Lake Trout/Whitefish (not)

[fishinfool]

Went out of Beaverton with Floyd Hales yesterday, left at 7:00 am and came back in at 4:30 pm.

It was very windy and cold out there, you wouldn't last 10 minutes without the hut.

The ice was 11" thick and real black, lots of pressure cracks around us and lots of cracking going on, Yvette was not impressed. Ooops!

Marked two fish all day on the fish finder, got the royal small black and white animal.

Nobody in all the huts around us got anything, the guys in the huts on either side marked 2 fish all day as well (probably the same two I marked LOL)

We were fishing in 53' of water just North of Thorah Island. Hales told us that they slayed them on Friday night and when I called today to find out about a discount for next time, they slayed them again this morning. Hmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

 

One of the other guys out there with us yesterday has his own fishing guide business and said that they were not deep enough and Hale's was probably trying to recoup a bit of cash for the bad season so far by setting up as far as the ice allows.

Hope this was not the case, but I guess thats why they call it fishing.

Yvette and I have never caught a Lake Trout or a Whitefish and are getting a little perplexed trying!

Anyone here at OFC know of a better spot where the odds are better?

Has anyone here been catching any?

 

 

Here is a picture of our hut, notice the lack of fish on the doorstep. (bummer)

Edited February 4, 2007 by fishinfool

[iceguy]

Nice pic's. Sorry about your luck out there.. I've caught lots of fish on Simcoe at the 50 ft range. I notice in your pic's you had rods out instead of balance tip ups. That might be the key for your success. Whitefish somtimes or often hit so lightly you need those tipups as they are very sensitive. Also I don't know if you were jigging a williams whitefish lure.. I rather jig that lure than fish with minnows as they bring in the fish with the flash fromfar far away and the whitey's and lakers often hit that lure and not even bother with minnows. Good luck next time Pm me if you have any other questions.

[fishinfool]

Hey iceguy

I was told that they were getting them right down in the mud with minnows so I set up a spreader with minnows and dropped it right to the bottom.

I was also jigging with a Williams silver/red, Williams silver/blue, numerous Bad Boyz and jigs type lures and a couple of airplane type jigs with no luck.

As I said in my post, we were not marking anything down there and nobody had any luck.

I am definitely new to fishing Lake Trout and Whitefish and I figured that when everyone got picked up at the end of the day we would be the only ones with no fish but that was not the case.

There just wasn't any fish there to be caught.

Thanks for your positive input and if you are going out soon, let me know.

Maybe we can hook up and I can get one of these guys.

Thanks

Stan

Edited February 4, 2007 by fishinfool

[iceguy]

The fishing must have been slow if no one got one. Problem with huts is you can't pick up and move. I'd be up for some fishing somtimes. Tim hales is good bet also. there putting the huys out in the deep area this week' Pm if your intersted.

[ShaunB]

Wow I went with them last year and heard the same story...slayed the day before and slayed the day after....I am not going with them again....I would rather pay someone who knows the area and stay portable and on the move

[fishinfool]

ShaunB

For sure the way to go, only problem is I don't know anyone who knows the area, how about you?

 

Stan

[iceguy]

I have no assocations with any hut operators on any lake but I had a hut out for a few years and when they say there were slaying them yesterday they might not be lying I had days in my hut where I nailed them one day and not mark a single fish on the vexilar the next days. I would go to my hut with friends and guarentee some fish just to be skunk. Lake Simcoe is huge lake and the fish might be just be a km away.

[fishinfool]

Hey iceguy

That is probably very true but at the cost of $100 a day for the two of us, I'm thinking I would rather pay someone who knows as ShaunB suggested and move around to find them as you suggested.

Anyone here fit the bill?

Stan

[iceguy]

There's a guy name Greg Klatt who guides out there if I'm not mistaken he guaretee fish(might be perch though). Im sure if you google his mane you will find his website. I have a portable and move around but somtimes still get skunk. I love hut sevice every once in a while just show up no worry's.

[irishfield]

Look at the bright side Stan...you had some good looking company. You could have been stuck in a fishless hut with me instead ! LOL

[fishinfool]

Irishfield

Ok ok, you made me feel better, can't tell ya what sitting in a nice cozy fish hut all day and not catching can do to a guy.

