ccmtcanada Posted March 12, 2013 Report Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) On Frozen Pond....A tale of heartbreak and triumph. It had been too long for these two to get out fishing. Perhaps they have drifted apart, but that wasn't the case. Life got in the way and months had passed before they realized they hadn't wet a line. That was all to change... ....the players - Fishnsled and ccmt ....the location - Lake Simcoe ....the time - Saturday March 9th and Sunday March 10th ....the equipment - Ice fishing rods, lures, minnows, snowmobile This story starts out years ago on this big lake. Ccmt has only ever caught perch on this lake despite Fishnsled's repeated efforts to get him onto a whitefish or a lake trout....two species ccmt has never caught through the ice. This would be the 7th or 8th time he tried in vain to get him onto some bigger fish. Saturday at 530am, Fishnsled picks up ccmt...and they began their trek north to Lake Simcoe. They debated all the way up about getting minnows or not. They decided not to get any...was this a critical mistake? That's to be seen. A quick stop at Tim Hortons close to the lake and they headed to the ice. The conditions are incredibly foggy, a little above freezing, and quite comfortable. Fishnsled gets his snowmobile off the trailer...they hook up the sled with all the gear and off they went. The first spot is a few miles off shore...in about 85 feet of water. A quick jump over the pressure crack and they were close to their spot. They arrive at the first GPS location and unload the gear. Fishnsled gets busy and begins drilling some holes. The game is on. They each put a jigging spoon on and begin to try for the elusive whitefish or lake trout. Each spot was equipped with a fish finder to see what was going on under the ice. Fish came and went quite regularly, but there were no takers. After a few hours of watching fish pass by the spoons, they hop back on the sled and head to GPS location number two. Same story different location. They both talk about how they wish they got minnows, so they could set up a few other rods as they jigged. Maybe the spoons weren't working because the fish wanted live bait! It was quite surreal out there in the fog. You could only see maybe a hundred yards all around. It literally felt like they were in the arctic tundra...isolated from the entire world.... Anyways, a few hours of that and no fish, and they set off for location number 3. They chatted back and forth about those darned minnows...but they didn't have any for this day. Location number 3 was much the same. Saw fish on the fishfinders, but no takers. That is until ccmt raises his rod as he's jigging. Wait...there is weight!! He sets the hook and the battle is on!! Fishnsled hears the drag peeling and looks over. He scrambles and gets his camera...he wants to capture this magic moment on video!! He gets the camera and starts jogging over and then as quickly as the fight started...it ended. Ccmt crumples on the ice mumbling "no no no no no no no no....why me?" After calming himself down, they jig for a little while longer. The fog begins to lift and the sun comes out. They continue until 5pm...both exhausted and ready to head home. They pack up and load the sled and off they go. They approach the main pressure crack and as they get right up to it, they see some open water on the other side. Fishnsled guns the sled and off they go...flying high over the wet stuff. When they land, they check the sled they were towing and all was ok! (BTW...there was only a little bit of water there....some details may be embelleshed). They call it a day...dejected about no fish...and the decision to not get minnows..... Sunday March 10th The anglers decide to give it one more kick at the can. After several years of ccmt not getting a single whitie or laker, it was his last chance of the year.... They make the same trip north...stopped at the same Tim's for coffee and arrive at the lake...this time with a scoop of minnows! The plan today was to jig spoons and have a few rods set up with live bait just off bottom. We'd for sure catch fish today!! The guy who sold the minnows said that it's been pretty slow all season for whities, but that they seem to prefer the live bait. This time they head to a new spot...in 65 feet of water...who knows, maybe they are actively feeding a little shallower? After an hour of trying out that spot and only seeing one or two fish come through the area, they decide to head off to a spot they were at yesterday. Today is a much nicer day...no fog...nice and mild. They find the same spot they jigged at yesterday and put minnows down just off bottom and they begin jigging a small distance from them. Ccmt is glued to the fish finder....and every once in a while a fish would take interest...chase the spoon and then meander off. For sure those minnows would produce though!! Ccmt is watching his screen...and there is nothing there. He's jigging up and down...and suddenly there is dead weight on the line. He excitedly sets the hook...looks at the screen and all !#% breaks loose! The fish finder screen suddenly bursts to life and the fight is on. Fishnsled gets his camera for round two, as ccmt slowly but surely begins to bring the fish up. He asks if it feels like it has some size and ccmt replies "nope...but I don't really care...it's not fighting..must be small". When the fish is about 10 feet away, it goes breserk...and the real fight is on! He looks down the hole in the ice and sees the unmistakable marks of a Simcoe Lake Trout! now the adrenaline is pumping...he's determined not to lose this fish. A few minutes later, the fish seems ready to come out...fishnsled reaches in and pulls it out onto the ice! Ccmt pumps his fists in the air and yells "WOOOHOO!!". Four years, multiple trips and he FINALLY has his "non perch" fish from this lake!!! After that fish, it seems to quiet down a bit so they decide to have a bit of lunch and then head to a new spot. Having the snowmobile is a must...anyone that knows ccmt knows he's lazy LOL. On the ride to the new spot, they spot what seems to be a sea gull on the ice. As they get closer, they see the head is wayy to big for a seagull...it's in fact a majestic snowy owl!! It takes off before either one of us can snap a picture...but it was very cool to see! Anyhow, they set up shop at a new spot and begin setting up. A little while later...as they are discussing that the minnows surely has to start producing soon, ccmt's minnow rod seems pretty active. Surely the tiny minnow on the hook cannot be causing the rod to dance that much. He picks up the rod and sets the hook. He feels nothing...then suddenly a little tug again! He sets the hook again...nothing! He decides to reel in to check his minnow. As it gets closer to the hole, there is a sudden hard strike!!! He sets the hook again...adrenaline is pumping. The bend in the rod is huge!! Then fishnsled says "You caught my jigging spoon" That was all the action for the day. At 4pm, they decide to pack it up. By that time, the warm temps and direct sunshine had pretty much melted all the snow off the ice. They quickly loaded up all the gear and they were on the road. On the ride back the topic of minnows came up again...they decided that the answer is simple. There was only one fish in the lake and ccmt caught it LOL. PS. I have no idea why I wrote this in the third person.....Oh yeah. If you need a guide for lakers and whitefish, I recommend fishnsled....as long as you don't mind it taking 4 years to get you on fish....LOL Edited March 12, 2013 by ccmt
woodenboater Posted March 12, 2013 Report Posted March 12, 2013 Glad you got that curse off your back ! great report but for some unknown reason I was expecting to read about another auger failure
Carp Posted March 12, 2013 Report Posted March 12, 2013 Very nice story Cliff. Glad you finally have the monkey off your back.
