Bait fish

[Captsmate]

Can someone please tell me what the main bait fish is in the lake and st.lawrence. i fished the river last week and came across a giant bait ball that was breaker at the surface.

[finn]

herring

 

[Yankee Troller]

Alewife are the main forage base for Salmon, Trout, and Walleye in Lake Ontario. As far as the St. Lawrence goes I can't comment on that, but I would think it's the same. 

 

That being said there are Smelt, Emerald Shiners, Gizzard Shad, Gobies, Bloaters, and a bunch of other species these fish can munch on.

[Captsmate]

Thank you .

 

[Gill-T]

It was either Alewives or Gizzard Shad if they were bubbling up at surface. We get smelt and emerald shiners migrate into the upper and lower Niagara at certain times of the year. They head back to the lake at some point. I had asked Dr Weidel’s team to investigate alewife numbers in some of the bays along upper St Lawrence and their findings were almost none.  I do find my fish finder shows much more bait after late July and always wondered if what I was seeing was 

additional winter bottom bait going into spawn-summer mode, new YOY alewives or bait coming back from the rivers. I think  what I fall on is the increased bait seen in summer is a little of “all of the above” contributing   

[Captsmate]

Thank you

[GAMBLER]

The biggest food source in the St. Lawrence is more than likely the goby now.


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[spoonfed-1]

3 minutes ago, GAMBLER said:

The biggest food source in the St. Lawrence is more than likely the goby now.


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Yup.

[Captsmate]

Yes im sure they are but they dont form a bait ball..thank you all

[hairbone]

Wouldn’t be surprised if it was all white perch