1000 Islands Fishing Hunting Guide 2012 — 2012
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Fish Species
Atlantic Salmon (Landlocked)
Average catch: up to 15 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: The silvery, line-throwing leaps are legendary. Favorite techniques include spring/fall surface trolling, deep-water trolling in summer and flycasting in fall on spawning streams and rivers.
Brook Trout
Average catch: up to 4 lbs
Hot Spots: Indian River lakes, streams and rivers throughout.
Profile: Brookies or speckles provide fine angling and are the best of eating. Brook trout three or four pounds and 12-14 inches are caught every year. Favorite lures include flies, spinners, spoons and worms.
Brown Trout
Average catch: Up to 20 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–cool, deep water, spring/fall–inshore shallows
Profile: Fishing excitement peaks as brown trout move inshore in early spring. Light tackle is in order as browns search out the warmer water along the shore. Mid-summer brown trout fishing is also excellent as the fish move to deeper, cooler waters offshore.
Carp
Average catch: 20+ lbs
Hot Spots: Spring and summer–shallow bays and marshes
Profile: Popular with shoreline anglers along the St. Lawrence River. Put bait on a hook, cast it out and wait. Carp bite gently, but their size makes for an exciting battle on hook and line.
Chinook “King” Salmon
Average catch: Up to 30 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: Largest member of the Pacific salmon family. Chinooks fight hard when hooked and often attain weights in excess of 30 pounds. The largest catches have been taken at dawn.
Coho Salmon
Average catch: Up to 8 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: Cohos travel in large, tight schools and are often found near concentrations of their favorite food – smelt or alewives. Use sonar to locate schools of bait, and then troll with downriggers.
Lake Trout
Average catch: Up to 12 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–cool, deep water, spring/fall– inshore shallows
Profile: Because they prefer lower temperatures, lake trout are usually found in deeper waters. Though they will leave the bottom in search of smelt and alewives, they tend to be bottom-oriented. Casting, trolling and still fishing are all effective.
Largemouth Bass
Average catch: Up to 5 lbs
Hot Spots: Around islands, off islands and in bays.
Profile: Aggressive attitude, striking a lure or bait with explosive force. Use almost any kind of artificial lure or live bait. Successful tactics include plastic worms, surface plugs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, bass bugs and shiner minnows.
Muskellunge “Muskie”
Average catch: Up to 35 lbs
Hot Spots: Late June–shallow weed beds. August/ September–near drop-offs. November /December– deep water.
Profile: New York is a top muskellunge state. The fish average 12-30 pounds and an occasional 40-50 pound tackle-buster is taken. Special fishing gear is needed to land this wily fish. A guide is strongly recommended.
Northern Pike
Average catch: Up to 12 lbs
Hot Spots: All year–shallow bays and marshes
Profile: Vicious strikes are their trademark. Use large spoons, plugs, spinners or live bait and hold on, because Northern grow big and mean. A number of fish from 15 to 20 pounds are caught every year in the St. Lawrence.
Rainbow Trout
Average catch: up to 10 lbs
Hot Spots: Indian River lakes, streams and rivers throughout.
Profile: Rainbows are popular year-round as anglers enjoy surface trolling and shore fishing in spring and fall, deepwater trolling in midsummer and ice fishing in winter. Although most caught are about 10 pounds, rainbows of up to 20 pounds are not uncommon.
Smallmouth Bass
Average catch: Up to 5 lbs
Hot Spots: Around islands, off islands, in bays.
Profile: Tough, rod-bending fish. One to two-pound smallmouths are abundant, two to three pound fish are common and six to eight pound trophies are not uncommon. Fish shallow in spring and fall, move deeper in mid-summer months.
Steelhead
Average catch: Up to 10 lbs
Hot Spots: November-May–inshore shallows. May- September–deep water. Spring/fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks. October & November– inshore shallows.
Profile: Fishing is best during spring and fall spawning runs. For cold water enthusiasts, the season runs through winter.
Walleye
Average catch: Up to 8 lbs
Hot Spots: Spring/fall–inshore shallows, summer– deeper shoals.
Profile: A popular game fish know for its delicate, delicious flavor and light-tackle fight. Five to ten pound fish are common and trophies have been known to be as much as 16 pounds. Ice fishing makes for great walleye action all winter.
Yellow Perch
Average catch: Up to 8-10 inches
Hot Spots: Shallow bays, creek mouths and marshes.
Profile: An angler’s delight, typical size is 8-10 inches, but some jumbo fish are the rule in part of the St. Lawrence. Ice-fishing for perch can be enjoyed all winter with bucket-filling catches common.
