Well, it's about that time of the year when winter flows into spring, and ice fishing seasons near there inevitable end. For most of the regions I fish in Quebec, the season closes on April 1st (for now), which means late March is my last chance of getting out to fish on ice.
After getting out on my float tube for a late winter outing earlier in the month, I was hoping to have the time, opportunity and cooperating weather for 2 ice fishing days in March. Sure enough, everything came together as planned.
For the first outing, I headed North, back for another attempt at some good ice fishing for bass. After staying away from the region for a couple months due manly to excessive snow cover, I made the trip with only a couple days left to winter's calendar date.
Morning started off quite cold, I trekked onto the lake in -17C temperature. Recent rain followed by a deep freeze had frozen the surface solid, and with very little snowfall in between, it was a breeze making it out to my first fishing spot.
Action was unfortunately much slower than normal, and the bass weren't active at their usual depths. After catching a smaller perch in deeper water, I eventually connected with a few largemouth bass where I would have expected to find them, jigging a variety of lures.
After the action slowed down despite my relentless drilling all around normally good spots on the lake, I eventually connected with the only smallmouth bass of the day in deeper water.
Nothing big, but welcome catch as usual. With only 6 bass and 1 perch to show for at the end of the day, I was ready to tackle my next spot the following week.
Now into early spring, and with a busy schedule, I set aside 1 last day for ice fishing to end my season, choosing to target a lake I had never fished on ice. This lake had been on my radar for a while, and is one of very few lakes in Quebec to offer winter / ice fishing for pike, muskies, and tiger muskies. Despite these species being recorded in the lake, their numbers are not strong, and populations likely dwindling.
I got started mid morning, by setting up a spread of flag lines, baited with a mix of mackerels, herrings and a hot dogs. Once set up, I jigged smaller lures with the help of my flasher. Fishing was very slow, and after a good 5 hours or so, I had only landed 5 tiny perch. I called my season to an end, broke down and stowed away most of my jigging gear, and proceeded to start pulling up my flag lines for the last time this season.
Getting to my first line, I felt some weight on it, despite the flag not being tripped. Sure enough, I came to realize that it had somehow failed, and I actually had a fish at the end of my line. A few minute later, I was holding my first ice musky of the season, and only second ever iced musky. Crazy enough, my first musky on ice came exactly 7 years to the day of this one.
Needless to say, my 2026 ice fishing season ended on a high note. Looking forward to some open water fishing once the ice is all gone.
No comments:
Post a Comment