Fishing Report Sun - Bay of Quinte

[admin]

Fished the Bay of Quinte today. Target species walleye, trolled worm harnesses (yellow & orange colorado blades) in 15-22 fow. Landed 3 nice keeper walleye and 7 sheephead. Biggest fish caught was a 9lb sheephead (nice fight). I'll post pics when I get back. Another great day to be out.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend & happy father's day!
Cheers,
Jerry

[admin]

9lb sheephead / drum - not target species but lot's of fun..

[admin]

target species.. walleye

[Brooktrout]

Nice 'eyes! Those drum can be a lot of fun to catch - they put up a nice fight.

[Longshank]

nice!.any walleye is a good walleye.

Sheephead are a blast to catch,,,,,,,,see some pushing 12 plus here and that's fun!

[M_Kwailo]

nice ones.
Happy fishing!

[janneman]

Are those sheephead any good to eat? I know in Lake Erie they kill everyone they catch and consider them not worth keeping. Saltwater sheephead in Gulf of Mexico on the other hand are the preferred fish for eating among others, like flounders and drum.

[fishvictory]

I am with janneman. Are they good to eat? I am sure you had a fun while fishing drum!

[backwoodsmanbob]

nice going. I have caught many drum as well during the opener up the river and they are a blast when the walleye are not cooperating

[admin]

Yes, I have heard they are good eating, especially the smaller ones around 4-5 lbs. Many years ago when I was just a newbie fisherman, I used to go to Selkirk on Lake Erie and catch white bass and freshwater drum. I kept 2 drum and tried to fillet them and just couldn't, they were too bony. Never kept any since, although I assume I might be able to cut some meat slivers off them today as I am alot better with a knife now.

My Kingston fishing buddies also told me some anglers in the area keep them, I thought they were bottom feeders and poor table fare, but I have caught them casting spoons off the piers on Lake Ontario while trout and salmon fishing in the spring and fall. Also people have caught them while trolling spoons and body baits for salmon and trout, so they seem to also actively hunt for baitfish.

You really shouldn't kill any fish you catch if you're not going to eat it (except invasive species). Just not right, sheephead are fun to catch and lot's of excitement for kids shore fishing. If you eraticate them from an area by chucking on the bank, someday our kids will have nothing to catch. Seen this happen alot on local ponds in the GTA were people toss catfish and panfish on the bank since they don't want to catch them, now these ponds are void of any catchable fish. Kids love catching anything and the look on thier faces when they hook into a wiggling catfish is priceless... (just my 2 cents).