pairofgreenhorns Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 So my wonderful girlfriend and I just had our offer excepted for the purchase of a new to us (AND OUR FIRST) home in Barrie. Home inspection is Mar 20th and if all goes well (and it should; house is only 12 years old and looks mint) then April 25th we will be living at the North end of Barrie close to Georgian mall. I had a couple questions as I know some of you currently reside there. First, does anyone live in this neighborhood? It would be great to meet with some local OFC'ers! We love hockey, fishing, eating nice dinners, drinking, photography, bowling, and playing games (board, trivia, any games really), are in our late 20's and don't have any children yet. We are moving up there (from Toronto) because we love the outdoors, especially fishing, so we plan to buy a boat, what size and hp would be recommended for Simcoe? Are there any big box stores in the north for home improvements it seemed from a short search on google earth that they are mainly south. Lastly I have been working in downtown Toronto but because of the move I decided to take a job in Markham as it is at least a little farther north, what should I expect time wise for the commute, my hours are a little different; start at 10am or 10:30, done by 7 or 8pm. Thanks for any insight or advice you all can offer. Best, Pair of green horns!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) You should be fine with your commute going in for 10am... Same with coming home.. You might hit a bit of traffic but nothing crazy. If you can take Fridays off in the summer time, do it... If not you'll be sitting traffic for 3hrs on a Friday, lol! As for big box stores, not much in the north end, most of that is off Mapleview/Essa. Edited March 20, 2014 by BillM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Welcome. As for your home improvments,.Allandale Home Hardware. Support local. Great people to deal with. As for traveling,I only travel 7 minutes to work,so cant help with that.LOL There are no fish in the Barrie area. Again welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallie Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 You are going to want to know ways to bypass the 400 on a friday, your commute to markham "should" only take 40 min give or take depending on how you drive. I work out of innisfil and have to drive between barrie and toronto rather frequently. As for the boat ask 10 guys get 10 answears. I just bought a 20 ft chaparral off my buddy and i love it, however on a rough day it doesnt do me any good on simcoe. Good luck with your new home and hopefully we see some good simcoe reports! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAW Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Welcome to the hood. I live about 15 minutes north of you. But lived in Barrie for about 10 years. There are so many amazing places for the outdoors man/woman to explore in Simcoe. In fact, there are hundreds of miles of great biking, hiking, snowshoe, and ski trails within a 15 minutes of your house. If your in to that sort if thing,, let me know. I guide in the area, and can show you some real cool places... As for fish in the area.. X2 on Misfish. Simcoe really doesn't hold many fish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimsbylander Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Save enough money for a snowblower. You're moving to Barried! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Urban Fisherman Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Save enough money for a snowblower. You're moving to Barried! bahahaha I'm not from Barrie but that was funny! Congrats and good luck the the new house! Cheers, Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Save enough money for a snowblower. You're moving to Barried! Hahahaha, never mind a snowblower, you'd be better off with a tunneling machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pairofgreenhorns Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Welcome. As for your home improvments,.Allandale Home Hardware. Support local. Great people to deal with. As for traveling,I only travel 7 minutes to work,so cant help with that.LOL There are no fish in the Barrie area. Again welcome. Welcome to the hood. I live about 15 minutes north of you. But lived in Barrie for about 10 years. There are so many amazing places for the outdoors man/woman to explore in Simcoe. In fact, there are hundreds of miles of great biking, hiking, snowshoe, and ski trails within a 15 minutes of your house. If your in to that sort if thing,, let me know. I guide in the area, and can show you some real cool places... As for fish in the area.. X2 on Misfish. Simcoe really doesn't hold many fish... LOL, I know better than to ask for fishing spots, was just curious about a boat length/depth/hp. it will be aluminum, probably Lund, Smokercraft, princecraft, starcraft, or legend...it will be a tiller and id like to put down riggers on the back for some depth fishing in the deeper areas of simcoe... in the 15-25k price range. I would never ask for fishing spots as i believe part of the fun is unsolving the mystery of a "new to me" body of water. searching for structure, playing at different depths for different species with different presentations is all part of the experience for Ashley and I. I would also like to make some fishing buddies in the area, i figure once i have the boat, posting an open spot on this board when im heading out fishing alone just may fill it up and I can learn from some of the more experienced anglers here and hopefully meet some friends with similar interests. Thanks again for your replies guys/gals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 No mysteries on Simcoe, especially for lakers/whities... Lots and lots of places to fish around Barrie as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Welcome. My wife at least tries to take the Friday of the long weekends off. She used to work half days but now the drive north starts Thursday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Welcome. My wife at least tries to take the Friday of the long weekends off. She used to work half days but now the drive north starts Thursday night. Yup, also well into Saturday as well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Ditto on the no fish in Simcoe....The 3 wise men get them all!