Creek fishing west end of Lake Ontario

[sjkiss]

Hi: my wife is a pretty good fisher but only grew up doing big lake fishing, trolling for walleye and such. We're new to Hamilton and we don't have a boat. We'd love to figure out how to master either shore fishing into Lake Ontario, or tributary fishing in things like Spencer Creek, Grindstone or Bronte or maybe the Chippawa or the Grand.

What is the best way to try fishing in streams around here? Last summer I tried this to no avail in the Grand (http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/bubble.htm). The other thing we've done on streams is throw a bobber with a worm dangling to go for fish at the bottom.

We're happy to kind of find our own spots, but what we don't really know is to rig stuff up for these kinds of waters. Can anyone offer any suggestions? One thing: we're also really not up on the lingo people use. I was talking to a guy on the Grand last year and he said he had great luck with buzzbaits. OK....that's great. Anyway, If anyone could be kind enough to offer suggestions, we'd be all ears.
Thank you!

 

[FishingNoob]

A plastic grub on a jig head will catch all kinds of fish. Google a buzzbait and you'll see what it is. Try a small hook, a light weight and no bobber with worms fished on the bottom.

 

[fishermandan420]

spinners like mepps and bluefox work good in the streams

 

[chalkhorse]

Bronte creek has small but hearty smallmouth bass. When season starts in june, hit optimist park, just above rebecca, with mepps comets, panther martins and rapalas in any hole you find walking upstream.

Closer to lakeshore, there are carp (I usually use cornmeal) and bullheads (worms) and the occasional pike.

Seasonally, there are steelheads, cohos and chinooks. Rainbow trout and brown trout are in the harbour and the deeper spots of the creek.

 

[chalkhorse]

I have only had success in Spencer creek and the grindstone nearer to the lake, although I am certain alfie has more experience there. In the halt on area, mountsberg has bass, pike and occasional walleye. Hilton falls has bass. There are some nice bass at valens. Christie has stocked trout ponds.

 

[chalkhorse]

Oakville creek has trout and bass and, of course, salmon.

The grand river is a whole ecosystem of its own, and much discussed on this forum. Try a search.

 

[chalkhorse]

Puslinch lake and little lake are great for pike and bass in Cambridge, there's a whole lot of monsters in Hamilton harbour.

 

[chalkhorse]

I do suggest getting ultra light gear for the creeks to have a better time.

 

[Alfiegee]

Hi: my wife is a pretty good fisher but only grew up doing big lake fishing, trolling for walleye and such. We're new to Hamilton and we don't have a boat. We'd love to figure out how to master either shore fishing into Lake Ontario, or tributary fishing in things like Spencer Creek, Grindstone or Bronte or maybe the Chippawa or the Grand.

What is the best way to try fishing in streams around here? Last summer I tried this to no avail in the Grand (http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/bubble.htm). The other thing we've done on streams is throw a bobber with a worm dangling to go for fish at the bottom.

We're happy to kind of find our own spots, but what we don't really know is to rig stuff up for these kinds of waters. Can anyone offer any suggestions? One thing: we're also really not up on the lingo people use. I was talking to a guy on the Grand last year and he said he had great luck with buzzbaits. OK....that's great. Anyway, If anyone could be kind enough to offer suggestions, we'd be all ears.
Thank you!

I know Bronte and the Grand pretty well. The Grand is by no means a small creek.

I have only had success in Spencer creek and the grindstone nearer to the lake, although I am certain alfie has more experience there. In the halt on area, mountsberg has bass, pike and occasional walleye. Hilton falls has bass. There are some nice bass at valens. Christie has stocked trout ponds.

Look at CH putting everything on me :lol: . But seriously, I can put you at a lot of good places on the Grand or Bronte. My standard rig on the Grand is a hook with minnow, a split shot about a ft up and a float another 2 ft up. That gets everything that is there. I don't target fish on the Grand, I just take what comes to me Btw I never buy less than 2 dozen minnows for myself. 18 or 20 fish a day is common, mostly Bass and Cats, but there are lots of other fish in there too.

Alfie.

 

[sjkiss]

Thanks all: those are some good tips. I'll use 'em

 

[Jacklake]

I agree wth the suggestions to get the bait/lure to the bottom and into log jams or other messy bits of the river where there is cover and protection from the current. Fish will hang there and move to intercept passing food.
One thing about rivers is the bait/lure should move at the same speed as the current, or perhaps a bit slower. If you are using a float, watch that it moved downstream at the same rate as any bubbles or small debris. Bait moving faster than the current, or swinging too quickly to the side is quite unnatural and probably will be ignored.