Salmon

                    Chinook or King Salmon                                             Coho Salmon

                                                              Atlantic Salmon

General Information

• Usually around late July, the large chinook (20lb+) will have started staging off the river mouths along the north shore between Ajax and Burlington (especially rivers west of Mississauga like the Credit, Sixteen Mile Creek, and Bronte because, over the years, more salmon have been planted in this area than the area around the Bluffs). These fish gradually work their way west from the eastern part of the lake (hence bigger salmon are caught first at places like Port Weller) and from across the lake from the southern shores. During July, these fish will hang around feeding wherever the bait fish happen to be. Normally in August, the bigger 3 year salmon will stop feeding and start turning black in preparation for their last run up their "home" river.As the water warms up, the concentration of big salmon will gradually increase and   chances of hooking a few will increase accordingly. John C has been catching fish in 300' - 400' of water about 8 to 10 miles out from Bluffers. I believe the warmer water he is finding out there is the Niagara current coming from the Niagara River. Quite often, large chinook are caught in these waters
• To distinguish between male and female, note the pronounced jaw and exaggerated features of the male during the spawning run. All male salmon display these features during this time of year, no matter what species. The females don't change their body shape all that much aside from being fat with eggs. If you have them side by side, you won't have much trouble once you've been able to compare. Should you catch these same fish in the spring or summer the difference is less obvious. As with most fish....the females are the better fighters and usually give you the most problems.
• Identifying Atlantic Salmon. Small fish (pre-smolts and parr, 4 to 10 inches): 1. vertical bars with 1 red dot between each bar on the lateral line. Browns have numerous scattered dots and steelhead have a red stripe along the lateral line. 2. The anal fin should have 9 to 13 rays. Steelhead and other salmonids tend to have 13 to 20 anal rays, depending on the species. Adults: Males tend to have a pronounced kype, much more than a brown trout. Atlantic salmon also look very similar to brown trout, except they usually have fewer dots and have a more stream-lined body. The tail is also forked slightly, while a brown trout has a straight tail. Atlantics usually have 5 to 30 large black dots on each side including a few large dots on their gill plate. The only way to confirm identity is to count the anal fin rays (same as smolts). Atlantics have no marks on their adipose fin (small fin behind the dorsal fin), while browns have orange marks and steelhead have small black dots

Lake Ontario - Offshore

• It is usually good starting July 1st to labour day.The first three weeks of August are the best, don't be affraid to start fishing in 50ft. of water and always check out the dropoff at the Scaroborough filtration plant.
• (Spring)  Burlington Canal. The area of the north shore running along Burlington Beach and up toward Stoney Creek is productive. The  thing to watch for is the water temperature (wait for a couple of warm weeks, for the surface water to heat up). Around this time Chartreuse J11, rapalas work well on both browns and chinooks. Use Bomber baits in the same colour or NK 28's in blue-silver, silver-green combos. Make sure to keep your leads long  (200ft or so) as fish tend to spook close to shore, or use your planer boards.
• (Fall) Stay in tight, don't go out much further than the drop-off, and keep an eye on the weather. Bluffers is at the bottom of Brimley Road in Scarborough, but the Leslie spit has been a good spot to fish lately and you're better off launching close to spit.
• (Fall) Start at Ashbridges and stay close to the spit. This should be good unless the wind is coming from the East or South. Also, it's just a short run to the drop-off in front of the filtration plant. The mouth of the Credit should be good in good weather as well. Some fish it within a km. of the Ridgetown and do well.
• (Spring) Fifty Point is a marina at Winona, Ontario which is between Hamilton and Grimsby. The four-legged monster is a scientific research platform located offshore near Van Wagner's Beach (i.e., the Hamilton Beach). If driving the QEW Niagara, you can see it out in the water just after you come off the Skyway bridge. In spring, lake trout, browns, rainbows, and coho are close to shore - say 30 feet of water and less. Flat line with planner boards and plugs (e.g . J13 rapalas, bombers, etc.) and slow action spoons. The chinook are out between 40 - 60 feet. Downriggers set at 15-25 feet. Same types of lures.
• (Spring) Try between the 4-legged monster and Fifty Point. You'll also do well offshore from Chipman's  anywhere from 35' to 70' bumping stick-baits on bottom.
• (Spring) The drop off is directly south of Bluffers and runs parallel to the shore over to past the filtration plant. At least that is where it is most pronounced. Depths change from about 70' to about 180' in a matter of about 100 metres. It's like another set of Scarborough bluffs but under water. In terms of distance, its about 2.5 miles out in the lake. When we talk of "the dropoff" we are likely referring to the part of the entire dropoff that is directly in front of the filtration plant as this is where it is the steepest.
• Cut bait. A cut bait rig  is a very effective way to fish. You can find the cut bait harnessess in any Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops catalog. You can get frozen herring strips from the "salmon shop" in Oswego, NY. Fish the harness behind an 8 inch long dodger. The dodger will wobble from side to side and the herring harness will slowly rotate in a circle. The salmon can see, feel and, most important, smell it.
• The 4 Sisters is the hydro plant on Lake Ontario near the foot of Dixie Road, Etobicoke.
• Burlington Beach Trolling.  The best colour by far is chartreuse. All we do is flatline, so lures are just ticking along bottom and we troll dead slow. Confederation is just a few hundred meters from the shipping canal, towards Stoney Creek.
• Burlington Beach Trolling.  Confederation Park is located near the end of hwy 20 and the QEW. It is located on Van Wagner"s Beach Road. It is about 2 1/2 miles long. You must troll south east from the mouth of the ship canal.
• Port Dalhousie (St. Catharines) If you trailer your boat, exit Ontario St. N; straight thru at the stop sign at Lakeshore Rd. and then a quick left onto Lighthouse Rd. Ramp is on your left only 100 m ahead.

