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Canada => Ice Fishing Ontario => Topic started by: Wavemaster on Jan 27, 2012, 12:03 PM

Title: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: Wavemaster on Jan 27, 2012, 12:03 PM
We are headed up to Gilford on Sunday. How is the ice? Any fishing reports? Is there a taxi service available for us with our portable huts? If we have to walk about how far? Where can we buy minnows and where do we park? Thanks
Title: Re: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: Ice Cream Headache on Jan 27, 2012, 10:44 PM
I haven't been up there since last weekend, but been following the reports.  I am pretty sure the ice is still 8"+.  There is a pressure crack not far from shore that opened up.   The last I read there were still places to cross it safely.  The hut operators also put a makeshift bridge over it at the end of Gilford Road. 

I don't know about a taxi service, but there are three hut operators operating out from Gilford and they may offer a fee for service to take you out.  It's not that far of a walk though.  People have been catching fish from 12 to 30 FOW.

I don't buy minnows, but I am pretty sure one of the hut operators sells minnows at the end of Gilford Road.  It's a small yellow hut just on the shore.


You can park on the side of the road - Shore Acres Drive (the road that you take down to the lake from highway 400) [south side], Nelly Road [west side] and Gilford Road [south side].  There is some room on Woodfield Road [east side] as well (although, I haven't looked this year, it has been fine in the past).

DO NOT PARK too close to the intersections. Last I checked there were no parking signs to indicate where.   Also, do not park in front of peoples mail boxes.

I made a crude map for you:
(http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr175/aadempsey/Gilford.jpg)

In that map, the green are areas you can park in, red you cannot.  Someone also made a small parking lot off of Nelly Road (green box).  No idea what that's about or if you can park there, but people have been parking in it.  You can access the ice from either Gilford Road or Shore Acres Drive (green arrows).  The yellow box is where the minnows are sold (as far as I know anyway).

You can check for recent reports here:

http://www.lakesimcoemessageboard.com/

http://cbfb.proboards.com/index.cgi

Good luck!
Title: Re: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: the jigs up on Jan 27, 2012, 11:23 PM
Nice report ICH. Not much I can add to that except I hear there are a lot of dinks coming out of Gilford. I went to Virginia Beech on Thursday and caught and seen lots of true Jumbos. Too far to walk though. I used Dave's Fish huts and he put us and others on Jumbos. Lots of ice as well. Some people are driving cars out there but way too soon for me.

Good Luck
Title: Re: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: Wavemaster on Jan 28, 2012, 07:57 PM
Thanks for all the information. Cannot wait till tomorrow :)
Title: Re: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: pantry3cow on Jan 29, 2012, 03:58 PM
Just back from Gifford solid 8" lots of dinks. The pressure crack mentioned is not a problem just be carefully
Title: Re: Gilford cooks bay help
Post by: Homer is King on Jan 30, 2012, 10:21 PM
Great info!! Thanks for sharing!