It was a cold, dark and typical winter day in the beautiful Parry Sound, ON. It was one of those days where you wake up and want to go play Soccer or Basketball, just be active all around. Most people would say no to playing soccer in a snow storm and freezing temperatures, so my options were to play alone, or find something more seasonally appropriate to spend my day. As I thought about my limited options, the idea of ice fishing swam into my head and wouldn’t leave. Now my head was flooded with all the possibilities. With over 250,000 lakes in Ontario and over 32 types of sportfish to catch, my options were now limitless.
My husband got everything ready and came up with a plan on where to go and what we should try to catch. Our destination was a small unnamed lake north of Parry Sound, near the village of Britt. We needed to make two very important stops on the way, without these stops, there would be no chance of catching a fish. The first, was the bait shop to get some lively, juicy minnows. With these on a hook down the hole, no fish would be able to resist. The second and most important stop… Tim Hortons to get some coffees. The odds of catching a fish go up like crazy when you have a hot coffee from Tim’s in your hand.
We drove through an endless snow storm with snowplows leading the way. Through the snow and sleet, we finally made it to the secret, unnamed lake with expectations running high. I led the way down to the ice and made sure it was safe for walking. It was all good to go, so I got out the auger and popped some holes for us to fish through. By the time I made the holes, my biceps were burning like a bonfire. This was a better workout that any fitness class… and more fun. We finally got everything set-up and now the most exciting part; waiting for a bite.
After what seemed like hours, my patience began to wear thin and I was starting to think of how I was bored. All of a sudden, the tip of my rod shook a little bit. Almost as if the little minnow on the other end was being chased under the water by a big & scary fish. I thought it must have been my imagination or a mirage at first. I was staring at the rod and soon, there was no question. The rod bent in half and I let out a loud yell for my husband and the rest of the woodland creatures to hear “Fish On”.
I carefully ran over the slippery ice to where my rod was and grabbed it. Whatever was on the other end of the line was big… and I was now locked into a battle very similar to something out of the show and game Pokemon. It was a game of pulling and my burning biceps from earlier were able to win the battle. The fish on the other end was near the hole and I pulled it through onto the ice. It was a Northern Pike and a pretty big one at that! These fish are known for being pretty slimy, so I held on tight and snapped some photos of me and the wild creature. After some debating whether this fish would become our dinner, my husband and I decided to let the fish go. I carefully put the fish back in the hole and held onto its tail until it swam away. I am ready for my second battle with the same fish next Winter, maybe it will have learned that the juicy minnow was just too good to be true.
Bye Bye,
Sarah Sab
Ontario Angler 