Jumping Fish In The Grand, South of Brantford

[sjkiss]

Hi I'm a total noob angler in the Hamilton region. I was out at the the Grand River a few weeks ago and I found a good couple of pools south of Brantford and man there were a lot of fish jumping at night. I tried worms on a balsam bobber and that didn't catch anything, although a couple of guys upstream did catch rock bass and catfish using the same technique.

I tried a couple of flies on a bobber for a little, but that didn't work either.

My real question is though: are those likely to be brown or brook trout jumping? It seems like on the GRCA's website the brooks and browns are all higher up on the watershed.

Should i keep trying with flies to catch those jumping fish? Or switch to the worms to go for the bass?
Any tips are welcome!
Spindoctor

 

[Dugger]

I have been fishing a lot lately at night here on Chippawa Creek and yes, many fish "jumping" more like boiling or breaking the surface but not clearing the surface. I finally was able to identify the fish that was responsible for the majority of my sightings. Now I have seen walleye chasing minnows at night, carp coming up and flipping their red tail, crappies sucking mayflies off the surface but I was surprised to find out most of the fish doing the surface action lately were.... BULLHEADS!!!! They swim to the surface fast, flip their tails and scoot back to the bottom.... not to say your fish are Bullheads but I was taken a back a bit. Are "your fish" actually clearing the surface?

 

[NADO]

I have found that in the grand/conestogo that when you see a large amount of fish surfacing that more often then not they are either suckers or carp. I was told that when they feed on the bottom the often break the surface to get rid of the sediment that builds up while searching for insects.

 

[sjkiss]

I have found that in the grand/conestogo that when you see a large amount of fish surfacing that more often then not they are either suckers or carp. I was told that when they feed on the bottom the often break the surface to get rid of the sediment that builds up while searching for insects.

Huh. OK. Thanks both for your insights. It's true, in hindsight, I don't think the fish were clearing the water; I think they were chasing minnows and breaking the surface. I talked to a guy in a boat one night and he said they pulled a lot of smallmouth bass from the top using buzzbaits. So maybe that was what they were.

Thanks a lot!

 

[NADO]

I was getting so pissed off over the weekend fishing at Glen Allan for hours watching 30-40 fish break the surface while I wasnt catching a thing. Finally close to the end I was able to see a few of the jumpers up close and they were definately carp. The same thing happens at Woolwich resevoir pretty much every day.

 

[Alfiegee]

As a regular fisher of the Grand, I agree Carp, Suckers, Bass, Pike and Cats could all be the culprits you are seeing rising, or jumping.
Definitely not Brookies, the Grand is far to warm to hold Brookies.
Browns are a possibility.
Another possibility that I have not seen mentioned would be Gar. The Grand holds a good population of Gar and they tend to be near the surface and are very exciting to catch on flies or top-water baits. Toothy critter you gotta make sure your hooks are sharp for them.
The Grand also holds a lot of panfish and mooneyes, which are small, but can cause a a swell on the surface and strip the bait from your hook without being hooked themselves.

Alfie.

 

[Blair]

Every year the CARP are great jumpers and splashers out in Lake Ontario.

Day & Night about 100 yds fromt the Harbourfront and out.


Everyone says" "they must be salmon"... cause "Carp dont do that".
Nice to see more people are actually paying attention to what FISH REALLY DO!

 

[Alfiegee]

Every year the CARP are great jumpers and splashers out in Lake Ontario.

Day & Night about 100 yds fromt the Harbourfront and out.


Everyone says" "they must be salmon"... cause "Carp dont do that".
Nice to see more people are actually paying attention to what FISH REALLY DO!

Good call Blair, I see carp trashing about the surface everywhere.
I Cootes Paradise I see them coming entirely out of the water. Clearing it by a foot. When hooked though, it is totally underwater.

Alfie.

 

[Blair]

When hooked though, it is totally underwater.

Alfie.

Absolutely! they go deep ...
Only exceptions I have had are in Real Shallow Ponds (For instance - out on Centre Island)

I've had them do some good air a couple times out there. Which is a pretty amazing sight! and that with 40 yds of line out, not close to landing or shore.


Down in the deep water of Harbourfront, they always do the DEEP DIVE.
I have had a couple go straight out in Lake O, peel off almost 70-80 yds.

 

[Alfiegee]

Absolutely! they go deep ...
Only exceptions I have had are in Real Shallow Ponds (For instance - out on Centre Island)

I've had them do some good air a couple times out there. Which is a pretty amazing sight! and that with 40 yds of line out, not close to landing or shore.


Down in the deep water of Harbourfront, they always do the DEEP DIVE.
I have had a couple go straight out in Lake O, peel off almost 70-80 yds.

Those must have been some biggies Blair or else some lighter tackle was involved. I have 6 or 8 lb test on everything so everytime I hook a carp it is an adventure.

Alfie

 

[ChaseChrome]

Alfie and Blair...absolutely.

And indeed, no brookies there--but I have to tell you SpinDoc, if you want tear generating frustration, there is a spot on the Grand just up from Fergus where 5lb Browns regularly roll on the surface for hours...you can cast to them all day without a take (we've dubbed this particular spot the Wall of Tears...)

Keep at it Doc
CC

 

[ChaseChrome]

Oh Spin...

BTW, here's your Brown

View attachment 9605
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CC​

ModSquad​

 

[hammercarp]

Hi I'm a total noob angler in the Hamilton region. I was out at the the Grand River a few weeks ago and I found a good couple of pools south of Brantford and man there were a lot of fish jumping at night. I tried worms on a balsam bobber and that didn't catch anything, although a couple of guys upstream did catch rock bass and catfish using the same technique.

I tried a couple of flies on a bobber for a little, but that didn't work either.

My real question is though: are those likely to be brown or brook trout jumping? It seems like on the GRCA's website the brooks and browns are all higher up on the watershed.

Should i keep trying with flies to catch those jumping fish? Or switch to the worms to go for the bass?
Any tips are welcome!
Spindoctor

CARP Try canned corn on the hook. Carp jump a lot. They are a lot of fun , great fighters.