

CrowMan · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:02 am

On the inland lake I have fished regularly for more than 35 years, this has been one of the best summers for SM in memory. Surface temps are up around 83f (this is a deep Lake Tout lake), but the warm water seems to have super-charged the Bass. They are deeper than usual, sometimes down to 40 ft +, and finesse presentations have been the ticket (drop shot and Ned rig), but there have been very few "off " days. Even cold fronts (though there haven't been many) and thunderstorms, which can both typically shut down the bite, have had very little effect.

legacy · **Joined:** Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am **Posts:** 992

Nice fish and report, CrowMan.

Chris13 · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2015 10:39 am **Posts:** 14

chaser wrote:

With all the tournaments on the river the last few years you wonder why there is not many large Bass. You can not keep taking the large fish and expect to have any.

Where's the facts to back up YOUR claim? Likely none.

fireball · **Posted:** Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:04 pm

There was a huge tournament kill in 2019.. I feel like it effects the stretch of the river between lake and let's say 10 miles east of gan.
B1 and ben woo, no longer operate tournaments in Ontario.
The late ice out/ cold water, plus early july event date. Made it a bed fishing tournament.. lots of old big fish 5 to 6 pound class where killed..

Lake has been fishing good for me. 6.2 is big fish for me. Found the river to be terrible after that b1 event last year.. and find the same this year..

Are fishery will recover, ny side experienced a small mouth kill a number of years ago, there tournament pressure rival's bay of quinte.. any given weekend you can fish a tournament on ny side of lake Ontario.. cormorant hunting has been approved for this fall, will the bait fish/ fish ever recover ?? I am not sure. But I believe the future is bright.

legacy · **Joined:** Tue May 10, 2005 7:55 am **Posts:** 992

Fireball - I believe the B1 and Ben Woo's events, would still be a go if not for the covid thing. It was slated for June 27 / 28th on Quinte this year and watched a recent Fishing Canada interview with him.

I finally saw a bit of vegetation growth on one of the Brothers Islands this year. I think I heard on CBC, we have 5 cormorant colonies in the Kingston area and hopefully with the hunt, this help with the eco system as a whole.

I'm seeing on social media, some crazy huge large mouth being caught this year. Guess I need to bring out the pool-cues. :-)

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St Lawrence smallies

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