Hunting & Fishing Can Be Fun For The Whole Family
By County Camo
Ontario boasts an extensive range of climates, environments and hunting experiences, from big game hunts including moose and bear to small game and waterfowl. The diversity of our landscape has long attracted the avid hunter.Â
Track your quarry under fall canopies of spectacular reds and oranges across the province during the fall months. Climb over the rocky terrain of the Canadian Shield, stretching from the Great Lakes north to James Bay. Paddle or wade through the lush marshes and tide-water flats. Perch amid the treetops of vast, untouched tracts of bush.Â
There are a variety of hunting opportunities in the Quinte West area. These include wild turkey, deer, black bear, pheasant, ruffled grouse and spruce grouse, Hungarian partridge, sharp-tailed grouse, raccoon, foxes, rabbits, and squirrel, among others. Please consult the Hunting Regulations summary for more information on hunting opportunities in this area.Â
Well known for excellent boating in the summer months, the waters of the Bay of Quinte, Trent River, and Lake Ontario are also favourite fishing grounds for local residents and visitors year-round. Fishing is a twelve-month sport in Quinte West, attracting enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. The Bay of Quinte is considered the best place to catch walleye and is also home to the elusive garpike. There are also ample stocks of large and smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, yellow perch, crappie, salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout.Â
The Bay of Quinte is home to some of the best walleye fishing in the world, and the best part is that you can drop your line year round. In January, the World Fishing Network mentioned the eighty-five kilometre-long waterway in its list of top ice fishing destinations.Â
Zigzagging from Carrying Place in the west to the eastern tip of Prince Edward County in the east, the Bay is made up of hundreds of small inlets, tucked away honey holes and tributaries that are perfect for snagging walleye, as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass, salmon, pike and panfish. Although the first recorded colonists to fish these waters were likely Quebec missionaries in the mid-1600s, the bay had sustained the Iroquois people long before that.Â
HOTSPOTSÂ
Areas along the Bay of Quinte you’re sure to get some bites:Â
Trenton BayÂ
Fish: largemouth bass, pike, panfish, walleyeÂ
The City of Trenton sits where the Trent River meets the Bay of Quinte, and it’s just offshore here, in Trenton Bay, and further west near the Murray Canal where you’ll find some of the best walleye fishing in the region.Â
Belleville BayÂ
Fish: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, pike, panfish, walleyeÂ
Further east, where the Moira meets the Bay of Quinte is Belleville Bay, another great location for walleye, as well as largemouth and perch. The islands and inlets around the bay make for some excellent fishing spots.Â
Telegraph NarrowsÂ
Fish: largemouth, smallmouth, pike, panfish, walleyeÂ
Continuing east, past the Bay Bridge in Belleville to Deseronto, is this long, narrow area known by locals for its large populations of smallmouth and walleye.Â
www.www.thegreatwaterway.comÂ
General information on fishing licenses:Â
www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-canadian-residents
Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
Before you can hunt in Ontario, you’ll need a hunting version Outdoors Card, and all required licenses, tags, and/or seals for the intended game.Â
www.ontario.ca/page/hunting-licence-ontario-residents