Fishing with Piotr

View Bay Of Quinte in a larger map

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They Bay of Quinte has become the walleye capital of the Ontario. Huge ones are caught here day in and day out in all seasons. Trolling seems to be the most effective method of catching them here, but if you find a hole where they are stacked up, jigging a grub or minnow can also be very effective. Bright flashy colours of lures are the norm here and always seem to produce. Colours like chartreuse and orange really produce a bite from the monster eyes and they will do anything to chase them down. Get a few Rapala Tail Dancers that dive anywhere from 10-20 feet and you’ll be setting hooks all day long. The Bay of Quinte is best known for its walleye action but there is a variety of fish that can be caught here.

Smallmouth bass are also very plentiful in the bay. They are easily caught in drop off areas where is a lot of rocks. Try fishing in and around the many bridges that go across the bay to land this great fighting fish. Largemouth can also be caught in the bay but in calmer waters usually. Check the back bays, any thick vegetation, or in and around docks.

There are also pike and musky in the bay as well as pan-fish such as perch. You can really catch a large variety of fish here so come prepared to fish for whatever is biting. The bay has plenty of drop offs, shoals, and structure to fish so it is never super crowded in any given location and you’ll always find a quiet place to catch some fish.

 
View Pigeon Lake in a larger map

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Like Canal Lake, Pigeon Lake also harbour’s vast amounts of weeds. It’s not a very deep lake which makes the weeds grow like crazy, but that is a good thing. Muskie, walleye, and bass love the weeds as they provide ample food in the form of panfish. You can troll this lake or you can hunker down in a weed patch and try to pull out some monsters.

For trolling the key spots are around Big Island and through the Gannon Narrows. On the east side of Big Island the weeds are thick so you will need a fairly shallow running bait and yes, you will get caught up in some cabbage, but don’t let this stop you from trolling through there. Be persistent and patient and you will come out successful. Around the Gannon Narrows there is some rocky out-croppings and a few points. Target these areas and you can get lucky with walleye and the occasional musky. Other than those two areas you can try trolling just off the shores of the lake.

The weed patches make for a great day out if you are targeting largemouth bass and even smallmouth bass. From the north to the south of the lake you can find a ton of weedy patches with lily pads and sunken tree structure. Try flipping these areas to get your bait right in front of the bass’ mouth.

If you want to go and spend a night at Pigeon Lake, then go to the east side of Big Island and bring your tent. There is plenty of camping spots here but be sure to snatch one up early in the day as they fill up with other boaters. One word of caution, make sure to secure your food properly as the racoons in this area are relentless and extremely brave. I even had one rip into a tent before in search of food.

Fast Facts:

Length: 22km

Width: 3km at its widest

Mean Depth: 3m

Close towns: Bobcaygeon

View Lake Simcoe in a larger map

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If you live in Toronto and want to get out on the water in a quick 30-45 minutes on a great lake, then Lake Simcoe is the place to go. A huge lake located roughly 50km north of the city, it offers a variety of fishing adventures. The water is clear, the fish bite hard, and the ice fishing is excellent.

In the spring try staying on the southern part of the lake, in Cook’s Bay or south west of Georgina Island (The biggest island on the lake). Here you will find early season pike and walleye as they congregate in the warmer waters and get ready to spawn. Make sure to check the regulations on when the season opens up and be there opening day. One word of caution, the waters can be pretty choppy on Lake Simcoe and the weather can really affect the fishing. Be sure to go out on the water when it is safe and check the weather forecast so that you aren’t surprised.

Summer is fantastic on Lake Simcoe. The season is open for all sorts of fish and you can hook into some beautiful largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, whitefish, and lake trout. During the dog days of summer the fish tend to go deep so bring some deep diving crank baits, get ready to troll or just float around and jig the bottom of the lake. Trophy size fish are caught every year on Lake Simcoe so expect to be pleasantly surprised when you head out here. A few shore fishing spots can be found around the lake and they can make for a perfect day out with the family or friends. You can keep busy catching pan fish all day long and occasionally hook into a larger species.

Fall is often overlooked by recreational anglers but it can really be a fantastic time to head out on the lake. The fish are feasting on everything just before the winter and they are fat from a long summer of eating. During the week the lake is almost empty, giving you ample opportunity to pick your favourite spot and really focus on fishing. Do yourself a favour and take a day off work, get some buddies together and have a blast catching monsters all day long.

