Ice fishing on Simcoe without the ice

[Cudz]

At times I make wise decisions and at other times I make poor decisions. This evening's decision was of the latter variety rather than the former. Despite the forecast being cold and windy I decided to venture out (with a friend) in my 1960 12' boat onto the lake. I should have known it was not going to be a good evening when I got to the launch and realised I had forgotten my tackle box at home. I had to drive home and get it which delayed our launch by 15 minutes.

Although the wind was very strong and cold, it was out of the west so it was not going to affect us that much (lol), Anyway, as I was navigating to our spot I was getting drenched by the bow spray. No big deal though because it just froze almost instantly to my ski pants, jacket, face, fishing reel, boat, fishfinder and pretty much everything else.

Once we got to our spot I grabbed my rod only to find that the line had somehow broken. I put that rod down and pick up my spare only to find that the tip had broken off and was now down by the weight. Wow! Not cool! Now I have to run the line through all the eyes of the first rod and tie a new knot. Did I mention it was very cold. My fingers were already going numb and it must have taken me 10 minutes to retie.

 

Finally I start to fish. The drift was too fast so eventually I had to run the motor just to slow the drift down. While fishing the guides kept on freezing solid and somehow I managed to get a huge knot around the second last guide. Instead of trying to unknot it I just started fishing with the broken-tip rod. There was no way I was going to cut and retie that first rod again.

To make a long cold story short, we caught nothing in the 2 and a half hours we were out there. Near the marina there must have been 30 loons. That was cool. They took off when we go too close. They really have little wings. We called it quitting time when it started to snow pretty hard.

 

Once on shore, we got the boat on the trailer, took the engine off and backed up to the thin ice sign for a a quick pic.

 

It was fun and cold but I don't recommend fishing in a 12' tinner when it is -8 dgrees out and windy as it can be. I think with the windchill it felt like -16 or something ridiculous like that. lol. My fingers still don't feel quite right.

Here are some action (ha) shots from this eve. Sorry no fish pics.

[bigugli]

I feel your pain. Have been just as foolish ( and stubborn) out on the French trying to jig for walleyes in a tinner at -10C not including windchill and trying to run through snow squalls

[Greencoachdog]

Now that is hard up for a fishin' fix!!!

[Cudz]

Ditto.

It's a fools game, many of us need to play at least once.

Yer lucky you retuned alive, heading out in a 12' foot"bathtub".

lol. Because of the cold and the quick ice build up, it leaked a lot less than normal. My 12' has about a 3.5' transom width and is very shallow. Calling it a bathtub would be an insult to bathtubs.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Cudz

[Leecher]

The things we do for the love of the sport Kudos Cudz for going out and trying

Man that looks real cold out there

 

Over here, no more open water and the mild temps yesterday melted the thick layer of snow from the top of the good ice we had..... now today, temps dipped @ -11C and froze everything over making the ice thicker

 

Sorry to hear about the broken rod tip... guess you'll be looking to buy another

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[Joey]

Near the marina there must have been 30 loons.

 

Hmmm, I'd say there were 32

 

 

 

 

Well, at least you tried!!

 

Joey

[LeXXington]

burrrrrr too cold for me..

[shane]

Hmmm, I'd say there were 32

Well, at least you tried!!

 

Joey

 

 

HAHAHA!! Good one!

[danbo]

Atta boy! Now ya need some woolen gloves with the trigger finger-tip cut off to cast with..

[limeyangler]

LOL....sounds like a great day out!

 

Never a bad idea to go fishing in my book....lol...until like you you get there and the elements suggest otherwise.

 

I went to go shore fishing last november....only to find the shore locked up with thin ice upto 30 yards out, tried casting but didn't like the line lying across the ice...hard to tell if ya had a bite...lol...so in the end my wife and i were throwing rocks out to make holes and trying to aim the cast down the holes...this lasted for 1/2 hour before we called it quits!

 

gotta give ya 10/10 for trying:thumbsup_anim:

[Rizzo]

It was fun

 

I says pardon?? After reading that report, you my friend have a very warped sense of "fun". I agree with Joey's assessment of 32 loons (good one joey by the way). Nonetheless, I give you credit for your commitment to the sport!

