Need info - Nipigon River Salmon fishing!

[jordanl 0]

Evening all! 

 

Im looking for some help, last year I tried fishing the nipigon river off shore for salmon, it was mid - late fall  with no luck. 

Tackle used was - Rapala J13's. No bait used

They were biting as other people had caught a few before I got there. 

I want to head up soon and try again, i know to stick with the j13's tigers, I'm hoping someone can give me some info on for these questions. 

 

-Best time to be out there? AM ? PM ? 

-Are they running/ best week to get out there ?

-Bait ? Egg Sacks? Type?

-Any other areas around Nipigon other then the Alexander Dam boat launch area?

 

Thank you ! 

 

 

 

[Snag??? 173]

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[Feldwebel Wolfenstool 80]

....September 11, Alexander's.  Yes, I do believe that is an Atlantic Salmon.

[sport 25]

I normally fish from a boat . But people do fish at the gas pipe line crossing which is down stream a few hundred yards . They also fish from the rocks at the lookout deck which is around the corner upstream from the landing . DO bring a net and ensure u have a full spool of line !! They will run your entire spool out when they are in the current 👍. J-13 or J-11 as Snag has mentioned . Any colour is good 😊 I typically use Fire Tiger , minnow , rainbow , orange etc . Those salmon have seen every colour . If that does not work , I’ll spend 50% of my time with spoons . Any brand with blue/silver , red/silver , etc . Larger spoons of course for casting and a quick retrieve so u don’t get snagged 👍 if u need some pics of my lures , send me a text or email. Enjoy. Also , I’m sure the salmon are starting to run now ! 🤞🏻

The Kam River also gets a run of salmon and pinks all the way up to the Whitefish River .. We do catch them in the Wolf River from the highway down to the train trestle. Spoons again 😜

[Zackcorbin1401 542]

1 hour ago, Feldwebel Wolfenstool said:

....September 11, Alexander's.  Yes, I do believe that is an Atlantic Salmon.

The top one looks like a pink salmon

[kbrest 151]

Top is pink, bottom looks like pink or coho.

Neither are Atlantic

[Feldwebel Wolfenstool 80]

57 minutes ago, kbrest said:

Top is pink, bottom looks like pink or coho.

Neither are Atlantic

..no hump, bright red flesh.  I seem to remember studying it a bit, and came up with Atlantic.

[Zackcorbin1401 542]

15 minutes ago, Feldwebel Wolfenstool said:

..no hump, bright red flesh.  I seem to remember studying it a bit, and came up with Atlantic.

The male pinks have the hump, fresh pinks will have very nice meat. Absolutely crush them in the river they swim around in big schools, slip bobber and minnow kills Em. Atlantic’s don’t die after spawning and that top one is on its way out ☠️ 

[Snag??? 173]

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[Noah santorelli 14]

7 hours ago, Zackcorbin1401 said:

The male pinks have the hump, fresh pinks will have very nice meat. Absolutely crush them in the river they swim around in big schools, slip bobber and minnow kills Em. Atlantic’s don’t die after spawning and that top one is on its way out ☠️ 

Tell me about it I tired it a few years back; they were going nuts I had whole schools chasing a jig with a minnow 

[kbrest 151]

10 hours ago, Feldwebel Wolfenstool said:

..no hump, bright red flesh.  I seem to remember studying it a bit, and came up with Atlantic.

The males get the hump. They both look like female Pinks. Top one 100% is female pink thats in full spawn mode. Bottom one I'm certain is a fresher female pink but it also looks a bit like a small Coho. But neither are an Atlantic Salmon.

[AB 98]

Those fish in the picture are both Pink salmon. One fresh in from the lake and one that's been in the river for a while.

Pink's are pretty easy to distinguish by their large eyes, and large spots on their back and tails. 

Atlantics normally have two or three spots on their cheek plates and are easily confused with a lake run brown trout. One thing about the spots on an Atlantic Vs a lake run Brown is a Brown Trout has round spots, an Atlantic has X shaped markings. 

 

Now getting to techniques on the lower Nipigon. One method that gets overlooked here is running bucktail and maribou jigs suspended under a float - something used all the time out west for Chum and Chinooks, but easily adapted to fish pinks here. 

 

Start with an adjustable float that can hold up a 1/4 to 3/8oz bucktail jig. The jig colour is up to you to figure out. Purple and Blacks, or black and chartreuse have been good in the past for Chinooks. 

