Quinte Fishing

A few years ago, I fished the February Ice Fishing tournament held each year on Lake Simcoe. It was my first time at this tournament and it showed -did not catch anything. However it was neat to watch other anglers cheer on their fellow anglers when one was landed through the ice. I couldn't believe the number of anglers on the ice. Ice fishing has truly evolved as a sport!
The tournament covers Pike, Walleye, Perch, Burbot and Whitefish. I think in hindsight I made the mistake of picking an ice fishing hole too close to the ATV tracks used by the administrators to run between the weighing tent and other destinations and being in shallow water. Most fish were being caught in the deeper water ice fishing holes. All holes were predrilled and I had fun even though I didn't catch anything. You couldn't help but cheer when somebody a few hundred yards from you managed to wrestle a pike to the hole and run to the weighing tent to get the fish weighed amidst cheers from fellow surrounding ice anglers. Last year I understand the tournament could not proceed because the ice was not safe. This year it is set for Sat Feb. 3rd with the Grand Prize being $20,000 and a total of 126 prizes being awarded including early bird prizes and an attendance prize. I understand it is one of the largest ice fishing tournaments in Ontario with anglers coming from all over . Catch a fish or not, it pushes you to become a better ice angler.

I'm not going to try ice fishing until they can make a hole long enough for me to cast a lure and bring the air temperature up to 72 F.