Bethany Ontario

Yes it has been a long winter. Many people have been left with cabin fever as a result of the colder than normal temperatures.

Everyone is looking forward to change cabin fever to spring fever for obvious reasons. But you don’t have to wait for spring to go fishing. Why not go ice fishing now?

There are lots of places to ice fish near Bethany Ontario.

Several years ago the Ministry of Natural Resources made some changes, opening up ice fishing in the Kawartha Lakes to the public. Now, Fishermen consider this region to be one of Ontario’s finest ice fishing areas.

What can you catch? You might be surprised! Bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie, and northern pike have been turned into delicious fish fries – or thrown back!

There are dozens of lakes to choose from: Balsam Lake, Brighton Bay in Lake Ontario, Cameron Lake, Chemong Lake, Lake Dalrymple, Rice Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Lake Scugog, Crowe Lake and the lower Trent River are just some of the locations well serviced by outfitters.

Enjoy ice fishing!

There are a variety of resorts, providing overnight accommodations in cottages or condos, 2 or 4 person ice huts, bait, ice fishing poles, propane heat, fishing licenses…and if you want, you can even rent the services of an ice fishing guide!

You can get onto smaller lakes sooner in the winter as they freeze faster and then safely move to larger lakes as the winter progresses

If you are new to ice fishing, do a bit of research first – unless of course you are taking a guide along with you. Read magazine articles, watch how-to videos, and even consider attending seminars. The more you know, the more successful – and safe – your venture will be.

You will notice many fishermen have a variety of rods, each rigged a little differently. The variety lets you be prepared for the different sizes and species you might encounter, how active the fish actually are and how deep you plan to fish. The more prepared you are the better off you will be since changing lures in sub-zero weather is not a lot of fun.

If you are going to a lake for the first time, one that may not have a lot of ice fishing activity already, it is critical that you test the depth of the ice. Buy a basic auger to test the ice and to provide you with a 6 to 8 inch circumference to get started.

And finally, dress accordingly. Wear winter gear like insulated snow pants and a heavy winter parka. Good gloves, a toque, and a pair of insulated waterproof boots round out the ice fisherman’s most important attire on the ice. You might also want to bring some extra gloves, a balaclava, and a scarf.

Enjoy some ice fishing while there is still time. It will not last much longer. One minute we’re talking about ice fishing and before long we’ll be talking about the maple syrup running!