Quinte Fishing

Some advice for a first timer to BOQ. Unless you are on a fish highway like the reach, Huff's etc., move if you don't see fish. Especially Big Bay and Hay Bay, don't just sit in one spot if you are not seeing fish or getting action. When I say move, I don't mean 10 feet, or 50 feet, or even 100 feet. I mean move in increments of 100 yards or way more. Stay far from any other fisherman. Also, if you have multiple people in your group spread way out and have everyone fish different lures, colors, techniques. If you have not fished for walleye, read some of my other posts for advice. In short, though, fish a dead stick with a lively minnow back hooked 12" off the bottom. If you are really a perch fisherman, than put your favorite perch lure on the other rod and work it looking for fish. I like a perch talker, the smallest Buckshots, and the two smallest sizes of jigging raps for perch. In general perch are way more numerous and easier to catch than walleye. Have a larger spoon and a jigging rap ready on other rods in case you see a big mark move in, so you can drop one of those down. Always tip your baits with a minnow head (full minnows sometimes work too). Also, morning and evening, switch to your walleye lures. Mid-day (specially on sunny days) is when I switch to perch if walleye are not doing anything. Also, if you see fish up off the bottom, fish them. I personally have never caught a big fish in the middle of the water column, but have caught many nice eaters there. Perch can make the difference between hating BOQ and not hating BOQ. Finally, you often have to tease the fish like you tease a cat that is tired of chasing your feather on a string. You have to be patient and read how they respond to what you do. Never give up and never quit before full dark. When nothing else works for me, I go crazy aggressive and try to p~~~ the fish off, or call them in to hit my deadstick.