Squawfish in Shuswap

fishingmaster2097 · #1 03-22-2012, 05:37 PM

I know that there is squawfish in the shuswap, and I have a few questions on how, and where to catch them:

1. On the Canoe dock (Canoe is a beach name, and they have a dock) I have caught a few fish from there, but not often, I was wondering does anyone have any good tips on how and when to catch them from there?

2. Any specific baits that they like?

3. Any rigs that would be useful?

Thanks for your help and info!
FishingMaster2097

BeeGuy · #2 03-22-2012, 05:42 PM

Medium-small spoons and spinners work well,

or bait.

I'd use a small little cleo. I've caught many NPM's on those as well as the occasional trout/charr.

WayneChristie · #3 03-22-2012, 05:42 PM

bait legal in there? years ago I was using doughballs trying to catch some carp. couldnt get it past the squawfish, they took it every time. they also take spinners as well

fish gunner · #4 03-22-2012, 05:55 PM

power bait can be stupid on pike minnow, cant think why you would want to catch one?? not a very good fight imo.

fishunter77 · #5 03-22-2012, 06:05 PM

We used white marshmallows and could not keep them off years ago.

jacenbeers · #6 03-22-2012, 06:17 PM

I se Deadly Dicks and Kastmasters and catch tons of squawfish when I am in BC

Lornce · #7 03-22-2012, 06:23 PM

Micro jigs or flies on a fly rod. Was there last summer and couldn't keep them off.

Rick. · #8 03-22-2012, 08:01 PM

Full sink line and a leech pattern and you'll be into them all day. No bait is allowed on the Shuswap and only single barbless hooks. Have fun. Rick.

Dust1n · #9 03-22-2012, 08:16 PM

Full sink line and a leech pattern and you'll be into them all day. No bait is allowed on the Shuswap and only single barbless hooks. Have fun. Rick.

x2 that is deadly!
Also wireworms, and double scuds

Brandon5555 · #10 03-22-2012, 08:34 PM

On the southwestern arm you can hug the shore with essentially any fly, smaller spoons, spinners and almost any bait (check regs). I remember when I was 10 years old, the first fish I caught on a fly was a whitefish on that arm.

Lornce · #11 03-23-2012, 08:56 AM

they sure aren't picky, you can catch em with a fly rod till you can't hold up your arm any more.

Pudelpointer · #12 03-23-2012, 09:24 AM

Funny story:

Get a call last summer from my best friend. We have fished together since we were 5 or 6, so about 35 years.

He works in the medical field, and is an avid outdoorsman, but he fishes mostly for food and isn't really interested in fish biology / management.

Anyway, he calls and says he caught a weird fish in a Cariboo area lake, and he is pretty sure it is a Walleye. "Walleye?!? Can't be. Mind you there are smallmouth bass 75 km north but.... can't be!"

He describes it to me and I say it sounds like a Squawfish (AKA Northern Pile Minnow). He says it can't be because a couple of the old timers at the lake say they have caught lots of Squawfish and it isn't one. Says he will send me a photo.

Couple days later I get an email with attached photo. Just about fell out of my chair laughing. Nice sized Squawfish.

My buddy didn't think it was very funny.

nekred · #13 03-23-2012, 09:54 AM

years ago we sused to accidently drop a few loaves of bread off of end of dock...

Then get a couple of old rods and tie a bout and 8' of line and hook with doughball on it an hour later and we would drop hock in water...get bite rip fish out of water and chuck on bank behind use.... total pest fish at the time... but then we would use them for garden fertiliser for rosebushes...worked well..

marlin1 · #14 03-23-2012, 09:56 AM

i WAS GETTING THEM ON WORMS WHILE TROUT FISHING ok LAKE

ÜberFly · #15 03-23-2012, 09:57 AM

SHUSWAP LAKE
(see maps below)
(includes Little Shuswap Lake, that
part of South Thompson River between
Shuswap Lake and Little Shuswap
Lake, Seymour, Anstey and Salmon
arms and Mara Lake unless
stated otherwise)
3-26 No ice fishing
No fishing from line between signs on Murdock and Semaphore points, to Hwy#1 bridge, Mar 15-May 31 (see map C below)
No fishing in the entire area north of Albas, Mar 15-May 31 (see map B below)
No fishing Mar 15-May 31, and rainbow trout and char release, June 1-Mar 14, in the waters lying west of a line between signs
at Henstridge Road and Wharf Road to a line between signs on the south and north shores of Little Shuswap Lake (see map A
below)
Rainbow trout daily quota = 1 (none under 50 cm), annual quota = 5
Char daily quota = 1 (none under 60 cm), annual quota = 5
Bait ban, single barbless hook
Conservation Surcharge Stamp required to catch and keep rainbow trout over 50 cm or char over 60 cm

