Spring Run

[bigugly]

Ok so I've witnessed lots of fish come in but I'm new to this. You experienced guys I have a question, is there more to come or will opener be spent fishing fall back fish?

 

[Paul1913]

They come in waves. So I hope there are more coming in later.

 

[fisgfreek]

Bite your tongue big ugly, lots more to come. After this storm tonight and the warmup that follows , it's going to get busy out there.

 

[trouttamer]

With the early spring I hope the fish can get up do their business and drop back by opener. Nothing bothers me more than seeing guys rip fish off their redds on opener. Dropbacks are fine for me on opener theyre chromed back up and hungry from the rigors of the spawn.
That being said, yes there are still fish to come and also early spawners may begin to drop back, but for the sake of the fish I hope most are in the spawning grounds already making baby steelies

 

[bigugly]

Sons and I did a lot of scouting out of areas and we saw a lot of fish tending beds, it was a great thing to watch.

 

[fisgfreek]

Its funny how each fish differs from another. We caught a smaller female that was darker and seemed not ready, and way down stream (2km) we managed a bigger one that was silver and fresh from the lake with her eggs just flowing out of her.

 

[rich_ace_G]

lots of spawning activity going on already. this rain will drive up more fish up. I had 2 saturday afternoon. last night was brutal. 1 fish & 10 snags. on a pool that i know has nothing underwater. Could be high water that put that branch there.

 

[bigugly]

Yeah yesterday was slow, son caught one sucker, I turned on rainbow. Packed up at lunch.

 

[rayray519]

Stupid question, how many times a year do the steelhead spawn?

 

[trouttamer]

Only once, but not all at the same time, a small amount will begin spawning in the late fall than through winter with the majority spawning in early to late spring. spawning at different times throughout the year is partly due to species survival in case something drastic happened late spring for example those earlier spawning fish leave a chance for the young to hatch and not wipe out the entire strain.. water temperature and river levels also play apart in triggering the spawn

 

[[email protected]]

steelhead here only spawn in the spring, they winter over in the creeks, hence the fall runs and the dark colours in the spring. the longer they are in the rive,r the darker they will be if they spawned in the winter, the survival rate for the newly hatched would be very very low due to water temps being too cold. water must be at least 7 degrees before spawning will take place below that, they go into a dormant state, which is why winter steelheading can be frustrating at times.

in warmer climates, like out in BC where winter temps are above zero, there will be 2 spawning runs. but here in Ontario, only 1.

 

[trouttamer]

you've never seen a steelie dripping eggs in the fall? or a spawned out fish in the winter?

 

[AaronKrick]

Some steel do spawn in fall. Especially in the niagara, but I'm sure it happens on the other tribs too.

 

[[email protected]]

you've never seen a steelie dripping eggs in the fall? or a spawned out fish in the winter?

only on above average days, this winter for sure would have seen some, but not the last 2 or 3 winters

 

[thebigchombowombocombo]

Can we still hook up on the piers for them like we do with salmon? I have never fished for them or knew that there would still be fishing at this time until late last year.

 

[myspacedave]

You can pretty much fish anywhere (within legality) anytime of year if you have the means and drive