Igopogo is reported to be an unusual lake mammal sighted occasionally in Canada’s Lake Simcoe, located roughly an hour north of Toronto. Undoubtedly named for its more famous cousin Ogopogo, Igopogo is often described as a relatively small creature, measure no more than 12 feet in length with a head that resembles that of a dogs sitting atop a long, stove pip like neck. Its distinctly mammalian features have remained consistent through the years, a description which sets it apart from other so called lake monsters, which are generally described as being more reptilian or serpent like.

During the 1980’s author, cryptozoologist and president of the British Colombia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, John Kirk III, investigated stories of Igopogo and came to the conclusion that what ever people had seen in the lake either migrated to a new location or had become extinct. It was easy to see how Kirk came up with his assessment of the situation as he him self did not find any evidence of the creature and sightings of Igopogo remained few and far between after the 1970’s. However Kirk’s opinion of Igopogo quickly changed in 1991 when he was given a copy of a videotape which was reportedly taken from the shores of Lake Simcoe in March of that same year.

This videotape was apparently shot during a hydroplane race on Lake Simcoe, the racers in the video experienced engine troubles and was forced to stop and make repairs near the south end of the lake. As the racer lifted the engine hatch to assess the damage a large animal suddenly surfaced directly in front of him, much to the surprise of the racer as well as the spectators standing on the shore, including the person who shot the video. The encounter did not last long as the creature slowly disappeared back into the water.

Statements later made by John Kirk suggested that he believed the creature in the video to be a form of marine mammal known as pinnipeds. Seals and sea lions two pinnipeds known to travel into the St. Lawrence Seaway and occasionally up into the surrounding lakes, but one making it as deep into Canada as Lake Simcoe, thought not impossible, has never been heard of before. Perhaps the canine like faces reported by eyewitnesses over the years really was just an adventurous seal or sea lion, which do have a rather canine appearance at times, but there are those investigators who believe that Igopogo was something harder to explain than a random rogue seal or seal lion. These investigators suggest that Igopogo could be a distant relative of the many other, more famous, Canadian lake monsters such as Ogopogo and Manipogo.

The Evidence
With the whereabouts of the hydroplane footage currently unknown, there remains no physical evidence of Igopogo’s existence.

The Sightings
In 1991, a hydroplane racer reportedly had a face to face run in with Igopogo as he leaned over his boat to fix his engine.

The Stats – (Where applicable)

• Classification: Lake Monster
• Size: Roughly 12 feet in length
• Weight: Unknown
• Diet: Unknown
• Location: Lake Simcoe, Canada
• Movement: Swimming
• Environment: Lake