Quinte Fishing

I drafted a message similar to this yesterday but somehow failed to post/submit it.

After 65 years if fishing for bass, walleye/pickerel, pike and other area fish, now in retirement I have decided to learn how to fish for Lake Ontario salmon.

My boat is a 17' Sylvan Sea Troller equipped with a Mariner 60 and a Mercury 9.9 ProKiker, a Lowrance Ti-5, downrigger and fixed vhf. It can handle LO waves < 2'.

Last Thursday I motored out to the 100+ depth about 12K offshore Presqui'le. I understand that salmon prefer water temperature of about 53F. I used a Fish Hawk water thermometer to locate this temperature at about 90' depth.

I then trolled west for about 2 hours at depths of 80 - 90' and speeds of 1-3K/h, using a spoon, a j-plug and a plug-cut herring, return trolling east for about 2 hours.

No strikes. No fish were marked below about 40'. The fish that were marked above 40' were in water at a temperature above 68 so I assume that these were not salmon.

Being a newbie, I would greatly appreciate information, suggestions and guidance.

Thanks to all who respond........... George

Hi George
I am a senior like you and have fished for 60 plus years and i still think the best way to catch any type of fish in a body of water you don't know is to get a guide or go on a Charter. Not only will you probably have a lot of fish to take home, the guide will show you the latest techniques , lures, trolling speeds , planers, depths, fish movement etc, etc. just loads of information. Most of them love to share information with all those who want to listen. I just came back from a trip to Lake Erie where we fished for walleyes. Ist day with a guide, 3 of us had our limit of 6 fish each of 3-4 pounders in 4-5 hours. We then went for Bows .
The next day we fished in our boat and the same 3 guys got 6 fish, keepers and a bunch of small ones 15-16 inchers which we released, lots of fun but not anywhere near as successful as what we got with our guide.
It costs us a couple of hundred each plus tip for his services, boat, rods and equipment. small price for the knowledge we got and fish we caught. It was well worth it in my mind.
Good luck and keep us posted as to how you make out.

Gordon