Another Quinte Opener Report

[tbayboy]

'Hey Sean, interested in going to Quinte for the opener May 3rd?'

 

That pm from Lexxington (real names hidden to protect the marshmallow bait users) a couple weeks ago was all it took to set me up for my first trip to the Bay of Quinte. At the time it was 20 degrees and sunny so the thought of spending a weekend in my tent sounded like fun. Funny how the weather can change in early spring isn't it?

 

Anyhow, the plan was to head out of Toronto at 3am and just drive right on into the water. Never being one to sleep early meant I got in Lexx's truck with a 1/2 hour catnap to my credit but still was eager to go with enough gear to last a month (better prepared than sorry I suppose).

 

3 and a half hours later and we've said hello to the new owners of Pickeral Park, driven to the docks and Bobs your uncle:

 

<a href=" title="Working really hard by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2099/2469551556_444f7b9fa4_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Working really hard" /></a>

 

Lexx is ready for the fish. You can see the weather we had for the weekend - pretty much windy and wet both days (Sat night being the wettest and Sunday morning the windiest). Not to be outdone yours truly was decked out in his ice fishing gear and VERY glad he brought it along:

 

<a href=" title="Bring it on! by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2468729053_a76f171047_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Bring it on!" /></a>

 

We had our first fish kind of quickly - a small pike that threw the hook at the side of the boat. Then a bit later Lexx landed our first 'eye. A nice dinner fish and into the live well he went. Lexx has most of our fish p0rn on his camera - I'll update the pics when I get them from him.

 

After a while we decided to do some pike fishing in a spot that Lexx swears produced non stop last year and sure looked like classic gator heaven but other than a bass follower we didn't see a single fish. My xrap didn't let me down though when I pulled in what I thought was a bit of wood at first but turned out to be something or rather someone else:

 

<a href=" title="Wrong fish! by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2079/2469552228_fe0e3e26f3_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Wrong fish!" /></a>

 

We weren't sure if he was in season or not so he was sent on his way (the hooks stuck lightly in his shell - no flesh involved)

 

Giving up on pike and going back to drifting spinners Lexx brought in another for the well (I believe this one was on an Erie Dearie tipped with a worm), turns out its hard to be net boy and camera man at the same time:

 

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<a href=" title="First 'eye by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2469552622_e1a80626cb_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="First 'eye" /></a>

 

I finally landed one as well - another 16" eater and a nice perch as well on a 1/4 ounce orange/yellow jig with a pink and white grub. All of these came on a nice hump we found in the main channel (12' hump in 17' of water).

 

After that we we headed in to setup before going for the evening bite. Luckily the rain held out so we were able to setup our tents while still dry. Here we go - ready for the worst

 

<a href=" title="Home sweet home by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2303/2468730605_b67e17820d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Home sweet home" /></a>

 

Turns out both tents held out just fine with the rain. Lexx's big canadian tire special was a bit drafty but the mr buddy heater and cot worked great and my little eureka kept an amazing amount of heat, nice and cozy and both of us stayed dry.

 

After an hour nap (up to 1 1/2 hours sleep in 33 hours now for me) we headed back out with a couple burgers bought off the guy selling them from a Q on the dock (he made a killing this weekend I'm sure). After dark the boat lights came out:

 

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We landed another that evening - this time I tipped the same big jig head with a 5" gulp alive leach and WUMP - fish on right on the same hump as before. This one fought great - head shakes, runs up and down the water column and side to side, one of the best walleye fights I can recall. Turned out be a nice 24 incher. We released him/her after a couple pics (on Lexx's camera).

 

That was about it for the evening bite as the rain and wind started to get pretty annoying so we headed back for a few beers and hopefully some sleep. Didn't take long to realize sitting in the rain even with some cold ones isn't much fun so we jugged 'em down and crawled into our tents.

 

6:30am and I've had a solid 7 hours of sleep - ready for anything but not until a good camp breakfast - oatmeal, cup of noodles and a pot of coffee. Lexx went with the classic - coffee and cookies, breakfast of champions:

 

<a href=" title="Cookies - Breakfast of champions by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2081/2468731413_21bf6bf5a4_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Cookies - Breakfast of champions" /></a>

 

 

Back to the docks:

<a href=" title="Pickeral Park docks by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2468728327_ece7e57096_b.jpg" width="1024" height="176" alt="Pickeral Park docks" /></a>

 

And we're off into a VERY windy day. Pretty much dictated the fishing for the day - drive boat into wind, toss out drift sock (I've been sworn to secrecy as to why we didn't have 2 socks to use), and drag spinners with bottom bouncers/lindy rigs:

 

<a href=" title="Getting rough by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2468732291_f666c68b38_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Getting rough" /></a>

 

The new trolling gear I picked up at the spring show worked great and I was very happy to be in Lexx's well equipped boat - while we were watching our lines in the scotty holders from the safety of the canopy we saw lots of poor buggers bearing down in small open boats - kudos to them for getting out there but some of those guys just looked miserable.

