The 2021 Ice Out Contest!

It is that time! Time to reflect on when the ice will leave Vermilion Bay. Confused? Hold that thought….

Thou art all ice. Thy kindness freezes. William Shakespeare

Likely William Shakespeare never experienced a NW Ontario winter, but his sentiment is pertinent to this blog post. Another ice out competition is up for grabs! A valuable prize…the ability to boast like a politician on steroids…and the admiration of your fellow VBL’ers. What more could you ask for! We will flesh this out a bit later in this blog post…but first some fish bling:

Yes, even I catch the occasional fish.
Bayview Brent with a nice trout on an apparently windy day…or is it a fashion statement?
This spot has been known to produce fish….here we wait for a sign!
Susanne does it again!

So just a bit of an update since the last blog post. Weather wise we had a couple weeks of seriously cold weather…

Brent looking frosty.

…but things have morphed nicely into a warming trend. In fact the last couple of days have had some rain and serious snow melt. Hence this notification of an imminent Ice Out Contest.

Wait…more ice fishing pics!

On a recent outing Pat & Sharon (Cedar Point Lodge) were able to put on a fish catching seminar…

A nice Eagle Lake winter trout…
…and a nice slot Eagle Lake walleye. Pat could do no wrong!
Pat’s wife Sharon claims to have not caught a fish through the ice since high school. Poor guide is my thought…glad I was able to help. Way to go Sharon!
Not to be outdone, Susanne catches two at one time … well, not really, but nice fish!
Ah, the trusty Hummingbird showing me my lure with no fish interested in biting….the cross I bear. Better luck next time!

So, the ice out contest…

Yes, it’s that time. The rules in a nutshell: You get to make one guess when the ice will be gone from Vermilion Bay. Your guess will be kept confidential! Email Gord with your prediction at vbay@drytel.net. Remember there is no need to rush your prediction…I will be posting regular updates / pictures on ice conditions to aid in your efforts…….BUT…the first person to pick the correct date will be the winner. Do you go for broke and jump the gun, or do you bide your time to collect intell? That is the dilemma you face. Good luck!

Here is the view as of late this afternoon. March 9, 2021. Could it be an early ice out?

Thoughts on the upcoming season…

I probably don’t have to remind folk about the border closure last year. Thank you everyone for pushing your reservations and deposits forward to this year! We appreciate your loyalty! It seems this year isn’t the slam dunk we were hoping for in terms of getting back to normal. I’ve contacted our May guests to say that it is unlikely that those trips will happen with the current state of the COVID. I’m a bit dubious about June as well and would suggest that if you need advance notice to rearrange vacation times and to rebook alternate holidays it may be time to consider this option. I’m happy to leave reservations as they stand in the hopes things turn around…we are here regardless and ready to go at a moment’s notice. On a more positive note, there seems to be an uptick in vaccine shipments to Canada which might mean an opportunity to get things moving again. The US seems to be on-track as well. While I remain optimistic I think it’s important to be upfront with all our guests, especially those who don’t have the flexibility of waiting till the last moment. As a back up plan we have started filling in weeks for 2022 starting in May. We will keep this option available to those that may need it….and will continue to honor your deposit and our 2020 rates for that circumstance.

Good luck in the contest and I will update you with more frequent blog entries, and hopefully some interesting fish pictures!

8 thoughts on “The 2021 Ice Out Contest!

    1. I have been known to quote Red Green. Len the marvel of the internet is that you can quote someone without actually having to read their work.

  1. Hello Gord
    My ice out prediction is May 5th, 2021 3:00 pm. I’m quite confident in this prediction based on detailed statistical analysis and profound knowledge of global weather patterns.

  2. Gord
    Another year … I wish to enter your ice out contest with a forecasted date of April—- 2021.

    I am hoping that the border opens this summer and that we are able to visit once again.

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Thank you very much for making my get a way week so enjoyable. Dan and I had a great time. You and Susanne should be commended on how clean and well maintained your cabins and lodge are. I will recommend you to anyone that is looking to go to Canada fishing and I look forward to the time I can come back.

Jody Hansen

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