A small group of us assembled to make the trek back to the Bay of Quinte in search of monster walleye. On the road by 4:30AM and on the ice by 6:50 we were pumped! Dragging our portables out onto the 4 inches of ice with 24-28 feet of water under our feet we settled in.
The morning was slow, current was near nil in an area I am used to seeing current. I think the current level weighs heavily on the walleyes activity level under the ice. Around 10 or so the current picked up slightly.
Paul got us started with a nice keeper.
Around 11:30, I hear my buddy Markus calling for me from inside his portable. “Rob”. “Ya”. “Rob”. “What?”. Silence. “Mark, Fish?”. “Yes!” And it’s a good one!
I ran over to lend him a hand. Phil grabbed the camera for the final seconds of the fight. Mark’s reaction is what trophy fishing is all about to me. Relief, excitement and adrenaline all wrapped into that moment.
She came in at 9 pounds 10 ounces.
Mark had come all the way from Nova Scotia for 5 days of fishing. That fish made his weekend and mine as well. Mark and I have hosted each other on the water for years and it seems whenever we get together, fish like that happen!
Birdee made the trek with us as well. She was all comfy in her HT portable. Sadly like most of us it just wasn’t her day to land a giant. She’ll be back!
Around 1 O’Clock all I hear is “RJ”, to which I peap from my portable to see Brian walking towards me with what looked like a log of wood. It was a giant Golden Bar! A truly awesome fish. Came in at 31.5 inches with a 20 inch girth and tipped the scales near 14.5 pounds.
While the numbers weren’t great for us those two fish were outstanding and will always keep you going back in search of that gold.
