WATERBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – The National Weather Service says February was the third warmest in Vermont history. The mild temperatures and lack of snow have had a tremendous impact on a number of winter sports including ice fishing.
It’s only the start of March, but mild temperatures have left many Vermont lakes unsafe for ice fishing.
“This year is definitely not a normal year,” said Parker Wright with The Fly Rod Shop in Stowe.
He says the ice conditions have hindered not only the amount of sales in the shop but also the amount of guided fishing they host on the ice. “The weather, the ice conditions… We have canceled a lot of trips because we are not in the business of putting people at risk because that’s why they hire a guide in the first place,” Wright said. “That’s a lot of guiding income that’s not coming in.”
The thin ice is a problem across the state. “I would say it’s a wicked off year for that,” said Vermont Game Warden Sg. Jenna Reed. “Usually, we have some decent ice still. People are eager to get out there, but that’s just not the case.”
Without the freeze, it seems people are taking advantage of the open water and are ready for spring. Essex angler Eli Martell-Crawford says he went fly fishing the other day when he normally would be thinking about ice fishing this time of year. “The weather was great so I was just trying to do a little fly fishing,” he said.
Those anglers who do find some solid ice are urged to use caution. “Definitely checking every step. It’s a different year but if I were to go out there, I would have my ice spud and I would be checking every spot,” Sgt. Reed said.
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