The seasonal affects....

[manitoubass2]

It's been a major topic across most anglers this winter and heading into what seems to be a early spring.

What will the mild temperatures do to the fish? Will spawning be early/late? Which species will benefit, which will suffer???

Not only did we get a mild winter here on Rainy, but it barely snowed. And to make matter worse, the river was already at a low for most of summer and all of the fall.

However, it seemed to help bass numbers. But most definitely hindered walleye and the fall shiner run was the lowest I've ever seen.

We also had summer panfish, which was new. The pike were bigger then I ever seen, and I also caught quite a few small musky, which is rare.

any thoughts, comments about your local waterways, lakes etc.

How do YOU think this is gonna effect spring/summer fishing???

[MikeH]

Short term my concern is that if we get an early / warm spring on top of this mild winter then the MNR closed season for Pike will be too late to protect them and by the time we get to the Bass open season in end of June, they will have already buggered off into deeper water.

Long term the trout fishery is likely to be the worst hit by climate change.

[MichaelAngelo]

Here in the GTA, we've barely got any ice cover. I'm not sure how the spring "ice-out" pike phenomenon occurs, but there's no ice to melt!

Maybe MikeH can chime in about this. EDIT: oops didn't see your reply there

[MikeH]

(02-28-2012 09:52 PM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  Here in the GTA, we've barely got any ice cover. I'm not sure how the spring "ice-out" pike phenomenon occurs, but there's no ice to melt!

Maybe MikeH can chime in about this. EDIT: oops didn't see your reply there

The Pike spawn is triggered by water temps and lengthening daylight, it's usually "ice out" because it's 40+ (approx 40-50 degree water temps for spawning). So even if the air temperatures are not consistently low enough for ice cover, once the water temps hit the right level, they will come into the shallows.

EDIT* Post spawn the females go on a feeding frenzy :-)