The Legendary Fall Run
Quinte holds two kinds of walleye. Resident fish live in the bay year-round. Most run 5 pounds or less and bite spring through fall. Then there are the migrants — the Lake Ontario giants that arrive in fall. They are the main event.
From mid-October until ice-up, your odds of a double-digit walleye are as good here as anywhere in North America. Eight-to-10-pound fish are common. Twelve-pound fish are caught every season. Veteran guides have weighed fish over 15 pounds.
Deep Trolling
Slow trolling with deep-diving crankbaits is the top method. Popular baits include Reef Runners, Rapala Deep Tail Dancers, Deep Husky Jerks, and Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows. Planer boards spread your lines away from the boat and let you cover a wide path. Line-counter reels help you repeat the exact depth that gets bit.
Snap weights can add roughly 10 feet of depth to a crankbait when fish hold deep. Clip one about 50 feet ahead of the lure and let out more line.
Night Casting
Night casting is the other classic Quinte play. For 30-plus years, anglers have cast minnow-style crankbaits from shorelines and shallow flats after dark in late fall. Big walleye slide shallow at night to feed, and a slow, steady retrieve gets crushed. No boat required.
Handle With Care
Most Quinte regulars release every trophy so the fishery stays world-class. Take a quick photo and measurements, then send her back. A replica mount beats a dead giant. Ready for the peak? Read the fall trophy hunting guide.