[jdmls]

Its ok, you only make a mistake like that once....

[bukee]

Wow that's hardcore for sure. Glad to hear you two are back safely. By the way you guys were probably the only 2 loons on the lake, loons usually start migrating at the end of October. If I had to guess you were looking at some sort of divers, ie buffle head, blue bills, mergansers, etc.

Edited December 16, 2008 by bukee

[muskeybugged]

Hmmm, I'd say there were 32

Well, at least you tried!!

 

Joey

 

Thanks for giving it a go!

[Cudz]

Atta boy! Now ya need some woolen gloves with the trigger finger-tip cut off to cast with..

I used them last night. Took them off only a few times and one was for the picture because I also took a pic of my friend. At one point I didn't even bother putting the mitten part over the fingertips because I couldn't feel them anyway.

[highdrifter]

You're a brave soul duude!!

 

Atta boy.

 

Hd

[Cudz]

Wow that's hardcore for sure. Glad to hear you two are back safely. By the way you guys were probably the only 2 loons on the lake, loons usually start migrating at the end of October. If I had to guess you were looking at some sort of divers, ie buffle head, blue bills, mergansers, etc.

100% they were loons. They had very small wings and had a hard time getting going out of the water. I know what a loon looks like and we got about 20 -30 ft away at times. From a distance I thought they were ducks but when we got closer it was obvious. I guarantee they were loons. I thought the same thing about flying south. I actually said to my friend "what is up with these stupid birds. They should be out of here by now." Obviously still lots of food here. I tried fishing the spot where they were but nothing doing.

[corvette1]

good for you get out there and fish congrats

[Cudz]

I says pardon?? After reading that report, you my friend have a very warped sense of "fun". I agree with Joey's assessment of 32 loons (good one joey by the way). Nonetheless, I give you credit for your commitment to the sport!

Yeah I have weird definition of fun. Earlier this summer i was in a boating accident (not the driver) that was pretty bad. 7 of us in a boat at midnight doing 45 mph hit a peninsula that was 4 ft high. Managed to launch the boat 40 ft over the peninsula. Landed sideways on the water and everyone inside got rag-dolled. Ripped the hull apart and the stern drive off. No one got ejected and only minor bruises and small cuts.

Now I am not saying that it was fun but it was incredible. I remember being airborn after hitting the rocks thinking "hey this is going to be ok, that impact wasn't too bad" Yeah not too bad until we hit the water sideways upon landing and immediately came to a stop. In the accident we broke 3 rods 2 reels and my tackle box. Came out alright. Someone is up there always taking care of me.

Worse part about this accident is that I have been on that lake 3 times at night and I have hit that peninsula twice, once this summer and once 18 years ago. You would think I would learn. I bet I don't hit it a third time.

I have some really good pics of the boat and accident.

[Kirk]

forgot tackle box...no working rods... line broken 12 footer in bad weather, hmmm lol

[irishfield]

Worse part about this accident is that I have been on that lake 3 times at night and I have hit that peninsula twice, once this summer and once 18 years ago. You would think I would learn. I bet I don't hit it a third time.

 

Maybe we should start a pool ??

[steelhedrmatt]

100% they were loons. They had very small wings and had a hard time getting going out of the water. I know what a loon looks like and we got about 20 -30 ft away at times. From a distance I thought they were ducks but when we got closer it was obvious. I guarantee they were loons. I thought the same thing about flying south. I actually said to my friend "what is up with these stupid birds. They should be out of here by now." Obviously still lots of food here. I tried fishing the spot where they were but nothing doing.

 

They are actually Arctic loons, and will wait for ice-up before migrating south. Next time notice the white feathers have a different pattern than the common loon.

[Joey]

I have some really good pics of the boat and accident.

 

So, lets see em!!!!!

 

Joey

[Cudz]

So, lets see em!!!!!

 

Joey

Ok I will make a new thread

[ehg]

Sometimes its worth it to try an unfrozen lake in the middle of winter.

 

Usually the best fishing of the year can be had. Thought i'd share a couple of pics of many years ago from Lake O.

Caught these fish from a 12 ft. Stearns as well. Since that time have been edumacated and always where a PFD now.