 

Run the main line through the  float and terminate at a barrel swivel. Attach a lighter leader about 2 to 3 ft long and tie on the jig.  Set the float anywhere from three to six feet above the swivel. (If you find you aren't getting the jig down deep enough or quickly, put a piece of pencil lead on the mainline above the swivel.

 

Fire the rig out upstream and jig it as it floats down stream. This gets the jig moving up and down, especially when the float is below the angler. When the float goes down set the hook and hang on.

 

You can modify this rig for Pinks just by reducing the size of your float and jig to 1/8 to 1/4oz. I like red or pink maribou jigs for pinks. 

 

This is a fun way to fish, and once you figure out what depth to set your jig at it can be very successful. Its something different that the fish don't see everyday and learn to ignore.

 

Good Luck!

AB

 

[Zackcorbin1401 542]

Myself I will probably give it a go next weekend and see how she goes… haven’t caught a salmon in my 12ft yet and it’s about time. I’m going to throw everything I have at them 🎣 might bring the riggers aswell.

[Snag??? 173]

&

[PkdR 11]

Went 3 times last year. 2 from

shore and 1 from boat. First time there on my 2nd drift was with skein(eggs) I landed a 6lber which was a crazy fun fight in the current. 2nd time got skunked, 3rd time I personally caught nothing but my cousin in the boat hooked into 2 salmon with an X-rap jerk bait Rapala, we lost 1 at the boat and landed the other. Hoping to get back soon

[Fred 30]

Salmon are in the Nipigon river right now. 

[Zackcorbin1401 542]

15 minutes ago, Fred said:

Salmon are in the Nipigon river right now. 

 I keep seeing pictures…. It’s going to be a circus soon. 🐯🦒🦏

[Noah santorelli 14]

On 8/12/2021 at 10:41 AM, AB said:

Those fish in the picture are both Pink salmon. One fresh in from the lake and one that's been in the river for a while.

Pink's are pretty easy to distinguish by their large eyes, and large spots on their back and tails. 

Atlantics normally have two or three spots on their cheek plates and are easily confused with a lake run brown trout. One thing about the spots on an Atlantic Vs a lake run Brown is a Brown Trout has round spots, an Atlantic has X shaped markings. 

 

Now getting to techniques on the lower Nipigon. One method that gets overlooked here is running bucktail and maribou jigs suspended under a float - something used all the time out west for Chum and Chinooks, but easily adapted to fish pinks here. 

 

Start with an adjustable float that can hold up a 1/4 to 3/8oz bucktail jig. The jig colour is up to you to figure out. Purple and Blacks, or black and chartreuse have been good in the past for Chinooks. 

 

Run the main line through the  float and terminate at a barrel swivel. Attach a lighter leader about 2 to 3 ft long and tie on the jig.  Set the float anywhere from three to six feet above the swivel. (If you find you aren't getting the jig down deep enough or quickly, put a piece of pencil lead on the mainline above the swivel.

 

Fire the rig out upstream and jig it as it floats down stream. This gets the jig moving up and down, especially when the float is below the angler. When the float goes down set the hook and hang on.

 

You can modify this rig for Pinks just by reducing the size of your float and jig to 1/8 to 1/4oz. I like red or pink maribou jigs for pinks. 

 

This is a fun way to fish, and once you figure out what depth to set your jig at it can be very successful. Its something different that the fish don't see everyday and learn to ignore.

 

Good Luck!

AB

 

I learned that in bc when I went down hooked some nice chums on jigs🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Snag??? 173]

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[Kory 8]

Is it barbless hooks in the nipigon river?i can’t find it in the regs 

[naden 136]

34 minutes ago, Kory said:

Is it barbless hooks in the nipigon river?i can’t find it in the regs 

Not below Alexander dam

[kbrest 151]

Been fishing Nipigon River for almost 30 years. Since being a little kid with my Dad when we did the fishing festival. It would always get busy that weekend, and it for sure has gotten busier over the years. That doesn't mean I will stop fishing it, its home turf for me. I do it for the fish and the almost “tradition” of fishing it with the ol man. You'll find it harder to catch fish or create new outdoor memories staying in bed lol.

[Snag??? 173]

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[Snag??? 173]

On 8/14/2021 at 6:36 PM, Snag??? said:

 

 

 

[Snag??? 173]

&