Quinte Report - Dec 27-28

[Big Swede]

Cookslav and I headed out to Picton in the early morning of the 27th for a short stay at Merland Park and one last shot at some trophy fishing. We couldn't have asked for better weather. Sure it was cool and we endured a couple of snow squalls, but overall the winds were low and that made boating easy and uneventful.

 

Can you believe this picture was taken on December 28th? Where's the ice???

 

 

While we didn't catch all too many fish, their quality more than made up for the small numbers. Our first fish came at 3:30pm as we were trolling with planers near Pull Point. I was running around a 100' of line, with a planer using a 3 way swivel with a deep diving crank bait and a Perch coloured X-Rap. We were in 25' of water when instead of a walleye, this huge log of a Quinte pike inhaled my X-Rap. He took the lure deep (hence all of the blood) and barely put up a fight. But we let him go in hopes that he'll fight another day. He did swim off and dove into the deep, so there's always a hope.

 

 

This is my PB pike and he measured in at 36" in length with a 15.5" girth. As cookslav points out, it was that girth from head to tail. And real pig to land!

 

Our next fish came at 5:00pm near the Cement Plant in 40' of water. Cookslav was planing a single Clown colour X-Rap with around a 150' of line when he hooked onto this really nice walleye. Let's just say that his old PB walleye got shattered by this 31" fish with a whopping 18" of girth.

 

 

Later on that night, we headed out to the harbour to see if we could keep up our run of luck. During our second pass, while we were making our turn just past the boat launch, cookslav got into big walleye #2, flatlining the same Clown X-Rap from his earlier catch. Again, he had a fair bit of line out (over 100') and the fish was big, measuring in at 30" with a girth of 17.75".

 

 

Needless to say, I was green with envy as both of these fish bested my own PB walleye! I think it's also safe to say that cookslav is now a firm believer in late fall fishing on Quinte!

 

Our second day didn't go as smoothly as we were jinxed by circumstances beyond our control. To the guys that towed us back from Thompson's point, thanks again for the ride home! Life adrift on Quinte wasn't all that fun so we were relieved to see some friendly faces.

 

After a quick pit stop, we headed out again, but sadly our motor had enough and died as we were exiting Picton Bay. We trolled around Picton Bay until night fall, but I really wanted to work the cement run using floating lures at night. Oh well, that's what next year's trip is for right?

 

By the time we were headed back to camp, Picton Bay was starting to ice up fast so I think we hit the water at the perfect time. I can't imagine how thick it must have been on Friday morning as by 6:30pm, we were steadily breaking ice even as far out as the middle of the bay in front of Merland.

 

On a whole, the trip was great. Only really being able to fish the way we wanted for a day, we were really pleased with our catch. A PB pike and walleye in a matter of hours was pretty sweet on any trip and it definitely whetted our appetites for another December run in 2007.

 

And again, it was DECEMBER 27-28 AND WE WERE OUT ON THE WATER FISHING!!! That's wild!

 

Thanks again to the folks at Merland Park for the great cottage and friendly service and still being open this time of year. I am already looking forward to next December!

[Greencoachdog]

Excellent report and pics!!! Dem is some real nice Wall-ice!

[Gerritt]

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!!

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Gerritt.

[superdad]

Big Swede,

 

Congrats on your report and the fishing.

 

Too bad about the motor, BUT you guys got some fish, PB's are always good.

 

Glad to see the rigging worked out and was productive.

 

Thanks for your kind words.

[Shelley Cooper]

Awesome way to end the year....

 

Thanks for sharing

[fishindevil]

great fishing guys,and an awsome report glad you guys got out for the last open water report of the season,

[Crazyhook]

beauty and you are a VIkings fan as well!!!! great job

[lew]

WTG guys and congrats on the PB's

 

Can't ask for a better way to close out the season than that !!

[Mike the Pike]

Nice reports guys love the pics nice colors on the very fat pike.Wish i was there .Mike

[Cookslav]

Thanks for posting the details BigSwede,

And for the advice Superdad...it was bang on!

 

I said it before but I'll say it again bud...

That picture of the Pike does NOT do it any justice...it was a tank!

(Round and Solid from head to tail)

 

Definatley a great last kick at the can....can't beleive the conditions for December 27-28th???

No ice, and calm waters to boot!

 

I am definately a Believer in Late fall Quinte lore at this point

I wish we had a bit more time to work the water, but as you said that's what next year is for.

We'll do it again I'm sure

 

Cheers,

 

ps.

I think the Bad Boat luck was my fault as it seems my Bad luck continues....

My brand new 7 day old CPU crapped out last night(I'm at work now)

And I just ran outta gas on my way to work this morning!

Gotta shake this mojo some how before the clock strikes midnight

Edited December 31, 2006 by Cookslav

[cisco]

Great report! Your bad luck should be gone now according to the "It happens in threes" theory. Your three were pretty big ones too! LOL!