Steelhead and Brook trout for a beginner

Hey guys, I'm a teen in the Wasaga Beach area and I'm trying to get into fishing. I have a 6'6 ugly stik spinning rod and I've been trying out some of the lakes and rivers around here with no success. I've caught some fish up north but I'm pretty inexperienced. I'm particularly interested in catching steelhead but any fish is good at this point. I've tried the nottawasaga a few times, at the mouth and further upriver. I now have some roe and pink worms and am experimenting with drift fishing, maybe that will work out better. Any basic tips for a beginner? What times of day are best for steelies this time of year? Is my rod too flimsy for steelhead? Is the nottawasaga still good fishing around now? Any other rivers you can recommend for after the opener?

Also, I'm going on a canoe trip (with my camp) on the kesagami river to james bay this summer and some buddies who've done it tell me there's lots of brook trout up there. I got a few tips from them but I realize there are brook trout in Southern Ontario and I want to target some in order to get some experience with brookies before my trip. I understand that most people are very secretive about their favourite brook trout water so I want to be clear that I'm not asking for your secret spots but just some tips on how to target these beautiful fish as well as how to find/access productive waters.

Thanks for helping a new fisherman out

Hi.

So some good news and some bad news

Done that trip a few time and you don't have to be an expert to catch brook trout on any of the rivers that flow into James or Hudsons Bay


The bad news is that of right now all crown land camping, fires and provincial parks are closed until further notice due to Covid 19

Your trip takes you through Polar Bear Provincial Park, so I would be checking all of the above very carefully if you plan to go


Hopefully, the closures will be lifted by then, but you and your group should be aware


correction, for whatever reason I thought you were heading to Sutton River, don't know how I got that mixed up, so apologies, but the restrictions still apply to your outing for the summer for now

The exact same situation for me man! I'm very experienced with warm water species but I'm new to the trout/salmon world.

look at my posts, some great people tried to point me in the right direction with steelhead. some good tips I think.

I'm not going to the busy banks this spring though not worth the risk.

Goodluck man, hope you get on em next trip, Wish I could help

Thanks Longshank, I'm not personally planning the trip, its up to the administrators at my camp, but in the unfortunate event that the parks are still closed in august when my trip starts then I'm sure it will not take place. We will be paddling through Kesagami Provincial Park and the rest of it is crown land so I'm sure the same thing applies. Let's just hope things are better by then.
Stay safe,

KS

@Donny135, I think I have seen some of your posts and there's some really great information out there. So far at least in the places I've been, I haven't seen any other fishermen around although there is (unfortunately) plenty of evidence of them left behind such as line, roe, floats, etc. This crisis seems to have everyone spooked! I don't blame you, there's definitely good reason to stay home but I wouldn't say the banks are crowded, quite the opposite in fact. Then again I haven't caught any fish yet so I might be in the wrong places! If you're an experienced fisherman with warm water species then any tips about that would be welcome. What species do you target this time of year? What lakes/areas are best? I don't have a boat so its strictly shore fishing for me. Also, I have this question about the time of day that I couldn't find any answers to online. Common wisdom has it that fishing is best in the morning and evening, but seeing as its so cold this time of year is it better at midday? Do other factors come into play? (moon?). Does it depend on the species?

Thanks for any help you can provide,

KS

I fished the Brant and Sutton river that flow into Hudson’s bay. Fishing wasn’t the priority of the trip but between work I was just casting panther martins and little Cleo the brook trout loved it

x2, yep, there's very little they don't hit there and fishing is incredable

K, Bocza, when the enforced house rest period is over give me a call. I’ll get you up to speed on the Center pin/ float fishing for steel and salmon.

@Tailfin that's really nice, thanks a lot. I have a spinning rod and not a centerpin though. From what I've read that's still OK for steelhead?

With the eqpt you have I think casting spoons and spinners would be a better choice. Quite a number of people use just that.I haven't caught many and these days don't fish the river a lot but that is what I use.

I am a bit adverse to float fishing.I like the aggressive smash hit that I get with 'hardware'.

(I remember being at Denny\s dam a few years back. Float fishermen were standing shoulder to shoulder up near the dam whipping the water into a froth. I didn't see them catch anything but I noticed a guy further down had one tied on. I asked him what he caught it on.His answer---Daredevil!!! )

I use what the situation calls for. Spinning or Center pin. (Don’t forget, them fish never read all the books we did) so let them decide and you will be fine.

If your summer trip goes ahead, I sincerely hope your camp counsellors or guides have the brains to think of bringing a 12 gauge shotgun. There's so many black bears and polar bears along that route.

I live closer to Orillia so I normally fish lake Couchiching and the Green River. I only go to Wasaga for trout/salmon.

So when It comes to finding a new spot use this app called fish brain. Just use it like google maps except it will show you catches if there any reported in the water body your looking at. I have found many great spots using this technique.

Now for this time of year, not many warm-water species are open. but once pike opens I fine time of day isn't a huge factor but the water temp is. this is pretty common knowledge but shallow bays/rivers will be warmest first. this is where your gonna find pike and with no boat, stick to rivers.

Usually, I find largemouth in the same spots (once they are open of course). I throw wacky-rigs and jerk baits usually for bass but that will get you plenty of pike as well, of course, they are not very picky.

Well, this is what I've learnt over my short career of fishing so far and I've had plenty of success. if any of this information seems off I apologize its just what I've picked up over the years.

Good Luck, Hope this helps!

Thanks Donny135, I'll definitely try the fishbrain app out. Thanks for the clarification on time of day/water temperature. And the tips for warmwater species are great too. I really like using crankbaits/jerkbaits and caught my first pike on one last summer. Can't wait to find the sweet spots once the season opens and the restrictions are lifted.

Tight lines,

K.S.

@Limacharley, I'm actually not sure what the protocol on this is. One of our Bay Trips (the trip i'm doing) a few years back had a bad run-in with a bear and had to be evacuated. I think he stole all their food and was threatening the group but I'm not sure of all the details. So they don't go on that specific river anymore although i don't know if that will really solve the problem. I don't think they carry a gun but I'm not sure.