Island Lake ice fishing

[Kushog Lake]

Was hoping to get the kids on the ice for some ice fishing and was wondering how the fishing was and what to expect?

[Roe+]

My daughter's boyfriend and his family have been catching pike there this year. It's varied, one day they caught 6 another only 1. I
haven't fished there in a couple of years.

Roe+

[BIG MAC]

as Roe said hit and miss, seems it gets a lot more pressure than it did 6 or 7 years ago.....nothing to see over a 100 - 150 people out there at a time...but 6 or 7 years ago it was the rental huts and maybe the odd portable, now it's 50 portable huts ....

[OCDComputing]

I've lived up there for 11 years now and it's crazy how many people you see on the ice on the weekends. Between the rental huts, the popups and the people walking out...it's busy.

[Livetofish]

You can expect to catch pike - majority of them will be snot rockets. Use a jig with a minnow head or tip a 1/4oz silver spoon (Example: Silver w/chartreuse williams wobbler ice jig) with a minnow head and you're good to go.

Move away from the crowded rental hut area. Line up around 50-75 yds from shore directly across from the security hut that greets you when you pay your admission fee for a good starting spot. You can also get a contour map from the security hut to help you find holes/depth changes.

If you're really feeling adventurous, you can walk to the back where there is a deep spot 20'+ that might have a couple good sized fish. Ask the conservation employees about ice conditions first. It's a bit of a walk.

Dufferin Outdoor supply on Broadway ave. (open @ 630am) will give you a better scoop of minnows then you will get from the "store" in Island lake.

Hope this helps.

[DanO]

Or you can go to Belwood Lake and get really frustrated.
Dan O.

[ricoboxing]

havent ice fished there for almost 10 years but i never remembered it ever being crowded. only caught hammerhandles there though.

[adempsey]

Small pike, very small perch and I saw some people catch some OOS bass. Good place for kids though, it's "safe", close to shore and I believe they have an ice skating rink. The shop sells bait and hot chocolate etc.. as well. That's always a bonus when with the kids.

[Kushog Lake]

Thanks for the replies everyone, might give it a try this weekend. Rick