Patterning early season Quinte eyes

Fmoon · **Posted:** Sat Dec 23, 2017 10:46 pm

Appreciative to the members who were kind enough to share with this stranger prior to our arrival bc it paid off as we managed 3 fish near Hay Bay this afternoon. 2 around 3lbs and the other 17”-18” Fish. All were released

We setup on bottom edge of a drop off levelling out onto a 12’ flat and fish hit with authority during the witching hour.

I understand if you guys don’t wanna reveal any of your secrets But, what’s the deal this time of year and early ice, do these major pods typically hold/roam during daytime in and around deeper 25’+ channels then maybe move in to feed in shallows for evening bite ????

Lastly why do these fish not seem to be agressive after dark at least I’ve never had any luck once it’s dark and yet my home territory in SW Ontario certain very productive techniques we target them on the night bite Only???

Thank You

DarrenEm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:06 pm **Posts:** 119

Fmoon wrote:

Appreciative to the members who were kind enough to share with this stranger prior to our arrival bc it paid off as we managed 3 fish near Hay Bay this afternoon. 2 around 3lbs and the other 17”-18” Fish. All were released

We setup on bottom edge of a drop off levelling out onto a 12’ flat and fish hit with authority during the witching hour.

I understand if you guys don’t wanna reveal any of your secrets But, what’s the deal this time of year and early ice, do these major pods typically hold/roam during daytime in and around deeper 25’+ channels then maybe move in to feed in shallows for evening bite ????

Lastly why do these fish not seem to be agressive after dark at least I’ve never had any luck once it’s dark and yet my home territory in SW Ontario certain very productive techniques we target them on the night bite Only???

Thank You

I'd love to hear also! I love that stuff, even for just curiosity sake because I'm probably going to fish the same damn spot at the same time with the same lure all damn winter long anyway :S.

Roblin · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:53 pm **Posts:** 842

I've fished deeper water and seem to get fish maybe a couple of times a day, but they seem a little hit or miss. I like to fish in about 25' coming from deeper water. I usually get them all winter.
If the fish come, it's around 4:00 ish and ends around 5:00. It's like turning on a switch. They'll hit as fast as I can throw your lure back down the hole and then they turn off. I've never stayed after 5 to see if they start again.
Last time I was out they came around 3:00 which I thought was a little early. That day, I was in 35'. Maybe I ran into them heading for shallower water. Had three in a half hour.
I think the biggest thing is to get away from the fishing villages. I've caught fish when the village didn't because I was away from the thumping and banging.
Why they start a 4:00 I have no idea. I know that fishing in the summer they're off and on through the day and evening is a good time.
What I do know, is that when they're pounding your lure as fast as you can feed it to them, that's special.

DanElliot · **Joined:** Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am **Posts:** 4329

I have found the same thing as Robin. Short bite window

DarrenEm · **Joined:** Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:06 pm **Posts:** 119

DanElliot wrote:

I have found the same thing as Robin. Short bite window

Is there ever a time where you would find fish super shallow, as in like 6-10 feet, close to shore near a drop off?

How about perch? I fish a lot at Potters and usually fish around 16 feet, which is the deepest I can find. There are small perch around all day long but not very active. I would love to get on some nice size eater perch! If I could find that I would pretty much throw every walleye back and just keep some perch each time for table fare!

Fmoon · **Posted:** Wed Dec 27, 2017 4:30 pm

Roblin wrote:

I've fished deeper water and seem to get fish maybe a couple of times a day, but they seem a little hit or miss. I like to fish in about 25' coming from deeper water. I usually get them all winter.
If the fish come, it's around 4:00 ish and ends around 5:00. It's like turning on a switch. They'll hit as fast as I can throw your lure back down the hole and then they turn off. I've never stayed after 5 to see if they start again.
Last time I was out they came around 3:00 which I thought was a little early. That day, I was in 35'. Maybe I ran into them heading for shallower water. Had three in a half hour.
I think the biggest thing is to get away from the fishing villages. I've caught fish when the village didn't because I was away from the thumping and banging.
Why they start a 4:00 I have no idea. I know that fishing in the summer they're off and on through the day and evening is a good time.
What I do know, is that when they're pounding your lure as fast as you can feed it to them, that's special.