Winter is a very popular time to go fishing on Lake Simcoe. It is one of the largest lakes in the world that completely freezes over. Ice fishing huts are found all over the lake and tournaments are held almost every weekend. There are a lot of ice hut operators that can introduce you to ice fishing and many of them will supply you with your own hut, rods, and bait. The ice is usually very safe come January and February, but be sure to check with authorities on the ice thickness. During the winter you can expect to catch beautiful jumbo perch, whitefish, and lake trout.

Fast Fact:

Length: 30km at its longest.

Width: 25km at its widest.

Area: 744km²

Depth: Average is 49’ but at its deepest it is 135’

Close Towns: Barrie to the west, Orillia to the north, Keswick to the south, and Beaverton to the east.

Amenities: Since there are many small towns and even some bigger cities like Barrie, you can find almost anything you need. From food, supplies, gas, and marinas you will be well covered.

View Canal Lake in a larger map

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Weeds, weeds, and more weeds! This lake harbours some monster largemouth bass, walleye, and even musky. With it only being an hour drive outside of Toronto this is a favourite hot bed of activity with many shore anglers as well as many boaters. The island in the middle of the lake offers a ton of opportunity for shore fishing and you will always find a spot to cast out no matter how packed it can get. The great thing about shore fishing here is that you really can feel as if you were out in a boat as you can pull in some decent fish just of the banks or around the bridges.

As this lake is covered in weeds it is best to fish it in early spring or in late fall when the cover dies down a bit, but don’t be deterred by this, there is still ample opportunity during the dog days of summer. It may be very weedy but all anglers know that weeds are like the kitchen in your house. They offer cover for many bait fish, crawfish, and insects which the big boys chase after. If you plan on fishing this lake in the middle of summer be sure to find a pocket amongst the weeds and fish it slow with either a spinner bait of a Texas rigged worm. By doing this you put the bait right in the strike zone of the fish and you can expect to land a few monsters here.

Sure largemouth bass and walleye can be caught here but if you’re lucky, patient, and fish here often, you just may land the monster musky you’re looking for. Try following the trolling lines outlined in the map and be sure to fish in and around the two bridges. The deeper waters around these bridges offer a lot of room for big game fish.

For a lake that is so close to Toronto there is no excuse not to get out there and try your luck at catching some monsters.

Fast Facts:

Length: 12km

Width: At its widest 3.5km

Temperature: Can go as high as 25°C in the middle of summer

Depth: A very shallow lake with most areas only 1.5 metres deep

Close Towns: Bolsover and Kirkfield

Amenities: Around the locks you will find washrooms. Along highway 48 there are a few burger joints for a quick snack.

 
View Toronto Shore Fishing in a larger map

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Fishing is something you can do almost anywhere, as long as there is a body of water. As you can see by the map here I have listed 18 places that you can go out and fish at. They are all minutes away from any spot in Toronto and can offer you a great place to spend the day or just to get out for an evening after work. Many of the spots are located in parks where you can bring your family and friends, and have a picnic or just make a day out of it. These are some of the places that I have explored in the past, have seen on tv, or have researched through the Ministry of Natural Resources.

These places are perfect for the first time angler or for kids. They are so close by to almost anywhere in Toronto and you can take a quick drive, public transit, bike, or walk to most of them. I really suggest getting out to one of these areas after a stressful day at work, you will find that all your problems seem to go away and you can clear your head while fishing.

If you know of a good place to do some shore fishing around the Toronto area and would like to share it with me feel free to drop me a line at: fishingwithpiotr@gmail.com

 Take a quick glance at the places I have mapped here, you may recognize a fishing hole right in your own backyard that you never knew was there:

1. Rouge River Marsh

2. Frenchman’s Bay

3. Petticoat Creek

4. Bluffers Park

5. Ashbridge’s Bay

6. Tommy Thompson Park

7. Toronto Islands

8. Humber bay Park

9. Grenadier Pond

10. The Humber River

11. Colonel Samuel Smith Park

12. Norton Place Park

13. Professors lake

14. Milne Park

15. Stouffville Reservoir

16. Mountjoy Pond Park

17. G. Ross Lord Park

18. Wilcox Lake

Two Boat Launches:

1. Frenchman’s Bay

2. Bluffers Park

View Lake Scugog in a larger map

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Lake Scugog is a man-made lake and is probably the closest drive for anyone from Toronto. This lake is not a natural body of water. It was a purposely flooded in the late 19^th century by damming up the Scugog River and thanks to this we have a great lake for fishing.

