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I've been trying to find out about the underwater terrain in a portion of the Ottawa that I live close to. I fish occasionally from shore but am thinking of trying out a canoe or kayak for fishing.
I was going to by the Ottawa River hydrographic map for the area, but the standard map series for the river skips over the portion I am interested in!
I assume it's because it is not possible to navigate through it?
It's the region bounded by the Deshenes rapids and the rapids upstream of Lemieux island.
does anyone know if a map exists for this stretch of water?
It's obviously pretty flat near the rapids but are there any interesting deep pockets or structure in between?
I've been looking for a chart there as well. Let us know if you find one. There's only one launch that I know of in Deschenes area but lots of places to put drift boats and canoes/kayaks...
Not a fun section to navigate with a bigger boat. Some big boulders and rock piles riddle the north shoreline and is pretty much very shallow with the exception of two deeper holes near the golf course island in Aylmer. There are rumors that there is another deep hole along the parkway side of the river but I have never charted along that side before so can't confirm it. It's too bad it's not charted(At least I don't think so), that one particular stretch of the river has some great fishing! Many places to access the river with a paddlecraft on the Aylmer side that I can think of.
Thanks for the orientation Andrew, at least that's a starting point. I'm going to call the marine unit of the ottawa police and see if they know of any maps. If they don't know about it it probably doesn't exist.
I never did get my canoe (not yet anyway) but did eventually follow-up. The Ottawa police marine service passed on that they just use "local knowledge", they don't have a chart either.
I also checked out the nautical charts at the ottawa library, but nada.
Now I'm trying to ice fish in some bays here and twice I ended up way to shallow, dulling my auger blade silt,sand.
Just have to keep plugging away and gather my own "local knowledge".
Well I've been fishing that stretch of water my whole life, and I've found some good spots for pickerel and bass mostly. Besides Deschene Rapids, the only other spot that you can really do any small craft fishing is from the parkway clearing near the Lemieux island entryway. You have to walk the boat down from where you park, but its not far. There are plenty of small islands in that stretch of the river, and they have cliff like drop offs, reaching as much as 30 feet down. Just make sure you stay in between the islands and the bay itself, the main channel is VERY SWIFT... and do not pass the black bridge, I've been told by rangers that is off limits. One extremely good spot is about 50 feet offshore, near the first island u see where you launch. If you row out there you will notice a small rock pile that is BARELY submerged by the water, throw some plastics on either side of the pile and be ready for some awesome bass action!!! I've caught about 20 bass there in 10 min. sometime, not very big but still fun!!! Check in between the islands as well, some good spots for topwater baits.
p.s. the shoreline up to remic is generally weedy with rocks, and then from remic to lemieux its mostly just rocks. Like the other guy that posted said, its almost all shallow from the shoreline until you hit the bay near lemieux island.
hey, i'm pretty sure you can get a map of that piece of the river at world of maps on richmond road in ottawa, they have every kind of map an angler needs and then some. that is where i get my maps if i'm going to some backwoods place i have never been. I would call them first to see if they have your map but here is a link to the web site. so far i have not found a free chart of that part of the river, i've been looking too, but i'm sure you can buy it. http://www.worldofmaps.com/
There will be no hydrographic map of that stretch as its deemed unnavigable.....
Though I bet its a great stretch to fish!
Keep an eye on it when the water gets low mid to late summer.....tons of old cribs from the logging days are still there....they cant be far under the surface when the water is up a bit....
TBone - Thanks for the tips. I've always wondered about fishing those islands, good to know there is an option there.
How about panfishing in this stretch?
Boothead - I know the store well, thanks. That is actually where I started for the reason you state. But in fact, the Canadian Hyrdrographic Service nautical charts for the Ottawa River do not cover this section of the river.
Likely because it is not possible to navigate through this stretch because of the rapids at either end. The Ottawa police constable i exchanged emails with thought that was the likely explanation as well.
Maybe it's all a message to not bother, but I am within walking distance and often with not much time to fish.
cprince wrote:If I remember correctly, that is the stretch where the UFO crashed last July. There is a reason that there are no detailed maps of that area!!
Did they ever identify the object that was in about 30feet of water?
Craig
I have some friends in the military. A little bird told them, that was not a UFO. But a UAV, which suffered mechanical problems and crashed in the River.
Seeing as people do not want spy planes flying around them at night, the whole thing was hushed up.
I put my boat in at the water plant on the Ont. side years ago and fished the entire bay for muskies. At the time I had sonar and gps so I was able to get some idea of the under water structure.
There are many "canyons" or deep water channel with high ridges on both sides in all areas of that stretch. Some come up quite shallow and there is a deep pocket just off the upper rapids.
Navigation was nervy at best seeing the bottom come up quickly so often going across the river but once we maked it up on the chart we were able to get a trolling run going......but we were not able to hook up any muskies.
If I can offer any advice it would be (as with any unknow water) approach slowly with caution until you get to know it well.
Panfishing is ok... mostly just rock bass though. Much better places on the ottawa to go for that, but if you got nowhere else to go try Victoria Island point, or near the reservation. Just get some worms with floats and away you go!!! p.s. the cribs that other user was talking about, I have only seen one so far, and its tucked away under a bridge in the off limits area. Also Deschene rapids can be decent for panfish, there's also alot of catfish in there.
Good luck fishing