Average catch: up to 15 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: The silvery, line-throwing leaps are legendary. Favorite techniques include spring/fall surface trolling, deep-water trolling in summer and flycasting in fall on spawning streams and rivers.
Brook Trout
Average catch: up to 4 lbs
Hot Spots: Indian River lakes, streams and rivers throughout.
Profile: Brookies or speckles provide fine angling and are the best of eating. Brook trout three or four pounds and 12-14 inches are caught every year. Favorite lures include flies, spinners, spoons and worms.
Brown Trout
Average catch: Up to 20 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–cool, deep water, spring/fall–inshore shallows
Profile: Fishing excitement peaks as brown trout move inshore in early spring. Light tackle is in order as browns search out the warmer water along the shore. Mid-summer brown trout fishing is also excellent as the fish move to deeper, cooler waters offshore.
Carp
Average catch: 20+ lbs
Hot Spots: Spring and summer–shallow bays and marshes
Profile: Popular with shoreline anglers along the St. Lawrence River. Put bait on a hook, cast it out and wait. Carp bite gently, but their size makes for an exciting battle on hook and line.
Chinook “King” Salmon
Average catch: Up to 30 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: Largest member of the Pacific salmon family. Chinooks fight hard when hooked and often attain weights in excess of 30 pounds. The largest catches have been taken at dawn.
Coho Salmon
Average catch: Up to 8 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–deep water, fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks.
Profile: Cohos travel in large, tight schools and are often found near concentrations of their favorite food – smelt or alewives. Use sonar to locate schools of bait, and then troll with downriggers.
Lake Trout
Average catch: Up to 12 lbs
Hot Spots: Summer–cool, deep water, spring/fall– inshore shallows
Profile: Because they prefer lower temperatures, lake trout are usually found in deeper waters. Though they will leave the bottom in search of smelt and alewives, they tend to be bottom-oriented. Casting, trolling and still fishing are all effective.
Largemouth Bass
Average catch: Up to 5 lbs
Hot Spots: Around islands, off islands and in bays.
Profile: Aggressive attitude, striking a lure or bait with explosive force. Use almost any kind of artificial lure or live bait. Successful tactics include plastic worms, surface plugs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, bass bugs and shiner minnows.
Muskellunge “Muskie”
Average catch: Up to 35 lbs
Hot Spots: Late June–shallow weed beds. August/ September–near drop-offs. November /December– deep water.
Profile: New York is a top muskellunge state. The fish average 12-30 pounds and an occasional 40-50 pound tackle-buster is taken. Special fishing gear is needed to land this wily fish. A guide is strongly recommended.
Northern Pike
Average catch: Up to 12 lbs
Hot Spots: All year–shallow bays and marshes
Profile: Vicious strikes are their trademark. Use large spoons, plugs, spinners or live bait and hold on, because Northern grow big and mean. A number of fish from 15 to 20 pounds are caught every year in the St. Lawrence.
Rainbow Trout
Average catch: up to 10 lbs
Hot Spots: Indian River lakes, streams and rivers throughout.
Profile: Rainbows are popular year-round as anglers enjoy surface trolling and shore fishing in spring and fall, deepwater trolling in midsummer and ice fishing in winter. Although most caught are about 10 pounds, rainbows of up to 20 pounds are not uncommon.
Smallmouth Bass
Average catch: Up to 5 lbs
Hot Spots: Around islands, off islands, in bays.
Profile: Tough, rod-bending fish. One to two-pound smallmouths are abundant, two to three pound fish are common and six to eight pound trophies are not uncommon. Fish shallow in spring and fall, move deeper in mid-summer months.
Steelhead
Average catch: Up to 10 lbs
Hot Spots: November-May–inshore shallows. May- September–deep water. Spring/fall spawning–in and around tributaries, especially Black River and North and South Sandy Creeks. October & November– inshore shallows.
Profile: Fishing is best during spring and fall spawning runs. For cold water enthusiasts, the season runs through winter.
Walleye
Average catch: Up to 8 lbs
Hot Spots: Spring/fall–inshore shallows, summer– deeper shoals.
Profile: A popular game fish know for its delicate, delicious flavor and light-tackle fight. Five to ten pound fish are common and trophies have been known to be as much as 16 pounds. Ice fishing makes for great walleye action all winter.
Yellow Perch
Average catch: Up to 8-10 inches
Hot Spots: Shallow bays, creek mouths and marshes.
Profile: An angler’s delight, typical size is 8-10 inches, but some jumbo fish are the rule in part of the St. Lawrence. Ice-fishing for perch can be enjoyed all winter with bucket-filling catches common.
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