Ontario Family Fishing Weekend - February 23, 24

Ice fishing is a great way to get the whole family involved in an enjoyable outdoors activity. Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield has once again designated February 23 and 24 to be Family Fishing Weekend in Ontario.

The best thing of all is that for those two days no license is required allowing everyone to experience the thrill of hauling fish through the ice.

Sponsors of the Family Fishing Weekend include the Canadian Sportsfishing Industry Association, the Canadian National Sportsfishing Foundation, the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association, and Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

For more information about events that are taking place in your region check out the Family Fishing Weekend website at http://www.familyfishingweekend.com/ .

Stay warm and happy fishing.

Letters to Smed - The Ice Hut (conclusion)

Hey Smed,

Well I got the gear packed and just sipping a coffee waiting for Sam to show up. I promised him that he can check emails on the way up in return for leaving early...

"Sam arrived later that night and following the light of our lantern slipped his way across the ice to the hut. Being the perpetrator of the scheme to build the ice hut it was no surprise that he would not believe the evil that lurked within the thing and embraced it with open arms. There was an instant bond between man and hut as Sam gently caressed the dented roof.
All in all it was a good weekend although with the sudden drop in temperature the fishing activity followed suit. Memories of our trials and tribulations waned and, with lots of coaching from Sam, we even started to like the damn hut. That is until it came time to leave! You see, in his exuberance Smed had pushed wet slushy snow around the base of the hut when the temperature started to drop and the wind started to rise, to keep the wind out of the hut. Seemed like a good idea at the time but let’s see; -25 plus slush…hmmm…

You guessed it, Red-Green was frozen solid as a rock and refused to budge; again. Off we trundled to the cottage, returning a short time later manned with pry bars, ropes, and axes. The ice chips flew and the wood groaned but slowly the hut was extricated from the icy fingers that seemed determined to hold on until spring. Of course by now we were in the middle of a full-blown blizzard that rolled in suddenly off of Lake Huron. Man, we worked like dogs; pushing, pulling, prying, slipping, spinning our way back to shore. Finally with a final roar from the sled and one great shove Red-Green rested at the top of the slope, near the old outhouse. How appropriate!

The hut could give us no more grief now, yet if you looked closely I swear you could see the small windows narrow with a subtle demonic grin, and with one last puff of smoke we were left wondering what was in store for next year. Maybe we should leave well enough alone and turn it into a sauna."

Here he is now, guess we'll see you in a couple of hours. Is the hut out yet, or dare I ask?

Ed

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