salmon fishing lake ontario from a canoe.

[Fishtails]

I am not normally one to be negative and it's not that it can't be done, but there are a lot of things to factor in that make that canoe a very bad idea IMO.  Salmon would  have to be close, because the lake will turn on you fast and you cant trust the forecast.  If you suddenly get a hard offshore wind, getting in with a canoe could be really hard if not impossible - similar to rowing up river through white water, just without the heavy current.

 

Secondly, when the salmon are close the lake is FULL of boats trolling in every possible direction and my experience with fall combat trolling is half those boats are being driven by a-holes who wouldn't give a damn about you in your canoe OR your safety - if they even see you at all.  I am not exaggerating dude - the crazies hit the lake real soon and then nobody is safe. A canoe would be a suicide mission in the fall when the salmon stage.

 

Hit up the salmon river estuary once they begin the run.  That is perfect for a canoe. 

[Oncebitten]

If it's something you feel like you really have to do, at least coordinate your trip with someone who can shadow / follow you in a boat.  Heck maybe even go offshore in his boat and launch from there.  Then have him stay close and keep an eye on you in case things start to get hairy.  At the very least he can pluck you and your gear out of the water if the lake kicks up badly. 

 

Otherwise?  It's a really bad idea. 

[TileMan Dan]

Good advice from fishtails and oncebitten.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Pete Collin]

A few weeks ago I was off Braddocks Point.  It was calm as I motored out there.  I began jigging and didn't even need a drift bag, that's how still it was.  When LO is that flat, it looks like a very friendly place.  "Why can't I go deep for salmon?" I get tempted to think.  In my 16 footer, I keep within a mile of shore.

 

Very suddenly, a stiff breeze came directly from shore.  I was annoyed because it made jigging hard and the fish were biting.  Then the waves began to build.  It became clear that fishing was done for the day and I was going to be occupied for some time getting back in.  This being my first time launching out of that location, I realized that the depth I was fishing was twice as far out as I usually am when I fish out of Sandy.  The whitecaps slammed my bow.  you said something about why you can't canoe in a great lake when there are sea kayakers everywhere.  Well salt makes water more dense.  The wave action in the ocean tends to be a slow, gentle swell.  That day off Braddocks, the distance from wave peak to wave peak was about the length of my boat.  This is very hazardous because you can ship water easily, or if you are pointed the wrong way, you can flip entirely.  It was white knuckle until I got within a few hundred yards of shore.  The biggest waves were eye level and churned right past my ear.  I'm never launching out of Braddocks again and when a 30 mph breeze kicks up, I will pick up and scram no matter how the fish are biting.

 

Now, I had a 70 horsepower engine to bring me in.  How do you think you would have fared on that day?  I respect high adventure endeavors, but think very hard before you attempt this.  You must plan as if you were Nik Wallenda tightrope walking over the falls.  Bring everything that it would take to survive being blown to Canada.

[wjcbill]

Ive been out in the lake when you could be there on a surfboard just floating. Last week i was out and it looked like scenes from the movie perfect storm.

the biggest problem is the area you must venture to get some depth. I agree with many others a stiff breeze and i dont care life jacket or not its a huge lake and your just a spec out in that water.

Bad idea,  

"if a man could second guess his mistakes hed never die by accident"

[sjmw]

Just wait until September then fish estuary water for staging fish. Flatline jointed Rapala you can safely get plenty of fish without having to go beyond the end of piers.

[BSmaster]

Just wait until September then fish estuary water for staging fish. Flatline jointed Rapala you can safely get plenty of fish without having to go beyond the end of piers.

I was going to say mid to late August. 

 

I know a guy that lost his bass boat on Lake O.  Why ask for trouble?