Ice fishing just around the corner

Jeff Morrison, the Daily Observer’s newest columnist, offers up his take on the great outdoors.

With ice-fishing season just around the corner, winter anglers are being reminded that safety always comes first when you’re out on the ice! Ice-angling enthusiasts who venture out on the hard top this month should advise friends and loved ones where they will be fishing and when they plan to return. Appropriate clothing and equipment are also vital to safety and comfort. Some winter anglers prefer to wear survival suits and carry a set of ice picks, while others go so far as driving modified ice vehicles with all the doors removed, in case of a plunge. Remember that ice does not freeze at a uniform thickness across most lakes and rivers; especially at the start of the winter season when near-shore ice is always thicker than ice further out. Before you hit the hard top this winter in search of your favorite game-fish, consider registering your hut.

The Pembroke MNR wishes to advise anglers that, not only is ice hut registration a requirement by law, it goes a long way in preventing wayward huts later in the season. Abandoned huts which end-up in waterways after the thaw create havoc for boaters and early season fishermen. For improved visibility, registration numbers on all huts should be at least 2 1/2″ inches in height. You do not need to register tent-style huts made of cloth or synthetic material, provided the base measurement is less than seven square metres(75.4 square feet) To register your hut in Pembroke District, please call the ministry office:613-732-3661 or e-mail Darwin Rosien: [email protected] .

Testing, testing – The Lacrosse Alphaburly Pro Side-Zip hunting boots I field-tested this fall prove the great quality I have come to expect from a manufacturer who’s been in the boot business since 1897. The new Side-Zips are solid and form-fitting and no doubt the result of millions of miles of field-research. Featuring a new rubber compound and a full-length zipper, the new Side-Zips are much more flexible then some previous models and easier to get on and off. Lacrosse has also swapped-out the old fleece lining for an embossed neoprene liner for improved air circulation to keep your feet dry and comfortable. Dampness was my one beef with my old Alphaburly boots, but this model had addressed that concern. The standard adjustable neoprene gusset also helps stability and accommodates different calf sizes. The new Contoured Ankle-Fit design controls heel slippage, which can result in foot blistering after long hours of usage, something that can throw a wrench into a good day in the woods. I found the new Alphaburly Pro Side-Zips to be solid and comfortable and the improvementswell-received; perfect for any moose or deer season. For more information, contact Lacrosse Footwear at 1 (800)323-2668or online: http://www.lacrossefootwear.com.

Farewell to Whitetail Guru – This week the Ottawa Valley lost the ultimate steward of the woods with the passing of my old friend Rick Poulin, of Barrhaven. You may have had the pleasure of meeting Rick at one of the local Sportsmen shows. He was an accomplished taxidermist, avid hunter and conservationist and knew just about everything there was to know about white-tailed deer. Those of you who’ve followed my articles over the years, will know who Rick is since much of my early career I owe to this quiet man from Barrhaven, who was featured in more than 100 of my articles over the years. The Whitetail Guru, as I dubbed him early-on, was not only the province’s foremost authority on record book whitetails and the Godfather of Friends for Recognition of Ontario Wildlife, (FROW) he was an amazingly artistic man, with a blessed appreciation of the Great Outdoors. The Valley and anyone who knew Rick is suffering a great loss. Thanks to a kindred spirit who’s memory will live-on.

Next time: In the next Outdoors Guy, I chat with one local ice hut operator regarding his outlook on the 2015 ice fishing season.