THEN all hell broke loose

[misfish]

It,s white fish and laker opener here on Simcoe. I love my whities. Deep fried ,smoked even pouched. It was a cold start to the morning 0 deg.  Get to the toon launch and the wind is light,sun is coming up. Perfect. Launch the toon and I am on my way to my grounds where I knew they would be waiting for me.

Here is where we fast forward a couple of hours when me bye Terry shows up. I have bad news bye. Not a single mark. It was disappointing. Terry goes a bit shallower and says he marked. Alrighty then ,good luck Terry is here. Then I mark. Well that was the only 2 marks. We move about for the next 2 hours and nada. Terry says see ya later,I say it,s to nice of a day to head in,so move here and there. I finally mark a couple of fish. Hook up and half way up it buttons. NOOOOOOOOO

I stick it out and just chill enjoying the day dead sticking a meegs 3 ft off bottom. Fish comes in. Drop,tap a tap on the bottom and hooked up. This one gets to the net. On the board WHEW. Another hour goes by and not another mark, THEN, it happens. The screen lights up with bait and big fish  through out them, bottom 10 FOW. This was at 11am. From then til I left at 11:45 am, I went 11-8. That was stupid crazy action. As soon as I would release one and drop,I had another one one. I was fishing a large flat and those fish could be anywhere.

 

[Fisherman]

It never rains on Brian, it just pours whities.

[Terry]

guess I left for lakers too early

nice going  dude

[misfish]

Dinner is served

 

 

Made a sweet chille, housin and cucumber dressing.

 

Drizzled on top of fish

 

I am stuffed

 

[aplumma]

Looking good Brian

Art

[misfish]

3 hours ago, Terry said:

guess I left for lakers too early

Have you not read or heard ?

Lakers no longer are in Simcoe

[irishfield]

Burrrrrrr..

[cisco]

Nice day to be out after whitefish. Got our 4 and enjoyed calm seas, nice sun and few equipment quirks.  Going to use Doug's aka Shag's smoking recipe on my two. Can't wait to enjoy smoked whitefish.

BB not sure where you've read there aren't any lakers left in Simcoe. Seems only old ones that aren't reproducing are left though. Didn't see any caught today but maybe Terry or you got into some as in the past? If so any young ones say under 4-5lbs? 

 

[Rizzo]

patience rewarded! Good for you. Not sure how you go 11 for 8 though...couple double headers I guess?

[spincast]

perseverance pays off - nice going! 

[GBW]

Nice shooting Mr B!

[misfish]

2 hours ago, Rizzo said:

patience rewarded! Good for you. Not sure how you go 11 for 8 though...couple double headers I guess?

Smart ass. LOL

8-11 Better ? LOL

[misfish]

9 hours ago, cisco said:

BB not sure where you've read there aren't any lakers left in Simcoe. Seems only old ones that aren't reproducing are left though. Didn't see any caught today but maybe Terry or you got into some as in the past? If so any young ones say under 4-5lbs? 

Never tried for lakers Chris,but seen a vid from a buddy that caught a small 4-5 lb one yesterday, and missed a a couple of hits. I,ll try for lakers once the whities go deep. Nice fish there sir.

[cisco]

Congrats to you too BB. Would like pics of any small lakers incl. any fin clips. I honestly need see them. There is a letter being put together to MNR on the subject so any and all proof outside of hearsay would be appreciated. Got a link to the vid?

You often speak of NFLD heritage. Nice place and people there and from there.  I recall your neck of the woods Nfld being against cod harvest restrictions until too late. Politicians didn't do it out of vote loss concerns. That fishery collapsed right after and a close season was imposed.  Not sure but the fishery may be recovering slowly now. 

I see the same thing here re Simcoe lakers if we keep catching and keeping cuz the law allows. 

I seriously doubt your 'no laker' comment was any more than a joke of some kind, but if you truly have read or heard anyone saying such nonsense please help straighten the silly willy out.  

Edited May 12, 2019 by cisco

[misfish]

1 hour ago, cisco said:

Congrats to you too BB. Would like pics of any small lakers incl. any fin clips. I honestly need see them. There is a letter being put together to MNR on the subject so any and all proof outside of hearsay would be appreciated. Got a link to the vid?

You often speak of NFLD heritage. Nice place and people there and from there.  I recall your neck of the woods Nfld being against cod harvest restrictions until too late. Politicians didn't do it out of vote loss concerns. That fishery collapsed right after and a close season was imposed.  Not sure but the fishery may be recovering slowly now. 

I see the same thing here re Simcoe lakers if we keep catching and keeping cuz the law allows. 

I seriously doubt your 'no laker' comment was any more than a joke of some kind, but if you truly have read or heard anyone saying such nonsense please help straighten the silly willy out.  

I am not sure where you are going with the cod thing Chris. It was the commercial fishery that did not want  ban. Keeping jobs and all that stuff. Local anglers were just that. Like you and I on Simcoe. I do not know the whole political thing about it,but do know,it was just not the local commercial, but those from over seas that put the hurt on the fishery.

