Simcoe Report

[vanwagm]

Fished Simcoe on Friday and Saturday. Stayed in a 12' x 16' sleeper hut for one night. Had a blast. Didn't get our limit, but caught a ton of fish---plenty enough for me to clean. Stayed with Ice Cabins out of Gilford. Peter put us on the fish, and the action was steady Friday afternoon, and then again Saturday morning until 10 or so. Then everyone stop catching them. We left about noon with enough fish to make us happy. Here is our catch...less what we had for the fish fry on Friday night.

If anyone wants to do this trip, I highly recommend Peter.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/533/1002DSC01596-med.JPG

[tommy-n]

momma , weres the big ones?

[gsepan]

We went with Peter last year and at the end of this month were using his overnight accomodations on land. Just wondering what he charged you to stay the night in the sleeper. From what I remember it was quite pricey... He's charging us 100 canadian to stay in his "on shore" room. We didn't get many fish out of the sleeper but we did some scouting around the area and found some honey holes close to the sleeper where we pulled most of our fish. Can't wait 'til the end of the month!!!

[robin]

That picture is very deceiving. The fish on top of the pile is 13" long. Out of the 230 or so fish we caught, the majority were keepers. After cleaning 53 fish I had a stack the size of a loaf of bread. It sure beat any action I've had on Lake St. Clair. For a while the fishing was so good that the three of us couldn't keep our poles in the water. We had one person pulling fish off the other guys' lines for a while. It cost us $100 per person, but I would do it again in a minute. It's pretty nice being the only guys on the ice in below zero weather, cooking your catch on a propane stove in a warm hut with a wood-burning stove. It's the first time I've ever caught fish lying down.

[tommy-n]

You done good, glad you caught some fish and had a good time. When the kids get home I will post a picture of some good ones I caught last year. I did not mean to come off as negative.

[tommy-n]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/7597Perch_Pics-med.jpg

[gsepan]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/7597Perch_Pics-med.jpg
Holy Crap Man!!!

[Wahoo]

WOW WOW and .....WOW!Nice fish....Someone please let me know how I can get ahold of a good and reasonably priced guide on simcoe?How far ahead do you need to be booked up there in general?.....Thanks so much for any info!....LEES4180@webtv.net....Len

[Jacob Huffman]

Ok Im new to the whole Simco thing.I was wondering if any of you guys take people out with you.Kind of like a guide service.I was also wondering if you ever car pooled there.I have a reliable car but it sucks alot of gas,1983 olds 98,so I was wondering about a car pool.I know it would be awesome to try that kind of fishing.I have fished Saginaw Bay since I was 3 but never have I cought a mess of that many big fish.My best day ever there was about 10 years ago and between my dad and I we cought our limit of 9-11 inchers.We went back the next day and cought about 20..PM me if anyone does this or knows of someone that does....Thanks..

[patcheroo]

CONGRATS on the fish! That sounds like a BLAST of a trip. I'm going to have to do that once..........Patch

[mike h]

CONGRATS on the fish! That sounds like a BLAST of a trip. I'm going to have to do that once..........Patch


A group of us should get together and go Patch.

[salmonboy86]

Cant wait going the beginning of next month for the first time.

[jig head]

count me in. I have allways wanted to go to simcoeA group of us should get together and go Patch.

[Burnsie]

Van, happy to hear we had similar experiences. Fished out of Keswick Friday, Saturday and Sunday Morning. Bite was great on Friday and early Saturday. Had to hunt the fish down Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning... it only took a couple of moves. Limits were easy but the fish were small (for simcoe) 7 - 9 inch norm with the occasional 10 & 11. Caught the majority of our fish just south of Keffers Marina in 22 ft of water. Sunday's fish were in 10 feet. No Jumbo's all weekend??? Dave's Huts treated us well, got us close and moved us once we found the fish.
Saturday the channel 5 news interviewed one of the guys in our group... Brett's a big Canadian star now.... guess he's going to start hangin with Genz and leave the rest of us hacks behind.
Stayed at Inn on the Lake in Keswick, a good clean fishing motel but I wouldn't recomend it for a romantic get away, unless your wife likes to fish... Excellent lake access and a nice fish cleaning station available.
All and all an excellent trip!