Tnx Roblin, well we managed to get a comfortable room and the only room they have for rent in Deseronto last Friday and checked out Tuesday morning. Ran to Big Island Saturday morning and set up on a flat over 17’. My buddy pulled one. I spent some time studying Navionics Sonar charts on my iPhone while watching reruns of Seinfeld (dear Lord man) in the room waiting for the afternoon bite, and I thought why drive all over this area when it looks like we might have some pretty decent haunts right near us. So out we go pulling our two huts through that snow. It’s hell getting old. Go few hundred feet then stop for a breather... thankfully I brought my One man fish trap pro and not my 3 man Clam. .4km trudge to the 14’ flat I was determined to try Saturday afternoon. I got a decent little 3lb eye that I released and my buddy up over a 8’ flat got skunked other than a bunch of perch. Did the snow come down overnight and we decided to sleep in anyways Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon Christmas Eve, decided on same waters but this time I had a 17’ flat narrowing down into a bottle neck and setup first spoon down the hole at 3:06pm. Perch and more perch until jist like you said Roblin, 4ish I see a fish coming up to my 2.5” brass lucky strike Rocket spoon with a full mid minnow hooked horizontally moving up on my FLX-20, bang...another nice eater And release. From 4-5ish it was pretty well non stop action on the Vex. I pulled 4 decent but nothing monstrous. How truly grateful I was thinking here after being away from these fishing grounds for exactly 20yrs and then on Christmas Eve I get my limit. Then after releasing that fourth fish I had another absolutely Smash the larger 3.5” Silver/Chrome Rocket, I go to set the hooks with the 34” medium heavy rod and I couldn’t lift its head. I knew I had on what I’d been dreaming about for many years. Never got the chance to see it because I lost it after about 5 second I had it on. All good though bc I finally had Quinte pay off for me through the ice.

As we were packing the truck and clearing out of the motel room, the man who booked the room for the next while to fish, pulled up and was good enough to share some stories of his adventures over the years in Quinte. A real pleasure talking with you Larry, stay safe and best of luck fishing during your stay!!

Now I’d love to make it back down this winter yet to find and try my luck out at Sherman’s which is a place I’ve heard things about for the past 30yrs and never been to...

This trip is something I’ll not soon forget. Tnx again for all the replies

DanElliot · **Joined:** Mon Apr 08, 2002 8:59 am **Posts:** 4329

Great report, thanks for sharing.

quickme · **Joined:** Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:33 am **Posts:** 39

Fmoon wrote:

Roblin wrote:

I've fished deeper water and seem to get fish maybe a couple of times a day, but they seem a little hit or miss. I like to fish in about 25' coming from deeper water. I usually get them all winter.
If the fish come, it's around 4:00 ish and ends around 5:00. It's like turning on a switch. They'll hit as fast as I can throw your lure back down the hole and then they turn off. I've never stayed after 5 to see if they start again.
Last time I was out they came around 3:00 which I thought was a little early. That day, I was in 35'. Maybe I ran into them heading for shallower water. Had three in a half hour.
I think the biggest thing is to get away from the fishing villages. I've caught fish when the village didn't because I was away from the thumping and banging.
Why they start a 4:00 I have no idea. I know that fishing in the summer they're off and on through the day and evening is a good time.
What I do know, is that when they're pounding your lure as fast as you can feed it to them, that's special.

Tnx Roblin, well we managed to get a comfortable room and the only room they have for rent in Deseronto last Friday and checked out Tuesday morning. Ran to Big Island Saturday morning and set up on a flat over 17’. My buddy pulled one. I spent some time studying Navionics Sonar charts on my iPhone while watching reruns of Seinfeld (dear Lord man) in the room waiting for the afternoon bite, and I thought why drive all over this area when it looks like we might have some pretty decent haunts right near us. So out we go pulling our two huts through that snow. It’s hell getting old. Go few hundred feet then stop for a breather... thankfully I brought my One man fish trap pro and not my 3 man Clam. .4km trudge to the 14’ flat I was determined to try Saturday afternoon. I got a decent little 3lb eye that I released and my buddy up over a 8’ flat got skunked other than a bunch of perch. Did the snow come down overnight and we decided to sleep in anyways Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon Christmas Eve, decided on same waters but this time I had a 17’ flat narrowing down into a bottle neck and setup first spoon down the hole at 3:06pm. Perch and more perch until jist like you said Roblin, 4ish I see a fish coming up to my 2.5” brass lucky strike Rocket spoon with a full mid minnow hooked horizontally moving up on my FLX-20, bang...another nice eater And release. From 4-5ish it was pretty well non stop action on the Vex. I pulled 4 decent but nothing monstrous. How truly grateful I was thinking here after being away from these fishing grounds for exactly 20yrs and then on Christmas Eve I get my limit. Then after releasing that fourth fish I had another absolutely Smash the larger 3.5” Silver/Chrome Rocket, I go to set the hooks with the 34” medium heavy rod and I couldn’t lift its head. I knew I had on what I’d been dreaming about for many years. Never got the chance to see it because I lost it after about 5 second I had it on. All good though bc I finally had Quinte pay off for me through the ice.

