It has been an eventful and memorable month on the water to say the least! I had the opportunity to share the water with some amazing anglers for some unforgettable experiences, participate in a couple interviews, and have been writing more than ever as a contributor to some new websites and publications. I added a new tab to my website which outlines where my work can be found as well as a contact tab for those who are looking to collaborate. Below is a quick re-cap of this month.

December began with a women’s walleye fishing trip I organized at the beginning of the month out on the Bay of Quinte. Seven ladies traveled from near and far to brave the cold and wind for a chance at some trophy fish. Four of these ladies accomplished their biggest walleye ever (including Alyssa Lloyd’s 14-pound, 3-ounce trophy walleye in the photo above)! I had such an amazing time getting to know these ladies and look forward to our next outing on the ice! You can read about our adventure in my Kingston Whig-Standard newspaper column here: http://www.thewhig.com/2016/12/08/fishing-friendships-and-a-monster-walleye

On December 1st, an interview I participated in was featured on the WordPress Discover website. It was a great opportunity to talk about how my blog has contributed to my success as a writer and what it’s like being a female in a male dominated sport. You can read the full interview here: https://discover.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/fishing-enthusiast-ashley-rae/

Herman Westendorp, a good family friend, joined Eric and I aboard Dreamcatcher for a memorable adventure that capped off the open water season. This story was featured in my last column for the year in the Kingston Whig-Standard newspaper which can be read here: http://www.thewhig.com/2016/12/22/open-water-season-ends-with-big-walleye-catch

The Monocular, a website dedicated to sharing stories focused on fishing, hunting, and the outdoors, reached out for an interview with me earlier this month. It’s always great being able to connect with new anglers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. You can read the full interview here: http://themonocular.com/article/meet-the-angler-who-is-changing-the-face-of-fishing/

It was an amazing first season with my new deep-v T-Pro 185 Alumacraft powered by Yamaha. As always, it was pretty painful having to winterize the boat and put it away for the winter. I managed to hold it together (and not cry this time, haha). Thanks to the staff at Urban Sport for putting her to sleep for us! Anxious for spring but in the meantime, it’s time for ice fishing!

Typically the boat goes away and I’m out on the ice not long after, but the ice conditions have not been great so far this season. In the Ottawa area we have had so much snow that the ice hasn’t had a chance to form in many local areas, and it hasn’t been consistently cold either. Prior to the temperatures warming up again (it was actually raining today), I did get a chance to get out and bring my first walleye of the season through the ice! Safety is crucial on the ice, as you can see I’m wearing my ice picks and also a floatation suit (the Prism jacket and bibs made by Striker Ice). I have been pretty excited about this suit since picking it up as it’s my first ice suit that is actually designed specifically for women (a proper fit and high quality design)!

I hope you had a great Christmas spent with family and that you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season! I cannot wait to see what’s in store for 2017! Thank you for your support this year and for joining me on my adventures! <3

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