The Quest for Herring, Windy and Successful Day

Set out with the intention of bagging some herring today. Dropped my wife off at work with the boat in tow, son in the back, and headed to the lake. My lake of choice was nearby home and has a healthy population of herring and big lakers. It’s the same lake I caught my PB laker a couple weeks ago. Laker season being closed, I set my sights exclusive on Herring.

Arrived at the launch on cottage close-out day, lineup of fancy boats coming out one after the other, all getting tucked away for the season. Had to wait for two boats to come out, when it was my turn I launched and was out of the way within 2 minutes, 6 year old in tow. Didn’t want to disrupt the flow.

I booted it to a spot I knew had many herring nearby, a saddle between two points about 40-50fow. Used a variety of lures and presentations, Jigged tiny vibrato and EGB and small Swedish pimple, used the bug for a bit, couldn’t get anything on the big they want commotion and settled on the vibrato. I did get one on Swedish pimple and a couple on EGB, but vibrato was getting smashed most often, they would chase and inhale the lure! Very aggressive in October pre-spawn. Managed 7 herring in the boat and lost 8, got one incidental Laker 19”, released promptly. Glad to say the target fish was the most caught and hooked, didn’t bother too many lakers. Little guy had fun netting the fish, he didn’t feel like jigging today. Fished 11:30-3pm.
Met a guy who cottages there for 35 years and I showed him my catch… said he had never even seen a herring in 35 years! He agreed tree lakers are big though, they have to be eating something!

Going to stockpile a couple dozen over the next couple weeks for the smoker. Fishing is never done!

Every 5 min the graph was like this.

Nice catch...Cool how they are almost identical. I don't fish for those and know nothing about them. How big do Herring get.

Average herring usually 12-16” in these smaller lakes, some lakes I’ve caught them 2-3lbs here, and on Simcoe I’ve got into some as big as 5lbs back in the day when you couldn’t keep them. Pretty dang close to eating a whitefish.

I only target crappie, walleye, bass, and pike. And sometimes muskie for a friend or future client that wants a picture of a big muskie. Thank you for answering my question, it would be fun to fish a new species I just don't have time. And I only really fish Balsam and Sturgeon. Good luck and stay safe. I hope you catch many more for your smoker.

Nice haul, but I’m thinking either your memory or your scale is a little faulty reaching to 5 lbs on a herring. 👍🏽

Definitely a nice haul.

That one must have been a whitefish then.

That's some great spring pike bait!

Herrings... never got them in Ontario. Nicely done