Our friend ‘Maple’ went fishing recently to North America‘s walleye Mecca and has kindly sent-in the details of his “Battle on the Bay”
One day I must take Quinte walleye off my bucket list!
Bay of Quinte ice-fishing – By Maple
After finishing the Bay of Quinte “Battle on the Bay” fishing event at 3:00 on Saturday, I moved a little closer to shore, to about where the winners were caught and fished until dark. Nothing nibbled, but the thick fog that moved in made for some interesting photos. Not really satisfying though.
Sunday morning found me on Belleville Bay over 16′ of water. The fishing was much better there and I caught 3 perch before 10:00. A better showing than the three guys beside me who had just driven 200 kms to fish and caught nothing. By noon I’d had enough.
This was not what I’d hoped for. My fourth day of fishing the BOQ this ice season and not a single fish to show for it. I feared my wife thought I was behaving irrationally.
So I packed up and headed back to the Park Lane Motel where I was staying. In talking to the nice lady behind the desk, she suggested she call a friend of hers to inquire about fish. She did, and it happened to be Jeff Chisholm, a guide with the Quinte Ice Fishing Team, who kindly offered to take me out for the PM. He had clients who were looking exclusively for a big fish. How could I say no!!! I didn’t.
Isn’t is strange how you can give a dejected man hope and his spirits are immediately lifted? In my motel room I re-arranged my stuff and watched the clock tick towards the appointed time. Hopeful.
Once we met at the shore, Jeff motored me out on the quad until I was less than a speck in the distance. Way farther than I’d care to walk on my own that’s for sure. No landmarks, just a dot on his GPS. I got my holes drilled and started fishing while he went back for the two others.
By 3:30ish we were all busy jigging and I struck a good fish, and it stuck. I might be rusty but my hooks are sharp. By the massive headshakes and singing drag I knew it was a good one. Thanks to my 14″ diameter hole and Jeff’s grab, the long awaited prize soon lay on the ice. She was 7 lbs 12 ozs of shining fins and belly. Pickerel, dore, walleye, call it what you want it was huge! After a quick pic she went back down the hole. Man that felt good!!! Real Good!!!
Dan, Bruce and Jeff caught a bunch of nice fish (6?). Some eaters and some over eight pounds, way too big. The big girls go back, for the future. Rather that running over to them to admire their every fish, I spent the evening prime-time jigging 30 yards away, and smiling. I could hear their laughing and see their wiggling fish just fine from where I was sitting anyhow. How grown men can giggle.
Well after dark, I continued fishing as Jeff ferried the other guys in to shore, and lo and behold I hooked another beaut! This one a 3 to 4 pound treasure that I envisioned as a mound of golden fish and fries, so I bonked her on the head.
Man that felt good!!!! Real good!!
So, thanks to a helping hand from a great guy, my life has changed, in my wife’s eyes as well, I hope.
You made my year Jeff.
Maple
