Fishing Northshore rivers

[adaylate]

I would like to try fishing at some river mouths but have noticed in past trips that most people are using flyrods.Is it a waste of time to be casting crankbaites?I don't own a flyrod so any info would be appreciated.i.e:Type of crankbaites,size,color.Is 10# line ok?

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[Northlander]

Cranks are a bit tough at times due to wind. They just dont get out that far unless your dragging them through a river mouth with some flow. I as do Most guys throw spoons. Cleos and Crocks are mainstays.You can really whip them out there on a 9.5'-11' shore rod. I like a long rod with moderate action and a soft tip. That way you can use it for whippin spoons or drowning a crawler/spawn. I really like spoons in gold/orange or silver/blue but on some days solid orange, pink, chart or even white will work. Other than spoons a floating rig with a spawn sack, crawler or even waxies at times will catch fish. Also a Ross Bobber with a looper bug under it a few feet with waxies, piece of crawler or gulp will also work. Marine General is a must stop if your going to hit the north shore. They have EVERYTHING you will need and the guys are knowledgable about the bite. Talk to Justin, Russ or Corey and if they arent sure they will find out for ya. The spoon wall is a site to see if you havent seen it before.

[adaylate]

Thanks Northlander,where is Marine General located?

[shogun]

Okay, I have a question. I always thought that you could NOT use treble hooks within 100 yards of any point where a tributary entered the lake. So casting spoons you have to switch out the treble and use a single hook. And I know someone who was actually stopped for this by the game warden because they did not know. But, I have heard it both ways from other fishermen, they claim that you CAN use treble hook spoons right in the mouth of the river as long as you are not in the river itself. I have found spoons right in the mouth with treble hooks wedged in the rocks while wading. Anyone have a 100% sure answer here? I couldn't find it in the regs either.

[DEADhead]

All it says on page 22 of the Regulations is that:

"Anglers are restricted to a single hook only - no treble hooks - on Lake Superior tributary streams and rivers up to the posted boundaries."

no mention of stream mouths....

you could switch out the treble for a single hook to be safe no matter what.

[upnorth]

You can use trebles in the lake at the river mouth, just not in the river.

[Northlander]

I always went by 1 rod within that distance of the mouth, never no trebles. No trebles in the streams. I have watched guys cast spoons with trebles right at river mouths for years, some when DNR was there and never had anyone question it.

[upnorth]

I have fished and watched other fish spoons with trebles at the river mouth at the French while the DNR was making a pass and nothing said or anyone ticketed. But as Northlander said you can only fish 1 rod within 100yds of a river mouth on the North Shore.

[SKIPPERS KID]

When the river hits the lake it is ok the river stops when it hit's the shore line of the lake you can use trebles on your lure. well hope some fish show up soon.

[Capt.Blaine]

Bump

[Crickschop04]

Okay guys I'm going to be up near Lutsen Oct 8th thru the 11th. What are my fishing options??? My wife will probably not want to cast, only watch a line. My one goal is to catch a fish. I'm not sure about regs. and what I can use. Anything will be useful.

[bigfish21]

If your in the rivers its a single hook only. no trebles. your options are basically salmon. king, pink, coho. I would use flies in bright colors but if the fish are not fresh they probably won't bite so hope for rain. You will see tons of fish so pick one and start swinging a fly in front of it and stripping it in fast if they are really fresh otherwise slower. If your not a flyfisherman I don't have a clue as what to use. I'm not a big believer in spawn not only because its the fish of the future but also because the salmon are not in the rivers to feed they strike more out of aggression. mabey i'll see you up there

[shogun]

How do you tell the difference between a pink and a coho spawning in the river? Has anyone caught any cohos in any of the rivers? Seems to me it would be pretty tough to tell unless the coho are significantly larger?

