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Jelly Belly

Salmon 2017

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naden

Trolled in front of the breakwall for a few hours tonight and struck out. Lots of orange buoys out there, I'm assuming those are commercial nets?

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eyelander

Yes they will be. Usually commercial nets have a flag at each end also.


Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

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Porkchop21

I'm pretty new to downrigging for salmon with being out only a handful of times. Has anyone ever fished little trout bay out hwy 61 for salmon? If so, what time of year usually produces the best? Also when does black bay usually pick up? I have been to black bay twice now with mixed results. 

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pastor norm

Porkchop....Congrats on your salmon set up!  If you got mixed results on Black Bay, you did better than I did!  Water temps in Black Bay were cooler so the bite should pick up very soon if not already.  The waters from Little Trout Bay to the border need to warm up -- usually the end of July.  However, I haven't checked the temps out that way and I've only been Little Trout Bay fishing a couple of time -- all lakers. Though my buds tell me the salmon go into the bay as water warm up.   If anyone is connecting with salmon out that way, let us know.   Otherwise it's Black Bay this week.

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Porkchop21
4 hours ago, pastor norm said:

Porkchop....Congrats on your salmon set up!  If you got mixed results on Black Bay, you did better than I did!  Water temps in Black Bay were cooler so the bite should pick up very soon if not already.  The waters from Little Trout Bay to the border need to warm up -- usually the end of July.  However, I haven't checked the temps out that way and I've only been Little Trout Bay fishing a couple of time -- all lakers. Though my buds tell me the salmon go into the bay as water warm up.   If anyone is connecting with salmon out that way, let us know.   Otherwise it's Black Bay this week.

 

Thanks Pastor Norm! If and when I get out all be sure to post my results. I think I need to invest in a good fish finder, trick is to find bait balls correct? Got all the gear since I do a lot of inland lake trout fishing, just trying to figure out this salmon thing. What kind of temps should I be looking for? 

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pastor norm

I like temperatures between 50-55.  But they can tolerate lower and higher if there's feed close by.  And yes, a good sounder will show you bait, thermoclines, and feedings fish.  I can't imagine fishing without my finder/GPS.

 

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Jelly Belly

I can't help with waters there I'm not familiar with them. It's took me 5 years to develop a pattern here as time goes by as to where they might be. I still go out more times and get nothing then get some. As summer comes on I probe lots and look for 50 degrees of water and troll around that depth up from it and down from it if that helps any. Was working and got out tonight me and my buddy's picked up 2. Tip up I got hour text was working nights I'll call you tomorrow. These where in front of pic river. 18 and 22 down in 40 feet of water running dipsys running candy corn colours. That is a estimate on what we figured the dipsys were down.

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Bottom Bouncer

I have personally not been out on the big lake. Still concentrating on the Walleye and will be this coming weekend. All reports that I have received to this point have been negative in regards to Salmon. Hoping to get out closer to the 19th of June or shortly after. Jelly Belly...Thanks for the info and tips much appreciated. 


REELBAIT

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AB

Swing & Miss in Black Bay - Friday June 9th

 

Worked a lot of water in Black Bay today. Like Wes we found a few lakers but not one salmon on the rods. Water temps are still quite chilly but was able to fish some +50F water. Didn't matter, the lakers were in the sub 50 stuff.

 

Found a lot of dead smelts on the waters surface, scattered over about 25 square kilometers - basically everywhere we fished. Scooped up a bunch and will turn them over to the MNRF next week. Some of them were still twitching. They ranged in size from 2 to 8 inches in length.

 

This is a little disturbing as those smelts are an important food source for the game fish in Black Bay.

 

keep washing lures everyone!

 

AB

 

 

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Jelly Belly

Went out solo tonight. Picked one up on a green monkey puke. Still chilly on the lake when sun starts going down. Had the winter jacket on.

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Dave

Hey guys, great thread, nice fish.  New to Thunder Bay from southern Ontario and would like to try some Salmon fishing on the big lake.  I don't have downriggers but do have dipsy's that I used for trolling Walleye on Lake Erie.  Just wondering what you are using for lures and where's a good place to buy them.

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Jelly Belly

Dave dipsy will work. Nor familiar with thunder bay waters. Great guys on here and then will still head ya in the right direction. There is a salmon thread each year and look back and I'm sure if ya pm them they will help ya along. A nice one picked up Sunday morning.

10464.jpeg

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pastor norm

Dave. Welcome to TB.  Salmon fishing in the area can be frustrating and spotty.  Black Bay to the east used to be a consistent producer but this year it's been extremely slow (at least for me).  The fish will be a little smaller on average than Lake Ontario behemoths.  Dipseys work as will long lines with attached weighs mated to larger rapala cranks imitating smelt in hot colours as well as natural finishes. Spoon colours vary and it's good to have a few to switch up. Blue and silver, green monkey puke, moonshine lures (lots of glow), orange and gold, shoehorn spoons in watermelon produce for me in both magnum and smaller sizes, depending on what the salmon are interested in.  DnR will point examples they have in stock.

 

Let us know how you do.  There are plenty of good launches along north shore. 

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pastor norm

Nice one is right, JB!

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tbayfinn
On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2017 at 9:45 PM, AB said:

Swing & Miss in Black Bay - Friday June 9th

 

Worked a lot of water in Black Bay today. Like Wes we found a few lakers but not one salmon on the rods. Water temps are still quite chilly but was able to fish some +50F water. Didn't matter, the lakers were in the sub 50 stuff.

 

Found a lot of dead smelts on the waters surface, scattered over about 25 square kilometers - basically everywhere we fished. Scooped up a bunch and will turn them over to the MNRF next week. Some of them were still twitching. They ranged in size from 2 to 8 inches in length.

 

This is a little disturbing as those smelts are an important food source for the game fish in Black Bay.

 

keep washing lures everyone!

 

AB

 

 

I used to see dead smelts in Squaw Bay around May-June every year when I was a kid (a few decades ago). I think there were more and larger smelts in general back then in the creeks feeding the bay. I also saw some small floating smelts a couple of weeks ago on the bay and hadn't seen that in quite awhile. 

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pastor norm

I saw a couple of salmon trollers in front of breakwater... no one reporting?

I will go tomorrow and will report....

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Dave

Thanks for the tips.  I'll check out DnR and post up any hits.

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Fisher guy

So what fis can we catch in the break waters in t Bay there guys hopeing to do some late lake trout fishing hear in a couple weeks 

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pastor norm

I was out in front of the breakwater and trolled for 3 hours with my wife, thinking that would change my luck. Nada.  Surface temps were 55 degrees and the water was murky, brown especially at the south end where the Kam River run off heads towards the Welcome Islands.  Marked all sorts of bait and fish, including what I was sure were salmon between 20 - 40 feet down.  I trolled through a large school of fish and saw my downriggers wiggle and bump slightly.  No strikes.

 

Where are the salmon in the Thunder Bay area. Is anyone catching any?   Going to try from Silver Islet next. 

 

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Jelly Belly

One of the three caught tonight. My buddy's dog last fishing trip. Getting put down. Cancer. One last one for kuda to lick.

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pastor norm

sorry to hear it, jb.

My dog goes with me all the time too.,

Has to sniff each fish

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Jelly Belly

Yeah I feel bad for Joel. I'm glad we got some. He was hoping for some salmon. It was nice to get that pic. Another fellow was out he got a eight pounder and a 12.

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Zackcorbin1401

I wish I could go out for salmon one of these days but I don't have a boat for the big lake. Hey if anyone needs a fishing buddy send me a message and id love t join along.

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Jelly Belly

Went out tonight got three. Not big ones with this one being biggest.

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