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 JMO,but I would rethink the tiller thought. I went from a tiller to consol. Your back will thank you for it. Lady Simcoe,can be hard on ya. As for the fishing,no worries. We like to jib the new townies.LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAW Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I'm surprised some people haven't started chirping about having to pay to park downtown! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 You shouldn't of moved Nick. Oh wait, it,s worth moving to where you did. Awesome area. Locals no pay dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Governator Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I live about 2min away from Georgian Mall The bigger box stores are at the south end but we do have Home Hardware & Canadian Tire on Bayfield which gets us by for most things (We use to live south end and just can't stand the traffic it feels too much like everywhere in the GTA lol). Learning the back streets of whatever side of Bayfield your on is key to getting around quick. Bayfield can get pretty jammed up by 6pm as everyone flocks to shop the mall & walmart. PS I'm 30, married, father of 2 and a work from home hermit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 You live near Georgian Mall and think there's traffic in the south end? heh.. Whoever laid this city out need their head examined.. It doesn't matter what time you're out there, always traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Governator Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) You live near Georgian Mall and think there's traffic in the south end? heh.. Whoever laid this city out need their head examined.. It doesn't matter what time you're out there, always traffic. The difference in traffic from just 2007 to 2011 in the south end is remarkable. As more big box stores got added and more communities were built the traffic exploded in such a short timeframe that we lived there. Mapleview's 3 lane wide street in each direction (as wide as 5 in some intersections) with no other cross streets through 400 makes it crazy. North end is certainly not limited by Bayfield, there are so many other routes to get around. EDIT: Also yes the street layout is absolutely retarded in Barrie lol Edited March 20, 2014 by Governator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Number 1 tip To many roads post at 50 km. Watch out for radar traps. Young street north of Coxmill. Essa rd,top of the hill heading south. Bayfield just heading out or in to town, Ardagh just past Ferndale. Buggers are every where. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 They love to hide out in the church parking lot on Ardagh heading towards Essa. Watch for the 40km/h flashing lights when the kids are in school as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAW Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) BBP and Prince Albert Way. The Coke plant on Bayview Fairview on the top of the hill by the Hwy400 McDonalds Lots of MTO traps too... Edited March 20, 2014 by N.A.W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Are we scaring you yet? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexmedic Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) LOL, I know better than to ask for fishing spots, was just curious about a boat length/depth/hp. it will be aluminum, probably Lund, Smokercraft, princecraft, starcraft, or legend...it will be a tiller and id like to put down riggers on the back for some depth fishing in the deeper areas of simcoe... in the 15-25k price range. I would never ask for fishing spots as i believe part of the fun is unsolving the mystery of a "new to me" body of water. searching for structure, playing at different depths for different species with different presentations is all part of the experience for Ashley and I. I would also like to make some fishing buddies in the area, i figure once i have the boat, posting an open spot on this board when im heading out fishing alone just may fill it up and I can learn from some of the more experienced anglers here and hopefully meet some friends with similar interests. Thanks again for your replies guys/gals Welcome to Barrie as well! I have had the pleasure of living here for the last 15 years and the mixture of affordable housing, being on the door of cottage country, and Lake Simcoe were all reasons that brought me here then. I too commute south (Newmarket) but that being said, I always commute via highway 11 and even during the weekends, do not find it too bad (we'll sometimes through Bradford). The budget you have set for a boat is very generous and I do not think you will have any issues finding something. I have a 16' Starcraft with a full windshield and a 50hp 4 stroke on the back. It has been a great boat, but sometimes a little small for Simcoe. I find Simcoe can pick up really fast, and when she gets a northwest wind....look out! Any of the boats you mentioned are good boats. Personally, I would avoid a Legend. I hav never owned one, but the 3 people I know that did, never did like them. I would recommend a 18' with at least a 90hp on the back. If you plan on doing a lot of trolling, a 4 stroke is nice and quiet as well. That being said, my buddy owns an etec, and it's not too far behind. You mentioned a tiller, any reason why? Being a resident of Barrie, you will be able to lunch from 2 different areas for free. Both are downtown. The weekends are crazy at the launches (especially Tiffin) so being an early bird will be to your advantage. Moving in at the end of April is a great time for perch. Head downtown and you'll see where fish for them. Trust me, you won't miss it! Enjoy the move, feel free to drop me a PM if you have any questions... Edited March 20, 2014 by Ten90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davey buoy Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 (edited) Lady Simcoe as mentioned can be brutal even on the nicest days.Things change real fast.If you will be heading from the city or tiffen launches to big/deep waters,be aware of the 8km ride back home heading west.Make sure you have a higher wall boat.Even with mine it can take 45 mins to come back when the wind picks up.10km max.The spray and constant hitting of the waves makes it impossible to speed up.No swells like Gbay and Lake O.Not trying to scare you,but you need to know.Mines a 19' Scorpion i/o V8,and you have to be real careful.Great fishing lake if the winds don't show up!! Edited March 20, 2014 by davey buoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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