Nsr 2019

[Kurt505]

Has anyone been out fishing the river before runoff hits? I wasn’t able to get out last year, I’ve been itchin to get out to the river.

[Red Bullets]

Right now is an interesting time to fish. On an April 28th a few years ago I went fishing the NSR with a pickeral rig and I caught at least 30 lingcod. Two at a time. I went the next day and all I caught were more than a dozen rockie mountain whites. Went the next day and all I caught was pike and a couple small male walleye.

This time of year the fish are definitely moving upstream in schools to spawn. By the end of the first week in May I have seen big pike spawning 3 or 4 miles up the tributaries of the NSR.

[Kurt505]

I remember as a kid I caught a pike about 25lbs out of the athabasca river while standing on the ice slabs piled up on the banks. I’ve seen a lot of big walleye come out of the rivers early in the season as well.

[ETOWNCANUCK]

I’m cursed, to not catching a dam thing from this river, anytime I actually do try and fish it.
Of course because of this I don’t really try but a couple of times every year.

Spoons, spinners, jigs, rigs and frozen minnows and nothing.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by ETOWNCANUCK

I’m cursed, to not catching a dam thing from this river, anytime I actually do try and fish it.
Of course because of this I don’t really try but a couple of times every year.

Spoons, spinners, jigs, rigs and frozen minnows and nothing.

Rig and a dew worm should get you hooked up just about anywhere. I never cast a jig or spoon, always just rigs in the river. I’ve had 30+ walleye days right in the city, I’ve also caught sturgeon right in the city. Goldeye, sauger, suckers, but I don’t think I’ve ever caught a pike yet.

[ghostguy6]

Right now the river is chocolate milk. Your best bet would be bait, spinners or vibrating crank baits. You might still get a few burbot and whites but its getting a little late in their run. The water might still be too cold for the goldeye bight to be on.

[ETOWNCANUCK]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

Rig and a dew worm should get you hooked up just about anywhere. I never cast a jig or spoon, always just rigs in the river. I’ve had 30+ walleye days right in the city, I’ve also caught sturgeon right in the city. Goldeye, sauger, suckers, but I don’t think I’ve ever caught a pike yet.

I’ll try worms. Thanks for the tip.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I remember as a kid I caught a pike about 25lbs out of the athabasca river while standing on the ice slabs piled up on the banks. I’ve seen a lot of big walleye come out of the rivers early in the season as well.

My biggest pike in the NSR was 28 lbs. Quite a few between 10 and 20. I firmly believe the big pike are overlooked in the river. The big pike don't bask in back eddies. They like to hold close to the current.

[Kurt505]

Has anyone been out fishing the NSR lately?

[Cloudade]

I was out the past few days. I didnt have much action myself but the other guys had rods hitting every 20 minutes or so around legends. Just got to be at the right place at the right time.

[cranky]

I fished the NSR two days this week at two different locations. Lotsa Walleye so far, nothing else yet. Just using jigs.

[Kurt505]

Right on, thanks for the update guys.

[Talking moose]

Ya I’ve been out a few times. Smoky lake area. Lots of small walleye, 5 or 6 gold eye, 5 or 6 red horse suckers, 3 pike and 1 burbot. Pike were caught casting at a creek mouth, the rest were pulled from a deep eddie on pickerel rigs with worms on the bottom and Minnow on the top.

[Talking moose]

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[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

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Nice. Do you ever target sturgeon out east? I’ve heard elk point has a higher population than around the city but have never tried any further east than the mouth of the sturgeon.

My youngest boy is begging to go out fishing so I might have to take him to the river or one of the local trout ponds I suppose.

[smitty9]

Got a class of junior high students I may take down to the river.

All the searching I've done on the forum talks alot about fishing for goldeye in the summer and fall.

Anyone know a decent spot for goldeye, right now. Sure be nice to see some kids get action on a fly rod.

Cheers,
Smitty

[Talking moose]

Yes we catch sturgeon too. I’ll dig up some pics. Catch them at the smoky lake hole and the elk point hole.

