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For the past 7 years, I have been a member of the Champlain Run Trout Club. The goal of the club is to establish a viable brown trout fishery in the Ottawa River. To that end, each year we stock as many as 4500 browns averaging 12" - 15". Members contribute a minimum of $25 each which is augmented by funds from the Quebec Government. As well, we offer the Adopt A Trout Program in which members pay $30 to release a breeder and have their photo taken in the act. The fish are bought from the hatchery at Kenauk near Montebello, Quebec.

Here's yours truly about to release a trophy.



Tonight's stocking was another rousing success with 1000 fish released, including some 5 pounders! There were lots of kids who got to help in the release. As well, Northernfly was among the intrepid souls who braved the rain to take part in the fun. The best part of the evening was watching the fish rising to the mayfly hatch. We watched huge browns leaping half out of the river to gulp down the profusion of mayflies - fantastic!!!

I am pleased to say that the fish appear to be doing well and catches of healthy, hearty brown trout are an increasingly common occurance. A great big thank you goes to the Green Drake Outfitters for their leadership in making the Champlain Run Trout Club a success.

Hey,

Great to hear the event was once more a success That is a nice brown you're holding there

P-O

Fishboy, I've actually only tried once to flyfish the Ottawa with no luck a few years ago. Where do you recommend I give it another try? I'm not expecting your favorite spot, just one where I won't get swept away and a reasonable chance for a brown. Now that I have a project in the city, I'm there a few times a week.

BTW, that's a beauty you are holding. Maybe we can get the Ottawa up the Bow River as a brown trout destination. That's another reclaimed river like the Grand.

bobfly

Bobfly,

Try the rapids around the Champlain Bridge on both sides of the river. As well, we know that they migrate up to the Deschesne Rapids near Britannia. Several friends have told me that fishing dropper-style works well.

BTW - water levels were a little high, but not as bad as I expected. Nonetheless, I recommend you exercise caution; wear a wader belt and a floatation vest or pack. If you get swept away, DON'T PANIC. Just go with the flow and you'll eventually end up in calmer water.

Fishboy wrote:Bobfly,
DON'T PANIC. Just go with the flow and you'll eventually end up in calmer water.

Nicely said fishboy... Go with the flow.

P-O

...based on personal experience.

Right on, glad to see the photos turned out. Thanks for coming out!

Thanks Fishboy for the info. I will try it. A little bit of fishing always gets the job taste out of your head. What is "dropper-style" fishing? All these eastern terms are confusing this wet coast boy.

bobfly

Dropper style is fishing a dry on the surface with an extra piece of tippet and a nymph about 18" below. The fish sees the surface fly and moves in for a possible strike, but it his the more available nymph just below. This can be very effective in water that is relatively deep (4 to 6 feet) & fast like the Ottawa River.

A buddy of mine just sent me a photo of him with a beautiful 3 lb buck that he caught on the fly a few days ago. So, the browns are biting.....

Most interesting and to find out I've been doing all along. Most of the time I have two flies on but more often a small one followed by a larger as though the larger bug is going after the smaller one. I figure this would be of interest to the fishes as it gives even more evidence that these two are alive.

bobfly

Fishboy wrote: A buddy of mine just sent me a photo of him with a beautiful 3 lb buck that he caught on the fly a few days ago. So, the browns are biting.....

Hey fishboy,

Any chance we can see that pick ??? I just can't get enough of thoses browns...

P-O

P-O,

I'll try to format the photo tonight - it was sent as a word document. Nice photo, but the fish was kept due to its having taken the hook into its gills.

If anyone catches one of the big ones, would you please release them? We would like to develop a breeding stock and removal of these fish will ensure that this never happens.

BTW - we are already raising funds for next year's release, so visit Green Drake Outfitters and make your contribution!

Went out there yesterday. Thanks for the info, B.

I did'nt get into any browns, just small bronzebacks that took the dropper. (I know they are OOS, I was just getting them by accident.)

There is an island in the flow which I'm told harbors some nice ones on the downstream side. I can't get to them w/o a Zodiac or something like it. Maybe later, when the water is lower.

You picked a nice place for your browns to live BTW. They have everything a trout could possibly want. I saw lots of nymphal shucks on the surface, about size 10, and some little cinnamon-colored caddis, about size 14-16. Lots of minnows and crayfish too. No wonder they were'nt interested in what I had to offer.

The Ottawa is also teaming with lots of juicy stonefly nymphs as well.

I tried at the island off Champlain Bridge this afternoon and got a 2# bass (of some denomination) on a bead head caddis. I had an elk hair caddis on my rod but he didn't want that. Just another reminder, you have to give them what they want.

bobfly