With temperatures in the northeast expected to stay above freezing for the rest of the week, many people are putting an end to ice fishing.

Chantal Rochon still has a couple of fishing holes going on Whitewater Lake in Sudbury, but her ice fishing hut is already ashore.

“We got it out just a couple of days ago,” Rochon said, adding that this is likely one of the last days she will venture out on the ice at all. “It will be not safe. We better take our luck and say thank you for this year.”

Not far from where Rochon has been fishing, Richard Landry is about to hitch his ice hut to his truck.

“I don't want to be stuck here,” he said.

Landry said he’s observed the ice is already getting thin near the shoreline on Whitewater.

“Here it is not bad, there is 25 inches. So there is no problem,” Landry said. “But over there. That's a big problem. That is what we are afraid of. It is supposed to rain this week and … it's going to melt for sure. And as soon as the sun hits the rocks and breaks the ice and the first thing you know, you've got no shore.”

The deadline to remove ice fishing huts in most of the northeast is the end of the month. But the Ministry of Natural Resources says anglers are responsible for pulling them off early if ice conditions deteriorate.

Snowmobile trails closing
Snowmobilers are also readjusting to the warmer termperatures.

The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs has reported that most trails in the Highway 17 corridor are either closed or limited.

Josh Grills, who speaks for the federation, said crossing water right now is not recommended.

“The ice is melting at a considerable rate now, with the mild temperatures,” Grills said. “These are unusually warm temperatures, so we encourage people to stay off the rivers and lakes at this time of year.”

Trails are still open further north in Chapleau and Wawa and those from Hearst across to Cochrane remain open.

Grills said last season some trails in northern Ontario stayed open until mid-April.

The temperature is expected to stay mostly above freezing for the rest of the week. The projected high for Sunday in Greater Sudbury, according to Environment Canada, is 13 degrees Celcius.