Bay of Quinte: Ontario’s Premiere Fishing Destination
Earlier this summer, I embarked on my very first fishing adventure on Lake Ontario. I had a fintastic time! I didn’t know it then, but that fishing trip was going to reel in my heart.
Ever since, I’ve been hooked on fishing in the beautiful province of Ontario. My heart and sole have been aching to get back on the water and I finally had the opportunity to scale up my skills on my recent trip to the Bay of Quinte.
Too many fish puns? I mean, salmon had to say it! (Okay, I’m done now!)
In all seriousness, that first fishing charter made me fall in love with the sport. Ever since, I’ve been looking for opportunities to get back out on the water.
This summer has certainly been a weird one, to say the least. It’s forced me to look a little closer to home for the adventures that I’d normally be hopping on a plane to find. If there is any silver lining in this pandemic, it’s showed me what incredible experiences lie outside my front door.
For example, in the Bay of Quinte.
The Bay of Quinte
Located smack dab in the middle between Toronto and Ottawa. The Bay of Quinte is an authentic rural travel destination in southeastern Ontario. It’s surrounded by pastoral farmlands, picturesque waterfront, and luscious boreal forests. It’s also home to an abundance of farm to fork restaurants, a thriving arts scene, and is considered a world-class fishing destination.
You can catch a variety of species in the Bay of Quinte including perch, large and smallmouth bass, pike, muskie, white bass, crappie, freshwater drum, carp, and catfish.
But, the fish that draws fishermen from all over to the Bay of Quinte, is walleye.
Walleye live in the bay year round, but in the fall, huge numbers of giant walleye migrate from Lake Ontario into the Bay of Quinte, where they stage to spawn in the spring. This opens up a huge window of opportunity for fishermen to catch a walleye of a lifetime. These fish can grow as large as 10 pounds, which is pretty significant for the Bay of Quinte!
Local restaurants like Sand & Pearl Oyster Bar source the walleye on their menu straight from the Bay of Quinte!
To get a taste of what it’s like to fish the bay, I connected with Ashley Rae, or shelovestofish, as she goes by on Instagram. Ashley is an angler and fishing guide, who’s an expert on the Bay of Quinte.
My brother and I signed up for a full-day fishing adventure with Ashley on our recent trip to the region. Bundled up in a few extra layers to protect against the crisp morning air, we arrived at the George Street Boat Launch in Belleville at 8 o’clock sharp, ready to catch some fish!
Fishing with Angler Ashley Rae in the Bay of Quinte
We were honoured to be one of the first charter guests that Ashley took out on her brand new boat: an Alumacraft Trophy 205 powered by Yamaha and outfitted with Garmin and Power-Pole electronics.
The boat was small but quick. We zipped away from the boat launch with ease, determined to catch some fish in the Bay of Quinte!
Ashley is the type of person who can make people feel like they can do the impossible.
As inexperienced fishers, my brother and I were both nervous about the trip.
During my first fishing experience, we were trolling for salmon. Trolling is a fairly straightforward fishing method in which the rod sits idly in a cupholder-type compartment on the boat. It only requires the fishermen’s labour when it’s time to reel in a fish.
On the Bay of Quinte however, we were line fishing. This means that the fisherman actually needs to cast their line and then reel it in each time. It requires a little bit more active engagement and casting is no easy task!
Thankfully, Ashley was an excellent teacher. She was actually stoked that we’d never been line fishing before because it meant she was able to put her extensive fishing knowledge to good use. She taught us how to cast, how to find fish using her boat’s technology, and how to tell if a fish was on the line by the feel of it.
Admittedly, that last one took a little while to grasp. We both pulled up more weeds than fish throughout the first couple of hours. By the afternoon though, we were pros at being able to decipher some greenery from a real live fish on the line.
Ashley used the Garmin technology on her boat to drive us around to different spots in the Bay of Quinte. Using the map feature, she’s able to drop pins where she’s previously caught fish. These were the spots we went to first. She also taught us that fish in the Bay of Quinte tend to gather near structures like docks, so we fished those areas as well.
The morning was chilly and windy, but we barely noticed as we chatted all about fishing and local travel. It was actually kind of perfect for us as we were still getting comfortable with the rods and figuring out the perfect casting technique.
By the afternoon, the weather had warmed up and so had the fish!
During the final hours of our trip that the fish really started biting. All three of us wrestled with a few fish who ultimately ended up being able to outsmart us and swim away.
But just before we decided to turn back for the day, we hooked a bass!
Ashley had coached us on what to do once the fish was on the line, so I felt confident as I reeled it in closer to the boat. I could feel it fighting me, but I was determined not to let this one get away.
As I reeled, Ashley grabbed a net to scoop up the bass. With one final pull, the fish emerged out of the water.
Just like that, we had caught our first fish in the Bay of Quinte!
We put this little guy in the hold while Ashley grabbed her camera. We posed for a quick photo op (we’re not talking about my hair) and then set him free to be with his buddies again.
You can keep your catch from the Bay of Quinte, but many fishers prefer to practice catch and release to preserve the local populations.
After docking the boat, we went next door to the Boathouse Seafood Restaurant to celebrate our successful day of fishing! As it turns out, you work up quite the appetite casting and reeling all day!
Alongside teaching newbies how to fish, Ashley is passionate about getting more women involved in the sport. Fishing has been a male-dominated industry, making it intimidating for women to get involved. Ashley has been using her charter business and online presence to change this.
She hosts an annual Women’s Walleye Weekend every November, where women from all around the country join her for a weekend of walleye fishing. Which, if you remember is the big draw in the Bay of Quinte! The event attracts women of all skill levels too, from those who’ve never fished before to those who’ve been involved in the sport for years.
Pre COVID, women would bunk together and cook potluck dinners between fishing trips. This gives everyone the opportunity to create new friendships in the fishing community.
While this year’s event looks a little bit different, Ashley is still hoping to hit the water in November with a boat full of fisherwomen!
Fishing might be the ultimate Ontario outdoor activity
Both of my recent fishing trips have reminded me how beautiful Ontario is and the opportunities that exist right here at home. Given the travel limitations that this pandemic presents, a fishing charter may be a great opportunity to explore close to home. Plus, we could all use a work-from-home break once in a while!
As I mentioned earlier, walleye is the big draw in the Bay of Quinte and the fall time is when the fun really begins.
If you’re interested in getting out on the water in the Bay of Quinte, reach out to Ashley to book a charter experience! And if you’re a woman interested in getting more involved in Ontario’s fishing industry, be sure to ask her about her Women’s Walleye Weekend in November!
Connect with Ashley:
Check out www.SheLovestoFish.com
Watch Ashley’s YouTube channel:
I want to humbly thank Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board for hosting me as media. All opinions are completely my own. Below, I’d love to know in the comments if you’ve ever been fishing in the Bay of Quinte and your thoughts! Or, just your general thoughts on fishing in Ontario! I respond to each and every comment personally.
