Tips & Tricks
Tips on using Simcoe Bugs to get on more fish.
ICE FISHING PERCH & PANFISH
From Simon Amyotte
Target species: Perch, Crappie, Bluegill
Locations: Lake Simcoe and various local lakes in the Kawarthas (fmz17)
Electronics: Fishfinder(striker 4) and or camera(aquavu)
Bait: "I have not used ANY bait while Ice fishing for 7 seasons now"
Fishing 6-16fow (fow = feet of water)
Tandem rig with a Bug-Shot 3g on the bottom and a small Simcoe Bug 12-20" above
Fishing 16-30fow
Tandem rig with a Bug-Shot 5g on the bottom and a small(or medium) Simcoe Bug 16-24" above
NOTE: if there are a lot of small fish around, i will swap out the Bug-Shot for a large or medium heavy Simcoe Bug so it is harder for the dinks to hook themselves up
Fishing 30+fow
Start using the Loaded Simcoe Bugs.
This is a great way to pack-a-punch to your presentation by keeping a small profile and utilizing the power of tungsten
To attract fish:
We may give hard jigs to attract fish.
If allowed(check local regulations), on a second rod, will jig a William Wabbler (w30 or w40). Replace the treble hook with a Simcoe Bug
Note: We have observed on camera, school of fish rapidly moving under us while jigging flashy spoons.
More notes about using the William Wabber. When using a W30 combine with a medium Simcoe Bug (not medium heavy
For the W40, combine with a Large Simcoe Bug.
This is so the spoon has the best action, overloading the spoon will reduce the fluttering action.
When you know fish are under you:
Deadsticking: aka just let it hang there, no action.
yes, sometimes "less is more"
Watch your rod tip for strikes and be ready to set the hook
When you have electronics:
It is very comment that if the fish do not strike aggressively at the Simcoe Bugs, they will stare at the bugs. When this behavior is observed, a good trick to trigger bites is a slow lift. Doing this may trigger the fish to follow, be ready to feel bites and set the hook.
When you have a camera:
Often while watching large schools of fish close in under us, there will be many smaller fish. When they strike at the bugs, play keep away from them and dont try to hook into them. This will waste time unhooking small fish. What I noticed worked is; that small twitched will trigger large fish's attention. Combine all 3 tricks (dead stick, twitches and a slow lift) to catch the big ones. Please note that dead sticking is probably the best method, to get the best hook up rate, it helps to keep rod in hand and be ready to set the hook when you feel a strike. I have a rod with a very sensitive tip (tickle stick by 13 fishing)
Colors I prefer for Ice Fishing:
I like using light and natural colors. Anything in the SuperGlow series. My lucky bug is the small green SG6. Idk what it is about this one but i pretty much got one on all the time.
Incidental catches:
Very often we will catch walleye and even monster pike using the above mentioned techniques. For the sake of not loosing your bugs to toothy critters, dont try to catch these predators with your bugs unless you have heavy line for bite protection.
Notes on using bait.
It takes a while sometimes to gain the confidence to fish without bait. My overall opinion on using bait is that it can only increase your chances to get more hook ups. If you are going to use bait, make sure you hook in a fashion that will not cover the hook point nor obstruct the hook gape.
Bait suggestions: waxies, pinners(very small minnows) or just the head. Rubbing a scent on the bugs is another option. Perch eye
FLY FISHING with Simcoe Bugs
Most Simcoe Bugs are very heavy to fish with a small rod. For traditional fly fishing, use a small size simcoe bug or medium if you have some (not medium heavy). Use in faster deeper water, have a relatively fast retrieve because they sink fast. the best way to utilise Simcoe Bugs during non ice fishing activities is to use an indicator or to fish them under a float
FLOAT FISHING with Simcoe Bugs
Use any type of conventional rod and dont set your Simcoe Bug too deep or it will drag bottom. River trout will come up and smash the bugs and lake panfish are often cruising mid-water column. Simply jigging Simcoe Bugs of your dock, canoe, kayak, boat is another good way to get into fish.
TROUT ICE FISHING
From Jake Foos
Jake is an professional fishing guide in Colorado with outfitter "Fishing with Bernie" He has been using Simcoe Bugs for Ice Fishing. He has reported many amazing days from 'only catching 30 trout on slow days' and he's reported 100+ trout days on the Simcoe Bug.
He has always preferred especially the "Pink from the SuperGlow series" and the white bugs. A few years ago, he designed a custom color named the "Foos Killa Scud" It has been a top producing pattern (and top seller) ever since.
"For the rainbows, browns, cutties, etc. we are using a natural colored bug with a very small piece of raw shrimp on it or a very large single salmon egg. If using shrimp, it absolutely has to be raw. Like always, it never hurts to put some scent on them but not needed with your jigs, they do the trick.
For the Lakers, super finesse, just a small piece of sucker meat (small as in the size of your pinkie finger nail). The large ones take a while to get down to the depths but that’s what makes them special. When they are down there, they just flutter around and have a deadly slow drop. Lakers really like scent out here as well. Crawdad and shrimp scents seem to be the best"
