Springwater Creek Trout Help

[camper4lyfe]

I'm not entirely sure of my dad's obsession with fishing Springwater Creek, but it's a nice way to spend some time with my dad.  That said, I'm hoping to get some help.  I know very little about stream/creek fishing, and even less about trout.  I typically fish the St. Lawrence for smallmouth, so this is a huge changeup for me.
 

We've been going to the creek around mid-April for the past few years, and I've only started catching fish the last 2 times, but they've all been dinky rainbows (I don't entirely mind, as at least it's something), but I really don't have an understanding of what the trout are looking for, or where We should be looking for them.

 

Tackle-wise, I've been using spinners (I've had my best luck with a small silver spinner), and my dad has been married to salmon eggs.  I keep trying to get him to switch to spinners, but I haven't had any luck on that yet, but I keep trying.  Unless he knows something I don't, I just don't think that's going to work for him.

 

Initially, we were parking on Kellogg Rd and heading North on the creek toward the lake.  The first couple years, we tried here with no luck, and barely even saw anything.  Only when we pushed farther toward the lake, after parking along 15A and bushwacking in to the creek did we start having any luck, and like I said, they've all been pretty small.

 

Questions:

This year has been tough with the low water, and most likely abnormally warm water, but one of my biggest questions is what are the trout doing in the Spring?  Are they heading up the creek for the summer, are they going up the creek to spawn and then head back to the lake?  What's their movement, and how would/does water temperature potentially effect that?  Does the trout fishing in the stream drop off as the season progresses, or does it move one way or another?

 

I feel like a spinner is the way to go, and on the small size due to the small size of the creek.  Is that the best way to go?  Should I be pressing my dad more to move on from the eggs and switch to a lure of some sort?

 

In the end, I'm just trying to up our odds of having some success, and definitely trying to get my dad to land his first trout.  If you'd rather private message me with details so your secrets don't end up broadcast over the internet, that's fine by me.  Any little bit will help, in all honesty, as we're complete novices at this.

[sawbelliesam]

As you stated, the creek is unusually low right now. The trout run up the creek from the lake to spawn, and then return to the lake. They have pretty much done that. Very few if any left in the creek at this point. The small fish that you are catching were born the previous spring and will move to the lake later in the year. Those fish are the future of the fishery, so I try to avoid them. You might want to try Naples creek. There may be a few more fish that haven't returned to the lake. Good luck.

[camper4lyfe]

As you stated, the creek is unusually low right now. The trout run up the creek from the lake to spawn, and then return to the lake. They have pretty much done that. Very few if any left in the creek at this point. The small fish that you are catching were born the previous spring and will move to the lake later in the year. Those fish are the future of the fishery, so I try to avoid them. You might want to try Naples creek. There may be a few more fish that haven't returned to the lake. Good luck.

So in general it’s best to hit it on the 1st, as soon as the season opens.

What typically defines the spawn/when they’ll be in the creek?


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[sawbelliesam]

Water temperature.  Yes, it's best the first week. 

[Trouthunter]

April 1st is best for the rainbows but fall is better for browns not many in Hemlock but Naples creek gets good numbers

[camper4lyfe]

April 1st is best for the rainbows but fall is better for browns not many in Hemlock but Naples creek gets good numbers

Good to know. Any particular time in the Fall?


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[Trouthunter]

September to mid December is good

 

[camper4lyfe]

September to mid December is good
 

Cool. Thank you.


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