Shuswap lake fishing? No trolling

[bucksman]

most websites or posts I have read about Shuswap lake are about trolling deep. As we do not have the necessary gear to accomplish that has anyone casted from docks or from jigged from a boat successfully here? Mainly just looking to catch a fish. We can see fish from the dock in Anglemont lurking around but I am assuming they are suckers? Any sort of help would be awesome thanks

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by bucksman

most websites or posts I have read about Shuswap lake are about trolling deep. As we do not have the necessary gear to accomplish that has anyone casted from docks or from jigged from a boat successfully here? Mainly just looking to catch a fish. We can see fish from the dock in Anglemont lurking around but I am assuming they are suckers? Any sort of help would be awesome thanks

you most likely wont catch a trout but if you find a spot where a creek runs in, chances are you'll find Squaw Fish. They put up a huge fight and are pretty big. I use rubber swim bait when I'm not downriggin for trout. A lot of guys will kill em and leave em on the beach. I don't have the heart to...

[Esox]

How is Shuswap for trout? What's the average size?

[bucksman]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

you most likely wont catch a trout but if you find a spot where a creek runs in, chances are you'll find Squaw Fish. They put up a huge fight and are pretty big. I use rubber swim bait when I'm not downriggin for trout. A lot of guys will kill em and leave em on the beach. I don't have the heart to...

I put the GoPro down by the dock and that's what I think those fish are cruising around. Any color or size they prefer? They don't look very big but still might as well let the kids try.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by bucksman

I put the GoPro down by the dock and that's what I think those fish are cruising around. Any color or size they prefer? They don't look very big but still might as well let the kids try.

Very aggressive. I was using yellow 3" swim bait with a good rubber tail. They are similiar to pike in that they'll go after a vary large presentation. 4" works too. A lot of those fish cruising the shallows in that lake will either be squaws or whitefish. Cast out past the drop off and let it sink then start your moderate retrieval in the day. Evening they are most aggressive. Cast and retrieve with a quick pace as soon as it hits the water. Hope you land some. I'm sure other colored swim baits work too.

[trigger7mm]

Squawfish love cheese. Put some on a small hook with a split shot, and cast it out. If the squawfish are around, you will be into them. They are fun and easy to catch. They also macaroni and cheese too.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Esox

How is Shuswap for trout? What's the average size?

I've caught trout in both the little shuswap and the big shuswap. I mostly caught 14 to 20 inch trout on light tackle without downriggers.

Long time ago on the little Shuswap, north shore across from Chase, fishing alone I was trolling a willowleaf gangtroll with a silver K5 Kwikfish 3 feet behind it and hooked into my biggest BC trout to date. The fish was roughly 29 inches and I guesstimate it was 10 to 12 lb. Released the fish.

A local fisherman from the area told me if you are catching squawfish(pikeminnow) speed up your retrieve or troll to catch the trout.

[nick0danger]

Was just at Mara lake (south arm of shushawp if you will). 1/4oz or 3/8 jig with a white body was money for me. My four year old would cast out and real in right away and do pretty good. I would just let it fall, and would get hits almost every cast, and the deeper the jig got the bigger the fish. Also caught 2 lake white fish as well, was not to sure what they where at first.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by trigger7mm

Squawfish love cheese. Put some on a small hook with a split shot, and cast it out. If the squawfish are around, you will be into them. They are fun and easy to catch. They also macaroni and cheese too.

Bait ban on Shuswap unfortunately

[bucksman]

I read that they respond like walleye so I put a lindy rig sinker on with a floating jig head with a black body because the sun was setting, I will try some more tomorrow, and yeah, bait ban, so no cheese... Won't let me upload a pic, sorry

[Bigdad013]

If you have a boat, use a apex trout killer, tiny weight just to keep it under the surface, can catch kokanee all day. You can also use dipsy divers to get your lure down. Was just out their, hammering rainbows 25 ft down, so you don't need to go very deep

[idaman]

If your in Salmon Arm you can use bait but only from the city pier...might be worth a shot.

[TROLLER]

If you do have acces to a boat then just run a 3 way to get down deep. Just go to you tube and you will see all about them. Very simple and effective.

[TUFFBUFF]

I caught a pile of squawfish off the end of the house boat when docked up for the night last time we were there.
they fight real good on light/ultralight set up, some were 2-2.1/2lbs.

[bucksman]

thanks guys, TUFF what were you using, caught a couple right at dark on a floating jig head with a black jig body just bouncing off the bottom off the dock. it wasn't unreal fishing but better than nothing

[LutherDLG]

Originally Posted by TUFFBUFF

I caught a pile of squawfish off the end of the house boat when docked up for the night last time we were there.
they fight real good on light/ultralight set up, some were 2-2.1/2lbs.

I found the same thing. We struggled for trout - only caught a couple, so we'd find more shallow areas and it was non-stop action for these guys. I found they would hit pretty much anything retrieved aggresssively - had the best luck in the evening on larger size spinners - silver/purple/blue. Lots in the 2 pound range, even had one 4.5 pounder. Pretty fun on the UL set up.

[TUFFBUFF]

Originally Posted by bucksman

thanks guys, TUFF what were you using, caught a couple right at dark on a floating jig head with a black jig body just bouncing off the bottom off the dock. it wasn't unreal fishing but better than nothing

vertical jigging or short cast just off bottom - small spoon like a crocodile or little cleo attracts them, then they eat the bread...

caught the most just where you can't see bottom anymore, around 15ft.

[bucksman]

we were at a place where there was a large rocky drop off and pretty much anything that was casted off that drop off was hit by small mouths