Quinte Fishing

I'm a newly retired import from Toronto, eager to get out on the hard ice! Veteran Walleye fisherman but not well-versed on hotspots, tactics used in these parts etc. I'll be leaning heavily on this forum to learn the basics of this great fishery. I have a clamshell, auger and basic tackle but no snow machine, so I'm limited (for now) to areas accessible by car. Wish me luck!!!

Welcome to the form. Ice fishing the bay is pretty much limited to safe ice. I'm not familiar with the Belleville area. Deseronto south through Hay Bay is where I fish and I'm waiting for safe ice.

Pay attention to the no parking signs on the Napanee side. The tickets are $50.00 and are given out regularly. If you go down to Huff's, there is no parking on the entire road.

There can be fairly strong current in the bay so you have to be very careful. Ice conditions can change through the day.
The ice on the north side of Forester's Island across from Deseronto and down by the Skyway bridge can be very risky.

I check my own ice when I go out just to be safe.

Have fun and catch a big one.

Nice first post one of the best I have read in years as far as first posts go.......... take some time, sift thru the pages here and you can pretty much read and learn most you would need to know about BOQ look over maps you can find them here too as stated the high current areas should be respected at all times,and not to hard to see on the maps......... where to get on the ice is a big issue miles of ice with only a few good parking areas unless you find a local who will let you park in his driveway and walk out his back yard that's rare but been known to happen.......... it has pretty well been covered in back pages as always simple common sense goes a long ways . be safe. and good luck to you!

Welcome to the Forum. As stated above, safety is your first concern out there especially in high current areas. I also have no snow machine and travel by foot, so I can offer up a few spots known to the public that have parking and not too bad of a walk.

Potters in Belleville
Aikins Rd. in Trenton/Belleville
Onderdonks directly south of Trenton. Carrying Place maybe?
Centennial Park in Deseronto
Huffs south of Napanee
Shermans Point boat launch

All these places can be found on this forum on maps.

Good Luck and be safe out there!!

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There's something wrong with that rod.
It has a bend in it!!!

Greetings. Best of luck and tightlines.

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Thanks for all the info. All we need now is some cold weather. I have access to a driveway on the north shore of Big Island west of the marina. I understand that's a great area but I've also heard the ice there can be very unpredictable. I'll certainly do a drive-by of the spots listed by Walleye 9. Hopefully I'll be posting pictures of big Walleyes soon!!!

Picninga,

I would think that the majority of Quinte icefisherman do not have a snow machine. Try to get out from spots like Huffs or Deseronto where the walk out is pretty short. It is best to travel light and get out when the snow is not too deep. If the snow is deeper and you are lucky, you may be able to walk existing snow machine tracks. I use snow shoes when snow is 6" or more.

BATMAN

Welcome and good luck with your trips. Only thing I can add is get a spud bar no matter how much ice your on and how cold. The ice on the bay changes fast with currents and 8 inches one spot 2 inches a few yards away. Take you time and be safe. When your out try any gold spoons tipped with a minnow and jig hard and often. Quinte ice eyes love lots of jigging action. The guys on here are great. Years ago they showed me the ropes and grizzly I thank you for that.

welcome to the board,good luck be safe.

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I love quinte

You're a new fish to angling this area just like me. I'll be sure to post any news if I have any good info to pass on. But it's such a diverse part of the province I think we'll both be busy frying up shore lunches. It's always trial and error on the ice, but catch or get skunked it's still great to get out and soak in the winter air. We're lucky to live in Ontario! Good luck.

I'm a first-timer as well! welcome! How is the current off Sherman's point? I know long reach is a current area, but how far into hay bay does the current go?
I also got a snow machine this year and I will be taking it to the bay. any tips for on ice travel? any regulations that I should be aware of?
Thank you all for any info. good luck to all and stay safe out there!

diehard iam glad you asked because shermins pt is useally the same ice conditions or worse then the reach.be carefull when going there if you dont know it,same as thompsons pt.thers alot of people who park at the boat launch and enter the ice there and that is the area with very little current.the closer you get to the shermins pt bouy the less ice you will have as the current from the reach swirls around and you will have alot less ice.i was fishing there last thurs fri sat,at mom and dads about 1000 yards west of the boat ramp and we had 3.5 to 4.5 of good ice,now that is still a good distance from the actual pt and there was open water at the actual pt.so check ice as you get closer and you will see what i mean.if you travell east you should find the ice pretty much the same all the way down the bay till you get close the ram island and then again big change in ice again.good luck stay safe and check as you go and never assume the ice will be the same at quinte anywhere.

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I love quinte

thanks kevin! i was hoping to try the area near shermans and into hay bay next weekend. I have a snow machine but i might just go out on the first day and spud around hay bay. how is the bite close to shore? i have a lake map and have found some nice breaks near shore....do the eyes in the bay favor the deeper water or can they be found close to the deeper shoreline breaks

i have found walleye in 16 fow to about 26 fow the deeper the more chances you will get away from smaller perch.move around alot the hay bay is mostly resident fish that come and go.when you do get more ice the pt can be real good and we useally find the big fish there as they are comeing out of the lake to spawn in spring and move around there alot.we have caught them close to shore in the spring but there will be alot of small perch there.the days we useally do good is when we move alot and find the fish.a good flasher is a must.good luck

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I love quinte

thanks for the tips! i doubt the point will ice over by next weekend, even with the cold coming. hoping hay bay makes some decent ice though