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I TT TET ir ita" wl "------ tl ------ 30 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, January 9, 1990 Winter's popular pasttime Ice fishing on Lake Scugog Every year as ol' man Win- ter closes in, a strange phenom- ena takes place on Lake 3. As soon as the ice firms up, new vil here and there. And by early January, the lake is dotted with upwards of 6500 little "houses." The ice fishermen have ar- rived. They drag their huts onto the lake, bore holes through the thick ice, bait the hooks, set the lines and settle down to wait. They are waiting for Lake Scugog's 'famous yellow picke- rel, by far the most plentiful and popular of the fish in the lake, winter and summer. The small communities of ice huts can be seen clustered in several locations: off West Shore Marina; near Seven Mile Island; just out from Goreski's resort; and along the shore of the east arm from Caesarea to Scugog Point. A spokesman with the Min- istry of Natural Resources esti- mated there could be as many as 700 ice huts on the Scugogice this winter. And how's the fishing? Well, according to the MNR offi- cial, the action had tapered off slightly in the last week or two, compared with just before Christmas. Last Saturday, a photogra- pher for the Star spent several hours talking to fishermen on the west arm of the lake, and re- ports the fishing was "spotty" at best. - Gord Hamlin, the manager at the Beacon Marina in Cae- sarea, reports late last week that fishing was "a bit slow" up to Christmas, but things have started to pick up the last week or two. . "They (the pickerel) are starting to hit pretty good, lots in the four to five pound range," he said. And he said atleast one tro- phy-size walleye at about ten pounds, has already come through the ice off Caesarea. ile many fishermen en- joy the heated comfort of their huts, others simply put on as much clothing as they can find and brave the chilly winds with- out the luxury of a hut. Gord Foster of Oshawa and his son, Don, were two such har- dy souls fishing the lake Satur- day afternoon. start appearing They don't get out too often, but said they enjoyed getting out in the fresh air, even if they had little luck with the fish. Glen Baird of Oshawa and his fishing friend, Dave Duffey, shared a small hut off West Shore, and had lines around the hut as well. They told the Star the fish- ing was not as good as it has been around Christmas. And another angler just a hundred yards away, had one small yellow pickerel to show for his efforts, though he had "caught and released a 15 pound muskie. Ice fishing is one of the most popular winter activities in Scugog Township, and with many of the enthusiasts coming from outside the Township, the sport is a boon for local busi- nesses. , Minnows are the most pop- ular bait for pickerel, though an assortment of jigs can yield re- sults. Pickerel are a migratory type of fish, almost constantly REA dT You'll need a good auger and a little old-fashioned muscle power through the Scugog ice these days. The ice is up to 24 inches thick in places. These an- glers were getting ready to set their lines Saturday afternoon. on the move. One angler told the Star he's convinced pickerel make a complete swing around the lake during the winter months, which perhaps ex- plains why the action "heats . up"inone area for a week or two and then dies off. The MNR spokesman said anglers can traditionally expect the fishing to pick up once the ice starts to melt slightly as spring approaches. The MNR is not conducting creel census on the lake this season, but Consevation offi- cers are on constant patrol en- forcing all the regulations. "You'd better play by the rules," said the spokesman, adding that charges can be laid for a variety of offenses. Any Ontario resident be- tween 18 and 64 years of age, must have a licence (available at most tackle shops) though this year, the 1990 licences were late in printing, so the province has given anglers a 'grace period" until Jan. 15. And Conservation officers will be watching for anglers who take more than the daily limit of six pickerel and those who set more lines than permits. If you don't own an ice hut, and want the comforts of one, try Beacon Marina. Mr. Hamlin said huts for parties of two, four or six are Svellable, fully heated and with ts. The ch is $26 per per- son and includes bait and a drive out from shore, if neces- sary. But he said lers are ad- vised to "book ahead," especial- ly on the weekends. Beacon is believed to be the only commercial hut operator on the lake this winter. Whether you fish from a hut, or simply auger through the ice and sit in the open watching the line, ice fishing can be an enjoyable winter pass-time. And you'll get a good argu- ment from many anglers that there is no finer eating fish than fresh pickerel. For those not familiar with Lake 8, check with some- body who knows the lake for ice conditions. There's lots of ice now (up to 24 inches) but there are dan- Lu to punch a hole yield open water. Be very care- ful after dark. Take along some extra clothing, don't go fishing with- out a licence, and take your gar- e law | bage home with you é gerous pressure ridges than can Not quite with all the comforts of home, but the small hut shared by Dave Duffey and Glen Baird of Oshawa was cosy enough and provided some warmth from the cold west winds Saturday afternoon. iia OVER RIDGE RENOVATOR Reach Industrial Park, Unit 4, Reg. Rd. 8 985-0715 Complete Hi Tech FIREPLACES be 5 is . Small "villages" of ice huts are evident in many locations around the lake this winter | c.- and every winter. ice fishing Is a very popular sport on Scugog, and It Is estimated there could be as many as 700 huts out there this season. (see story for detalls)