Waters · Canada
Lake Simcoe fishing report
Updated Wednesday, 21 October 2026 · refreshed automatically through the day
An hour north of Toronto, Simcoe is Canada's busiest ice-fishing lake: perch, lake trout and lake whitefish under the ice in winter, then some of Ontario's best smallmouth fishing in summer.
Today's report: good (71/100)
Yellow Perch is the most promising species on Lake Simcoe today. Water temperature is around 7.3°C (45°F) and barometric pressure is falling.
Best time to fish today
- 15:00–17:00 local time — score 70/100
- 21:00–23:00 local time — score 65/100
- 10:00–12:00 local time — score 75/100
3-day outlook by species
| Species | Wednesday 21 Oct | Thursday 22 Oct | Friday 23 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake trout | 30 — poor | 32 — poor | 32 — poor |
| Yellow Perch | 71 — good | 75 — good | 72 — good |
| Smallmouth Bass | 54 — fair | 64 — good | 56 — fair |
Why this score
Cast & Scan uses a deterministic, published scoring model — no black box. The strongest influences on today's Lake Simcoe rating:
- pressure trend: helping (+1)
- light: helping (+1)
- solunar period: helping (+1)
- season: helping (+1)
- cloud cover: helping (+0.85)
- precipitation: helping (+0.69)
Forecast computed Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:58:07 GMT · data: Open-Meteo · refreshed automatically through the day · see our published accuracy
Winter fishing on Lake Simcoe
Simcoe is Canada's busiest ice-fishing lake, with perch, lake trout and lake whitefish under the ice. Ice huts are rented from operators around the lake, and sheltered Cook's Bay at the south end is usually among the first areas to freeze. Ontario manages Simcoe under special rules for lake trout and whitefish, so check the current regulations before you go. Pressure ridges and open water near the river mouths are a hazard every season.
Seasons, closed sections and permits are set by the state and change. Check the current regulations before a winter trip, and never trust shelf ice or a forecast for your safety.
Wondering how this stacks up against the apps you already know? Cast & Scan vs Fishbrain vs BassForecast — an honest comparison, including where they beat us.
Read before you go
- When pike bite: the pressure, light and temperature windows
- The best time to fish for bass
- Barometric pressure and fishing, explained
More lake trout waters
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir — Utah/Wyoming, USA
Nearby waters
- Eighteenmile Creek (Burt Dam) — New York, USA (133 km away)
- Oak Orchard Creek — New York, USA (159 km away)
- Bay of Quinte — Ontario, Canada (167 km away)
- Genesee River (Rochester) — New York, USA (200 km away)
- Cattaraugus Creek (Gowanda) — New York, USA (219 km away)
- Chautauqua Creek (Westfield) — New York, USA (231 km away)