Warm temperatures delay ice fishing season on Lake Simcoe
There are only 45 days until ice fishing huts have to come off the ice.
The unseasonably warm temperatures have caused a delay in the ice fishing season throughout some parts of the region.
Many people are still waiting to head out on some parts of Lake Simcoe, while some have been out for weeks in other areas.
Local ice fishers say Cooks Bay is usually one of the first sections to freeze over because of the shallow water. On Monday, it was busy with ice fishers looking for a big catch.
Mike Fava, an operator with Rippin Lips Outdoors in Lefroy, says his huts are still on shore. However, he was out on the lake last year by January 18th.
"Right now, what we're finding is it's pretty inconsistent. Still some spots are three inches, other spots are four to five inches, so it's been pretty difficult at the moment," says Fava. He hopes to be out this weekend with his huts.
In Big Bay Point, Don Luchkiw, with Bear Point Fish Hut Rentals, cleared a path to the lake in anticipation of getting his huts out on Monday. He says it's later than normal, but only by a week or two. Luchkiw expects things to get going quickly, especially with American visitors.
"About a quester of our business, our guys that come up from the States Michigan, Pennsylvania you know just that side of the border they want to come down for a day and smash some lakers and whiteys. We've got them covered," says Luchkiw.
He adds he's been getting a lot of calls, especially for the overnight sleeper hut rentals.
Ice fisher Debbie Martin says Cucumberland Beach has up to 11 inches of ice.
However, people are being reminded that the ice is still very inconsistent in many areas. Ice fishers are encouraged to always have the proper gear and check with the nearest ice hut operator before venturing out.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | 3 people stabbed at Halifax-area high school; 1 person in custody
Police in Halifax say three people have been stabbed and a student is in custody following a weapons complaint at a high school in Bedford, N.S. The victims were taken to hospital for treatment, but the extent of their injuries is not yet known.

W5 Investigates | How did a healthy teen die at a minor hockey camp?
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.
Conservatives forcing MPs to vote on striking new foreign interference study
In an effort to keep the foreign interference story at the forefront, and to do an apparent end run around the Liberal filibuster blocking one study from going ahead, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has forced the House to spend the day debating a motion instructing an opposition-dominated House committee to strike its own review.
Amazon cuts 9,000 more jobs, bringing 2023 total to 27,000
Amazon plans to eliminate 9,000 more jobs in the next few weeks, CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to staff on Monday.
Donald Trump's call for protests gets muted reaction by supporters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters, with even some of his most ardent loyalists dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap.
LIVE @ 11:30 A.M. | 6 still missing after Old Montreal fire; Mayor to address media
Officials are still looking for victims after a fire ripped through a building in Old Montreal last week, killing at least one person. At a press conference Monday morning, spokespersons for the Montreal police and Montreal fire department said six people are still missing. They come from various locations in Quebec, Ontario and the U.S.
opinion | Biden's Canada visit is long overdue, expert says
Questions abound as to why U.S. President Biden is only now making the visit to Canada, more than two years into his presidency.
Ontario court permits Nordstrom Canada to liquidate closing stores
Bargain hunters are one step closer to seeing sales at Nordstrom's closing Canadian locations. At a hearing at Osgoode Hall in Toronto on Monday, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice gave the U.S. retailer's Canadian branch permission to start liquidating its merchandise.
Canada's among central banks try to calm markets after UBS deal to buy Credit Suisse
Some of the world's largest central banks came together on Sunday to stop a banking crisis from spreading as Swiss authorities persuaded UBS Group AG to buy rival Credit Suisse Group AG in a historic deal.