Old Ironmaker Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Looking for opinions and most likely like me good guesses on how this past , actually still, abysmal winter will effect species opens. I know in 1992 (a very cold and wet winter) we hit the Ottawa River for our annual Pickerel opening and all the males where still on the beds and were milting all over the bottom of the boat. Went back for Bass opening and the smallies were still on the beds. We figured both were a month late at least. What do you think? Johnny D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Unless we get some serious heat most species will be spawning on their opener... Heck... Even last year the walleye and musky had a late spawn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Hard to say. The pike are dropping under the ice right now around here.. which is pretty well right on schedule. Channel cats have already been caught on some tribs... Hard to say what will happen in the long term.. could be various scattered spawns at different points of the year.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4bassin Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 I'm not sure but one thing for certain if we don't start getting some heat around here like yesterday Algonquin Park lake ice will be tighter then a drum for that first week of opening at least . My laker trip is not planned till the end of May so we should be alright .One good thing the black flies wont be around till the end of May this year as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dara Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I had to push the power auger down into the snow Saturday to get through the ice. I have never drilled through that much ice in 35 years of ice fishing. And it was -24 this morning so it isn't getting any thinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 I have no idea? Last year was funny on RR because of late ice out and super high water. Everything from walleye, pike, bass and sturgeon was way off. But it made for an awesome fall. This year the ice is thicker then I've ever seen, and expect the same only worse. Normally it would bother me because it makes the river unfishable, but this year i have plans to film the sturgeon spawn with the gopro. Problem is it might be little to no visibility. Aww well, all we can do is wait and find out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nipfisher Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Here is a story about ice-off on Lake Nipissing. They quoted me in the story. As of Saturday March 23rd there was 42" of solid ice out around Iron Island which is out in the middle of the lake. http://www.nugget.ca/2014/03/24/picking-ice-off-date-may-be-longshot Edited March 25, 2014 by Nipfisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handlebarz Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Last year we had a cold spring water temps stayed in the low to mid 60's until June the musky had not all spawned yet. The walleye were still shallower then normal for that time of year. I don't think it will totally depend on the ice out but how quick we get the warm weather if we get a warm spring lots of sun it could easily get the spawn back on track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 like mike said. as for spawn itself. hope winds are lite. then silt wont cover eggs. that's a large factor., , once the big wallys spawn they head back to erie here. the jacks leave last and normally run the shores .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmer Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 It shouldn't effect the walleye in the Kawarthas. There are none. Usually a late ice out results in a tough bite for opening for me, but the spawn is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Yah, for me last year was real tough for trout opener. Couldn't find them. I would think with another late ice out, this year is shaping up to be even later, it will be difficult. I think some species are on a clock and others go by water temperature. The ones that go by water temp will spawn late. On the plus side we may go ice fishing for the trout opener this year in algonquin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Opener,I fish the small creeks and tribs. I see high waters for a couple months after that. Lets hope the rain is min. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Cliff Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 We are usually seeing plenty of walleye up at the dam in Lindsay by now but I haven't seen a single one yet. Long range forecast is saying that while we might get a bit of a warm up to near normal temperatures for this weekend it is going to cool back down again after that. I have a feeling that everything will be about two to three weeks behind normal this spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggie Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 I hope guys leave the spawners alone , realizing that they aren't very good eating anyway. I see guys keeping these black spawning rainbows and I shudder at the thought of eating them. I realize they want some eggs but the fish is a non-eater. Hopefully the water is high and dirty for opener. It's safer for the fish. Last year the Ottawa River was so low we couldn't launch our boats until early June below Mattawa. Anyone know why that was and if it will happen again this year? Dan O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 Having most of the rivers running high and brown for opener will be a great thing for the fishery.. I love steelhead, but scruffy dropbacks and spawning fish just aren't my thing... When opener gets here I'd much rather chase residents. As for roe, browns + fall = all you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c10 Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 I hope guys leave the spawners alone , realizing that they aren't very good eating anyway. I see guys keeping these black spawning rainbows and I shudder at the thought of eating them. I realize they want some eggs but the fish is a non-eater. Hopefully the water is high and dirty for opener. It's safer for the fish. Last year the Ottawa River was so low we couldn't launch our boats until early June below Mattawa. Anyone know why that was and if it will happen again this year? Dan O. I agree I am going to be around the Spanish river for opener and am thinking we will be spending our time out on Georgian bay just not to mess with the spawning fish. Hopefully more people will do the same. The spawn will be late this year unless we get a really warm april-may. From what I have studied, fish spawn based on time of year/ moon cycles in accordance with water temps. So, walleye begin to stage around their spawning beds in Jan/Feb, (obviously this depends on the year and system as well) and wait until the fourth of fifth full moon of the year (assuming there's one every month) to start staging in their rivers and tribs, though they may wait for the water temps to rise a couple degrees before they are triggered to lay their eggs. As for the Ottawa, I have to assume it was another Ministry screw-up, they flooded half the cottages around Minden and let too much out to the east, but I don't have facts on that lol sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Like Dara.. "opener" might be with an auger this May ! I had to drill side holes for auger handle clearance last Monday night... to break through to get water at my dock! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Still frozen... http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/webdata/cwops/html/modis/modis.php?region=g&page=1&template=sub&image=a1.14090.1736.CIS_Great_Lakes.143.250m.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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