Manitobans finally able to ice fish after warm winter

With Manitoba experiencing one of the mildest winters in recent memories, local anglers have had to wait a little longer to hit the ice. But with colder temperatures finally arriving in the prairies, ice fishing enthusiasts can now celebrate that their wait is over. 

December’s unseasonably warm temperatures had kept local anglers from dropping their lines, but just north of Winnipeg, the ice in Lockport is now thick enough for ice fishers to enjoy their winter activity.

“When has a Canadian ever prayed for snow? It’s pretty weird to say but that’s the position we are in this year. We’ve been wanting the ice to thicken up for a while and it’s finally happening which is awesome,” said Eric Stone, the owner of Red River Cats.

“You know it probably put us off by about three weeks, that everyone has kind of been delayed but now that the ice is getting thick enough people are getting out and really enjoying themselves.”

Stone says the sport has grown in popularity in recent years, especially throughout the pandemic.

“Everyone was locked inside, everyone was looking for an excuse to get out and I think a lot of people were able to find that excuse in their backyard, you know I think this was something we took for granted, and now that people are back getting out and ice fishing in their backyard it’s awesome.”

A sentiment shared by Chase Dreilich, recreational angling coordinator at the Manitoba Wildlife Federation. He adds there is no shortage of spots across Manitoba where anglers can test their luck while enjoying the outdoors.

“We got a province full of ice in the wintertime and it’s an amazing thing to do, getting outside is great for your mental health, it feels awesome to catch a fish and there are tons of opportunities across the province,” said Dreilich.

But while both Stone and Dreilich encourage all Manitobans to get out and enjoy the winter sport, they agree that anyone new to ice fishing should seek advice from seasoned anglers, and always ensure the ice is safe before heading out.

“The best practice is to go out there and test the ice yourself, no matter if it’s travelled on previously or not cause like I said things can change,” said Dreilich.

Stone adding, “Do your research check the conditions, how thick does the ice have to be for you to be able to drive on it, can you walk on it safely, these are all great questions people should research before just going out there and trust it.”