Anglers who have been casting longing glances at their fishing tackle may have to wait longer than usual this spring to get back on the water.
A long-time observer of ice conditions says it's likely that Lac des Mille Lacs will still have ice cover when the walleye season re-opens on the Victoria Day weekend.
Archie Hoogsteen, who operates Sugar Shack Rentals, told Tbnewswatch on Wednesday that there is currently well over one metre (he's measured 44 inches) of ice on his section of the big lake west of Thunder Bay.
He doesn't see it dissipating before the middle of May at the current rate.
"On the opening weekend (May 19) I'm pretty sure there's gonna be ice out there," Hoogsteen said.
He said the last time this happened was five years ago.
Hoogsteen noted that the ice cover is in sharp contrast to a year ago at this time, when everybody was already off the lake because the ice was unsafe.
A spokesperson for another ice-fishing business on Lac des Mille Lacs said a layer of snow on the ice, and cold overnight temperatures, have actually combined to create more ice recently.
"It's been making ice every night here over the last month because it's dropped down to minus 10 or minus 20," said Ken Wing of Shack's Landing.
Wing said the thickness in different areas ranges between roughly one and 1.2 metres (36 to 48 inches), and he agrees there's "a good chance" the lake will still have ice for the opener.
Hoogsteen expects that because anglers won't be able to get their boats onto the lake, some will decide to drop their lines into the Savanne River, an access point for the lake.
He feels that won't be good for the walleye population, as fish will still be spawning in the river at that time.