It really wasn't that bad a day lol.

[mattyk]

sorry about the no fish. Atleast you were out on the ice.

[fishindevil]

well sorry to hear that...like you said maybe they should have put the huts farther out...when we have went for lakers the huts are usually in 70-85ft. of water well better luck next time

[Clampet]

Thanks fer the insightful report.

I got a feeling the colder temps might push the fish deeper.

[tributaryhunter]

kemperfeltbay in barrie is a better option next time, i always do good out there every year just drill holes and move around and mark the fish and the chances are you will get them good luck next time.

[fishhunter]

Same thing happend to us last year with Hanks Huts . Called him asking if they were set up on the lake trout and white fish grounds yet. I get oh ya, so we book a hut. We get up there all ready for 70 feet of water and find out he is only in 40-45 i was sum ticked wqs waiste of good money. I have found you have to ask all the questions or expect what they give you. I called hanks this weekend and was told they were up and running but when i asked are they in 70 feet yet they said no. They will be by this weekend coming. It is a great place to fish when they get there shacks out to 70 feet. They have a great area and well worth the price for a day when in the right water.

[ccmtcanada]

Nice report even though no fish! At least you two looked comfy in that hut! You'll get into 'em soon I'm sure. Thanks for the pics and report!

[backwoodsmanbob]

Hey fishin, sorry about your lack of fish problems, but at least you don't have to clean any. I live here and put my hut out by blackbird point in 52 feet. Same spot every year by GPS. Always catch fish, but not every time. Baiting helps, as well as a camera and good fishfinder. It is tough to see these fish with an average finder when they are belly to the bottom. I hope you try again. If you want, e-mail me before you come and maybe I can provide you with some help. Goos luck and be safe out there.......Bob

[camillj]

Lakers and Whities tend to move around ... if you're there when they are passing through and you're doing the right things .. you'll slay em too ... the hut operators are pretty good at putting you in the 'lanes' ... but they cant control when the traffic will come through ... and sometimes (especially if you're not paying real close attention) you'll miss the window of opportunity ... rarely are they 'slaying them' all day at any given location ... in fact most often it all happens within a half hour or so then nothin for a few hours .... stick with it ... sounds like what ya need is a confidence booster ... you should consider going to Innisfil and hook up with the gang at the Fish For Tyler event ... its cheap and you'll have dozens of folks who'd probably be real happy yo give you guidance

 

Good luck out there ... by the way when we say we are laying them in the mud thats normally a big dead sucker minnow waiting on a set line for a monster laker to cruise by and vacuum clean the bottom - it happens once or twice a day ... but ya got to set it and forget it .... the most active 'zones' for me are between 1 and 10 feet off bottom (in 50 90 feet of water) and from 5 - 15 under the ice (any depth of water)

 

Also it REALLY makes a difference if you go lighter in the line (even though you may get break-offs) .. Ive had fish hitting on 6lb 'clear' with small salmon egg hooks below a small splitshot when nobody else is getting a touch.

 

Hope this helps ya .. good luck out there

Edited February 5, 2007 by camillj

[dsn]

Lest You got out. I'm still waiting to get out on the ice.

 

 

dsn

Edited February 5, 2007 by dsn

[tonyb]

I was also out on Saturday with Smokey's huts. I am convinced the fish were just not in a positive mood, as they weren't moving around all that much.

 

We marked about 6 fish all day on the sonar, and had 1 light lift on a tip-up and another hit on a small jig but hooks didn't set on that one.

 

Very frustrating when the fishing is that slow. We were in 78' of water, so don't think it was the location. I think the fish were there, just not moving around much or feeding much.

 

The temps really changed on friday night and the cold snap definately had an impact as I haven't heard much caught on Saturday.

 

Tony

[fishinfool]

Thanks for all the positive responses and information.

That's what makes this site shine!

 

Stan

[Sudsmaster]

http://chaotickeith.proboards41.com/index....read=1170602799

 

The barometer probably had more to do with the slow fishing than the location of the huts ...the link above is off another board that says they caught fish from Floyd Hales Huts on Friday ... I guess that's why we call it fishing ...don't give up.

 

Suds

Edited February 5, 2007 by Sudsmaster