Quinte Fishing

Since walleye opener, I've been getting out usuallt 2-3 times per week, usually starting at around 930 am after the kids were off to school, recently earlier since I can bring the kids. I kick off from my slip Trent Port Marina and don't usually venture too far from Trenton Bay and the mouth of the river area. I have really struggled to catch walleye there even when others have caught their fair share. I've only recently been using the bottom bouncers and worm harnesses, but have jigged using bucktails, chartreuse jig heads with live bait (minnows, leeches), and trolled crank baits, with very limited success. I often mark what looks to be walleye near bottom and very very rarely catch them. I also see less obvious marks spread out all over the water column (white bass?). I have now started heading out toward belleville and occassionally slowing down and looking for fish. I've come across stacked fish near bottom that looks to me like it should be walleye and tried trolling cranks past them, targetted with same jigs as above as well as jigging raps. Never any success...

I always spend a couple of hours right near the marina because I'm marking fish, before eventually heading out at mid day and trying elsewhere. I always find it hard to "leave fish to find fish". Is it a tough bite because of the time (mid afternoon) when I finally venture out?

The other thing is when I end up toward Belleville I usually switch to bass fishing the weedy areas because I can usually catch a few of those without trying to hard at mid day.

I just want to catch some fish. Walleye, bass, pike, or even some good perch I'd be happy with. So...questions below, if anyone can help...

What is my best strategy, assuming I have an entire day to fish, and am willing to get out as early as I want and stay out as late as I want, in terms of targeting which species at what times...

Should I just forget about Trenton bay and move on earlier to Belleville or Big Bay?

Can anyone suggest any good perch areas? I have been getting my kids (6 and 10) out and just want them to be successful so they learn to enjoy it early on. My daughter loves it now and has only caught a few so far. I cant imagine how much fun she'd have to have a really good day out there.

Has anyone else been fishing around Trenton? How have you been doing?

Hey Darren, im no pro by any means but can try to help u out,, You should b getting something walleye have been on fire this year so far, i know a guy who brought in 40 yesterday and his brother got 30! All these 2 guys do is troll with spinners in 12 to 14' mainly using green/chartreuse erie deeries along weed lines.. I dont fish trenton belleville areas and neither do they.. All the fish I know of caught so far this year have been in the Deseronto area.. My son and I have been having good luck using the lures you mentioned. Buck tail colors have been black n white and black n green snapping them along weed edges.. we also were catching them on pale white and light green swim baits realed slowly. Maybe try slowing or pausing your jigging. Your best bet though is to troll slowly with a green colored spinner with a worm. And b patient good luck

Thanks for the reply... I've been concentrating a lot on the main channel, 16 or so FOW. I'm starting to think the Rapala TDs havent been going as deep as I thought they were. Just picked up some of the deep divers and a line counter. The more I struggle, the more I spend haha...

I figured the mid-day Walleyes would be in the deepest water available. I should maybe spend some more time at the weed edges huh? How do guys rig their spinners for 12-14 FOW? Do you know preferred trolling speeds? I'd imagine they would end of near the surface unless you use a bottom bouncer?

Sorry about all the q's and thanks for the help!

I haven't fished the bay for a while now, but I'd be trolling weed edges with harnesses. I don't like using bottom bouncers unless its over 20ft deep. To get down to 12-14ft I use a 3/8 oz egg weight above my harness and let out about 75ft of line. The fish hide in the weeds, not the deep water this time of year. Walleye hate sun, so the weeds are their sanctuary in day light.

Same tactic with crank baits. TD's, ripple shads, etc...along the weed edges.

I troll 1.5MPH with harnesses, and a bit faster with cranks.

S.