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SIGNUP

Whitefish at Night
by Derik Gates

The dim light of the propane light flickered unnoticeably as the snow-machine with small hut in tow drove out of earshot. 5 PM and other than the last few stragglers crossing the lake back to their waiting homes or vehicles only the wind outside the hut can be heard. It is a cold night, and undoubtedly the big lake will be cracking and popping as it makes ice.

Lines are baited and lowered into the depths.  The holes have lost their green daytime look and now resemble dark mirrors.  No action for the first few hours as the sun lowers down beyond the horizon, this is often the time a rouge lake trout will hit a minnow in these shallower depths.  But no hits are forthcoming.   My girlfriend and I prepare a gourmet meal of reheated soup and bread using the propane stove provided with the hut. 

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Hours pass,  I stretch my legs and rest my eyes for a moment, to hear “there’s one”, the tip up falls back quickly, and on the hook set, is gone.  I settle the Simcoe spreader back to the bottom and wait hand poised above the tip up, 10 seconds pass, then the tip up slowly falls back in a characteristic manner. I lift hard and feel weight, the other lines are quickly cleared before a tangle up occurs. A few minute fight on a hand line and moments later a 5 pound whitefish is flopping in the hut.

White fish and Lake Simcoe

White fish are typically caught during all seasons except for fall in Lake Simcoe.

The amount of action in at night varies considerably with some nights providing  only one or two bites,  Other nights you are busy most of the night, with schools of whitefish coming through.

Gear used.

Hi tech gear is not needed to coax these fish up from 40 to 80 feet, historically tip ups have been used, as  they show light hits and movement of the minnow very well; also, the fight on a hand line is incredible.

The bait is presented on Simcoe spreaders or single hooks on or above bottom.  Medium action Ice rods can also be used, increasing the chances of landing a trophy, but takes away from the excitement of hand lining a fish.

Top lines were added 4 to 20 feet up the line for roaming lake trout and the odd suspended white fish. (this was mostly for last and first light) the majority of bites at night come from the spreaders or single hooked minnows on or slightly off bottom.

Wooden balance tip ups were used with 10lb mono filament line

Spreaders and top hooks were baited with lively medium sized emerald shiners.

Clothing:

Warm clothing is not as essential in a ice hut.  The huts are heated by propane and can have you sitting in your T-shirt.  Proper footwear is important as the floors of the hut don’t warm up as much as the rest of the hut.

Things to bring:

When heading for an overnight it is always smart to bring extra clothes and even a blanket.  Some huts are very drafty, and even the best must be constantly vented to allow fresh air to enter. A pillow is nice, allowing a couple minutes of much needed shut eye after battling dead of night whitefish.

Things to remember:

Whitefish are very sensitive to the weight of the spreader, if you don’t set the hook right away, then you are probably too late. Also, whitefish have fairly soft mouths so do not bull the fish to the hole or the hook will rip out of the lip.  Bites can come at any time of day or night, so if you want to increase your chances stay awake.  Also, there is always a chance of catching a trophy trout, adding to the excitement. So be ready with extra line on your tip up to allow the fish to run.

Lake Simcoe is a put and take fishery, stocked with 150000 whitefish and 100000 trout per year, these stocked fish can be identified by the clipped adipose fin. It  is expected that anglers will take a few fish for the table.  Having said that, it is still important to release larger fish to allow them to reproduce. Also, recent studies have reported more and naturally reproducing (unclipped) fish being caught, these fish should always be released.

Many ice hut operators on Lake Simcoe offer overnight fishing opportunities. Anglers can often do better at night for certain species, but it is important to know what you are fishing for. As not all species stay active after dark.

Remember, when staying overnight in an ice hut it is important to remember to leave a window open.  The propane heater, light and stove all deplete Oxygen levels within the hut and can be harmful without proper ventilation.

All in all, if you take the proper measures and prepare for an overnight fishing trip, it can be extremely productive and lots of fun at the same time! If you’re interested in setting up a trip like this, get in touch with us at contact@theeguysfishing.com for more details.