Gaspereau

15550 Views 48 Replies 27 Participants Last post by Statik, 29 d ago

Alewifegirl

Discussion Starter · Mar 15, 2011

I am a Masters student at Dalhousie and I am conducting my research on Alewives. I'll be heading out for sampling this Spring. I am already will be sampling in the Shubenacadie, Annapolis, Annis, Gaspereau, Kennetcook, LaHave, Musquodobit, River Herbert and River Phillip. Are there any other rivers that have alewife runs?

Thanks

1 - 20 of 49 Posts

Spastic Caster

· #2 · Mar 15, 2011

Hi There Master Student,

Every year I see them in the kajillions in the little creek that connects Powder Mill Lake to Lake William. They are very early in the season though, I am sure you know that. There is a bridge that goes over the creek just before Reg Moir Drive. Look right off the bridge or follow the creek to Lake William and there they be.

Happy fish research.

James

Alewifegirl

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 15, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Hi James,

Thank you very much for this information!

Cheers,
Meghan

mushamush

· #4 · Mar 15, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Hi AG
As it happens just before I came back from town, I went to Tims and meet my friend Jeff there. We had a long talk on the subject - Kayaks he calls them. He fishes several rivers and has records going back many years. An interesting coffee.
Lots of theories!
Good stuff your studying.
Paul

Alewifegirl

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 15, 2011

Hi Paul,

Sounds like you had an interesting conversation. What rivers does Jeff tend to fish in?

Cheers,
Meghan

mushamush

· #6 · Mar 15, 2011

Alewifegirl said:
Hi Paul,

Sounds like you had an interesting conversation. What rivers does Jeff tend to fish in?

Cheers,
Meghan

Hi Meghan
From memory he fishes the Mushamush, the Martins, Indian Falls on the Lahave and also the Petite. and theories on them all!
Paul

jsawler

· #7 · Mar 15, 2011

i remember as a teenager going to school in chester.they use to run into stanford lake, i've caught them on the gold river and it's tributaries,middle river was actually one of the easiest locations . but the small brook going through chester[right beside the old hawbolt building location]is very short and easy to get to!the brook[if memory serves me correctly]is only about 6-10 feet wide , maybe!it would be an interesting lake because as far as i know , not a soul fishes the lake!good luck with the research!

See less See more

jsawler

· #8 · Mar 15, 2011

mushamush said:
Hi Meghan
From memory he fishes the Mushamush, the Martins, Indian Falls on the Lahave and also the Petite. and theories on them all!
Paul

how could i forget mushmush!i even had a job packin' them in clearland once!

See less See more

rpen

· #9 · Mar 15, 2011

Most of the South Shore Rivers still have Gaspereau(kayak)runs. You can always see people dipping kayaks for Lobster bait in the Barrington River in May. I have seen large schools in the Clyde River(while Trout fishing) swimming through my feet on many occasions. Many of the smaller brooks that run out of lakes close to salt water will have runs as well, like the brook next to Kenny and Ross in Port Saxon.

Good Luck on your research!

dmurray

· #10 · Mar 15, 2011

If you are going to be in the general kennetcook area, you can also find gaspereau in the Walton River (near Walton), running into a number of brooks back the Colbert Road, up maitland way (the little brook near the road near frieze and Roy store)and a strong run going into Hines lake.its a great area to find gaspereau, lots of healthy runs.

Billy

· #11 · Mar 15, 2011

Hey Meghan,

Pennant Brook in Sambro (~30 minutes from Halifax) has gaspereau run up it. If you do decide to go to this river let me know, and I can give you better details on where to dip for them. Not sure what my work schedule will be like then but if I was off I could just show you as it's less than 5 minutes from my house. If not I can still describe to you where to go.

Good luck with the research!
Billy

R Heal

· #12 · Mar 15, 2011

I find this thread very interesting and I learned something. I did not know that gasperaux and alewives were the same. I knew that they were related to the family level but thought them to be different species. I grew up in NS and fished salmon on the southshore rivers and of course, shad and gasperaux where always a bye catch. My family had a summer home on Little Mush a mush and I remember when I was very young, the gasperaux would be so thick in the lake and the rivers that we could kill them with rocks. (I know; in retrospect that was stupid but my dad always put them on the garden in bucket loads.) Anyway, when I moved to the great lakes and started to research the salmon and steelhead, I learned that their main forage is alewives only a smaller version. (I've never seen one bigger than about 6") At times, while chucking spoons from the shore of Lake Ontario, we would impale them on our lures as they were that thick. In fact, alewives were the primary reason for bringing chinook salmon the great lakes. It would seem that the little guys caused a bit of stink after spawning and caused some problems with asthetics and the natural smell of the lakeshore, so in the 60's, chinook salmon were introduced to knock them down.

Anyway, thanks all for the lesson.

RH

See less See more

pmorris

· #13 · Mar 15, 2011

It's part of the Shubenacadie system that you already mentioned, but you can find them right up to the locks in the canal between Lakes Charles and Micmac.

Paul

Kingfish

· #14 · Mar 15, 2011

Would these be good striper bait?

sneakypete

· #15 · Mar 15, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Kingfish said:
Would these be good striper bait?

Dont know why not?? I've used them several years ago in the annapolis river...rigged with a ballon for a float, a treble in the mouth and one on a stinger hook just ahead of the tail. i\sn't that why stripers go up the Gaspereau River?? Obviously the fresher the better

Spastic Caster

· #16 · Mar 16, 2011

Kingfish said:
Would these be good striper bait?

Hi Kingfish,

I spoke with a gentleman last year while mackerel fishing for the primary purpose of fishing stripers and he told me that they always dipped gaspereaux for bait. Apparently you can easily get 4 in a 2 litre milk type container, cover with water and freeze. Sounds reasonable to me, especially since they are out so early in the season, far earlier than the macks.

James

girlfisher

· #17 · Mar 16, 2011

Alewifegirl said:
I am a Masters student at Dalhousie and I am conducting my research on Alewives. I'll be heading out for sampling this Spring. I am already will be sampling in the Shubenacadie, Annapolis, Annis, Gaspereau, Kennetcook, LaHave, Musquodobit, River Herbert and River Phillip. Are there any other rivers that have alewife runs?

Thanks

tusket next to annis

Billy

· #18 · Mar 16, 2011

Spastic Caster said:
Hi Kingfish,

I spoke with a gentleman last year while mackerel fishing for the primary purpose of fishing stripers and he told me that they always dipped gaspereaux for bait. Apparently you can easily get 4 in a 2 litre milk type container, cover with water and freeze. Sounds reasonable to me, especially since they are out so early in the season, far earlier than the macks.

James

Hey James

I can dip you some gaspereau for striper bait in exchange for you taking me mackerel and striper fishing. How many fish is it going to cost me?

Billy

Spastic Caster

· #19 · Mar 16, 2011

Sent you a message Billy. Interested in going troutin' the first weekend of open water season?

James

Kingfish

· #20 · Mar 21, 2011

Spastic Caster said:
Hi Kingfish,

I spoke with a gentleman last year while mackerel fishing for the primary purpose of fishing stripers and he told me that they always dipped gaspereaux for bait. Apparently you can easily get 4 in a 2 litre milk type container, cover with water and freeze. Sounds reasonable to me, especially since they are out so early in the season, far earlier than the macks.

James

Thanks all! Gonna go dippin'. Anyone know if the little river down Cow Bay way still has a gaspereau run?
When abouts do the runs start?

King

1 - 20 of 49 Posts