[bigfish21]

male pinks have a huge hump on their back and the females tend to be more slender than a coho. I have caught coho in the rivers but not many

[upnorth]

The pinks are going to be pretty small, most are around 15 inches or less and the mature cohos should be over 20 inches. If the water is colored you aren't going to see them at all anyhow and that is what you should be hoping for. The kings and cohos are going to be real spooky in the clear water and not too prone to biting.

Was up camping at Gooseberry and Temperance rivers last week and they were full of pinks, the Temperance had something like 4 kings in the river. The water was so clear and the kings were so spooky anything landing near them drove them off. Really need some rain!!!!

[Surface Tension]

Crickschop04, you can fish the Poplar river in Lutsen. Once there you'll see the old generator, that pool you'll fish. If you want to catch pinks and coho use the flies already mentioned. Someone asked about spoons and plugs in the rivers. If you used a single hook that be fine but the problem is on the North Shore rivers is lack of flow and depth for a spoon to be effective. On the big rivers in AK Pixie spoons are hot for coho, their use on N'shore rivers would be useless. Large spin-n-glows with a chunk of spawn are one the of the top Chinook baits in AK but again are tough to impossible to use when your drift is short on our rivers. I use streamer flies and coho flies in the fast water and if I'm in a pool I'll use spawn. Salmon aren't in the rivers to feed, they'll try and spawn and then die. If they strike its a reaction. I lot of fished that are hooked are a result of a salmon tendency to constantly open and shut their mouth and the line or fly ends up there.

They've also seen a bazillion flies come ripping past them by now and are spooked.

If your wife will be joining you and isn't into drifting flies and spawn you could set her up with a weighted bobber and spawn or a bottom rig with floating spawn sacks off the river mouth and you can cast spoons. Low light hours would be your best bet there.

Or get her positioned at the head of a pool or hole with a small spin-n-glow with spawn. Use enough lead two feet ahead of this rig to keep it on the bottom. She'll have the hold the rod and be ready for hook sets.

Theres a night and day difference between a Pink and Coho.

Check the fish id chart in the regs.

[DEADhead]

Quote:

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I lot of fished that are hooked are a result of a salmon tendency to constantly open and shut their mouth and the line or fly ends up there.

---

that technique is called "lining", or sometimes known as "flossing", "dredging", or "long-lining". There was a good article written about it in the current (Oct/Nov) issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader, debating the merits of this technique and its 'sportsmanship'.

[GunDr]

Gentleman,

My fiance and I are going for a weekend drive up the N. shore this weeked. The rods will be in the truck.

Neither of us have fish the up there, so will the following work for us....

We will have our walleye rods with 10# line. I also have 2 7 ft rods with Ambassedeurs. I've used these for fishing trout in Canada during the spring, from shore.

Will this fishing technique work? Can I use the Ambassedeurs with an egg slip sinker with a spawn sack or crawler? What is this "floating" spawn sack, you speak of?

Will the walleye rods(medium set-up)work with a slip bobber and crawler? Or..will these be sufficiant for casting spoons? I'm not sure if I may be "under tooled".

I live just south of Walker, but originally lived about 30 miles from Milwaukee and shore fish the Big Pond, using the slip sinker method.

If I choose (or recommended) to use spawn sacks, is there a place to pick some up?

I have copied down some of the places that have been recommended to try.

Thanks,

Doug

[Surface Tension]

You rods will work fine for chucking spoons. A floating spawn sack has small Styrofoam beads or a mini marshmallow in it to float the sack when using the slinky or slip sinker rig.

[upnorth]

For spawn you could try Marine General or Fishermans Corner. There are probably other bait shops that have them but I am not sure who else would have them.

[fishface]

Haven't heard much from Lake Superior lately. I managed one short trip a couple weeks ago and got to see and catch some of the pinks. Very fun! I'm also very new at this and really like listening in on your conversations reports and advice. I think that's why I could actualy get some to bite my chart/white clouser. I never saw any other kinds of fish though. I did see a guy catch a rainbow about 13" and a whitefish on a chunk of crawler from the lake. Would anything be going in the next month or so? Thanks for all the info, and storys.