As we were packing the truck and clearing out of the motel room, the man who booked the room for the next while to fish, pulled up and was good enough to share some stories of his adventures over the years in Quinte. A real pleasure talking with you Larry, stay safe and best of luck fishing during your stay!!

Now I’d love to make it back down this winter yet to find and try my luck out at Sherman’s which is a place I’ve heard things about for the past 30yrs and never been to...

This trip is something I’ll not soon forget. Tnx again for all the replies

Go old Larry!! Great guy.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

ONbuckhunter · **Joined:** Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:00 pm **Posts:** 46

Like previously stated the first hr or two in the morning and then afternoon is primetime. But if your willing to move around and get away from the crowd you will catch them all day. That's what I like about Quinte is there are bite windows from sun up to sun down. A lot of my bigger fish have come in the middle of the day.

bubblebuster · **Posted:** Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:12 pm

Fmoon wrote:

Roblin wrote:

I've fished deeper water and seem to get fish maybe a couple of times a day, but they seem a little hit or miss. I like to fish in about 25' coming from deeper water. I usually get them all winter.
If the fish come, it's around 4:00 ish and ends around 5:00. It's like turning on a switch. They'll hit as fast as I can throw your lure back down the hole and then they turn off. I've never stayed after 5 to see if they start again.
Last time I was out they came around 3:00 which I thought was a little early. That day, I was in 35'. Maybe I ran into them heading for shallower water. Had three in a half hour.
I think the biggest thing is to get away from the fishing villages. I've caught fish when the village didn't because I was away from the thumping and banging.
Why they start a 4:00 I have no idea. I know that fishing in the summer they're off and on through the day and evening is a good time.
What I do know, is that when they're pounding your lure as fast as you can feed it to them, that's special.

Tnx Roblin, well we managed to get a comfortable room and the only room they have for rent in Deseronto last Friday and checked out Tuesday morning. Ran to Big Island Saturday morning and set up on a flat over 17’. My buddy pulled one. I spent some time studying Navionics Sonar charts on my iPhone while watching reruns of Seinfeld (dear Lord man) in the room waiting for the afternoon bite, and I thought why drive all over this area when it looks like we might have some pretty decent haunts right near us. So out we go pulling our two huts through that snow. It’s hell getting old. Go few hundred feet then stop for a breather... thankfully I brought my One man fish trap pro and not my 3 man Clam. .4km trudge to the 14’ flat I was determined to try Saturday afternoon. I got a decent little 3lb eye that I released and my buddy up over a 8’ flat got skunked other than a bunch of perch. Did the snow come down overnight and we decided to sleep in anyways Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon Christmas Eve, decided on same waters but this time I had a 17’ flat narrowing down into a bottle neck and setup first spoon down the hole at 3:06pm. Perch and more perch until jist like you said Roblin, 4ish I see a fish coming up to my 2.5” brass lucky strike Rocket spoon with a full mid minnow hooked horizontally moving up on my FLX-20, bang...another nice eater And release. From 4-5ish it was pretty well non stop action on the Vex. I pulled 4 decent but nothing monstrous. How truly grateful I was thinking here after being away from these fishing grounds for exactly 20yrs and then on Christmas Eve I get my limit. Then after releasing that fourth fish I had another absolutely Smash the larger 3.5” Silver/Chrome Rocket, I go to set the hooks with the 34” medium heavy rod and I couldn’t lift its head. I knew I had on what I’d been dreaming about for many years. Never got the chance to see it because I lost it after about 5 second I had it on. All good though bc I finally had Quinte pay off for me through the ice.

As we were packing the truck and clearing out of the motel room, the man who booked the room for the next while to fish, pulled up and was good enough to share some stories of his adventures over the years in Quinte. A real pleasure talking with you Larry, stay safe and best of luck fishing during your stay!!

Now I’d love to make it back down this winter yet to find and try my luck out at Sherman’s which is a place I’ve heard things about for the past 30yrs and never been to...

This trip is something I’ll not soon forget. Tnx again for all the replies

Larry is fun to talk to but just leave it at that. Not someone you want to be associated with.

Roblin · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:53 pm **Posts:** 842

Real glad you had a good time.

Took a fellow out yesterday. He hadn't fish since he went through the ice 12 years ago.

Real cold but the fishing was good.

Happily he's back in the game.

Take care,

Roblin

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Patterning early season Quinte eyes

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