Niagara whirlpool

Hey everyone, I haven't fished the whirlpool for steelhead and lakers in a year or so and am wondering about the conditions. I heard the water is up higher this year but would like to not have to throw on the waders to walk the whole bend, so any input on that would be nice. Also just how's the action.

Thanks, Chris

Should be good to go. Water is jsut beginning to coll down enough to pull fish into river

Don't be fishing for lakers since they are closed as of Sept. 30 until Jan. 01

As for water levels, it's almost back to normal, but wades would be a help.

the water is lower now, especially now that the the power plants on both sides are taking off more water for the winter season. I would never suggest wading ever in the lower niagara river - especially in the whirlpool area.

Laker is actually opening Dec 1 there:
http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-en..._20_English.pdf

Thanks for the info guys, I'll give it a shot this weekend. Also I forgot that the laker season is closed, I always wanna fish legally.

Laker is actually opening Dec 1 there:
http://files.ontario.ca/environment-and-en..._20_English.pdf

My bad. They are closed now though.....just didn't want him to make a mistake.

umm, the power plants have nothing to do with water level.

The power plants have a ton to do with the flow. They take water off to fill the reservoirs from the upper Niagara. The reservoirs feed the hydro plants during the day when tourism is higher.

Are they not CANDU units in the power plants? They take a lot of water in and return it to the lake. Regulations say they have to return almost as much as they pull in, with a delta temp of 11C. So its not like they pull the water and keep it. The water used from the lake goes directly into the condensers, which are used to turn steam back to water, then returned to the lake at an elevated temperature. There are 2 closed loop systems in the power plants. Lake water has nothing to do with tourism...... but what do I know.
This is also why you will see boats fishing the outlet channels at the plants. Warmer water is returned to the lake.

I dont know who controls the water but the water depth does fluctuate during the day. I've left my backpack near the waters edge and almost had it swept away. A couple of times, i keep forgeting the water rises and falls depending on time of day.

MP---you are quite confused. No Candu anywhere near Niagara. It generates elec thru the power of falling water. The temp increases very little if at all. The stations are limited in how much they take during the day. Tourism gets priority. During most of the nite they can run more or less full tilt. At that time some water is pumped to a reservoir to be used during the day. The daytime levels will fluctuate depend on the demand on the system---goes up at breakfast time and dinner time, but there are many other factors as you can imagine.

yep, seen the water level go up and down 4 feet withing a couple of hours.sometimes less.

You have to pay attention at all times. every year guys get stranded on rocks or lose equipment.

The mighty Niagara

Candu reactors are nuclear energy. The generators in Niagara on the river have been there before Candu reactors were ever built. They are water powered as stated above and use gravity and water to turn generators.

I found some hard figures on line from m the power authority.

50% of water that could go over Niagara Falls is diverted for power generation during the summer months between 9pm and 8am. 75% during the winter months between 9pm and 8am. That’s why you can cast and fish during the day where you were actually standing at 6am in the morning.

https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/blog/ni...ater-diversion/

Who though the hydro electric didn’t effect the water going over the falls? Amazing how many people really don’t know how things work around them.

I wade the lower all the time, it's the only way to fish some of the more productive drifts, current is not a problem at all in the lower sections

correct. sorry, my bad.
I am heading out to Walmart to by a globe as I was confused to where i was there for a bit.
the boat is put away and there is no ice yet. and the whiskey is low.
sorry boys.