Belleville sits right on the edge of the Bay of Quinte: a world-class fishery home to massive walleye, aggressive largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, and toothy muskellunge.
To help you get the most out of your next angling adventure, we sat down with local expert Al McIntosh, owner of Bay of Quinte Bait & Tackle, to get his best fishing tips, seasonal advice, and favorite spots.
The Bay of Quinte Bait & Tackle Story
Before opening his shop in April 2015, Al McIntosh worked a demanding sales job for a uniform and mat rental company, putting in 50 to 60 hours a week on the road.
As retirement approached, he began pondering his next step.
A lifelong fisherman since childhood, Al was inspired by a Dragon’s Den interview with Arlene Dickinson, who advised Canadians to start small businesses doing what they love.
Taking the advice of a friend who suggested converting his garage, Al launched Bay of Quinte Bait & Tackle at 104 Herchimer Ave.
Over 11 years later, it remains the only tackle shop near the waterfront in Belleville, just a 10-second drive from the Herchimer public boat launch.
Best fishing tips from a pro
When it comes to getting started on the water, McIntosh advises newcomers to keep things simple and avoid overspending early on.
“I recommend not spending too much on their gear—$45 for a rod and reel is a good start,” McIntosh said.
For families introducing children to the sport, taking them down to a local pier with basic tackle often yields the best results.
As he points out, “the parents are taking them just for their first experience of fishing off the dock. It gets them excited and interested and maybe hooked for life.”
Matching your gear to your target species is equally important.
“A lot of bass fishermen don’t use live bait. They use rubber baits and hard-body minnow baits, what they call crankbaits or jerkbaits,” McIntosh said.
Weather plays a role
Beyond tackle choice, paying close attention to natural conditions can dramatically improve your success rate.
Weather shifts play a major role in how fish behave.
“The day before a storm is coming, often fish tend to be more active because they can sense it. They seem to know it,” he said.
If it’s stormy, the fish sense barometric pressure and the waves churning above them, so they tend to go for cover, he advised.
Furthermore, solar and lunar cycles can dictate peak feeding windows.
While McIntosh admitted he never put much weight into weather patterns, he changed his mind after cross-referencing his personal catch logs with Rick Taylor’s lunar charts online.
“They were pretty close” in predicting when wild game becomes most active.
Freshwater shark
For those seeking the ultimate Bay of Quinte thrill, the waters are home to massive muskellunge, often dubbed the “freshwater shark.”
Recalling his largest catch—a 44-inch muskie—McIntosh cautioned that “a sought-after trophy is 50 inches” and warned anglers to handle them with extreme care.
“Their teeth are sort of triangle-shaped and they’re serrated on the edge.”
“If one of them ever catches your hand or any part of you, it’s going to do some damage. They’re dangerous,” he said.
Lastly, for anglers hoping to hire a guided boat, McIntosh said that Belleville focuses primarily on local shore fishing and launch ramps rather than full-service charters.
“The only one I know for sure is Loyalist Charters out of Picton,” McIntosh said.
“Picton has access to Lake Ontario, so that is a bigger draw.”
Top Fishing Spots & Tackle Shops Around Belleville
Here are the top spots and local shops to visit:
1. Bay of Quinte Bait & Tackle (104 Herchimer Ave)
- Location & Convenience: Located steps from the water and the Herchimer Avenue boat launch, making it the ultimate morning pit stop.
- Specialty: Live bait such as minnows, worms, and leeches
- Winter Ice Fishing Hub: During the winter ice fishing season (mid-December to March 1st), this shop stocks minnows for ice fishing, outselling any other bait for the entire year.
2. Shoreline & Moira River Mouth
- No Boat Required: Anglers without boats can walk along the waterfront trails, docks, and park stretches right from Herchimer Avenue.
- Prime Spot: The mouth of the Moira River where it flows into the Bay of Quinte offers some of the best shore fishing in the region.
- Urban Runs: The river trail stretching up toward Highway 401 provides great seasonal action for walleye, smallmouth bass, and panfish.
3. The Bay Bridge & Deep Channels
- Structure & Drop-offs: Boat anglers frequently target the underwater structure around the Bay Bridge.
- Depth Transitions: While much of the bay rests at around 15 feet, deep channels under the bridge and out toward Point Anne reach 20 to 40 feet deep. Predatory fish use these drop-offs and depth changes as ambush zones.
4. Pro Tackle Fishing (43-B Putman Industrial Rd)
- Tournament Hub: Situated just off Highway 401, Pro Tackle serves tournament competitors with heavy-duty deep-diving baits, custom Berkley Flicker Minnows, and expert advice on local water clarity and structure.
5. High Falls Outfitters (6833 Hwy 62 N)
- Gear & Marine Electronics: Offers fishing gear, full marine maintenance, sonar electronics, and cold-weather ice shelters built for fall pike and muskie hunters.
6. Meyer’s Pier & Belleville Harbour (1 Bay St)
- Deep-Water Pier Access: Shore anglers can drop 3/8-ounce jigs tipped with minnows into the deep harbor basin to catch yellow perch, freshwater drum, and trophy walleye.
7. East Zwick’s Centennial Park (10 Bay Bridge)
- Weedline Tactics: Shoreline walking paths, thick weed beds, and lily pads make East Zwick’s an ideal spot to pitch weedless soft plastics for largemouth bass and northern pike.
