a bit longer (3hrs) and no WF!, but some lakers of course!

Tried to go out of my usual spot...the small parking lot was loaded and spilling out onto the road so I contacted a friend and went out to another area, away from the crowd (I don't think I have ever seen that many at my usual spot this winter). Not a soul in sight! Access was not great and was already falling apart a few days ago but last night's cold temp made going out pretty decent but if course, I was more careful as there are some holes (with a thin skim of ice) already but easy to see without the snow.
First hole, set up the dead stick with a dead minnow on buckshot at 9:30ish. Second (main) line goes down with a vibrato. Smelt, smelt and smelt marks. Screen clears up and a good mark comes into the screen and it was a chaser....all the way from about 45' to between 10 and 15' before it hit and was hooked (it gave up twice on the chase up but then decided to chase and hit. These lakers )) A smallish laker about 20"...tangled up with my deadstick line and what a mess - went to the back-up rod/reel while I worked on cutting and untangling and re-tying. Texted my friend as he said he would come out to check how I was doing after he had breakfast. I don't think his wife believed there would be fish in front of their home so when they approached, she was surprised by the fish on a stringer bleeding out in a hole I had cut for that purpose...and it twitched and the head came out. They ask if I would be offended if they gave that fish to their neighbour (who we met just as I was getting out)...no problem. Decided to just use the main line (no more tangled mess for me today. After they left it took me another 15 min. and another laker (#2) chased and hit pretty quickly (there were actually two marks and one was already a bit higher up so I am not sure which one I got hooked and I watched the other swim down as I was pulling the laker up). Texted him and told him I had his dinner for tonight.
More marks that looked like lakers and one actually took a swipe as I was playing keep away. So I moved inshore to looks for shallower water and hopefully WF....nope, a couple of feet deeper. Since the holes were cut, I decided to try. No smelt...took 10 min. and another very fast moving mark. Another chase and hooked it after a 15-20' chase. A small 18-20" laker. Lightly hooked (and another hook hooked just behind the head but barely so a release was no problem - beautiful colours on this little trout with a nice belly on it). So one more try and will move if no WF. 10-15min later, a mark comes in, I decided to drop the lure instead...always hoping. The fish hit...and it was heavy. Took a couple of seconds to get it off bottom. PLEEASE be a big WF....even though it didn't feel like it. Got it up far enough to know it was no WF and it was a decent sized laker as it peeled a bit of drag. Close to the hole, I start looking for my pliers to do a release at the hole since I had my limit already and it wasn't going to be a PB or record breaker, saw the jaws and part of the head so confirmed it was a good one but not worth taking the fish out for a photo....maybe somewhere between 25-27" is my best guess (fishermen are very well known for (over)estimating )). I think what happened next was that a treble hooked the ice and the laker did a self-release but left a tiny bit of lip skin on a hook. Saved me the trouble.
After that, I decided to just walk around and drill a bunch of holes to get a feel for the area. Marked nothing more but smelt but I didn't stay too long in any one spot to really try.
Fun day, no food for me but a couple of "neighbours" got dinner tonight. Photo attached was of fish #2. Didn't get a photo of the others as one was brought back while it was still twitching. #3 was lightly hooked and small so decided to do a quick release and #4 was self-released.
Ice was noisy this morning and the ice moved alot. A pressure crack that had about a 4" open water crack changed a huge amount during the 3 hrs I fished. The ice on either side of pressure crack had pushed together and there was a low wall of ice in some places and others, the ice stacked on top of each other with water on top. Had to look a bit for a decent place to get back across...no problem but I took my time to test. Last time this year from this spot but was happy to have one more before calling it quits for fishing from this access point.
Things can change quickly so be careful, think about what is happening with the ice throughout the day and take your time to cross some tricky spots.

Nice fish. Looks older. I was lucky to have the lake to ourselves yesterday. Sorry bout the launch! Was a nice day and everyone trying for last ice. Definitely not the end yet. The closer to ice out the higher the likely hood of the whitefish turning on. They’re stubborn for sure this year.

