Cold shmold: ‘Tis the season for ice fishing

Feb 11, 2010

Martin Racine, Andrew Neale, Justin Tryon, Jamie Lavoie and Keilan Kelsey

For die-hard anglers,  a biting, raw wind is not enough to keep them from packing up their gear and heading onto the frozen lakes.

Over 100 participants took part in the annual Arden fishing derby that took place on Big Clear Lake on Feb. 6. Angie Deline of Arden was holding down the shore-side central hub, courtesy of the Arden Legion, and was serving up steaming coffee, hot chocolate, chili and soup to derby goers in need.

Funds raised from the $10 ticket sales go to the Legion and in turn are funneled through various avenues right back into the local community.

Out on the lake in the bright sunshine anglers had set up their make-shift huts and trailers, many equipped with stoves, beds and other comforts from home.

Lorne Hiltz of Arden was gracious enough to drive me out onto Big Clear Lake in his truck on Saturday to see what all the fuss about ice fishing is about and he shared a few key ice fishing facts with me. Lorne has been fishing since he was kid and doesn’t use a hut but just dresses for the weather. When the wind would howl he and his friends would haul a dead log onto the ice and using snow build a wall for a wind shield. “It’s a great sport if you like being outdoors and it’s great for the economy.”

Driving out in his truck he mentioned some well-advised safety precautions regarding the ice: “Stay clear of the channels that might be fed by running springs; be wary of skiffs of snow since they might be hiding thin ice underneath. And it’s always wise to steer clear of large bumps, and pressure cracks."

Those out for their first time on any lake would be wise to talk to locals about known unsafe spots on particular lakes.

The first group we came across were five friends from Flinton, Northbrook and Arden and they showed off their catches of a 5.3 lb northern pike that Andy caught at 9 a.m. that morning. The five had been fishing since 5 a.m. and pointed out that it is indeed mostly locals like themselves that you'll come across. They planned to fillet their catches and cook them the way they like best, in a bit of butter and lemon pepper.

Most anglers are after pickerel, which they agree is the best eating fish. Andy pulled out a hooked line from one of his holes with a live shiner, with which he was hoping to make his next catch. Ice fishing is also a chance to be creative and he proudly showed me his “boardinator“, a device he concocted wherein his line is attached to a stick hooked into a board that lies flat on the ice adjacent to his fishing hole, which keeps his line upright.

The guys inform me that two lines are the legal limit per person and that two extra lines will cost you about $1200 in fines at court in Sharbot Lake.

The next group of derby goers we came across were a large group of family and friends packed like sardines into Arden resident Donny Oliver’s wooden hut, a rather high-class affair equipped with 4 fold down beds, a radio, wood stove and two open fishing holes where you can peer down into the clear 12 foot depth of water below. The hut offers fishers a chance to relax and warm up. The combined group hadn’t caught any fish on that particular derby day but Don informed me that he had been set up in his hut for a few weeks and had caught over 14 pickerel. He said that winter fish taste better than summer fish since the cold kills bacteria and makes the fish fresher tasting and less slimy.

What keeps Don on the ice every year is the great outdoors, the peace and quiet and the chance it offers for bonding with friends and family.

For those who missed the Arden derby there are many others coming up, including one this weekend at Desert Lake Campground (see preview on page ?) and the Trapper's Council Fishing Derby on Sat. Feb. 27 held at Big Gull Lake on Newton's Bay, with top prizes awarded from all fish weighed in. For information on the latter call Wilf Deline at 613-336-8359