The joy of urban ice fishing

(Laval) With poor snow cover in southern Quebec, the choice of winter activities is rather limited this year. However, it was cold enough that rivers could freeze, at least in places where the currents are calm. This is the case in the west of Laval where the ice still holds; Now is the time to take advantage of it, by ensuring beforehand that the conditions remain favorable, of course.

We see them appear every winter on the ice of the St. Lawrence River, the Rivière des Prairies or the Mille Îles, these colorful tents which shelter fishermen braving the cold to go after pike, walleye, bass or perch . Ice fishing is not only possible around the islands of Montreal and Laval, but it is also easy to access.

This is how we found ourselves at the Berge aux Quatre Vents, in the west of Laval, on a beautiful Monday afternoon in the company of Charles Raymond and Marc-André Royal. The first is a popular YouTuber; the second, a well-known chef. Both have loved fishing since their childhood.

When we arrived, Charles had already drilled several holes in the ice using his electric crankshaft, while Marc-André had installed his camping stove on a folding table, ready to cook any catches – he also had in his cooler a fresh walleye bought at the fish store, in case we are left empty-handed.

What immediately stands out is the simplicity of the installation required for ice fishing. “There are many advantages to ice fishing,” Charles Raymond tells us. No need for a boat or a large rig to catch fish. You can obviously go all out when you like it by buying a tent, a heater, an electric or gas drill, some even have cabins. But for ice fishing, you can take a hand crank and a few tackles, and it’s perfect. It is possible to equip yourself for less than $100. »

Brimbales are small wooden or metal platforms that rest around the hole drilled in the ice. The line and bait are connected to a flag that rises when the fish bites. You can also use small rods which can be fixed on supports designed for this purpose, just as it is possible to fish while holding the rods in your hand, in the traditional way. “We have a rod, a reel, a lure, with the difference that everything will be smaller,” explains Charles Raymond. Since the fish’s metabolism really slows down in winter, we simply sit in front of our hole and move the lure; there’s no point in having a six-foot-long rod. »

Charles Raymond fishes with small lures, but also with dead fish bait, “this has the advantage of giving off an odor which can attract larger fish”, explains the young 25-year-old fisherman whose YouTube and TikTok Raymond channels vs Bass each have over 18,000 subscribers. The most enthusiastic fishermen will also use sonars to help obtain the bathymetry of the watercourse, use applications like Navionics which allow you to know the exact depth or even consult the satellite view of Google Maps to get an idea of ​​the vegetation present in summer.

For his part, Marc-André Royal fishes year in and year out about forty days a year, but it is with his family that he likes to ice fish, on the Rivière des Prairies near his residence in Laval-des. -Rapides – it’s also very close to its restaurant Le St-Urbain, located in the Fleury Ouest district, in the heart of the Montreal borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. “I don’t have a big setup like Charles’s, but I often go there at the end of winter, the weather is often nicer, the sun is there and we organize little afternoons with the children, tells us the chef who also owns the three La Bête à pain bakeries. I bring my little barbecue, we make toast, small sausages, we drink coffee and we fish for two or three hours. We also take the opportunity to take out the Finnish pins, we have fun. »

It is exactly the clientele profile that has allowed the island’s outdoor adventure center to gain popularity in Saint-Sulpice, a little downstream from Repentigny. “It’s becoming more and more family-oriented,” confirms the owner, Yves Ouellet, who offers all the equipment for rental in addition to advising newbies. For eight people, it costs $145 for a day of fishing from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., but I advise families with young children not to arrive before noon. » We provide the 8 foot by 12 foot cabins heated with a wood stove as well as all the fishing equipment, except the lures, which are for sale on site.

Sandwich with fried walleye croquettes from Marc-André Royal

Ingredients for fish cakes

• 500 g of walleye or white fish fillet
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of blond beer
• 1 C. teaspoon baking powder
• Canola oil
• Pinch of salt
• Mill pepper

Ingredients for dill and lemon sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon chopped dill
• 1 C. tablespoon of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper from the mill

Preparation

• 1. Mix all the ingredients for the croquettes, except the fish.
• 2. Flour the fish and remove the excess.
• 3. Cook in canola oil at 375℉ for 3 or 4 minutes.
• 4. Mix all the sauce ingredients.
• 5. With the bread of your choice, make a delicious sandwich!

10cm

This is the safe thickness of ice to support a person’s weight. That’s double for a car and triple for a truck.

Source: City of Laval

Consult the City of Laval page on ice thickness