Who knew?... an Ice fishing village in Rimouski, Quebec Province

On a cross-country ski outing on Sunday morning, 13 January, 2019, Lisa and I were surprised to discover an ice fishing village in the bay fronting the small city of Rimouski, only 20 minutes by car from our house in Le Bic. Within a small area, more than a dozen small huts were positioned on the ice covered bay. The ice fishing village was a bevy of activity on this Sunday morning with some people milling about, some using augers to make holes in the ice, others had sunk fishing lines into previously made holes in the ice. A few hardy folks were making igloos out of blocks of ice, either in lieu of a hut, or as additional space to hunker down. Originally practiced by Amerindians, ice fishing is a popular winter activity in Quebec Province. Commonly fished species include walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch, but the catch may vary depending on location. Here are a few photos from our hour wondering around the village.

View of snow huts on frozen waterfront of Rimouski 

Fishing huts in Rimouski on the Saint Lawrence River in January 2019

Lisa and I had no idea this winter season village existed.
In the background is Rimouski.

These fishing huts were rather drab but some are quite colorful.

Here's one of the more colorful fishing huts.

The huts are quite small. Can't imagine more than 2-3 people fitting into one.

This fellow is about to drag an ice fishing hut out onto the ice.

A 'snowcat' pulling a hut out to the ice fishing village.
Apparently, one pays a fee to add a hut to the village for the fishing season.

This little boy looked as incredulous as I was about the fishing huts.

This family did not have access to a hut but that did not stop them from doing some open air ice fishing.
Dad is boring a hole into the ice with an auger. I did not get a good look at how deep the ice was.

The heck with a hut...this threesome was making an igloo out of blocks of ice  for shelter.

Here's another group building an igloo in the ice fishing village of Rimouski.