Well technically it’s only Thursday, but this part of the fishing season officially kicks off tomorrow as the ice is now deemed safe. As I’ve mentioned before, these are the guys that I trust to be the best judge of ice conditions and allow me to feel more confident in venturing out a little further myself when snowshoeing over to the island or following the shore. Fish huts have to be removed from the ice by various dates depending on the area, but I would think this part of the fishing season for these huts has a four to six week window, so for sure they are off by mid to the end of March.
I understand that this area of the lake is famous for rather large perch and pike…one of the reasons I don’t like to swim in lake water! Deeper waters off the northern end of Snake Island are, I hear, excellent locations for whitefish and lake trout. I’ve not actually been inside an ice hut but I gather they are insulated and heated with seating for four to six fishers. They look a whole lot more comfortable and substantial than the popular upturned bucket.
As this hut was guided down the launch onto the ice this morning, there was a familiar ‘groan’ with the weight. Did you know that clear blue ice is the strongest, white or opaque ice is much weaker and you should stay away from ice that looks crackled which is common during thaws?
Here they are in place for the day in the photograph below. Hopefully everyone will stay safe with ice conditions and Covid protocols in place and if ice fishing is your thing…have a FAB time!
