'Operating full bore': Ice fishing season finally underway in Manitoba after mild weather delay

Manitoba's ice fishing enthusiasts have finally been able to get out onto the lake after a delayed start to the season.

December's unusually warm temperatures have so far kept ice fishers from drilling and dropping their lines, but industry experts tell CTV News that the ice is finally thick enough to be safe in most of the popular ice fishing areas along Lake Winnipeg.

"Even though we were seeing 16 to 18 inches of ice right along the south shore, out in the middle of the lake - as of December 19 - was still open water," said Mathew Hobson, owner of outfitting company Icebound Excursions. "And with the mild temperatures we only made about two inches of ice between December 19 and December 28."

The ice fishing season ended up being delayed by about two weeks, as anglers waited patiently for lake and river ice to reach safe levels of thickness. "We don't see any reason why we won't be operating full bore for the rest of the season here," Hobson said on News Year's Eve.

Ice fishing has become more popular in Manitoba in recent years. Chase Dreilich, recreational angling coordinator at the Manitoba Wildlife Federation, said people here have really embraced the sport since the pandemic.

"Once the access gets good, the whole stretch of river from pretty much Lockport all the way through to the end of Main is like a small ice fishing village, so its pretty neat to see," Dreilich said.

He added that there are a lot of good ice fishing spots for those looking for more isolation.

"We're very fortunate here in Manitoba to have great fisheries all across the province, so there's no lack of options to go out," said Dreilich. "If you want to go trout fishing or something like that there's tons of places you can go and pack a backpack or pack a little sleigh and go out on the ice and have a great experience."

Hobson expects ice fishing activity to "heat up" in Manitoba now that the ice has thickened enough. "A large percentage of our customer base is coming from the northern U.S.," he said. "A lot of them are facing open water right now, so a lot of them are wanting to come up and get ice fishing as soon as possible."

Both experts agree that anyone new to the sport should seek out the advice of others in the community.

"If you've never been fishing before, you want to try your first time in a popular area with lots of people around so you can ask for advice," said Hobson.

His one piece of advice for everyone is to always check the ice conditions for yourself. "You don't want to just go by the fact that you see someone else out there in the distance," Hobson said. "You always want to check for your ice thicknesses as you go and make sure that they're enough to support you whether or not you're walking out or driving out."