Captain John V DeLorenzo
Niagara River Guide Service
2493 Michigan Ave
Niagara Falls,
New York 14305
email: LJNRGS@Aol.com
The Basic Rig for drifting the Niagara
Basic Rigging for drift fishing the Niagara
Although the the basic rig for drift fishing on the Niagara is fairly simple there are some things that are very important to consistant success that people don't realize and I'd like to point out. Let me break the set up down and explain each part as it relates to that success.
MAIN LINE- For my main line I use 10 lb test Ande. The main line must be heavier than the leader and sinker drop line so that when the hook or sinker snags it breaks off below the 3-way swivel and you are not tying complete rigs every time you snag (which happens often even to the best fisherman if your fishing on the bottom where the fish are). Since we are using 8 lb leaders, we go to 10 lb main lines. With a good rod and reel and the drag set properly you should be able to land any steelhead, brown trout or lake trout the river throws at you. If you feel more comfortable and don't want to lose the odd fish to a break off, you can go to 12 lb main lines but because of the depth and current of most of the areas you are drifting, heavier lines cause too much line drag resulting in loss of sensitivity and making it hard to find bottom without going to heavier weights which in turn cuts down on the natural drift of your bait.
SWIVEL- I prefer to use a #5 3-way swivel which is perfectly matched to the line sizes we are using. Please buy good swivels!!! Rosco or Sampo swivels are the best. You will go through 3 or 4 swivels in a day so don't be cheap or you'll be sorry!! Because I fish so much I tried to cut costs by buying cheaper ones and have seen those cheap swivels come apart time and time again on a good fish!!
SINKER-The basic sinker for drifting the Niagara is a 1 oz pencil lead tied to the 3-way with 8-10 inches of 8 lb monofiliment. In real shallow or slow water areas you can even cut a 1 oz pencil lead down to 1/2 or 3/4 oz with your needle nose pliers.
LEADER- The leaders are the most critical part of the set up. When fishing eggs sacks or skein I gererally use a 8 ft leader both to get the eggs back away from the swivel and sinker but more importantly I think to allow a more natural flow and swing of the bait. If the waters cloudy I use 8lb ande Premium grade line in clear or smoke color. Green lines like maxima are also OK. Whatever you do don't use any of the flouresent blue or green lines for your leader material. These fish do have extremely good sight!! When the water gets clear I use nothing but 6-8 lb Flurocarbon leader material. Because of the way it's made it is almost invisible in the water. Because of the Zebra Mussels our water is clearer than its ever been and I have no doubt that flurocarbon leaders increase my catch substanially!! When fishing Kwikfish or Flatfish I shorten my leader to about 7 feet but still use flurocarbon if the waters clear. For salmon fishing in the fall I use 15 lb leaders in either Ande or Flurocarbon depending on water clarity. As far as what brand to use I prefer Seagar which is available at Downriver Bait and Tackle in Lewiston. 716-754-4272