[PencilPlugger]

WOW WOW and .....WOW!Nice fish....Someone please let me know how I can get ahold of a good and reasonably priced guide on simcoe?How far ahead do you need to be booked up there in general?.....Thanks so much for any info!....LEES4180@webtv.net....Len
We're making our first trip to Simcoe in the 2nd week of February and I just booked the hut operator last week. They said that you should make your reservations 3 to 4 weeks ahead of time. And if you're not going with a sleeper hut, you'll have to get your accomodations in advance too. I spoke with several cottage rentals and they book months (if not more) ahead of time. There are also several hotels and B&B's in the area but I'm not sure about their availability but it's probably similair.

[mallardtone-man]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/7597Perch_Pics-med.jpg


WOW................................... :bowdown: :bowdown: Now that my freind is a bucket of perch, the ones on top are freakin huge. Lol, they almost look deformed :yikes: , freaks. lol :lol:

[vanwagm]

Burnsie--

I tried you on the radio, but didn't hear back. You were probably too busy reeling in fish! We left Saturday morning when the bite stopped (about 10). It was fast and furious from sun up until then, but stopped in a hurry. Was it the same on your side of the bay? What time did it start back up?

[Burnsie]

Van, a couple of us started around 7:30. The bite was really hot to about 9:30. Once all the commotion started on the ice the bite slowed down. The key was to get away from the crowds for most the afternoon, in the evening around 4:00 the fish were back.....

One of the guys in our group bought up an aquaview (360 degree). It was incrediable how many fish were holding in the area Saturday morning....
Have you been out locally? Thinking about Gino's with my son on Sunday pending the ice conditions.

[jamieking989]

Just curios, also how long does it take at the border to get through? I'd like to give it try, for as much as you here about it it must be great.

Thanks,

Jamie

wrench61271@hotmail.com

[scotto6700]

I didn't make it over last weekend like I was supposed to, but my 6 buddies limited out both days over in cooks bay. This is the second straight weekend they've gone and they already booked the hotel for this weekend. Its been two vehicles each weekend, and no one has given them problems at all at the border. They said as soon as they said they were heading to simcoe, the attendants have told them go ahead, and have fun!! Good luck to all that make it out this weekend.

[DROLYAG]

Me and a buddy are heading to Simco the weekend of the 28,28 & 30 of this month. We are renting a hut from "Randy's". This will be my first Simco trip. Any recommendations as far as techniques or lures?

[vanwagm]

Me and a buddy are heading to Simco the weekend of the 28,28 & 30 of this month. We are renting a hut from "Randy's". This will be my first Simco trip. Any recommendations as far as techniques or lures?


You will figure it out as you go. The fish will let you know what they want. I suggest to bring everything you have. We caught fish on minnows, jigging raps, those stinky bead things, jigging spoons, and small power baits. The rapala and spoons had to be tipped with a minnow to get a solid hit. The fish were not real aggessive so we couldn't get them to hit on the kens spoons or jigging rapalas without the minnow. The only thing we didn't have was perch spreaders, which some of the locals use. I guess it's a good way to start, and then let the fish tell you if they will hit artificials. Good luck

[DROLYAG]

Thanks Van- I figured it would be similar to here. My favorite technique for perch is a swedish pimple (or similar) in silver tipped with a minnow head, seems to work everywhere. Hot Tip- Getting some good pike, crappies and walleye on Union Lake in Commerce Twp.

[Garret]

Thanks for the Union Tip It would be great if you would PM me with location? Island in the middle / North shore etc... I would like to help out my brother who lives in the area and would go there with the right report. He fishes solo so the info is kept to himself.

Thanks,

G-MAN