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Donnie
Donnie is a founder of Basshogg, avid fisherman and cottager
- April 10, 2023
- 10:07 pm
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Location: Lake Simcoe is 65 Km North of Toronto On. See it here on Google Maps
Size: 744 Km2
Max Depth: 135 Feet
Species: Burbot, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Whitefish, Lake Herring, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Muskie, More…
Largest Bass Caught: 8.43 Lbs
About Lake Simcoe
Nestled between Georgian Bay and Lake Ontario, just 65 km north of Toronto, lies the stunning Lake Simcoe. Spanning over 744 km2 with an elevation of 219 m, Lake Simcoe offers a unique mix of diverse landscapes and natural beauty. In the north, it is separated from Lake Couchiching by The Narrows in Orillia, and both lakes drain northwesterly via the Severn River to Georgian Bay. On the south, it touches a fertile marshland that has developed into an extensive market-gardening area. The head of the lake’s deep western arm, Kempenfelt Bay, is where the city of Barrie is situated.
Lake Simcoe is widely known for its impressive trophy smallmouth bass fishery. With fish in the 8 lb range caught annually, the lake has truly developed into a smallmouth bass factory. While most bass average 2-3 lbs, it is not uncommon to catch multiple bass in excess of 6 lbs in a single outing. The lake boasts an abundance of prime smallmouth bass habitats, such as rocky points, shoals, shoreline timber, pilings, and man-made structures such as docks. However, with so many options available, it can sometimes be challenging to locate the marauding schools of bass. But one thing is certain – find the forage, and you’ll find the bass.
For fishing enthusiasts, Lake Simcoe is a must-visit destination. The lake offers an unparalleled fishing experience, with opportunities to catch some of the largest smallmouth bass in Ontario. With its clear waters and breathtaking scenery, the lake is a natural paradise that provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Boat Launches
If you’re planning a visit to Lake Simcoe in Ontario, you’ll be delighted to know that there are numerous boat launches around the lake, providing easy access to some of the best fishing and recreational spots in the area. Here are some of the best boat launches around Lake Simcoe:
- Innisfil Beach Park Boat Launch – Located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, this boat launch is perfect for those looking to explore the waters of Cook’s Bay. With ample parking, washroom facilities, and picnic areas, it’s an excellent place to spend a day on the lake.
- Keswick Municipal Boat Launch – Situated on the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, this boat launch is perfect for those looking to explore the lake’s many islands and bays. It features ample parking, washroom facilities, and picnic areas.
- Sibbald Point Provincial Park Boat Launch – Located on the southern shore of Lake Simcoe, this boat launch is perfect for those looking to explore the lake’s deep waters. The launch is situated within the beautiful Sibbald Point Provincial Park, which offers camping, picnic areas, and hiking trails.
- Jackson’s Point Harbour Boat Launch – Located on the eastern shore of Lake Simcoe, this boat launch is perfect for those looking to explore the lake’s northern waters. It features ample parking, washroom facilities, and a marina.
- Pefferlaw River Boat Launch – Situated on the northern shore of Lake Simcoe, this boat launch is perfect for those looking to explore the lake’s many bays and rivers. It features ample parking and is located near the beautiful Pefferlaw Conservation Area.
Click Here for an extensive list of boat launches.
Catching Bass on Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a paradise for anglers who are looking to catch trophy smallmouth bass. The lake is home to an abundance of natural forage for smallmouth bass, such as perch, minnows, and crayfish. To catch these bass, it’s important to use lures that mimic their natural prey. Crankbaits and jerkbaits in perch patterns are highly effective when worked over shoals and around points at dawn and dusk. Tube jigs are another popular lure choice for catching smallmouth bass in Lake Simcoe. They can be either dragged along the bottom or vertically jigged to entice the bass to bite. Favourite jig colours among anglers include smoke, pumpkin, motoroil and purple. In recent years, drop shotting has also become a popular technique for catching smallmouth bass. Using small 4″ senkos or gulp minnows with drop shot rigs can be deadly when the bass are schooled and feeding heavily, especially in the fall. One of the main reasons for the explosive growth of the smallmouth bass population in Lake Simcoe is the introduction of invasive species like zebra mussels and round gobies.
These invasive species have become a staple in the bass diet, with the round gobies inhabiting prime smallmouth habitat like rock piles and rocky shorelines. Smallmouth bass are opportunistic feeders, and they are gorging on the plentiful gobies, which has resulted in an increase in biomass of forgeable species. Zebra mussels have also cleared the water up to 20 feet in some areas, providing increased clarity for visual hunters like smallmouth bass.
Hot spots
Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada offers excellent smallmouth bass fishing opportunities. To maximize your chances of catching these elusive fish, focus on hotspots such as shoals around Thorah and Strawberry Island, Mara and McCrae point, limestone shoals in Lake Couchiching, and drop-offs around Snake Island and Kempenfelt Bay. While fishing can be challenging due to heavy pressure and smallmouth bass displaying “lock jaw,” experimenting with different lures, depths, and locations can be productive. Once you determine a working pattern, the smallmouth bass will usually cooperate, and you’ll be treated to the acrobatic leaps of one of Ontario’s hardest fighting fish. Some popular areas to fish around Lake Simcoe include Fox, Snake, Thorah, Georgina, and Strawberry Island, and adjacent rocky shoal areas. Besides obvious rocky shoal areas, smallmouth bass will also hang around clean sand bottoms or a combination of rock, sand, and weed. After opening season, Simcoe is known for its great shallow water sight fishing. Many anglers use dropshots, jerkbaits, and spybaits in depths ranging from 2ft to 15ft deep along sandy, rock, and gravel areas looking for hungry smallmouth.
In Lake Simcoe, smallmouth bass tend to migrate from shallow spawning areas to deeper parts of the lake during the summer. However, they can still be found cruising in shallow areas looking for food. To catch them, it may be necessary to spend time looking for schools of active fish around deeper structures like boulders or any other unconventional spots. In the summer, typical smallmouth baits such as drop shot baits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits can be effective. In the fall, smallmouths feed heavily in preparation for winter and tend to migrate deeper to their overwintering areas. They mostly feed on minnows during this time, with deep diving jerkbaits, swimbaits, and jigging spoons being productive options. Although Lake Simcoe has more smallmouth bass than largemouth bass, the Holland River on the south side of the lake connected to Cook’s Bay is a great spot to target largemouth bass due to the abundant weed growth and wood. Fishing around boat docks and weed edges along the miles of shoreline can also yield largemouth bass.
More Resources for Lake Simcoe
For more details and information about fishing Lake Simcoe take a look at these sites:
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