Lake Scugog is extremely weedy. The weeds grow thick and abundant here making it a perfect environment for fish to live in. You may get hung up on the weeds while fishing but don’t let that deter you from throwing your bait right into the slop as this will prove quite productive. Make sure you have quite heavy line if you are going to be doing some casting so as not to lose your bait when you cast into the weed line, which is pretty much everywhere.  Personally I used a 17 pound mono-filament line on my bait-caster when fishing this lake and had no issues, while a few friends using 8 pound mono-filament lost their entire set up. I think when I return to this lake I will probably up the ante and throw on some 20 to 30 pound braided line so I can really get into the weeds with no worries.

Trolling Lake Scugog can prove to be productive and you will see a lot of anglers trolling along the lines in the above map. On the south-eastern portion of the lake there is a bit of a clearing which is usually packed with boats trying to snatch up a passing largemouth bass, musky, or walleye. My best tip is to find a quiet bay, make sure you cover as much water as possible, and you’ll land something.

The shore fishing spots outlined on the map are a great place to go if you don’t have a boat. Try exploring all the nooks of the lake and see if you can come up with any other shore fishing areas that I should add to the map. The shore fishing here is great too allowing you to get into some of the thick weeds as well where you can pull out pan fish all day and the occasional big one.

Fast Facts:

Area: 68 km²

Length: 15km

Width: 5km

Temperature: Can go as high as 25°C in the summer

Depth: 1.4 metres average depth. The western side of the lake is the deeper section but still only reaches about 3 metres

Close towns: Port Perry and Lindsay

Amenities: Port Perry and Lindsay offer a variety of coffee shops, fast food, gas stations,  and even some places where you can get fishing tackle should you get stuck in the weeds. Great Blue Heron Casino is located on Scugog Island and is easily accessible by car, so if your luck runs out on the water, try your hand at some cards.

View Rice Lake in a larger map

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Rice Lake is a fantastic lake to fish. It has proven to be a fish factory for many years and many anglers swear by the great walleye fishing that is offered here. For a lake that is quite close to Toronto, only about 1.5 hours away, this is truly a gem that can be fished over a weekend or even just a day trip.

Rice Lake is part of the Trent Severn Waterway making it accessible to a network of great fishing waterways. The lake is named for the wild rice that used to grow around it but it has all but disappeared now. Many people travel to Rice Lake specifically for its walleye fishing. In 2009, the night that the seasoned opened for walleye, I was shocked to be fishing side by side with many other anglers at my favorite shore fishing spot. It was 12am and you would of guessed that some major event was going on as there must have been 30 people fishing one spot.

Look around the map and see if you can catch some monsters in the areas outlined. Sure, this lake is known for walleye but there is an abundant amount of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pan fish, and the occasional musky. There are lots of resorts long the lake that offer great lodgings for the night or weekend and often times you can rent a boat for a day if you wish to venture out and try your luck on the lake. However, this lake can get choppy at times so make sure you play it safe when boating.

The shore fishing spots outlined on the map are a great place to go if you don’t have a boat. Try exploring all the nooks of the lake and see if you can come up with any other shore fishing areas that I should add to the map. The shore fishing here is great too allowing you to get into some of the thick weeds as well where you can pull out pan fish all day and the occasional big one.

Fast Facts:

Area: roughly 150km²

Length: 32km

Width: 5km

Amenities: There are a few small towns that dot the island from Bewdley on the southern part of the lake to Gore’s Landing and Harwood as you move up the southern shore. These towns usually offer a small corner store, a gas station, and places where you can get bait. If coming from Toronto you can stop off at Port Hope or Cobourg for all your coffee and snack needs. If you are coming from the north, the city of Peterborough is only 20km north.

Here are some pictures of the shore fishing spot at Gores Landing and the free public boat launch:

Gores Landing

View of Gores Landing Shore Fishing

Gores Landing Public Boat Launch