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My experience is substantial over the years, but zero so far this season.
The fishery has changed tremendously since I first began fishing it in the early 90's, and that had changed plenty from prior to that. [My Post Divorce Renaissance began in 94, so most of my experience has been since then!] The main differences from the very old days is that the Indians have pounded the bejeepers out of it [MNR data suggests they remove something in the order of 4x the amount of fish all the anglers remove] and that the zebra mussels have made the water very clear.
In spring 1991, my kids and I caught 53 walleyes in a day and a half of fishing near Desoronto, and there were literally thousands of boats around on opening day, with most everyone catching at least their limits. It was incredible. Now the water is so clear, the fish don't hang out in these shallower water points. Check out Deseronto on opening day, and perhaps 1% of the fish are now caught. Sheesh.
Anyway, my point is that the clear water tends to keep the fish deeper and longer. While you can catch fish up in Deseronto and Telegraph in the fall, for the most part the better fishing is closer to Lake Ontario. I would be surprised if you could catch as many fish up Telegraph way, but it would be superb if you tried and let us know.
In the early to mid-90's, you would see dozens of boats anchored along the weedline in Picton Bay kicking ass every night at sunset and afterwards. My dad and I trolled the harbour one night and caught 39 fish between the two of us. We stayed til 2 am trying for #40 but it didn't happen.
As the years went by, we stopped fishing in the harbour at night, and started fishing just beyond the pumphouse. Then we started fishing farther out, Merland's and beyond. Though if I'm around at night I will probably still try outside of Picton Harbour, just for old time's sake!
Nowadays, much of the fishing - and not just early on in the fall season but for the whole en-tar fall season - is beyond the Glenora Ferry, where you can legally fish with two lines per person. Long leads and deep divers are usually the ticket, you can get specifics on the board. Side planers, downriggers, Fireline and snap-on weights all have their applications from time to time.
So most of the guys are fishing around the ferry or beyond it, and sometimes WAY beyond. There are always exceptions, however - sometimes Thompson's and Sherman's Points [opposite Picton Bay] can produce. Hell, it's the Bay of Quinte - ANYWHERE can produce. But some places produce better than others.
Back in the 90's, I had a few favourite lures, and I would try almost nothing else, because THEY WORKED. Now, the fish are scarcer, although they don't seem to be any smaller. Numbers are down, but [no-sh|t!] average size is still 10-12 lbs, making it one of the best walleye fisheries in the world, and arguably the best trophy walleye fishery. So I am far more willing to try different lures and different presentations. The fish will hit almost any colour in the rainbow, so I would suggest changing lures frequently until you find something that works.
Rapala Taildancers and Mann's Stretch 20+ seem to be in vogue these days, whereas deep diving Husky Jerks were more the rage a few years ago. Go back farther and you find the clown Husky Jerk and the Rogues, while the "only" lure back in the early 90's, at least at night, was the Rebel Fastrac in a yellowy-chartreuse with pink diamonds, not exacty what you'd expect. And I still love my #9 silver Shad Rap, you know, the one with all the teeth marks in it?! I'll try all the above lures, and more, in lots of different colours til I find what works.
One thing that has raised my eyebrows more than a little are the guys who have written they are fishing "fast", or at least fast compared to what I have fished in the past, which has been 0.6 - 0.8 mph at night, and 1.0 - 1.5 mph in the day. Guys have been catching fish this past week fishing at 2.5 mph, so there ya go. I believe this is a function of clearer water - generally the clearer the water, the faster you should troll. So I'm gonna "kick it up a notch" with my dad when we try on Thursday or Friday.
I can tell you that the fishing only gets better as the water gets colder. The best fishing seems to start when the water is below 54F.
Anybody know what the CURRENT WATER TEMPERATURE is?
Sometimes the best fishing can be just before the ice freezes everything up - at this point we are desperately searching for places we can still launch a boat!
Watch the winds, stay home if they're from the east, but you know that, right?
Have a beauty day, and let us know how you do. And don't even THINK of going home when it gets dark - the best fishing might only just be beginning.
Cheers and beers,
Pete
P.S. A few thoughts re. keeping big fish:
1. It's hard to catch a walleye smaller than 8 lbs this time of year! If you catch a small one, keep him as he's good to eat.
2. The big guys taste like crap, seriously. Throw them back.
3. The big guys are so full of contaminents, they are hazardous to your health! Read the MNR publications if you don't believe me. You're nuts to eat one so big. Throw them back.
4. And if you catch that trophy? Throw him back so I can catch him next year when he's bigger, and go have a replica mount made. The replicas look better than the real thing!
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Self-unemployed and available for fishin' mid-week most days.
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