Fishing Walleye in the St Lawrence River

[Evamac]

Hello All,

I have never fished the St Lawrence and will do so next week in the Upper Canada Village area thru to Morrisburg. Anyone been out yet for Walleys seeing as the season is open there and/or do you have any advice for fishing that area. I have the maps and I got a few good places to try from other guys I have talked with who fish this area.

Cheers !!!!!

Ed

[familyfishingfun]

Hi Ed,
Never fished that section of the St-Lawrence but if you head upstream to Cardinal I think your would have better luck! There is a nice free boat launch on the side of the old Gallop Canal, at Legion park. Put on the water and just start fishing on the other side of the break wall. There will most likely be lots of boats. The water is really clear so bring lures with green shades. I have always had good luck with bottom bouncers and worms myself. There is lots of current in the area so I usually just go upstream and let myself drift back down. Last year my 8 year old landed a 9.2 Lbs walleye near there. Real nice spot for kids, there is a ship wreck, and the bathrooms are open to the public. Hope you have fun and catch your limit!
Cheers!

[CBB]

I fish that section of river on a regular basis and was out saturday morning with no luck as water is low and clear as well only 45 F. Lots of current that changes all the time and usually the fish will be on the edge of channel. Pretty much a fish the contours and look for the fish that are on the feed. I am a jig man but we do some spinner drifting with gulp.

[Reddog1413]

40 to 60 feet right out in front of the village. Start at the yellow buoy and drift east. Iroquois and Cardinal treated us well on opening day.

[riverdog]

There is no walleye in the St.Lawrence just Pickerel.

[CBB]

There is no walleye in the St.Lawrence just Pickerel.

LOL must be a Canadian

[PunchRig]

they are walleye when NY state stocks them,and they swim across,,

[DropShot’r]

they are walleye when NY state stocks them,and they swim across,,

The Cardinal Rod and Gun had a small walleye hatchery on Sawmill Creek for several years back in the 80's. Stream bed rehabilitation took place on Sawmill Creek as well.

Who is really to say what side the 'eyes started their come back on.



Drop

[CBB]

they are walleye when NY state stocks them,and they swim across,,

The Cardinal Rod and Gun had a small walleye hatchery on Sawmill Creek for several years back in the 80's. Stream bed rehabilitation took place on Sawmill Creek as well.

Who is really to say what side the 'eyes started their come back on.



Drop

Walleye were spawning in Hoople creek back in the 70's with good numbers and then we put in better beds for them, now the Ministry let the Indians from the res to spear and net all spring long but will only allow a small number from there or the Hoasic creek at Morrisburg to be stripped for eggs by the Walleye Association which I have to agree does an up standing job keeping a good stocking program in place for our fishery with no help from our side at all. We need to get enough people that will put in the time and get a simular Association started for our fishery so we have fish for the future.

[DropShot’r]

We need to get enough people that will put in the time and get a simular Association started for our fishery so we have fish for the future.

Absolutely agree with you sir.

This fishery is more of a catch and keep than catch and release fishery. We should try to balance harvest so that the fishery grows.

In the last 7 years or so I have watched Cardinal turn into a 3 ring circus on opening day of walleye. On my way home from work on Wednesday morning there were over 20 boats fishing in front of "the spot", how many boats were fishing the other "spot" that you can't see from the #2 is anyone's guess. These fish are taking a pretty good pounding and I believe there should be some regulation in place to limit the number of large fish being removed. If we need to revisit creel numbers as well so be it. These regulations should be revisited every so often and adjusted as required.

We really need to do what is required so our grandkids enjoy the same walleye fishery we enjoy now.


Drop

[Netman]

I've heard from quite a few people the fishing was great down in cardinal with most of the fish being smaller sized males and not alot of big spawning females with eggs falling out of them when pulled out of the water.
I agree it's a zoo down in cardinal on opening weekend but we won't no how detrimental it will be to the population for years.
This is what it looked like at the launch in Brockville on opening morning 6 vehicles

[CBB]

They are not putting a dent in the walleye popul. in Cardinal at all as it always ends quick and only covers a small area of a large body of water. Fishing is not hurting our fish but the lose of good spawning area's as well as being protected while on the beds. We need to ensure good numbers of the young fish make it back into the river and this is where we need to thank our Walleye butt. across the river as they have a great program in place for raising walleye and releasing them yrly back into the river. Maybe we should be doing the same.

[nanookofnj]

Seems like every summer and fall SM trip to the Larry yields at least one eye in the 7 - 10lb class. Last August my youngest hooked and landed this brute herself on my sons old blue 5' closed face Zebco on the first drift of the week!



After a 10 minute battle, I somehow managed to land her without a net and while retaining all my fingers. Something we will never forget. Returned safely to swim another day.

Another from trips past: