One of Niagara’s most famous hiking and photography locations may also be its best for fishing.

Releasing a beautiful spring rainbow trout

There’s a different energy once you get to the bottom of the path at the whirlpool and cast a line.

In this exceptional corner of the Niagara Gorge, dawn and dusk last longer, you will seldom feel wind, and the roar of the water sends an energy through the air that makes you feel alive.

The Niagara Whirlpool truly is a one-of-a-kind fishing spot.

What is the Whirlpool?

The Niagara Whirlpool or ‘ the pool’ is an area of the lower Niagara where the river makes a 90 degree turn after a stretch of class 6 rapids, and is home to dozens of freshwater fish species such as smallmouth bass, walleye, carp, catfish, musky, suckers, buffalo, brown trout, sturgeon, rainbow trout, salmon, and lake trout at different times of the year.

The whirlpool takes in a humungous volume of water and goes through cycles of forward current, backward current, and “stalling” amidst ever-changing water levels dictated by hydro generation.

Hydrologically, it creates a challenge for anglers hoping to sample its bounty by throwing fast drifts, changing currents, and huge boulders along its bottom. It’s unknown how deep the whirlpool is in its middle because of its sheer size and fast moving water.

Despite these unique features, the Niagara Whirlpool is a fishing paradise to those who know how to tame it.

Niagara River Safety

When considering a trip to the whirlpool, it is important to be aware of the potential dangers of this area before you attempt to explore it.

Dangerous Water

The first and most obvious danger is the sheer speed and power of the water moving through the whirlpool. There is absolutely no swimming at this location (even though the water looks oddly inviting).

During years where the water is kept high (by power authority), some anglers opt to wade fish while standing on large boulders. Extreme caution should be taken while doing this as water levels fluctuate quickly, and most rocks become moss-covered and slippery.

There are dozens of rescue and recovery calls in this area every year.

During low water years, a good pair of hiking boots are sufficient for walking amongst the moss-covered rocks that cover the shoreline of the whirlpool.

Treacherous Hiking

Proper hiking / walking footwear is a requirement when visiting the whirlpool for fishing.

There are steep stairs and natural trails that cover the perimeter of the whirlpool including marked trails that connect the whirlpool to the Niagara Glen nature trail.

The path is steep and trails can be extremely slippery and uneven at different time of the year, so take caution no matter how excited you are to fish this iconic Niagara fishing spot.

Fishing the ‘Pool

Depending on the time of year, it is possible to catch almost any freshwater species in the Niagara Whirlpool.

Early fall through late spring sees the highest fishing pressure in the whirlpool as migratory Great Lake salmonids enter the Niagara river to spawn, and gorge on baitfish.

The whirlpool is a challenging place to fish and requires both the right equipment, and knowledge of the water levels and currents in order to produce results.

Float Fishing

Generally, float fishing is the fastest way to generate bites when fishing the ‘pool as it maximizes the amount of time “in the strike zone”, while avoiding snags.

Popular float fishing rigs on the Niagara River are 11 to 20 gram slip floats with bulk shot, or accelerated shotting patterns to get baits into the strike zone through the fast water.

Raven Tackle has a wealth of resources that show these various patterns.

Having the right equipment to float fish the fast, deep flows of the Niagara Whirlpool is critical to catching fish.

13’ to 15’ float rods with a centrepin reel and 10lb mono is the ultimate ‘pool setup if you want to float fish, but baitcasters on 11’6 rods are also good options.

The length of the rod is important to both manage line on the water’s surface (mending) and to make a long cast. Some days, fish are sitting in deeper current seams, and a long cast is required.

Mono line floats and allows you to be able to mend your line across current seams to keep a drag-free drift.

Bottom Bouncing

Casting a bottom fishing rig with live bait can be productive but very prone to snagging, and accumulating weeds and debris on the line.

An alternative is to use a light weight on a three-way rig and bottom bounce your bait (minnows, leeches, eggs etc.) along the bottom, making your cast on the up-current side at a “10 o-clock” angle, and fishing it through to a “2 o-clock” angle.

A light ‘tick’ of the sinker along bottom is all you need, and can be achieved with 1/2 to 1 oz of weight in most currents.

The right line is critical to feeling bottom, presenting your bait properly, and getting bites while bottom bouncing.

My go-to line for any bottom bouncing is 10lb powerpro braid. It’s this diameter and zero-stretch make it sensitive and thin enough to cut the fast Niagara River current.

For rods, I like a 10 foot medium-power fast-action bottom bouncing rod so that I can make a long cast, while still being able to see my sinker bounce (and a fish bite) in my rod tip.

Choosing slightly shorter or longer rods is fine and largely based based on personal preference, but I find a 10 foot rod comfortable enough to wield, while long enough to do what I need.

The best fishing lures and bait

Based on your target species and preferred technique, there are many options on what to throw in the Niagara Whirlpool to catch fish.

For float fishing, 3 to 5 inch plastic minnows are hard to beat on 1/16 oz to 1/8 oz jigheads. My favourite is the Nishine Lureworks These baits catch almost everything and are fun to twitch in the current.

White, or any natural shiner, smelt, or minnow colour works well, with chartreuse and white being a good muddy-water option.

The key with these baits is to keep them moving, and maintain a tight line so you can set the hook when the float drops.

I also prefer to use jigs because they are easy to dial in to the depth I want due to their weight.

Roe, skein, beads, and yarn are great baits to float fish with when there are spawning salmon and trout in the river, especially if conditions are tough, or if you are fishing slower pockets of water.

Generally, small peach and chartreuse patterns are staples for beads and roe, while red skein is king in the whirlpool for salmon.

Small light-wire egg sac hooks are the best for fishing with beads and roe, like the Raven Specialist hook or Kamasan BF420. For salmon, the Raven Sickle Hook is tough to beat.

A Fishing Experience

Fishing the Niagara River is something every angler should experience at least once in their fishing career, and the Whirlpool is a great place to do that.

It is a challenging spot to fish, but with some trail and error, some great fishing can be had.

If you are looking to fish on the Niagara River, but want to save the hassle and headache, I’d love to help you get right into the action on a guided trip.

For more info, check out the website and let’s go fishing!

Learn more

Lyle Gayder, Hooked on Niagara- Guide Service

Get Outside and Go Fishing

How to Fish the Niagara Whirlpool