Chippawa Creek Tonight

[Dugger]

.... the week has been slow on the creek, the only dependable and predictable catch at the moment are the white and black crappies

tonight I got a dozen mixed crappies to 10 inches, a white perch (invasive) and this beautiful 26 inch freshwater drum that put up a terrific tussle on the ultralight

Gulp minnow on a 1/8 oz head fooled everyone, the drum hit vertical jigging in a slow current in 8 feet of water

but yes, tough the past 2 weeks for bass and walleye and it is a tough river to fish to begin with, reversing current depending on time of day and with that comes colour change to the water... the full moon may have slowed things up too

Tight lines, boys!

 

[FishingNoob]

Thanks for the report. Current change in a river? Never heard of that before. When you say mixed crappie does that mean you caught both black and white crappie or is there a new type? Nice drum. Cheers.

 

[Dugger]

Thanks for the report. Current change in a river? Never heard of that before. When you say mixed crappie does that mean you caught both black and white crappie or is there a new type? Nice drum. Cheers.

Noobster, the river usually flows eastward. Most days, most not all, Ontario Power Generation draws from the river at Chippawa for the Sir Adam Beck Power Station, this reverses the flow back towards the WEST, for many many many kilometres. The effects of this is felt well past the City of Welland. Typically by 4 or 5 pm, it then reverses back and heads back towards the Niagara River. Some days the river has come to a stop, no current at all thanks to OPG. These days are the hardest to fish as the fish are scattered. It's crazy actually lol. With this reverse comes colour change and temperature change as well.

yes, mixed, both black and white varieties as well as some hybrids (black and white crappie hybrid).

 

[grubman]

Great drum. Why most people consider it garbage fish when they always put up a great fish. They are like sunfish on steroids...lol. They also eat molluscs, clams and zebra mussles. Trenton and Bay of Quinte is where you'll get them with Picton rumored for having huge ones. Thanks for the report and info on OPG, never knew their actions can alter a river flow.

 

[Dugger]

Great drum. Why most people consider it garbage fish when they always put up a great fish. They are like sunfish on steroids...lol. They also eat molluscs, clams and zebra mussles. Trenton and Bay of Quinte is where you'll get them with Picton rumored for having huge ones. Thanks for the report and info on OPG, never knew their actions can alter a river flow.

ty Grubman

...the impact on the river, the entire Welland/Chippawa Creek drainage is huge. I have recorded temperature swings before and after a flow reversal of 15 degrees F within an hour (can you imagine what that does to spawning fish on the nest?). The river never flows properly, as it has for 12,000 years westward unhindered, and so it doesn't get a chance to flush the sediment load it carries in the water column, especially west of the City of Welland. Actually, at Welland/Port Robinson, the river is forced under the Old and New Welland Canals at two points with aqueducts. These structures have "holes" in the bottom of them that allow clear, cool Lake Erie water into the river... it's rather sad but the fishery persists.

and yes, big drum rock, isn's Quinte home to the Canadian or Ontario record? Some anglers do not know what they are missing.

 

[Blair]

Nice Fish!

I love their Colour! They look (are) Healthy and Strong.

Looks like I got to get down to the Niagara, hook up with yah ... and catch some!

 

[FishingNoob]

Noobster, the river usually flows eastward. Most days, most not all, Ontario Power Generation draws from the river at Chippawa for the Sir Adam Beck Power Station, this reverses the flow back towards the WEST, for many many many kilometres. The effects of this is felt well past the City of Welland. Typically by 4 or 5 pm, it then reverses back and heads back towards the Niagara River. Some days the river has come to a stop, no current at all thanks to OPG. These days are the hardest to fish as the fish are scattered. It's crazy actually lol. With this reverse comes colour change and temperature change as well.

yes, mixed, both black and white varieties as well as some hybrids (black and white crappie hybrid).

Thanks. I really appreciate it.