The funny thing about this fish was that as I was bleeding it, it turned this paler colour (in the photo) and not really nice looking (like I had left the fish out in the sun or something all day)...but it was still "alive". Then after the photo, I put it back into the water....went to put it into the cooler and noticed that it was a really nice colour again. Got to my friend's place to give him the fish and it was back to the stale look. Never seen that before.
Yeah, I think today was likely most fisher's last ice outing so everyone wanted to get one last one in, esp. one such a nice calm day with lots of sun (and it wasn't the tropics out there so they were not going to have to worry about the ice getting worse over the day)...I don't think it actually broke the freezing mark here even though the forecast was for 2oC. I think we have another weekend but not two (or at least not two for the conditions that would be to my liking). So hoping to get out a few more times in low wind conditions before I call it the season. I am hoping to be able to find WF and for them to be on a feeding binge...if not just to see what is up this strange winter for the WF.

I'm sure it will taste good.

It’s really not that strange. I’ve fished there many winters and lots of times you can’t buy a whitefish. It’s more normal than having them always ON or aggressive.

And if you don’t like the crowded parking lot maybe quit posting about every fish that you catch. Just saying. Loose lips sink ships. Everyone you tell or invite tells at least one or two others, especially if they have a good day.

Anyway, good action at a different spot for you, good catch

I don't think I said that I didn't like it. I really don't mind sharing the spot with others. I don't broadcast locations (I don't think I have ever mentioned it once on this board but clearly you found out where I fish so...) but I like helping a few folks on this board to catch a few fish if I can, esp. if they are willing to share their spots with me (it goes both ways)...but clearly I haven't done that good a job helping because I don't think anyone's caught fish while fishing with me - just ask Dale ))) Some folks that go there do much better than I do and some don't. And I had no problems with the lot being full today...I have other places to go and didn't spend more than 2 minutes thinking about what do to when I saw the lot today. Glad to see people had a place to fish on such a nice day but I don't think that ALL the blame can be put on my postings (and I don't post everything, good and bad days). The WF. My experience this year has been different than last year (and it seems like many people have had hte same low WF catches this year than last too) but you may be right that this year may be more the norm. I have no idea. I need more time/years figuring that out. But so far, for me, the two winters have been very different so maybe last year was the unusual one with more WF than lakers (and I saw more people catching WF last year too) but we will see in a few years.
As you know, there are so many places to try up here (this and the many, many other lakes around here). A full parking lot (and this was the only weekend day out of the entire season that I have seen it that full) forces me to travel a little bit more and that can end up great like today and add another spot to the roster of places I can fish

I used to tell everyone I didn’t care about how many people showed up, but I’ve learned that it just takes the wrong people to show up once and then the slot is blown for a couple seasons. I’ve never been to “The Spot” in muskoka a lot of people fish on this board. I’m usually stick close to home in Haliburton area. Almost nobody fishes the lake anymore I’ve be been fishing last couple years for the lakers, I’m tight lipped but will share selectively in PM on the board. Most people I’ve met through this board are very respectful and understand. The lakes are for everyone, but nobody wants their access points jammed especially when you can only fit 3-4 vehicles in there. One acquaintance of mine keeps asking me to tell him where to put his his hard hut, he can’t catch anything bigger than 15”. I refuse because I know the type of party’s he will host out there and I can’t have that lol. One way or another people figure it out eventually. If you aren’t naming your lake, and not posting obvious pics of the shore or access, that’s all you need. People will still figure it out eventually but no fault of yours.

Side note: (AI is strange)

