Simcoe Perching, Delayed Report from over a week ago...

[metalbuckle]

Hi Folks,
So after a few years of no ice fishing at all, due to all kinds of reasons, but mainly busy life and family... I was able to get out for a day of ice fishing. I brought two newbies out with me, who have been asking me for years that they wanted to go icefishing. But due to poor ice conditions the past few years, I kept them off the ice, for safety reasons. This year we are having a good ice season, so I dusted off the gear and organized this long awaited trip..

He headed to Cook's Bay, and we hauled the gear out approx 2 km to an area I had marked in the past. It was frigid and blue bird skies and I didn't expect a banner day.. As expected it was slow, schools of perch would swim by approx every 30 minutes, with the usual flurry in the morning around 9-10 am and then another good bite window 3 pmish. We ended up landing about 30 perch, but the vast majority were small, under 8 inches. I just wanted these newbies to learn how to set the hook and land a fish. They never ice fished before and I figured Cook's Bay perch was thier best chances at getting something. They missed a lot of fish, not setting the hook and not reeling fast enough, but by the end of the day, they figured it out and bite-hook-land ratio was getting better..

I will take them out again when the weather improves. I stayed off this weekend due to snow, they don't have proper foot gear for these types of conditions nor are they ready to walk in those drifts. I am not that keen on it either. LOL.. Did it in the past.. & it wasn't fun!

We kept a couple of the bigger perch for meal. Sorry not an impressive report, but a report all the same..

Cheers & happy fishing!

PS: Thank-you Dave & Dale for helping me decide where to go.. Hopefully I can get out again soon and we can hook-up this year.

[Flukes]

Helping newbies into ice fishing is the reward. I know lots of people who want to do it and don't even know where to begin. I'm always glad to be there to get them the experience and who knows if that leads to more down the road. And sounds like it was a successful trip...enough action to let them know you can catch fish and to be able to refine their abilities to get the fish out of the hole.

[Longshank]

I am just happy that you got out.........it;s not always about the numbers or size, but rather just having a good time


I'm itching to get back there but am going to wait for a while..like mid to late March

[Dbfish]

Nice Jerry, very nice of you to coach a couple of rooks.
So much snow this year. It sure makes it difficult to get out to where we want to go.Youre fortunate to get onto the ice down on lower Simcoe.
Up here in Orillia it has been a disaster of heavy snow and slush.
My annual trek to Manitoulin begins this week. Seems weird to travel further north to get less snow.
Take care see you in March.

[Brooktrout]

Glad to hear you got out! I'm sure the rookies are hooked. I always say "you can't catch em from the couch". LOL

It's ironic that we went from a couple winters with virtually no snow and questionable ice to a winter to too much ice and slush. We need something in the middle!

[Flukes]

I wouldn't say there is too much ice. There is for sure alot of snow and slush but the ice isn't great or even too thick esp. given all the cold temps we have had up here...all that snow has been killing the ice making. What would be great is a year with cold temps and little snow. Then we would be complaining about there being too much ice ))

[Icemanjay]

Glad you were able to get out! My season has been plagued with mechanical and physical problems so I’ve only been out for a couple of day trips. Got skunked both times but it’s great to get out regardless. You even got to bring home a meal!

[burnzy1945]

You're a little rusty, but you came through.