The Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) would like to remind anglers to think ahead and prepare to remove their fish huts from Ontario’s frozen water bodies.
“Anglers can continue to ice fish as long as ice conditions are safe, but ice huts must be removed from the ice by the prescribed deadlines,” says OCOA President Matthew McVittie, “after the ice hut removal dates, anglers may fish without an ice hut or use a portable fish hut that is made of cloth or synthetic fabric that is seven square metres in size or less.”
Ice Hut Removal Dates:
- March 1st in fisheries management zones (FMZ) 17 and 20
- March 15th in FMZ 14, 16, 18, 19 and below the Lake Timiskaming dam in FMZ 12
- March 31st in FMZ 9, 10, 11, 15 and above the Lake Timiskaming dam in FMZ 12
“While ice safety should always be a top consideration before heading out fishing in the winter, this is especially true near the end of the winter season,” says McVittie, “Ice conditions not only vary depending on where you are in the province, they can also vary greatly on a single waterbody. Areas with moving water or shallow areas, including shorelines, sunken points and mid-lake shoals can be safe one day and virtually ice-free a day or two later.”
Anyone with information about a natural resources or public safety-related offence is encouraged to call the NDMNRF violation reporting line at 1-877-847-7667, contact their local Conservation Officer directly, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
For more information about natural resources regulations and enforcement please visit the OCOA website at http://www.ocoa.ca or contact your local Conservation Officer.
