So sick of Winter.

[Diver Dan]

It actually got above freezing for a little bit yesterday!!! At 4:30 my vehicle kept bouncing between 32° and 33° F. At 5:15 or so it went up to 36° for about half an hour and dropped back below freezing, but it was so nice while it lasted. The sun was out, no wind...

I went to town and drove down the boat ramp onto the Baudette River, took a left and drove out onto the Rainy River and let the dog run around. I took this picture. It's just upriver of the railroad and car bridges going into Rainy River Ontario. There is still no sign of the ice going out, but it has to happen some day doesn't it?

[jpbfly]

Come here to fish with JP Dan would have to take antidepressants if my favorite streams were like this...nice pic...think I've already seen that bridge somewhere

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by jpbfly

would have to take antidepressants if my favorite streams were like this

I'm close to needing to take them now. It's not a good sign that I can safely drive around on the river at this time of year. What's really a bad sign is that the lake may very well be iced over for fishing opener on May 11th. It's an early opener this year, and a cold cold Spring. The Walleye will probably be spawning for opener and bad things happen when spawning occurs on the wrong side of opener.

[streamwalker]

And I thought I had it bad with temps in the 30-40 range and having to wear layers to go kayak fishing..but I will not even start to complain about that lol.. Hope those rivers get unfroze soon Dan!

[thorsten]

Hello,

I fully understand you. I am so rid of this winter too. It seems that the winter never ends
But maybe we will get a perfect summer as a compensation

[theboz]

Dan seriously you have to move! You and Ard see more ice and snow then water! I met a guy in the Keys from Minnesota and he said he never heard of Rainy River and didn't want to know a place that cold no matter how good the fishing was! I don't know how you guys do it? The little winter we have here in PA drives me crazy I cant even imagine how crazy you must get!
Made my mind up as soon as the last one finishes college Islamorada will be home. If I want to go trout,salmon ,striper or walleye fishing I can always visit! Screw the cold I LIKE SUNBURN!

[Hardyreels]

I understand what both Dan and theboz are conveying here and truth be known I would rather die of heat exhaustion than hypothermia. However, there is something about winter that I began to miss when I was still living in north central Pennsylvania in the late 90's and early 2000's. When I grew up in PA. we had real winter. It got cold and snowed by Thanksgiving each year and we skated on the rivers & creeks. The snow was generally still in the mountain hollows by mid April when you went up the small creeks fishing. When things began to change I missed the old ways and so was able to adapt readily to Alaskan winters. I have my snow shoes, some X country skis, and warm clothing and I often find myself loving a -10 degree high.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy when the ice breaks up and I can go fish but winter is as much a part of life as spring, summer, and the fall. I like them all (unless there's a flood)

Ard

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by Hardyreels

winter is as much a part of life as spring, summer, and the fall.

Last Fall gave us a miss. We went from 70° days to below freezing in one day and it never warmed back up. Winter here started last October 4th. I was starting to think Spring was going to do the same. Cold cold cold cold BLAMMO it's Summer! We have had 4 days above freezing though and I honestly think we may have Spring at last!

I was starting to worry that it was going to do like last Fall and just skip a season. 3 months of Winter and 9 months of Winter, I would have really hated that.

I am seriously thinking about moving.

[caseywise]

we had 57 here today........lake is still ice but river is clear



casey

[Hardyreels]

Originally Posted by Diver Dan

I am seriously thinking about moving.

My advice on that; pick a good salmon & steelhead location