Update on Ice Conditions at Long Point

Buddy Boy

Well-Known Member
Hello Guys,

I thought that I would start this thread regarding the ice conditions at Long Point for those of you who have to travel a distance to get here.

As of this afternoon there was no ice.

Jerome
 
weird weather this year thats for sure!
usually we're breaking ice in the marsh to make space for the greenheads by this time
hopefully it comes soon!!!
then it's on to rabbit season for me, the dog's all fired up:D

When times are tough,
and flocks are small,
take your time,
and kill 'em all!
 
Hello Guys,

I guess that OCLP was right ... we got some ice last night but not very much!

There was some very thin ice along the shoreline extending out a few feet into the bay. However from what I could see early this morning (with the sun shining off the ice) the bay with Blinds 38, 39 and 40 was covered with ice due to the calm water there overnight.

I will check out the boat ramps at the marinas tomorrow afternoon.

Jerome
 
Hey Buddy. I appreciate your post on the current ice conditions. I live in Oakville and having current information is very informative in my hunting plans particular at this time of year.

Thanks
 
I was out gunning yesterday and boy it was cold too. The decoys were covered with at least 3/4 of ice, flash freeze whenever the water touch anything. Lots of birds came in from the outer bay, rafted from the end of the inner bay all the way to the outer bay. Looked like 100,000 of them, but more likely 10,000. Limited out before noon hour. Good shooting and hope the marsh doesn't freeze up until x-mas, lol.
 
Hello Guys,

Most of that ice melted during Saturday.

On Sunday morning there was thin ice extending 50 to 100 yards from shore but again most of that ice melted by the afternoon. I got home late Sunday afternoon so could not post an update.

This morning was the same as Saturday as far as ice but warmer.

Jerome
 
Hello Guys,

Just a quick follow up to my last post as my internet service terminates at 1800 hours each day ... no ice seen in the west end of the inner bay as of 1530 hours yesterday.

For those who do not know I now live on the causeway about half way between Big Creek and Sandboy Marina (Wayne May's place). I check out the west end of the Crown Marsh and the inner bay every morning and evening from my observation room on the second floor. I also drive by Port Rowan and the north shore area at least six times a week ... three round trips.

I expect to be at the WMU once a week to the end of the season so I can check out the park's boat ramp for ice when I am there.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.

PS I saw over 130 Sandhill Cranes in flocks ranging anywhere from 5 to 88 flying over the CWS Big Creek marsh late yesterday afternoon.
 
Hello Guys,

I thought that I better send this ice update out quick.

This morning at 0830 much of the inner bay (from what I could see) was iced over except where the ducks, geese and swans had kept it open ... there where some really large rafts out in the inner bay!

This afternoon at 1330 when I was returning from Port Rowan the boat ramp was still iced in but passable to open water as the ice had been previously broken. Most of the north shore was open except near the shore (10 to 100 yards was ice). However most of the inner bay was now open with some large sections of ice remaining.

Back along the causeway the Big Creek area was wide open but most of Zone B was iced over especially heading towards the marinas. I saw the MNR guys pulling up the markers in a boat ... so it was still passable.

Later this afternoon at 1530 (just two hours later) the sun had worked its charm as much of the ice had melted and my boat (at my neighbour's dock) was no longer ice-bound.

If you come tommorrow morning you can probably easily reach blinds 28, 30, 31, 33 and 34 from the boat launch at Big Creek as that area was already cleared by 1330.

Tonight should be rather mild so hopefully we will be okay.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.
 
Hello Guys,

There were only three of us in the line up yesterday and then one more guy came afterwards.

As of 1700 hours today Port Rowan, Inner Bay, Big Creek, Coletta Bay and the marinas are ice free.

Last chance to hunt the LPWMU is this Monday.

Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.
 
Thanks for the update? Did you shoot anything?

I'm thinking of hunting tomorrow. If anything to bid farewell to the marsh for the season. My original plan was to hunt a sheltered nook on the lake shore, but with these winds, I think even that will be choppy.
 
Hello Jello,

I went to Blind 6 and had a slow but pleasant day.