spincast Posted March 12, 2013 Report Posted March 12, 2013 That's hilarious - great stuff, and congrats. Whitie will have to wait for next year's installment
Rod Caster Posted March 12, 2013 Report Posted March 12, 2013 Great story haha. Congrats on the laker...you have few pounds more lake trout than I have this year
danc Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Nice to see that all your hard work paid off Cliff. Congrats.
Joey Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Awesome Cliff, finally, a decent fish for you from Simcoe And a beauty at that!!!
solopaddler Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Glad to see you're alive and kicking Cliff. Heckuva lake trout bud, congrat's!
Headhunter Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 (edited) So, two days on the ice, two fish on, one iced... no sunrise for you two due to fog and you have the nerve to post a report! I'm beginning to wonder which of you two is dragging that stripped critter around in your gear box. Hmmm... after careful consideration, it's gotta be FnS! If memory serves, he's blanked in the deep water every trip this winter! What's worse, he took you, Captain skunk out on the last weekend of the season... It's gonna be a long/expensive soft water for FnS... but the guys at Sail will be happy! LMAO! HH Note to self... pick a weekend that CCMT can't make, for our spring Nip trip... no CCMT this year meant our best ice trip ever to Nip... do I see a pattern developing! Bah ha! Edited March 13, 2013 by Headhunter
ccmtcanada Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Posted March 13, 2013 Fishnsled put together a little video of the catch....
Headhunter Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Fishnsled put together a little video of the catch.... Even the video is a skunk!!!! Stop it, you guys are killing me! HH
ccmtcanada Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Posted March 13, 2013 So, two days on the ice, two fish on, one iced... no sunrise for you two due to fog and you have the nerve to post a report! I'm beginning to wonder which of you two is dragging that stripped critter around in your gear box. Hmmm... after careful consideration, it's gotta be FnS! If memory serves, he's blanked in the deep water every trip this winter! What's worse, he took you, Captain skunk out on the last weekend of the season... It's gonna be a long/expensive soft water for FnS... but the guys at Sail will be happy! LMAO! HH Note to self... pick a weekend that CCMT can't make, for our spring Nip trip... no CCMT this year meant our best ice trip ever to Nip... do I see a pattern developing! Bah ha! LOL Joe! Captain skunk is a well deserved title for me...thing is, I don't even like ice fishing all that much!! You may get your wish about the spring trip...my little one needs her tonsils out...and the date is in May!
ccmtcanada Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Posted March 13, 2013 Thanks everyone!! (except Joe). Was a blast to finally catch something other than perch on that lake!!!
fishnsled Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Nice report of our day Cliff. Now why did you write it in 3rd person?? Like the shot over my shoulder driving the sled, cool perspective that I never get to see. Kinda like me being at the front of the boat, right Joe?? As for for the video, I'm guessing you can't see it Joe? I can't see it at my work either.... I'll load it up tonight from Photobucket. Joe's smart remarks may find him on shore a lot more this year...
Headhunter Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Nice report of our day Cliff. Now why did you write it in 3rd person?? Like the shot over my shoulder driving the sled, cool perspective that I never get to see. Kinda like me being at the front of the boat, right Joe?? As for for the video, I'm guessing you can't see it Joe? I can't see it at my work either.... I'll load it up tonight from Photobucket. Joe's smart remarks may find him on shore a lot more this year... The way your year is going, yo might as well stay on shore with me! Save some gas! LMAO! HH
Moosebunk Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 Will's got the vid up on his FB! And yeah... why did you write it in 3rd Cliffster? Anyways dood... persistence pays off for ya. Great laker. They're a fish you just gotta learn to play right to make for more success with catching. Won't be your last dood!
fishnsled Posted March 13, 2013 Report Posted March 13, 2013 The way your year is going, yo might as well stay on shore with me! Save some gas! LMAO! HH You don't have to tell me that!! This year the fish gods have not been on my side. 8 times dropping a line down and only 2 of those trips I've caught fish.....pathetic...
Victor Posted March 14, 2013 Report Posted March 14, 2013 That's a great story Cliff. It took us (frozen-fire/MJL and I) a long time to get our first Simcoe laker as well, must have been 8-10 full day trips before I finally hooked one. Now that you got the monkey off your back it should be alot easier from this point on
mr blizzard Posted March 14, 2013 Report Posted March 14, 2013 Great read and pictures, glad you had some fun , long overdue.
Old Ironmaker Posted March 14, 2013 Report Posted March 14, 2013 Thank you very much for the great story. A very good read. You hit all the bullet points for developing a short story, and you didn't use one acronym. Congrats on the beauty laker by the way.
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