Algonquin Adventures / fishing/weather question and stringer question

**Posted by brookchase** 5/17/2022 7:09 pm

My trip starts this weekend. I'll mostly be navigating rivers. It was quite warm (30 degrees) starting about a week ago, but is about to cool down into the mid teens in the coming days. What will this do to the fish in the rivers? I imagine the black flies will calm down.. will this change the fishing environment at all?

If I want to keep a caught fish for later in the day, is it best to keep it alive on the stringer or would it be best to kill it instead and then put it on a stringer?

Last edited by brookchase (5/18/2022 2:27 pm)

**Posted by scoutergriz** 5/18/2022 11:02 am

I always try to keep it live, as soon as you kill it bacteria starts it's job especially in the gut, and if you clean it before cooking the insides are vulnerable to waterborne bacteria unless you can put it on ice

**Posted by swedish pimple** 5/18/2022 8:45 pm

answer to your first question is yes,, suckers are the key.
the answer to your second question is  ,, do not use a stringer , take the sides of off the fish a.s.a.p. and wrap the fillets in a wet towel,, and cook a.s.a.p.
      dragging the fish around in warmer water above the thermocline releases enzymes and effects the quality of your meal. watch and see how the fish will loose it's colours and stiffen up,, not good,, it is really a form of torture for the fish.
   have your shore lunch and then try fishing barbless and practice catch and release. the algonquin trout are under a lot of year around fishing pressure. try killing a bass and saving a trout. every algonquin trout is a trophy,, i hope this helps,, cheers

**Posted by brookchase** 5/18/2022 8:56 pm

Thanks guys. I will honour the trout.

Mr. Pimple, I am a beginner fisherman and a little dense. Are you saying I should use bait that look like sucker fish? Or perhaps their eggs?

**Posted by PaPaddler** 5/19/2022 11:30 am

Maybe the best solution is to plan to eat fish that you catch closer to the end of the day, or closer to the time of consumption. It's a slippery slope though...sometimes you're catching them left and right but it cools off when you are thinking of keeping the next one!

We release nearly all (90%) of what we catch and typically keep two for the pan if we are close to the point of consumption - especially easy if you are camping along the river - and sometimes so fortuitous that you catch one from the site! That way they are quite lively on the stringer and the flavor is excellent.