[Talking moose]

From last year. Fishing partner.




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[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by smitty9

Got a class of junior high students I may take down to the river.

All the searching I've done on the forum talks alot about fishing for goldeye in the summer and fall.

Anyone know a decent spot for goldeye, right now. Sure be nice to see some kids get action on a fly rod.

Cheers,
Smitty

We caught half a dozen on Thursday at the Waskatenau bridge.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

From last year. Fishing partner.




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That’s a nice Goldeye, reminds me of the hogs we used to catch in the Clearwater river. I caught goldeye up there that were 2-1/2” thick and had dark grey/green backs.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by smitty9

Got a class of junior high students I may take down to the river.

All the searching I've done on the forum talks alot about fishing for goldeye in the summer and fall.

Anyone know a decent spot for goldeye, right now. Sure be nice to see some kids get action on a fly rod.

Cheers,
Smitty

Where are you located?

[Talking moose]

Ya that piggy gold eye is from Waskatenau bridge last year.

[roofish]

went twice so far this year. last week of april caught 5 nice pickeral in about an hour at dusk at terwilliger(all 3-5 pounds). may 10 caught 5 nice goldeye(all over 2 pounds)in the river out by genesee.

[NSR Fisher]

Been out once this year, absolutely slammed the walleye. 7 fish in about 2 hours of fishing. Missed lots of bites too. Ended up having to hold the rod in my hand to get them, they were fast a furious as night came. I couldn't even get my rod into the holder and crack a pop before it was bouncing with another Walter on.

Was using a home made 3-way rig with a 3/0 gamagatsu and large shiners/dew worms. Sometimes both globbed onto the hook.

Most of the Eyes were small (14-16"), post-spawn males. Got 1 female who was maybe 19.5"

Hooked into something hefty that had some killer head shakes, had it on for about 30 seconds. It moved around quite a bit on the bottom of the back eddy I was fishing before kicking off. Might have been big sucker or small sturgeon, it really didn't wanna come to surface though, just head shakes and moving side to side. Was pulling 30lb braid pretty easily too. Should have tightened my drag and gave it a better hook set maybe .

Hoping to get out after the rain, should be good for worm fishing.

Will post pics once I upload to laptop.

[BretLitke]

I've been out to the NSR by Hermitage Park twice in the past 3 nights.

Lots of folks having success. Looks like mainly goldeyes have been getting pulled out, with the occasional sucker fish.

Last night I stuck with a pickerel rig and 2 live dew worms, and had a decent amount of bites and action. Was only able to haul in 1, 2 pound goldeye though. I had something fierce on the line kinda by the storm run-off area for about 3-4 minutes before it escaped. Both worms were gone after that battle lol.

I am going to try a spinner next time I am out.

[NSR Fisher]

Originally Posted by BretLitke

I've been out to the NSR by Hermitage Park twice in the past 3 nights.

Lots of folks having success. Looks like mainly goldeyes have been getting pulled out, with the occasional sucker fish.

Last night I stuck with a pickerel rig and 2 live dew worms, and had a decent amount of bites and action. Was only able to haul in 1, 2 pound goldeye though. I had something fierce on the line kinda by the storm run-off area for about 3-4 minutes before it escaped. Both worms were gone after that battle lol.

I am going to try a spinner next time I am out.

Try a small black jig, one of the legendary NSR fishermen swears by them ...

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by NSR Fisher

Try a small black jig, one of the legendary NSR fishermen swears by them ...

In his own mind.......shawn.

[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by NSR Fisher

Try a small black jig, one of the legendary NSR fishermen swears by them ...

When hes not passed out after 2 wobbly pops......

[cranky]

Not defending anybody here and nothing wrong with good natured teasing. But ive caught a whole lota fish on black jigs in the NSR. More than any other colour. Must be something to it.

Murky water dark colours clear water bright colours or something like that.

[SNAPFisher]

Awesome thread! Talking Moose, some really nice fish there for you and your buddy.