Algonquin Ice-Out - no probs for the opener!

[passthepitonspete]

Hey guys,

 

I was just speaking with Greg Betteridge of the MNR up in Algonquin Park. Apart from being a helluva nice guy and a passionate fisherman, he is also the dude who processes your creel censuses, and accordingly is a great source of information [provided you share, of course ]

 

As you might expect, ice cover on the lakes this year was thinner than usual due to the very late onset of "winter". I was fishing open water in the Bay of Quinte on January 3, 2007 and would have been able to fish for a couple more weeks had we not headed south to Florida. You can read my fishing reports with photos on the "Beg and Brag Forum" of www.quintefishing.com - plenty of 11-, 12-, and 13-pounders!

 

On April 1st, Greg told me there was only 11" of ice remaining on Opeongo, and that only half of it was "good" ice. Currently things are pretty slushy with only about 6" remaining, and Greg predicts that with this warm weather finally coming our way, the ice should be out around this Monday April 23. At any rate, there won't be any problems with the ice by opening day Saturday April 28.

 

My dad and I are heading into the park a few days after opening day, so maybe we'll see you up there. Like, this is us, eh? Be sure to say "hi" if you see us.

 

 

 

 

I also thought you guys might find this chart of Opeongo Ice-Out Dates useful. That's quite a downward slope on the graph, eh? The average ice-out date has moved forward from around May 3 in 1964 to around April 27 these days. Sheesh.

 

 

Maybe that can help for next year's planning....

 

Cheers,

Pete

 

Edit: ARG! I didn't realize this forum will resize photos if they're too wide! Frig, I just spent like five hours photoshopping photos from last year's Algonquin trip to post here, doing them mostly at 700 pixels wide. Oh dear....

Edited April 19, 2007 by passthepitonspete

[dustink]

Just read through your photo essay, and "vertical camping".....HOLY S**T!

 

My stomach was acting weird just LOOKING at some of those pics....

 

dk