Shortest fall season ever

[singingdog]

This is usually one of my favorite times of year to fish, especially for big smallies and hungry splake. All ended yesterday when most of the smaller lakes froze bank to bank. Time to wax the skis.

[AKRISONER]

Serious question, was this the shortest boating season in southern ontario...maybe ever? or at least in the last what 40 years?

Remember how cold it was this spring? We actually didnt have ice out in Pointe Au Baril until the 3rd of May, it was the first time ever in my time that the lake wasnt opened up for pike opener. Jeez i remember working on the boat in the middle of April in Georgetown and it was -12!

Ive got a photo on my phone, April 29th, theres still snow on the ground and ice on the lake.

Pointe Au Baril Harbour froze up on Monday night...Maybe some of the legends around here can speak to what it was like back in the 70s and 80's but the 90's and 2000's were never this cold this early and late I can assure you of that...damn in the 2000's we had a couple of winters that just didnt happen at all!

Edited November 16, 2018 by AKRISONER

[misfish]

15 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

Serious question, was this the shortest boating season in southern ontario...maybe ever? or at least in the last what 40 years?

 

 

 

1995, Terry and I were ice fishing little lake solid 4" mid Nov. St.John the same. Never stopped til mid April. That was a long ice fishing season.

 

Protected bays on couch are freezing up already as of yesterday.

Edited November 16, 2018 by misfish

[OhioFisherman]

It's no different on the south side of Erie, temps are running 15 - 20 degrees below normal for this time of year, snow on the ground and windy. Most years I didn't think of putting the boat up for the season until after Thanksgiving day here, a lot of years I could have waited almost until Christmas.

Previous years, look at the dates, it hasn't been a good year for fall boating on Lake Erie.

[jimmer]

The south end of Pigeon Lakes has been frozen for a few days now. However, I have seen it freeze up in the first week of November in the past.

[chris.brock]

I like my shoulder seasons, we got ripped off this fall, hot in September than cold by mid/ late October

[BillM]

Yeah this November has sucked.   One of my fav fishing months, not this year however.

[misfish]

6 minutes ago, BillM said:

Yeah this November has sucked.   One of my fav fishing months, not this year however.

HMMMMMM

Adapt,improvise,overcome. LOL

[Old Ironmaker]

Fall? What Fall? It is usually my favorite season of the year, especially that Indian Summer we usually get mid October. We all get together for Thanksgiving out here and for the last few if not more than a few years we were all in short sleeves tossing Horse shoes before dinner. Not this year. It was August then with a blink of an eye it is snowing. I had the A/C on the week before Labour Day and the next week on went the furnace. 

[crappieperchhunter]

For years I have said the fall is my favourite time of year. What the hell happened this year? 

[misfish]

37 minutes ago, crappieperchhunter said:

For years I have said the fall is my favorite time of year. What the hell happened this year? 

Steve

Once the salmon start their run here, I am on it and the steel head follow. Lots of fishing for me til ice. That is how I roll. I will not dought, there will be a big warm up before the ice comes.

[Moosebunk]

Short as it was, the muskie fishing was the best I've ever had. Just can't imagine how long a winter it's going to be for those not used to it.  But it is Canada, and next week could hit +20C like it did two years ago.

[bigugli]

My fall isn't over yet.

[Old Ironmaker]

Yep 2  years ago Mr. Bunk. We all drive to Florida in November to fish and golf with the boys and call home and it was in the high teens here. Still had a great time regardless. The fishing was fabulous, golf not so much. Nothing like fresh stuffed Sea Trout on the Q the same day as caught. 

[Old Ironmaker]

12 minutes ago, bigugli said:

My fall isn't over yet.

I love your eternal optimism. Anyone who's folks are from a place that is dark 23 hours a day had better be. Remember I spent a month in Oulu one week. 

Edited November 17, 2018 by Old Ironmaker

[Moosebunk]

It was around November 20-25 or so two autumns back that I fished muskies 7 days in a row during that heatwave. Only caught one on the last day when the weather was turning cold. There was a day or more that reached 20+C I believe.  This October out there plenty, man it was cool some days. Winter tires shoulda been on for folks before Halloween I guess.

[Old Ironmaker]

Like I have said a time or two, living my youth over again vicariously through Mr. Bunks adventures. 

[Joeytier]

Nothing but cold and wind.  Went on my yearly splake/bow trip in FMZ 8 late October and had to break ice and camp in a few inches of snow and subzero temps.  Tomorrow will be the earliest I'll have ever gone ice fishing, so I'll take the good with the bad I suppose.

[limeyangler]

This year is the earliest i've iced fished here, could have been fishing midweek if my work schedule had permitted. 7" on the main lake this evening.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I wish you hardwater guys the best this winter. I was once a member. Actually went to Bear Creek a few January's ago and caught fish, inside a warm hut. Brought back memories, all good. However I hope to curtail all my ice fishing now to the freezer. 

4 years ago my wife bought me a Musky charter with Dan Columby in the West Arm of Nipissing. When we got there around Oct 30 it was 26C and sunny. Italo was there to film a Musky show and ended up filming a Large mouth show at Maskinongi camp. Lucky for me in a few days it dropped down big time and even with that cold front got to boat a few Musky. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Old Ironmaker

[crappieperchhunter]

On 11/16/2018 at 2:59 PM, misfish said:

Steve

Once the salmon start their run here, I am on it and the steel head follow. Lots of fishing for me til ice. That is how I roll. I will not dought, there will be a big warm up before the ice comes.

My love of the fall is more weather related then fishing related Brian. Just love the, throw a hoody on weather, with no bugs to boot. After the 1st week in October when it got up to 27 celsius we have had very little of the fall weather I enjoy. Most days that had the temps I like had rain or too much wind to get out and enjoy them. This fall we where raking leaves at home, at the cottage and at my folks. Literally had 5 days during the last month that a would call decent days to get out and get yard work done.  And now we have 4-6 inches of snow on the ground in Bobcaygeon. Just glad I got the raking done. Now it's back to fishing.

[AKRISONER]

Was in PAB this weekend, saturday wasnt warm, but it wasnt miserable as it has been most of the fall, winds were light and the sun even came out...Then the weather flipped the temperature dropped and the boys woke up in the dark to go catch some more walleye sunday morning, walked down to the dock...the entire lake was frozen over.

We then spent the next hour bustin ice to get it out and then the snow came and we put the other boat away and took the dock out in a total whiteout. Theres over a foot of snow on the ground and the lake is frozen...i wouldnt exactly call it fall anymore.

[OhioFisherman]

Once it it fall on the calendar here the weather got serious about it! From a fishing aspect it would be one of the worst I can remember weather wise, rain, wind, and early snow. 

[Tjames09]

This fall was really windy. Even if you did get out the lake was super rough. 

[OhioFisherman]

The coldest Thanksgiving in 100 years for millions in the US

 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/19/us/thanksgiving-weekend-weather-forecast-wxc/index.html

Well I don't go back 100 years, but this has been one of the worst falls weather wise that I remember.