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
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.