Fishing From Shore

• Spoons are the most popular lure for shorebound anglers, however try Storm Thundersticks, Rapala Husky 13's, and Bomber Long A's, are the most productive lures to use at this time of the year, especially for browns. As long as you can cast these lures far enough, they will in most cases outproduce spoons. Nevertheless, never underestimate spoons. They do provide a few advantages compared to stickbaits. Generally speaking they can be cast further, and in most cases are a lot more versatile. You can cast and retrieve, stop and retrieve, cast and vertically jig them all the way back, and they will go a lot deeper than stickbaits. Try Little Cleo's , Mepp's Cyclop's, or Luhr Jenson Krocodile's.
• Most years, the Chinooks start to come in around Labour Day weekend with the big runs coming in late September to early October. It all depends on waterflow (rain) and river temperature. A favourite spot is the Credit River at Erindale Park. But it gets very crowded on the weekends when the fish are in. There is a park entrance at Dundas on the west side of the Credit as well as an entrance on the north east corner of Burnhamthorpe and the Credit (there is a dirt road on the north side of the lights that goes down to the parking lot). If the fish are holding, it will be at Burnhamthorpe and down to the Claybanks (15 minute) walk. It's closed north of Burnhampthorpe to fishing. The Credit has the most chinook in terms of sheer numbers.The Credit gets really muddy so wait 2 to 3 days after a good rain so that it greens out. The Bronte also has some good runs.
• Cast spoons such as cleo's, or anything with enough weight to cast a good distance from shore. Fishing picks up the last week of August, and on into September. You may be surprised with a mixed bag of rainbows, browns and salmon.
• In August, the salmon will be staging at the rivermouths before their spawning run. You should do well by casting assorted spoons, and sometimes prepared roe. The Credit river is a hotspot.
• (Fall) Lakeview is open year round. You can cast lures, float roe off the bottom or use floats with salted minnows There is plenty of parking both at the skimmer and out at the gap.  Water depth is approx 6 ft inside at the skimmer, 10 to 12 feet out at the gap, 6 feet around the boat docks. The plant isn't running very much any more. You need really cold weather to get things to pick up there.
• Ganaraska. Egg sucking leeches and wooly buggers work well. I've had good success with both these patterens tied on #8 steamer hooks. I find that you have to get the fly right in front of the salmon's face to get them to take.
• Wilmot Creek. Use orange mesh in clear water, and brighter colours like chartreuse for more murky conditions.