waiting for thicker ice others Some fishing already,
ROTHESAY - Today, like most other days, Jonathan Smith will check the 14-day forecast, hoping for a cold snap.
And he's likely not the only one.
"I'm sure everyone is keeping a close eye, hoping the one we're in now will continue," Smith, spokesman for the Renforth Ice Fishing Association, said Monday, as temperatures dipped to -21 C.
"It will assist in building up the ice. Cold weather makes ice."
At about 15 to 17.5 centimetres, Smith said the Kennebecasis River has not yet reached the ideal thickness he needs before setting up his fishing shack.
"I personally will not go out unless there's 10 inches (22.5 centimetres) of ice," Smith said, adding, "Some people feel it's adequate (now)."
So far, Smith said about nine shacks have sprouted up on the river near the Renforth Wharf in Rothesay. He said more than 100 are expected when the season picks up.
The small ice fishing village forms each year around the second week in January to catch smelt, a small white fish, Smith said.
"We're definitely a little later and I'd love to be out there, but at the same time safety is No. 1," he said. "It's a common-sense judgment."
Smith said the ice-fishing season is always dependent on the weather, and said when the end of January hits, he may decide it's not worth setting up his shack at all.
"Some of them require a tow truck with a flatbed to get them on the ice," Smith said.
"If it gets to be the week of Jan. 29, you're only looking at the month of February to fish."
Shacks have to be removed by March 15.
"It always comes down to safety," Smith said.
"The last thing I want to do is lose my investment in my fishing shack, but you need to be out there and be safe."
An incident in Quispamsis over the weekend proved just how thin some parts of the ice are.
Const. Colin Flynn of the Rothesay Regional Police Force said at about noon on Saturday, a Model Farm Road resident called to say her two dogs fell through the ice on the river.
Flynn said the woman's husband braved the slick surface to save the animals, and all three were safe before police arrived.
"An adult would, on average, weigh certainly more than a dog and with them going through, it should raise concerns that it's not safe yet," Flynn said.
"Even as the weather grows increasingly colder, there's a lot of snow on the ice and it can hide hazards. You really have to take precautions before venturing out on the ice. You don't know what's beneath the snow."
Flynn said the best option, especially for children, is to stay off the ice.
"I know, as a parent, I wouldn't condone my kids playing on the ice - it's too unsafe," he said.
"I think this year we're certainly a lot later into the season and I think the cold, hot, cold, hot weather isn't giving a good quality ice."
While safety is paramount, Smith said he remains hopeful that the bitter cold will continue to thicken the ice.
He said he looks forward to the fishing village forming each year.
"We have street names and we try to plow the roads once the ice is safe and provide garbage cans and portable rest rooms," Smith said.
"People can come down and bring their families and enjoy the day. We live in the Maritimes and we get winter every year. It's something to do. Everyone kind of knows everyone. Those two months are usually the only times you see those people."
Environment Canada is calling for a chilling -19 C low today, but milder weather is expected Wednesday and Thursday.Read More ...
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