Outdoors

Fish without licence this weekend

They successfully stage it once a year during the summer, so why not do it during the winter as well?
That was Ministry of Natural Resources' rationale for introducing a family-oriented event this winter to extoll the virtues of sport fishing in Ontario.
With assistance from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the ministry will stage a winter Ontario Family Fishing Weekend this coming weekend.
Initiated 13 years ago by the OFAH, the Feb. 24 to 25 event is patterned after the annual summer Ontario Family Fishing Weekend during which Canadian residents can wet a line without an angling licence.
Like its open-water version, ice fishing is a time-honoured recreational activity that many people engage in during the winter months.
The OFAH are also quick to note this winter activity can be a valuable tool to the province's economy.
"Ice fishing is a renowed part of Canada's culture and it is enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of families every winter," said Mike Reader, OFAH executive director.
"Particularly in central and Northern Ontario, hard water angling is a multi-million dollar industry which will also benefit from the new Ontario Family Fishing Weekend and its celebration of this important winter tradition."
Lake Simcoe has long been a magnet for ice anglers in southern Ontario and neighbouring states. Each winter, anglers are drawn to this province's sixth-largest inland lake in pursuit of a variety of species including jumbo yellow perch, whitefish, lake trout, northern pike and walleye.
A joint study by the ministry and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority in 1992 revealed this activity generated $28 million for the local economy.
For more information on the Ontario Family Fishing Weekend, click here

Ice fishing season shifts into high gear

The chill that has invaded York Region in recent weeks has many people yearning for a quick arrival to those balmy days of summer.
But for the hard core angler, Old Man Winter's inevitable arrival is certainly better late than never.
The presence of sub-freezing temperatures has enabled one of the most popular ice fishing playgrounds in Ontario to finally swing into action.
Lake Simcoe, on York's north shore, plays host to a diverse population of fish including shallow-water inhabitants such as the yellow perch and northern pike, and deep-water residents such as lake trout and whitefish.
During the past two weeks, hut operators on this province's sixth-largest inland lake began to strategically place their huts on the frozen surface.
The early action was in the shallow-water areas including the lake's eastern shorline and Cook's Bay.
"We've been out since Jan. 22," said Andrew Emsley, owner of Virginia Beach-based Dave's Fish Huts (1-905-722-3372). "We've got around 13 inches of ice and some deep snow conditions."
Since placing his huts, Emsley reported good catches of jumbo yellow perch in about 12 to 14 feet of water on minnow rigs or small jigs.
"Everyone's been doing well with the exception of one day when we had a storm," he said.
With the prolonged cold snap, Emsley said he intends to place his deep-water huts out for lake trout and whitefish early next week. He said there's around 10 inches of ice, but areas with up to two feet of snow. He's hoping strong winds will blow away some of the snow, which can act as an insulator and create soft, dangerous ice conditions.
In Cooks Bay, Wil Wegman, a Ministry of Natural Resources spokesman from the Aurora District office and avid angler, reported plenty of yellow perch. However, a good number of catches were of the smaller variety with few deemed as keepers for the skillet.
Along the area of Jackson's Point, where deeper water is more prevalent, hut operators have been in full swing for just over a week.
"The whole lake is frozen. We've got 10 to 12 inches of ice where are huts are," said Bob Avery of Bonnie Boats (1-905-722-3862).
Placing his huts in about 60 feet of water, Avery said anglers have been catching whitefish and lake trout by jigging spoons or spreader minnow rigs.
"The action's been pretty good," he said.
If you're planning a day on the ice, click here or here.
Reports on Simcoe ice conditions can be found here.
For ice fishing reports on Lake Simcoe and in other parts of the province, contact Ontario Tourism at 1-800-ONTARIO.