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Boring a set line fishing hole in the ice The business end of the ice auger season from planting to harvest is less than five months, which explains why the paddocks are measured in square miles, with hundreds of agriculture cropping machines lined up waiting for the spring thaw. We headed northeast to a little place in Battleford called Metinota and the village of Meota on the shores of Jackfish Lake. The family has a lovely spot on the lake where they run a bed 'n breakfast. Canadians still use imperial measure, so I was told the lake has an area of just under one square mile (2.6sq km) with an average depth of six to eight feet and the deepest part is around 20 feet (6m) deep. As it's way too cold, like up to minus 32 plus in winter, to stand around any hole in the ice to fish everyone huddles around several eight inch holes in the ice accessed through the floor trap doors in cosy small shacks for shelter. The fishing shack village had been set up where the water was about 18 feet deep with some 19 inches of ice and more was still freezing. Snowmobiles or quads can tow out the first small shacks when the ice is only a few inches thick, say around four to six inches. But most wait until there is at least six to eight inches before dragging the larger shacks out on skids with their large 4WDs, predominantly Ford or GMC pickups and a smattering of other vehicles. It was interesting that I did not see chains in use because most vehicles, including our rented Chev Impala, are fitted with winter all weather or snow tyres that incorporate some form of rubber and silica composition. In Quebec, Saskatchewan, and places north, they are mandatory on all vehicles from December to March. Snow tyres will not eliminate skidding on ice or snow, but they greatly reduce the risk and I have to say, as long as you are not stupid and drive with care, these tyres are fantastic and give great peace of mind. Further north they fit ice tyres which incorporate metal studs to cope with the minus 40 plus below stuff. My host on the morning of our fishing trip was a local contractor, Kirsten Bru, a good guy. When not hunting or fishing in the winter, Kirsten spends his working days contracting, shifting snow and clearing roads and carparks. He suggested a leisurely start after breakfast and as we headed out onto the ice I noted some of the shacks already had wisps of smoke from their flues as the fishers warmed up the huts for the A local ice fishing set line known as a tip up day. The ice was thick, with about eight inches of snow on top and some deeper drifts in places. The fishing village was a collection of a dozen shacks of all sizes spread over an area of 200 yards, with a blue Port-a-loo in the centre. The size of the shack determines the number of trap doors they have that the fishermen can drill holes through the ice, to fish from. They also drill stray holes around the shacks on which they set up a setline type contraption loosely called a tip-up. Fishing is done with very short 30 inch light fishing rods and reels or hand lines. The locals use a variety of lures, or bait which is something like our pillies, fishing with gang hooks or trebles on braid. Obviously we were not there to play with our food. The holes are bored using a standard post hole borer with Lakeview Lodge Luxury Bed & Breakfast metinota, canada For more information, please contact us: EMAIL. g.r.nyholt@littleloon.ca WEB. www.lakeviewlodgebb.ca Gary & RoseMarie Nyholt TEL. +1 (306) 892-2339 VIP.S88 July/August 2012 Professional Skipper 31 An impromptu family game of ice hockey is part of the national sport