 

Back into Hay Bay I decided to try out an Eerie Deerie myself for the first time and it didn't take long to bring in my next meal

 

<a href=" title="Dinner! by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/2468732609_e8a0b05d09_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Dinner!" /></a>

 

Lexx switched to the same colour and after a short time out on the front porch:

 

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/emosworld/2468732911/" title="Relaxing in the sun by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2468732911_7a14f3058f_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Relaxing in the sun" /></a>

 

he got a solid thump and landed a 23 incher. Turned out to be our last of the day and thus the weekend.

 

After some fun landing the boat with the canopy acting as a great sail we packed up and got ready to go

 

<a href=" title="Ready to go by Sean Maurik, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2469556474_8a66bc144c_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Ready to go" /></a>

 

We ended up landing 3 walleye each if I remember correctly along with a couple perch, an out of season bass and a turtle. Nothing of any real size (for Quinte anyhow) but we didn't get skunked in any of our trips out so a definite success in my books (my stomach agrees - Chronzy would be proud).

 

Big thanks to Lexxington for the invite - great guy, great boat, great company. Now hopefully next time we can skip the rain and add some pike

 

Hope you all enjoy the report

Sean

[bassmaster4]

wtg nice fish! good that you had a nice opener!

[irishfield]

Great stuff guys!!! Lexx looks real comfy in the bow !

[danbouck]

Great Report!

[young_one]

Very nice report! Love the dock picture. Every BoQ report on OFC has a flavor of its own, and I'm craving for my turn! I'll definitely be on the bay very soon.

[TangerineDream]

Yeah when I called you the night before you left I wondered how miserable it would be although it's good to see it went well. You didn't freeze, didn't get skunked and didn't get lost so it was a full success. Keep up the good work guys!

[fatherof3]

great report,sounds like a good weekend

[b2kptbo]

Great report and pic's...

[superdad]

Great Report, loved the video, could see you were close to my home base (Bayview Resort) everyone there got their fish where you were fishing.

[lew]

Thanks for that excellent post Sean and really good to see you & Paul did so well on the weekend.

 

Hay Bay is one of my all-time favorite fish'n holes anywhere in Ontario and you've got me pumped now...only 10 more days to go before I'm there myself on our annual pickeral hunt.

[Mike the Pike]

Way to go guys always a pleasure to bring the warm Mr.Buddy

 

Nice detailed report

[ehg]

Great report and pictures!

The pictures are nice quality and stay huge. The turtle picture rocks!

Nice going with the eater size walleyes as well.

Looks like youse made the best of poor conditions.

 

Thanks for sharing,

 

ehg

[jdmls]

AWESOME REPORT.....i love the picture quality you always produce !!!

[LeXXington]

Rather than do a new post thought I would add too this Sean got most of it coverd. That Turtle must have felt like a movie star with the amount of pictures...

 

Yes MR Buddy saved the weekend .. It was fun now too find some pike

 

 

 

Edited May 6, 2008 by LeXXington

[tbayboy]

Is it bad when the pictures without fish in them outnumber the ones with fish 3 to 1 and a turtle gets more pics than the biggest fish of the weekend?

 

If you squit hard enough I'm sure that turtle will turn into a prize winning pike right?. Thanks for the pics - even the artsy fartsie black and white ones

[tbayboy]

Thanks for that excellent post Sean and really good to see you & Paul did so well on the weekend.

 

Hay Bay is one of my all-time favorite fish'n holes anywhere in Ontario and you've got me pumped now...only 10 more days to go before I'm there myself on our annual pickeral hunt.

Thanks Lew - I really like that Bay as well mostly because it appears that you can get into some fish without needing a huge setup (of course high winds and rain always suck) - a rental tinny would probably be fine. I might try going back out there later on but I'm not sure how long the 'eyes stay in the bay (I'll have to do some more research I guess).

[Bitsmith2k]

nice job guys.. i'll have to make it a point to get out there for next years opener..

[tibbs]

Great Report!!

[PatrickGG]

Nicely done guys but looked kinda Chilly and some nice quality fish caught

[snag]

Great report as always!

 

Love the editing. The videos are getting clearer and clearer these days.