Quinte Fishing

Headed down to Merland Park Friday @ 5pm. Thought we'd play it safe and take the 407 from Oakville. All was good till we hit the 410. It was bumber to bumber till the 400. Got to the end of the 407 just after 6pm. Headed down Brock street to Hwy 401 where there was another accident. Not to mention a was a little excited and want to spend some time on the water that night I had remembered I also forgot to back the gas tank and hose for my 6hp kicker. So, I also felt pressured to make it there before 9pm before the stores closed. We didn't.

So there was me, my wife, mom, dad and friends of ours.

Got to Merlands just after 9pm and scurried to get everything in the "musky mansion". That was the name of our new cedar log cabin Kevin had set us up in. It was beautiful. The women were very impressed.

We quickly threw the boat in the water and started trolling up along the shoreline using the bowmount. My friend was using the traditional black/orange uzick with a worm tipped with a rubber tail and I was switching back and forth between body baits. Specifically, Mann's Stretch 20's, 3.5" tail dancers and husky jerks. Got up to the point then headed across to the cement plant and down a bit. Nothing not even a hit. Marked lots and what appeared to be plenty of bait fish.

Headed in around shortly after 1am and spent the next 2 or so hours around the campfire with Kevin and crew. What fun !!

Got 75 mins sleep then woke up dad and friend to hit the water for 5:15am straight out across from Merlands, slow trolling using spinners for the most part of the morning and spent some time over around Glenorea Ferry and nothing.
I had a feeling I should've brought my downriggers as we saw most people down rigging using salmon spoons.

Fished over at the tip of Hay Bay around the buoy, lots of boats but nobody catching. Headed down into Hay bay and hooked a nice smallie that decided he didn't lake the taste of the Berkley Frenzy !!

About that same time I tried to convince dad and friend to go for bass, wanted nothing to do of it. He hates casting and didn't think it was safe with 3 of us in my 18ft Sylvan Pro-fisherman. So, I was out of luck. Besides, he's never fishing for bass and considers it to be work !!!

Got back to the chalet around 4pm and saw one 8lb walleye caught by a fellow downrigging in front of the ferry around 55ft deep on a salmon spoon. That was it for him the weekend.

Spent a few hours on the Bay Saturday night with nothing then again Sunday morning nothing.

Anyway I guess that's why we call it fishing. We had a great time and some good laughs in the boat and the weather couldn't have been nicer. I think that was our problem - the weather, the fact was soo sunny and there appeared to be plenty of baitfish around.

Anywise, waiting for the weather to get coolerand I'll be making a few trips out that way (at least 4) before I over.
I don't feel so bad as there were many others who weren't catching much either.

Cheers,
Gman