I saw lots of divers heading out to the lake early in the morning.

I had four Tundra Swans fly by at about 35 yards and then another two Tundra Swans at about 25 yards ... no season in Ontario on them yet.

I also had two blacks come by after that but I had an "ammo malfunction" ... I missed the one bird that I shot at.

I thought of my day as "good bye" for the year.

Jerome
 
I was out today @ #2. Got 3 nice mallards. I also had an ammo malfunction..... the pellets didn't hit what I was shooting at. [:I] I was on a hot streak for 4 weeks shooting wise, I guess today was one of those days as I missed a few easy ones.

Do you run diver decoys? I normally bring at least 8-10 bluebills and/or ringnecks. A simple gang rig set up with 6 oz weights at each end and gang clips on the decoys keeps them nice and light for the walk out. Even at #3 I've had redheads, ringnecks, and buffleheads circle in to land with them.
 
Hello Jello,

I generally have used 4 Common Eider and 8 Old Squaw decoys or 4 Golden Eye and 8 Canvasback decoys when I hunted "divers" on Lake Ontario at Presqu'ile Provincial Park. A few times I combined both "diver" sets with a few mallards as well with no better results.

I generally have used just 12 Mallard (including 4 tippers) decoys when hunting within the LPWMU since 2004 as I have been hunting blinds 5, 6, 7, 20, 21, 38, 39, 40 and 41 only. I have shot a few "divers" at blinds 6 and 7.

I started hunting "divers" north of Big Creek (outside of the unit) this year ... Redheads and Buffleheads so far.

I hope to have my "big boat" operational by next fall.

Jerome
 
Good stuff Jerome. I love targeting divers. I don't have a boat but get some decent hunts on various points on the Erie shore when the wind and waves allow. The amount of redheads at the point this year was phenomenal. I hope they're numbers keep going up. Great fun to hunt and darn good tasting.
 
Thanks so much for these updates, i really appreciate it. Any ice at on Howey ave launch on Sunday? Might try to come down for the last day.

Thanks again,

Chris
 
Hello Chris,

I have not been outside for the last few days as Saturday was a real cold one!

Surprisingly no ice formed in Coletta Bay or anywhere else from what I could see from my observation room ... even the calm still shallow water next to my seawall did not freeze on Friday night or Saturday night.

We did get some snow here on Saturday night and the snow plow cleared Highway 59 of the few cm that covered the road but nearly all of the snow has now melted.

I think that you will be okay at the Howey Avenue boat launch ... if not then use the Marina Shores' boat launch or take a walk out blind.

Let me know how you made out.

Jerome
 
Hello Guys,

I checked the boat launch at Port Rowan yesterday afternoon at about 1630 hours ... the whole harbour was wide open.

There was however some very thin ice near shore in a few small areas when I went out to bail out my boat but nothing to talk about.

I looked at the Inner Bay this morning and what a difference a night can make. There was thin ice covering large sections of the Inner Bay and extending out for some distance.

My "neighbour" was able to easily run his boat through the thin ice to get out after those "divers" in the Inner Bay.

I can see that he is still out there.

Too cold for me!

Jerome
 
Hello Guys,

That ice was all gone by yesterday morning and we were up to about 7 degrees yesterday afternoon. I took my boat out of the water wearing only a sweat suit and running shoes.

The Inner Bay is completely free of any ice today from what I can see.

Too bad that the LPWMU is closed.

Jerome
 
Hello Guys,

Coletta Bay was 40% iced over on Wednesday morning and 100% iced over by Thursday morning but has now opened up again ... about 60% is still iced over this afternoon.

Big Creek is wide open and the Inner Bay is pretty well ice free with some ice along the north shore from St. Williams to Turkey Point.

Port Rowan Harbour was iced over on Wednesday but I do not know the current ice conditions over there. The north shore appears to be ice free from St. Williams over to Port Rowan from what I can see but I am not able to see the area (Smith Marsh) from Port Rowan over towards Big Creek.

A lot of "divers" are still around but not as many as last week ... that Big Chill must have moved them south.

Two more days and it is over for this season.

Jerome
 
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