1000 islands opener?

[neilfarlow]

hi, i was hoping to head to 1000 islands to fish the u.s side of the st.lawerance river sat june 20th near the mouth of lake ontario did i read correctly that was opening day for bass on the st lawerance river?

any tips or ideas on where i should start looking for smallies/or largies

thanks in advance

[Dwight Hottle]

If you don't get any help here try posting your question on fish-hawk.net. Mostly a candian site but I'm sure someone will help you with your inquiry.

[John Carter]

You got it. Bass season opens Saturday, June 20th on both the US and Canadian sides. Good luck with the opening.

[Md]

Bass season opens on the NY side of the river on the 3rd Saturday of June(20th) just as in years past.  According to Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources web site,  it opens on the Canadian side on the 4th Saturday of June(27th) as it always has.  Do not get caught fishing for bass out of season on the Canadian side...they take it very seriously.

[dmac14]

I went on a guided trip there last year, he mostly had us drift fish with live minnows (which can be subsituted for plastics). We caught a few 4# and a plethora of 2's. Water was really clear like up to 20ft, so just drift and bottom bounce.

[mcburcon]

Try areas between clayton and grindstone island , find water 8 to 14 ft deep next to 20 and 30 ft . use tubes and small creature baits , usually  any color will work , but the greens seem to work best. I have been fishing up there for 20 + years. the last 4 years I have seen more 4 and 5 lb fish than I have ever seen.  My trip last year I boated 28 4 lb + fish and 2 over 5 lb in 6 days. GOBIES are helping the weights of the smallies up there now.  5 years ago a 19" smallie only weighed 3 to 3 1/4 lbs , and last year I caught a 18" that weighed 5 lb 4 oz .   Good Luck  !!!!

[dmac14]

Try areas between clayton and grindstone island , find water 8 to 14 ft deep next to 20 and 30 ft . use tubes and small creature baits , usually any color will work , but the greens seem to work best. I have been fishing up there for 20 + years. the last 4 years I have seen more 4 and 5 lb fish than I have ever seen. My trip last year I boated 28 4 lb + fish and 2 over 5 lb in 6 days. GOBIES are helping the weights of the smallies up there now. 5 years ago a 19" smallie only weighed 3 to 3 1/4 lbs , and last year I caught a 18" that weighed 5 lb 4 oz . Good Luck !!!!

Gobies are helping the smallmouth size. I heard from my Bass club that they have found smallmouth with up to 15 gobies in their stomachs...It was brought in electro fishing by the dec, but still crazy

[mcburcon]

Last year while I was at the St. Lawrence I did catch many smallies that would spit out Gobies as I landed them in the boat. The largest Gobie that I saw from a Smallie was 5". Several of those Smallies spit out as many as 4 Gobies. They must like eating them , and there is no short supply of them.

[LakerLJ]

where are the best places to catch these nice size bass? I'm planning on hitting up there in 3 weeks and never been there before, it'd be nice if someone can give me a few spots :-D

thanks