High waters can put a new face on local fishing spots

High waters can put a new face on local fishing spots



Well, I'm still alive. The Old Coot hasn't given me too much heat for teasing him about outfishing me on the Bay of Quinte two weeks ago and I survived the flooding waters that passed

through the Cobourg area earlier this week.

Weren't they something to behold? Not since the flood of 1980 have I seen anything like that in our neck of the woods. Ahh, things of beauty, they were. Both of them -- at least in my mind.

Now before I go any further, I feel very sorry for the people whose homes were flooded out and all the damages the high water levels caused and created. No-one deserves that.

I would hope that, although they can never recover lost memories such as pictures and family treasures, they have insurance to cover all the material possessions not included in those precious mementos. It must be pure hell to see that water welling up and not be able to do anything about it.

On the other hand, though, I have to admit I like it when high waters sweep through our area, causing some high

water levels. Not to the point where they wreck people's homes. Not at all. I just like the fact they alter, and in some cases, completely change, the stream banks in the tributaries that feed into Lake Ontario.

These fast-moving waters create new holes and bends in streams that will hold rainbow, brown and speckled trout later in the year, provide new spawning sites for these fish and open up new angling opportunities for stream anglers in the hotter months to come. New undercut banks, riffles, back eddies; all of these are trout anglers' dreams come true come open water season.

I, for one, am not complaining about this recent flood. Then again, I was fortunate enough to not be one of those who were affected by it.

On the ice fishing scene... what scene?

Across much of Ontario, huts are dropping through the ice (see Lake Simcoe for more details), the snow is so deep there is very limited action (see Bancroft / Apsley / Cardiff / Kaladar areas) and just generally scary ice conditions (Kawarthas / Scugog) and just venturing out is life risking.