WHERE and WHEN

APRIL
Due to stocking programs by the MNR of 8-10 inch Brown Trout into Lake Ontario along the Sandbanks shoreline east of Wellington, a spring fishery is growing. At this time of year the Browns can be found in close to shore in 6-15 foot of water. Most productive technique is using planer boards, with small silver, silver/ blue spoons, or small silver thin body baits, with long leads 25-50 yards, employing regular “S” turns to change lure speed and action. Do not be surprised to find Rainbow Trout as well, as there is a growing population that come to the small creeks in the area at this time of year, so try a shallow diving body bait such as a jointed Rapala, orange being a very productive colour.
CLOSA - Central Lake Ontario Sports Anglers - a club well worth joining, in conjunction with MNR has been stocking the Wellington area with Chinook fingerlings for the last five years. Each year in April, 10,000 fin clipped fingerling Chinooks are reared in pens at the Reel Thing dock, for 6-8 weeks, and then released into Lake Ontario. CLOSA members feed these fingerling, as well as another 10,000 in pens in Wellers Bay, every 2 hours. This penning technique has proved that fish reared this way imprint on the water and then return to the area later in life to spawn, creating a fall fishery for the area, as well as the spring and summer one.
In addition the MNR release another 15,000 Chinook fingerlings directly into the Wellington channel each year. For CLOSA membership information contact Bill Ross at 613-394-3934
MAY
The start of Walleye season. West Lake has a large resident population of medium size Walleye 2-3 pounds as well as larger fish to 10 pounds .The lake is shallow and weedy, so best results are along side the weedbed edges, around the sandy shoals where drop offs occur to 15-20 feet. Techniques vary, trolling, drifting, jigging the holes, spinners tipped with worms, bottom bouncers, worm harness’s, drop shotting to body baits. Around these areas there will be Pike as well, mostly 3-5 lb range with the occasional rod bender. After dark the lights on the town dock attract bait fish to the area, and large Walleye and Pike come in from Lake Ontario to feast on them. 10 pounders are not uncommon, and daily limits often achieved before midnight. 5-6 inch body baits being the most productive lures. Come early as the dock gets crowded.

Cold water from Lake Ontario is continuously pushed down the channel to the town dock resulting in large numbers of Yellow Perch inhabiting the area until the water warms in mid summer .The Bass know the season for them has not opened yet, so tantalize those fishing around the docks. May 3rd sees the start of the local Rapala WHIP annual Fishing Derby which runs until September 1st.

JUNE
The Walleye and Pike fishing in West Lake and around the docks continues to flourish. By mid June Chinook Salmon and Rainbow Trout are starting to appear off Wellington in Lake Ontario, the shoals around Salmon Point being the most productive at the start of the season .Dipsey divers, slide divers, down riggers, lead core long lines for the Salmon, long line body baits for the Rainbows.
The third week of June sees the opening of Bass season. West Lake has close to 20 kilometers of shoreline, with docks, overhanging trees, lily beds, rock outcrops and shoals, fallen trees, weed and reed beds. Bass habitat in abundance. There is a large population of Largemouth Bass, to 5 pounds, and a smaller population of Smallmouths.
Much overlooked, but growing in popularity is Carp fishing, for the angler who is fishing for fun and skill testing, a twenty pounder on 10 lb test will give plenty of both. West Lake has a large population of large Carp.

JULY
Salmon fishing is now at its best from Salmon point to the famous Scotch Bonnet. The Sun, Great Ontario Salmon Derby (www.sportshows.ca/salmonderby) starts the first week of July running for seven weeks. The Wellington area has long been recognized as the water to find the big ones, especially in the early weeks of the Derby. In 2007 two of the seven weekly winners weighed in at the Wellington weigh in station at The Reel Thing Fishing Pro Shop. As well as 6 other anglers who made the top 10 in the weekly list, to qualify to go to the “Fish Off”
CLOSA start their summer Derby for Salmon and Trout, the WHIP derby is in full swing, so there are numerous prizes up for grabs. The waters of West Lake are starting to warm up, making the Bass more active and aggressive, pleasure boating activities are on the increase, so seek out the quiet bays and the Bloomfield Creek, an area to make to make the mouth water, as it is a natural Bass habitat, difficult to fish, lots of weeds and lily pads, but rewarding to the skilful. Conversely there are some very shallow areas in West Lake, less than two feet, with lily pads and fallen logs, that can be fished from a canoe, with surface baits. The Walleye have headed to the deeper cooler water and are inactive during the day, dawn and dusk now become the most productive times . Night fishing now comes into its own with jigging in the various holes producing good size fish. Gar Pike now appear in schools, cruising the surface. They are difficult to catch and even more difficult to unhook when caught. One technique that seems to work well is several strands of cloth strips from a mop pulled across the surface, when a school is sighted, the mop strands get tangled in the rows of teeth in the beaks. Some use fly rods for this method of fishing. West Lake has a good population of Crappie, they appear to move around the lake, so it is a search and seek program, find the holes around lily pads and weed beds.

AUGUST
With West Lake water now at its warmest, the Bass are at their aggressive best. The Salmon fishing continues , not at the levels of July, but still rewarding for the search and seekers, as the fish stocked in the area in the past, are still to be found. Pike are very lethargic, and Walleye are in the deepest holes, Crappie are active around the shoreline. The Derbies are coming to an end, with the current leaders anxiously watching the leader boards each day.
SEPTEMBER
Most of the summer visitors have gone home, the amount of boat traffic has considerably reduced, the lake waters are cooling, and all the fish are feeding themselves up for the winter. No better time for a weekend getaway. At the end of the month and into October, the Walleye fishing picks up again. Then comes what many consider the event of the year, the Chinook Salmon that had been stocked in the area in previous years, return. 25 pounders are caught off the main dock and at the entrance to the channel from Lake Ontario. Excitement to round off the season.

OCTOBER INTO DECEMBER
The action now switches to the Bay of Quinte, rated as one of the top Walleye fisheries in N America, 10 pounders are the norm. The fish come in from Lake Ontario, thus areas around the Glenora ferry are the most productive spots at this time of year. Main boat ramp is in Picton harbour.