Brandon5555 · #16 03-23-2012, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ÜberFly

SHUSWAP LAKE
(see maps below)
(includes Little Shuswap Lake, that
part of South Thompson River between
Shuswap Lake and Little Shuswap
Lake, Seymour, Anstey and Salmon
arms and Mara Lake unless
stated otherwise)
3-26 No ice fishing
No fishing from line between signs on Murdock and Semaphore points, to Hwy#1 bridge, Mar 15-May 31 (see map C below)
No fishing in the entire area north of Albas, Mar 15-May 31 (see map B below)
No fishing Mar 15-May 31, and rainbow trout and char release, June 1-Mar 14, in the waters lying west of a line between signs
at Henstridge Road and Wharf Road to a line between signs on the south and north shores of Little Shuswap Lake (see map A
below)
Rainbow trout daily quota = 1 (none under 50 cm), annual quota = 5
Char daily quota = 1 (none under 60 cm), annual quota = 5
Bait ban, single barbless hook
Conservation Surcharge Stamp required to catch and keep rainbow trout over 50 cm or char over 60 cm

Ah classic, looks like fly fishing might be your best friend!

Bigdad013 · #17 03-30-2012, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon5555

On the southwestern arm you can hug the shore with essentially any fly, smaller spoons, spinners and almost any bait (check regs). I remember when I was 10 years old, the first fish I caught on a fly was a whitefish on that arm.

No bait allowed....

Brandon5555 · #18 03-30-2012, 10:15 AM

Whoops my bad. I meant you can catch the squaws on any bait pretty much lol.

Mariko's Rod · #19 03-30-2012, 01:46 PM

Ive cought hundreds in Mara lake from the dock and trolling around. Any Len Thompson spoon with a super slow retrieve you will get bored of catching them.

Bigdad013 · #20 03-30-2012, 04:26 PM

Just wondering why you would want to catch them, you still need a license to catch them, why not go for game fish or something you can eat. Just truly wondering....

BeeGuy · #21 03-30-2012, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigdad013

Just wondering why you would want to catch them, you still need a license to catch them, why not go for game fish or something you can eat. Just truly wondering....

To each their own, no?

I'm going to be shore fishin around st. Ives in 2 weeks.

Anyone have any suggestions????

Never fished it before.

Bigdad013 · #22 03-30-2012, 05:11 PM

Never fished from shore out there, but any trout lures should work.
I'll be out there as well again, fishing is really good right now

BeeGuy · #23 03-30-2012, 05:16 PM

You got a boat?

Where abouts do you normally fish there?

What kind of depths this time of year?

Mostly targeting rainbows, bulls/Dolly's, and lakers?

Albertafisher · #24 03-30-2012, 06:20 PM

Evil Weevils work amazingly according to my friend.

BeeGuy · #25 03-30-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertafisher

Evil Weevils work amazingly according to my friend.

Thanks for that. I'll have to find a river mouth or something so I'm not casting off the beach (assuming St. Ives is beach front?).

Cheers

Bigdad013 · #26 03-30-2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

You got a boat?

Where abouts do you normally fish there?

What kind of depths this time of year?

Mostly targeting rainbows, bulls/Dolly's, and lakers?

Normally this time of year we are trolling quite deep in the 130 ft range. Some guys have been hitting some nice rainbows in 20 fow in the last week. I find the middle of the lake this time of year is most productive. We generally fish the east arms and occasionally through cinamousin narrows and head south. Good luck from shore, sorry I don't have much info on that.

BeeGuy · #27 03-30-2012, 10:18 PM

No worries, not the first time I'll be fishing from the edge.