The fact that Mykola just said “the spot” says something

Oh for sure, I understand the problem. I use to fish Simcoe alot during the winter and well, we know how that is and the crazy prices for parking that came after that.
I am pretty sure I have not mentioned anything about "the spot" or even the name of the lake(s) on this board in the past and don't do it now. And I think I have only shared with a handful of folks on this board and they already kinds of knew the spot(s) from others. I know you guys know And remembering posts from many others who have posted and mentioned the lake by name (including both of you), it's a very well known lake and public accesses are not that hard to find, ala fish online website and it's been well known for a while to board members long before I came up here and knowing some of the vehicles of some long time board members that I have met and spoken with, several of the long timers were their yesterday. I don't think their decision to fish on a beautiful weekend day near last ice was based on my posted "success" in catching a few fish this season is what I am saying...I know how many they catch and what they would consider to be a decent day (I'm sure if they only got 1 or 2 fish a trip, they wouldn't be fishing the spot so often given the drive - you guys would probably think the same based on your catches). None of the board members that I have ever tried to help with "the" fishing spot (they knew the access already but were looking for a bit more info. on where in the area to start trying or more specifics about baits, etc.) were there yesterday. And based on the results of those I have helped, well....it may have actually turned them off the place

I think someone needs to take me to “the spot” because I can’t seem to catch any on my usual lakes this year.

I think some will tell you NOT to go with me because they don't catch fish when I am fishing the same lake with them

I used to tell everyone I didn’t care about how many people showed up, but I’ve learned that it just takes the wrong people to show up once and then the slot is blown for a couple seasons. I’ve never been to “The Spot” in muskoka a lot of people fish on this board. I’m usually stick close to home in Haliburton area. Almost nobody fishes the lake anymore I’ve be been fishing last couple years for the lakers, I’m tight lipped but will share selectively in PM on the board. Most people I’ve met through this board are very respectful and understand. The lakes are for everyone, but nobody wants their access points jammed especially when you can only fit 3-4 vehicles in there. One acquaintance of mine keeps asking me to tell him where to put his his hard hut, he can’t catch anything bigger than 15”. I refuse because I know the type of party’s he will host out there and I can’t have that lol. One way or another people figure it out eventually. If you aren’t naming your lake, and not posting obvious pics of the shore or access, that’s all you need. People will still figure it out eventually but no fault of yours.

Side note: (AI is strange)

Dam... you found my spot ...

I used to tell everyone I didn’t care about how many people showed up, but I’ve learned that it just takes the wrong people to show up once and then the slot is blown for a couple seasons. I’ve never been to “The Spot” in muskoka a lot of people fish on this board. I’m usually stick close to home in Haliburton area. Almost nobody fishes the lake anymore I’ve be been fishing last couple years for the lakers, I’m tight lipped but will share selectively in PM on the board. Most people I’ve met through this board are very respectful and understand. The lakes are for everyone, but nobody wants their access points jammed especially when you can only fit 3-4 vehicles in there. One acquaintance of mine keeps asking me to tell him where to put his his hard hut, he can’t catch anything bigger than 15”. I refuse because I know the type of party’s he will host out there and I can’t have that lol. One way or another people figure it out eventually. If you aren’t naming your lake, and not posting obvious pics of the shore or access, that’s all you need. People will still figure it out eventually but no fault of yours.

Side note: (AI is strange)

Dam... you found my spot ...

always enjoy your reports



as for the spot I learned a long time ago just to post about my day's fishing and that is it


I gave away a spot about a decade ago, and after that ice season, i never went back because it wasn't a spot anymore, it was a destination


anyway to each their own

Thanks. And yes, I agree and I have never posted the name of this or any other place that I have fished (maybe Simcoe...but then again, that would be on the "Simcoe" board so....). But of course, if someone really, really, really wanted to know, I am sure they can find out through others. Only a few people know this one spot where I fish and that is because others have shared (sure although I would prefer that didn't happen but can't live life constantly worrying about what others do). Privately, I have only shared with a couple of board members and they seem to be pretty good about not making it too public and I am pretty sure they were not that impressed with it so clearly, it's not even that great a spot at times compared to what others have reported on this board for other locations - looking back through this board's posts, one can see how many times people have specifically mentioned the lake and the access point by name!. So not sure why there is the implication that I may be encouraging too many people to come and fish here (this place has been well known for a long time by many board members long before I moved to the area and started fishing from it as well...met several board members that seem to know much more about it than I do and met them before I started posting more about catches from the "spot"). There is better fishing elsewhere and I may or may not have shared some of what I may or may not have caught in my posts (but for sure not the details) so maybe not all my reported catches were from this spot (so let's keep the guessing going)