Can You Guys Help me Plan my 1 Salmon trip

[jigstick]

I tow my boat up from Erie one time a year to do some salmon fishing.  This year it will be the week before Labor day.  Aug 31-Sept 4th.  Ive only ever fished out of Olcott, and never that time of year.  Should I go to Wilson or Olcott?  And when I fish Olcott Im usually in 4-500FOW looking for salmon...east of the harbor towards the smoke stacks.  Is that what I should do that late in August?  When do they salmon come in and stage? 

 

Id be glad to exhange Erie walleye info for some Ontario salmon info.  i know the Northeast and Barcelona waters really well.  Thanks.

 

Doug

[KilliansRed]

Going in close will be awsome in late August. However I would refer to the reports and see in the salmon are moving in to the tributaries or not. If they are moving in then get in close with J-Plugs and Big Rapalas. If the salmon are not in the tribs yet the go out deep and run spoons and spin doctors. It all depends on the temperatures. 

[Gill-T]

Labor day mahem at the Niagara Bar drop off would be your only guarantee to see fish ......and boats.  Olcott and Wilson can be hit or miss at that time of year for mature kings.

[jigstick]

So that late in August the Kings could be staging inside? Like in 100fow? Would I just drive out and see if I'm marking fish? Try for a bit inside and if not hooking up then motor out to 3-400fow and try outside? This is out of olcott or Wilson.

Never fished the Niagara Bar. Where is it, what harbor, and how do I get there on the water?

Most likely I would be going mid week to avoid weekend boat traffic. Or won't it make a difference?

[RD9]

Jigstix we fish olcott the last weekend in August yearly. We fish early in the morning in tight under 100ft and then head north and get steelhead and smaller Salmon. Basically trolling spoons in the top 70 ft and when we get a few or find a break we circle it. Go in for dinner and fish 5 pm to dusk in tight some times in less then 70 ft. Dipsey's, riggers tight to the bottom or were ever you see them on the graph. Spin Doctors and flies seem to produce well for us at this time of year.

[Sean Youngblood]

Niagara Bar And Wilson can be easily reached from Olcott.The Niagara Bar is at the mouth of the Niagara River. There is a launch Right there by the Coast Guard Station.                                                      http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14810.shtml       Here is a interactive map

[tove12345]

Out of the Niagara river head n ne past the green can and out about 4 miles. Look for a red can (buoy) and go past that til you see the water drop from 40 ft. right down to 200ft and more.troll west to east keeping an eye on the depths(it comes up quick). mark your fishfinder with waypoints of the dropoff till you get comfortable.Afew east west, west east passes and you will get a good idea of where to be.The bar can be very good at times but does have its own challenges. It can be mossy and grassy at times if the river is "molting", but can be worth the effort. My biggest kings have come off the bar in mid july.Good luck!

[jigstick]

Im starting to get pumped up.  I need to get some more Spindoctors and Flys.  I have a good selection of spoons. It seems I'm reading that most people start out in the early morning running glow and UV spoons down deep.  And as the sun comes up they get away from the glow baits and switch to greens, blacks, or whatever is hitting.  Is that a good strategy?

 

I have green dot, 42nd, pearl glow, wonder bread, and MTN Dew spin doctors.  I have a 42nd and Green Hammer fly.  Can you guys recommend some other Spindoctor + Fly  combos that may be appropriate for this time of year?  I want to make to buy the right stuff as money is tight for me at the moment.

[tove12345]

We always have the froggy spin doc out.Sometimes 2 or 3. love the frog !!try the hammer fly or twinkie meat rig behing it.Good luck!!

[Gill-T]

I have glow in the water all day long.

[jigstick]

So It looks like Im going to get a chance to get out to Olcott this Saturday!  I hope the fleas have died down.  My rigger rods are spooled with 15lb Seaguar Flouro Invisx mainline.  Two years ago I don't remember having a horrible time with the fleas as long as I checked my rods every 25min or so.

 

Is it worth it to spool up my two extra Diawa 47LC's with some 30lb BIg Game if Im going to be running flashers and flys off of them?  If I wanted to run a spoon off 30lb Big Game, should I splice in a flouro leader at the end of the Mono to attach the spoon?

 

I want to keep at least two of my rods with just the Seaguar 15lb Flouro on them in case I want to use them as stackers.  

 

People think Im nuts for running light line like I do.  But Ive never had a problem with break offs.  Im just super anal about my drag settings.

[Gill-T]

Do not run flashers with 15 fluoro unless you want to get rid of some gear.  Rig up with 30 lb.  This is big gear time.  The fish are aggressive, they are getting their teeth and the big ones are showing up now.  Salmon do not care about 30 lb test.  With the green water green line is all but invisible 100' down.

[jigstick]

30lb Suffix be ok?  Not sure if the Gander Mountain or Field and Stream in Erie sell Bloodrun or Fleaflicker

[Rich D]

Yes 30 lb suffix will be just fine, that's all I run for my salmon rigs. Good Luck,

Capt Rich

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