As for lake Simcoe lakers, they are no different then the white fish. They stock the lake to catch and keep. If there are less lakers now,then the MNR is to blame and the biological guys that didn't do their jobs. The lake is a catch and keep. Yes there is naturals still and anyone that I have caught, have been released. If I catch a clipped one and want to keep,I will. I only keep the odd laker. We can not fight the RULES. We can only go by what is put forth by those that know.

My comment to my friend was a joke. It was due to what we have read. We both know there are lots of lakers. We mark them and even see them chase.

With that said,I see a few reports today of lakers being caught yet,they are big ones. No report of natural or not.

Lakers need a big food source. Herring being number one on this lake. They closed the season on herring for 12 years or so ago due to the decline in numbers. Was this to allow the numbers to grow for the anglers,or for the lakers to thrive ? Many reports now of lakers being found in perch grounds. WHY ? The shiner numbers on the lake are stupid crazy. Plenty of food for them to eat.

I am not the guru of Simcoe. I can only post here what I see. I do not take to heart what others say. I see it with my own eyes.

The video you asked for

 

Not sure why you posted this on my thread BTW, but,thats my reply. Take it as you see fit. Im am here for fun and well,fishing.

Thanks

 

BB.

 

Maybe check this info out ?????????????

On a mtg i was at on sun that was brought up.Evidently they lost all the trout in there hatchery for some reason.

Edited to add this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Edited May 12, 2019 by misfish

[cisco]

 

Hi BB. No problem.  I posted to stick my catch pic somewhere and since your joke to your friend seemed a bit odd so I wondered what you heard/read.  You say you read it somewhere so would like to see this thing to find out more of what folks are saying. Good to find out public perceptions.  Thanks for the link BB. The laker they both guess to be 7-8lbs which is sadly an older fish. Maybe smaller than their guess but not the young year class we hope to see proof of.

Hope this clears it up.

Oh and re the Nfld thing I consider our Simcoe fishery to also be 'commercial' with all the commercial stakeholders involved from tackle and bait suppliers to guides/outfitting services and associated lodging/huts. Also like in Nfld many regular 'anglers' here also work for the commercial industry as well. I just hope that 'fiddling while Rome burns' mindset doesn't take hold on Simcoe. We all need to speak up if there is a perceived problem. 

I disagree that rules can't be changed by us. That's why the perch poll was taken, right? 

I do see some 'commercial' interests keeping silent on the possible problem and wonder whether expressing concern may put heat on them/chase customers away. 

I remember some years back trying to get away from lakers hitting my jigging presentation so whitefish had a chance.  Boy times have really changed. The whities I cleaned had a couple decomposed gobies but no shiners. Check what yours had in em?   

I agree 100% that MNR isn't keeping good enough tabs on the pulse of the Simcoe fishery. 

My understanding is stocking of both species is to encourage natural reproduction rather than to just have a put and delayed take fishery. To this end research is needed IMO to see what is the issue and what can be done about it with minimal impact to anglers.

I just hope that draconian measures aren't taken if things get determined late. I recall a northern lake where fishing wasn't allowed due to a laker issue. Sanctuaries/boundary markers were established on shoals and bass/walleye and pike fishing opportunities got reduced due to the laker issue. Don't want that on Simcoe for sure!!

I'm here to enjoy fishing also. I certainly will give free advice to anyone wanting to keep a natural though or wanting to chase lakers in my boat. Like you I'm no 'expert' on laker management on Simcoe but seems everyone here needs to  understand the possible issue/what's maybe at stake.

I have a great lake trout smoking recipe but still try and avoid them. I'd be releasing with trembling hands while drooling. Haha!

Ya I saw Trappers post on that. A shame....

 

Edited May 12, 2019 by cisco

[AKRISONER]

patience is a virtue!

[misfish]

13 hours ago, cisco said:

I remember some years back trying to get away from lakers hitting my jigging presentation so whitefish had a chance.  Boy times have really changed. The whities I cleaned had a couple decomposed gobies but no shiners. Check what yours had in em?   

I can recall the days when ice fishing for lakers and when they came to the hole,they had huge heads,but their body mass was very small.

As for the stomach content this weekend, shiners and 2 goby.  I use to see scuplin (sp?),but have not for a couple of years now.

 

The white fish will survive in this lake. Natural or stocked. The lake provides what they require in an abundance. Like I said,lakers need a large food source .

Over the last 30 years living on this lake,I have seen lots of habitat changes. The small mouth is no different. Once where I would catch many,hold few to none. I noticed last year an area that was rock and sand mix,is now nothing but sand and the smallies seem to have moved on.

[misfish]

13 hours ago, cisco said:

Ya I saw Trappers post on that. A shame....

I have tried to find any info on this. Nothing. Is it hush hush ?

Edited May 13, 2019 by misfish

[cisco]

Big reshuffling going on under the new Prov Gov't. Heck the Ministry of Environment , conservation and parks has this name but no mention of the 'parks' angle in its mandate yet that I can find. MNR may have lost this responsibility.  

I can't find anything on the hatchery thing either BB. Would have thought a press announcement would have gone out about it.

With shuffling/$ tightening its hard to imagine a gov't agency wishing to admit any failure BTW.

 

 

 

 

[mikeh]

That is a great day, 8 for 11, that meal looked good also