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The ‘Beautiful Water’ Of Lake Simcoe.

Lake Simcoe is the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province of Ontario,  At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk ("Beautiful Water") by the Huron natives. It was also known as Lake Toronto until it was renamed.

The town of Georgina lies along the entire south shore of Lake Simcoe and consists smaller residential towns and communities, including Keswick on Cook's Bay, Sutton, Jackson's Point, Pefferlaw, and Udora.  The town of Innisfil occupies the western shore south of Barrie and north of Bradford.

Lake Simcoe is a lake like few others in the province. One of the largest freshwater lakes in the world to freeze completely in the winter, the lake borders Simcoe County, Durham Region and the York Region. Known for beautiful shores and an abundance of fish species, Lake Simcoe is a perfect tourist and fishing spot, which has been used for centuries by settlers and the First Nations. In fact, for the First Nations, the lake was an incredibly important fishing spot, especially in the narrows between Kempenfelt Bay and Cook’s Bay.

The Huron word for Lake Simcoe translates as ‘beautiful water’ and it is not hard to see why. Even thought it is near the largest urban areas in Canada, the lake has a pristine quality to it that harkens tourists and anglers to the Lake Country of northwest Ontario.

One of the biggest appeals for this lake is the fact that it is situated so that it is only a short drive from nearly anywhere in Southern Ontario. Measuring at 725 sq km, the lake is a favorite destination for anglers from all over Canada, and especially the United States.

The lake has little commercial activity, but sees many recreational uses. In the winter, It freezes over completely and hosts a number of ice fishing competitions, making it one of the most intensely fished lakes in Ontario. However, claims that it is one of the world's largest lakes that freeze over completely in winter are pure speculation, and, in fact, spurious; Canada alone has about 100 lakes of the same size or larger that do the same.

In the summer, fishing is still an attraction; however, there are also a number of poker runs, jet-skiing, and other boating events. The lake is surrounded with summer cottages leading heavy recreational and boating use in summer.

There are a number of beaches which attract visitors from the GTA as Lake Simcoe has a reputation for cleaner and warmer water than the GTA's Lake Ontario beaches. Many of the beaches are used for kite surfing as well.

There are seven yacht clubs (sailing) around the lake, which host a number of regattas, and an active sailing community exists on the lake.

The lake also forms part of the Trent-Severn Waterway system that links Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay/Lake Huron.

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