Archive

Hooked on ice fishing – lots of anglers at Island Lake

January 21, 2021   ·   1 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

There is a minimum thickness of four inches of ice on the lake at the Island Lake Conservation Area mean- ing it’s time to get out there and do some ice fishing.

There were plenty of fishing huts on the lake on Saturday, January 16, with many others simply bringing a lawn chair and sitting out in the open as they drop their lines into the wa- ter.

The lake was opened for ice fishing the previous week.

There are also three ice skating areas available however there are a limited number of people allowed to skate at the same to ensure social distancing.

There are no hut rentals this year at the Conservation area, so if you plan to head out there be prepared to bring all your own equipment.

Snowmobiles and ATVs are not al- lowed on the ice. You have to car- ry all your equipment out with you. Many people bring a sled of some sort to pull along the ice.

You should also be sharing huts only with those in your own social bubble. There are several varieties of fish in the lake and anglers were hoping to get lucky and reel in a big one.

Local resident, Joe, brought his two daughters, Jolie and Julianna out for a day on the lake.

“We’ve had luck out here before but nothing so far today,” Joe said. “We usually get some decent pike out here. There’s a lot of people out here today. We’re actually out here doing some skating today as well.”

For eight year-old Jolie, getting out on the lake is quite an adventure and she and her sister don’t mind the cold at all. If it gets too cold, they simply go into the hut to warm up.

“I like that you can catch fish be- cause I love animals,” Jolie said of why she likes to go fishing. “We fish outside and inside. When it gets cold I go in the tent because it’s big and it’s warm.”

The lake and the entire watershed has a large variety of species of fish in its waters.

The Conservations Area also hosts an ice fishing derby every year.

There is no information yet as to if it will take place this year, however a person at the park did say there is a plan to go ahead with the derby in February.

The derby features prizes for the largest fish reeled in on the ice in several different categories.


Readers Comments (1)

  1. John Kane says:

    Hi Brian Lockhart,
    Nice post! Ice fishing is one of the most popular outdoor winter activities. Island Lake has plenty of anglers who head out to their favorite spots on the ice when it’s cold outside. They are not disappointed with what they find and share some tips for beginners that will help them catch more fish.

     Reply




Please note: Comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment.