Random thoughts...

[Martin]

I could ice skate on my street, though it's a bit lumpy. This is the first year I got a snowblower and I'm glad I got it. It was warm well into November and I thought it was a bit foolish getting it (in September) but December hit and woe is me. Snow has been on the ground since then.

It is not unusual for us to get snow a few times each winter but it rarely sticks around for more than 12 hours. This is about the third time I remember getting a foot of snow. To get a foot and have it still be here a week later is a first for me.

[Martin]

I'm in the Great Lakes area (Windsor, Ontario - most southerly city in Canada!!!!!! Actually have to go north to cross into Detroit, MI). We had 2 big snow storms before Christmas (within 5 days of each other) that brought us in total, probably close to 20" of snow. Another was supposed to hit about 5 days after that, but the system changed course and it rained after Christmas. And rained, and rained. Had one record high at end of December (I think). Even had a brief thunderstorm (t-storm capital of Canad too). January has seen more rain and April like temps (mid 40s, low 50s) This week is just that...mid to upper 40s. We just missed freezing rain overnight and this morning. Calling for possible thunderstorms this afternoon. Lows above freezing, and continuing into next week.

Keep in mind, we usually have a decent amount of snow on the ground usually from late December, into March - plus cold enough that if you wanted, you could make a very good, and long last ice rink, plus you should own a snowblower. Not this year!

Things rarely freeze up here enough for skating. This current snap is no different. Last week some bright souls had the great idea of cross country skiing through an area wetlands that had frozen and been covered in snow. Good news is only one had be rescued by the local fire department.

[subie09lega]

It is not unusual for us to get snow a few times each winter but it rarely sticks around for more than 12 hours. This is about the third time I remember getting a foot of snow. To get a foot and have it still be here a week later is a first for me.

I remember a few years back, every day of the winter got above freezing and that was perfect. I'm not a fan of snow but I'm glad when it hits the mountains, our average snowfall for a year is about 19 inches and we've had that already. Last week we had a warm spell for a couple days and we got over an inch of rain one of the days so it compacted the snow a lot and made what remains very dense. For an area that gets about 12 inches of total precipitation a year, that is a lot of water. The NWS posted this about our area: December 2016 was the 8th snowiest (since 1898) & 6th coldest (since 1875).

[Theli]

I love living in the Pacific Northwest. I am working from home today and have a view of Cedar and Fir trees out my den window. They are not usually snowcapped but today they are. We typically have mild winters, occasional snow, plenty of rain but everything is green. We have nice Spring and Fall, plenty of trees to see cherry blossoms in the spring and colors in the fall. Summers are mostly mild, we rarely see triple digit temperatures and have very little humidity.

I live just over an hour from the beach and just over an hour from a glacier covered mountain. On those rare hot days I can go to the beach or go play on a glacier, both of which run about 65 - 70 degrees when it is over 100 here. I am less than an hour from the Columbia river gorge with waterfalls and hikes galore, not to mention great wineries and restaurants. I am about two hours form high desert and an active volcano, both offer great hiking, sightseeing and overall peace.

Thanks for making me jealous! Do you ever get out fishing? I'm sure the Columbia River is great for it.

[Martin]

Thanks for making me jealous! Do you ever get out fishing? I'm sure the Columbia River is great for it.

I do not fish much because I do not eat fish. I have family members who love to fish and I go with them a couple of times a year. I have a co-worker who likes to Sturgeon fish the Columbia and I may go out with him some time. I guess they put up a pretty good fight.

[Theli]

They are also one of, if not, the largest fresh water fish. You can catch them here too, though not white sturgeon like you can there, but I flew out to BC's Fraser river to do some sturgeon fishing and caught a hell of beast, 8'1.5", estimated 300+ lbs. They're endangered though so you can't keep them. I don't keep much either, though I do sometimes. If I could catch salmon and trout all year round I would. That said I'm not far from some of the best pickerel fishing that can be done, I just tend to fish in the city more often just for fun.

[TJCams]

I could ice skate on my street, though it's a bit lumpy. This is the first year I got a snowblower and I'm glad I got it. It was warm well into November and I thought it was a bit foolish getting it (in September) but December hit and woe is me. Snow has been on the ground since then.

This reminded me of a late season freezing rain storm we had about 25-30 years ago. We had a good foot or more of snow on the ground, and then it warmed up and had freezing rain for a while. The ice built up so thick I could skate across the front lawn with the ice crusted so thick. After a while it started melting, and falling through with skates on......bruises and wet skates!

[TJCams]

They are also one of, if not, the largest fresh water fish. You can catch them here too, though not white sturgeon like you can there, but I flew out to BC's Fraser river to do some sturgeon fishing and caught a hell of beast, 8'1.5", estimated 300+ lbs. They're endangered though so you can't keep them. I don't keep much either, though I do sometimes. If I could catch salmon and trout all year round I would. That said I'm not far from some of the best pickerel fishing that can be done, I just tend to fish in the city more often just for fun.

Our sturgeon fishery is recovering good (Detroit River). Actually with the Great Lakes really cleaning up over the last 20-30 years, fishing is great! Where I am, we have probably the top yellow perch and pickerel (walleye to my American friends) fisheries in North America for sure. Plus fantastic bass and muskie too. There is, from what I understand at least, a pretty big muskie tournament each summer off Belle River, ON on Lake St. Clair. I don't have a boat, so just fish from shore.

[Theli]

Our sturgeon fishery is recovering good (Detroit River). Actually with the Great Lakes really cleaning up over the last 20-30 years, fishing is great! Where I am, we have probably the top yellow perch and pickerel (walleye to my American friends) fisheries in North America for sure. Plus fantastic bass and muskie too. There is, from what I understand at least, a pretty big muskie tournament each summer off Belle River, ON on Lake St. Clair. I don't have a boat, so just fish from shore.

Same for me 99% of the time. I will get the chance to go out on a boat maybe once or twice a year, but I don't own one. Plus I do ice fish when the chance arises, which is woefully low.

[Martin]

They are also one of, if not, the largest fresh water fish. You can catch them here too, though not white sturgeon like you can there, but I flew out to BC's Fraser river to do some sturgeon fishing and caught a hell of beast, 8'1.5", estimated 300+ lbs. They're endangered though so you can't keep them. I don't keep much either, though I do sometimes. If I could catch salmon and trout all year round I would. That said I'm not far from some of the best pickerel fishing that can be done, I just tend to fish in the city more often just for fun.

Trout are plentiful here. Went on a charter boat off the Oregon Coast once to fish for Halibut, One of the few fishes I eat. It was a beautiful day but the surf was very high. When we got out to the fishing grounds they found that they could not reach the bottom even with the heavy weights. They took us back and gave full refunds. No fishing but a nice free boat ride.

[TJCams]

I was surprised to see people ice fishing this weekend at one of the local marinas. Dangerous when the ice can't be very thick at all. As I said above, it's been so warm! Never done the ice fishing thing. I'm the only one in my family that is really into fishing - wife will come along and drop a line in the water sometimes, but it's just a casual pass the time type of thing. Really though....the Detroit River (L St. Clair and Erie too) offer such a great variety of fish, it's almost surprising.

[Theli]

Technically, from what I understand, you only need 3 inches of ice to ice fish, and 6 inches to drive on. I'm not really comfortable with much less than a foot. Fortunately (or unfortunately) it doesn't take long for our rivers and lakes to freeze a foot deep.

Can you catch Steelhead in the Detroit river or great lakes?

[TJCams]

Technically, from what I understand, you only need 3 inches of ice to ice fish, and 6 inches to drive on. I'm not really comfortable with much less than a foot. Fortunately (or unfortunately) it doesn't take long for our rivers and lakes to freeze a foot deep.

Can you catch Steelhead in the Detroit river or great lakes?

I believe they are there, but not too common, as the water gets too warm in the summer for them, and not a lot of spawning streams - Lake Ontario and Huron, Superior are better - more spawning areas, and colder, and cleaner water.

Detroit River and L Erie and St. Clair are more for the bass, perch, pickerel, and smaller fish like crappie, but also, as I said previously, great for Muskie. Tons of catfish too, and it's rare you go without catching a sheephead (freshwater drum) when using worms as bait.

Here is an example (from local paper March 2016) on what I mean about this area thriving for perch/pickerel: http://windsorstar.com/news/local-ne...up-for-walleye
The committee recommended the catch limit for yellow perch drop from 10.528 million pounds in Lake Erie last year to 9.208 million pounds for 2016. The quotas are for sport fishing on both sides of the border and the Ontario-based commercial fishing industry. Under a formula, Ontario’s allowable perch catch will be 4.385 million pounds which is more than the four individual quotas for the U.S. areas of the lake.

The walleye catch limits are done in number of fish not pounds.

The recommended total allowable catch is 4.937 million walleye for 2016 compared to last year’s limit of 4.114 million fish. Tiessen said once it is figured out by pound it is about an eight per cent increase.

That's a lot of fish!!!!!! Plus it's a sustainable number.

[subie09lega]

Things rarely freeze up here enough for skating. This current snap is no different. Last week some bright souls had the great idea of cross country skiing through an area wetlands that had frozen and been covered in snow. Good news is only one had be rescued by the local fire department.

Martin, how did you fair with the freezing rain? Did it thaw or just keeping getting worse?

[Martin]

The Bonneville dam has a Sturgeon pond. I will try to attach a video:

https://youtu.be/IKznizSWm-k