Fly Fishing the Nipigon

The Nipigon is a large, deep river with a heavy flow rate.The banks are usually steep and bolder strewn with trees and brush tight to the banks. It is not conduscive to your usual dry fly casting methods with a pretty back swing. Instead, The trick is to get down to their lies among the rocks, without getting hung up. Sink tips or shooting heads fit the bill as casting full sinking lines all day will wear you out in this current. A 7 or 8 weight rod is best suited.

Like most trout, Nipigon Brookies seek their food and protection by holding in lies that offer protection from predators yet allow them to ambush their prey. They seem to prefer cobblestone bottoms and banks that break the current flow but still allow them the opportunity to charge out into the heavier current from the depths using their large square tail for power.

Casting method #1
The typical wet fly swing works by making an across-stream cast, immediately mending slack into the line (usually an upstream mend) to allow the fly to sink, and following the drift of the line (or swing) with your fly rod.

Casting method #2
The Borger Jerk Strip in another method that works well on the Nipigon.

Casting method #3
The simple lazy method is my prefered choice. Cast out your line parallel to the river bank, give a quick up stream mend then let the river's current do the work. I use this method from a boat and with the motor still in forward, let the current drag the boat down stream and sink the line like back trolliing. When a fish hits, you will know it.

A rare photo for the Nipigon River...

...not because of the waders, wading boots and a clean shirt, rather the river has very few locations that one can safely fly fish from shore. The Nipigon is noted for its steep banks, fast current and lack of good wading opportunities. Most of the fishing is done from a boat on the different stretches of the river. The long handled, carbon fiber net by Fishpond has a soft, rubber netting conducive to healthier releases.

Off the Charts

 

Catch and Release

"A fish is too valuable to only be caught once"

Lee Wulff

 

Catch and release is a growing preference among anglers. MNR stats indicate that only 5% of anglers reported that they don't practice at least some form of "C&R". While research indicates a mortality rate of 16% for all types of fish, conditions and fishing styles, the rate jumps, sarcastically, to 100% if you keep the fish.

I have chosen to practice total C&R for the Nipigon brook Trout for a variety of reasons, and my experience and records I keep of all releases for the MNR Tagging Program indicate that catch and release works if done properly. My data indicates, that in some fishing "hot spots" recaptures can be as high as 40%. Granted, if I caught a world record brook trout, I might consider keep it, after all...I'm human!

"A fish taken is a fish gone forever"

 

Increase in damage to fish

Since the 2005 regulation change to 22", almost 95% of all fishermen indicate they use some form of "catch and release". Because more fish are being returned, the data indicates there is an increase in the damage these fish display. Damage such as hooks left imbedded, loss of maxilla plates and torn mouths such as the photo below.

Note the damaged maxilla plate from a previous injury

Catch and Release Angling (pdf)

 

• only 5% of anglers surveyed reported that they did not practice catch-and-release to some extent

• both by anglers and fisheries managers, assume that fish which are released actually survive the experience.

• the average mortality associated with catch-and release angling was 16.2%.

• hook type affected the success of catch and release

• catch-and-release mortality can be reduced through the use of artificial bait.

• While the increased mortality associated with deep hooking is understood, it is less clear as to whether it is better to cut the line of deeply hooked fish or try to remove the hook,
potentially risking further injury and increased air exposure to the fish.

• the probability of mortality increased from 16% with no bleeding to 40% with heavy bleeding.

• When fish are caught and retrieved quickly from deep water, injury may result from depressurization.

• Evidence suggests that catch-and-release mortality is directly related to water temperature, with mortality increasing at extreme temperatures.

• Of the four types of landing net mesh types compared (rubber, knotless nylon, fine knotted nylon and coarse knotted nylon), the knotted mesh types resulted in greater injury and mortality than rubber or knotless mesh.

• These studies demonstrate the detrimental effects of air exposure, and highlight the need to reduce handling time and air exposure during catch-and-release.

• The length of time required for fish to recover from catch-and-release practices may help explain why mortality is often delayed until after release.

• Fish size is thought to be related to catch-and-release mortality because larger fish are more difficult to handle, thus higher mortality may be expected with increased fish size.

 

Lord of the Flies

Popular flies for 'Fish'n the Nipigon'

 

I'm a true fisherman...I can not tell a lie! Yea right.

The Fly Fishing Magazine cover was made with Photoshop.