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Warm Weather Leaves Some Businesses Feeling Cold

AUBURN TOWNSHIP — Normally February means ice fishing on Sible’s Pond in Susquehanna County, but this year warm weather has rendered the ice cloudy ...
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AUBURN TOWNSHIP -- Normally February means ice fishing on Sible's Pond in Susquehanna County, but this year warm weather has rendered the ice cloudy and dangerously thin.

It is a similar situation on many lakes nearby.

Saturday night, a group of fishermen had to be rescued in Wyoming County after three of them fell through the ice on Lake Carey.

The conditions are also taking a big bite out of business at Sible and Sons, where during the winter, ice fishing supplies account for around half the sales.

This weekend, the owner didn't even order bait.

Mickey Sible said,"We are not selling a lot of bait, fishing license sales are down, equipment is down, it just hasn't been a good year for ice fishing."

He explains that this time of year he usually orders 10 pounds of bait each week. This winter, he has only ordered 15 pounds the entire season.

Sible added, "We only have had a week and a half of good ice where people really fished."

Just down the road in Tuscarora Township, Bradford County, the animals at Bendolynn Woods Alpacas are not biggest fans of warm weather.

The alpacas have their winter coats, which will not be sheared until the spring. So more than a day or two of warm weather right now can leave them feeling hot and bothered.

Selina Bendoch said,"If we have more than this, or the weather gets much warmer, we have to turn on the fans, and put the sprinklers on, and do the things we have to do in the hotter months."

The gift shop on the farm features a variety of woolly goods which sell best in cold weather.

Back at the bait shop, Mickey Sible isn't sure what sort of weather to hope for.

A deep freeze could bring back customers, but so could an early start for spring fishing.

The see-saw between seasons leaves him in limbo.

Sible said, "It all depends on the weather. The weather has everything to do with our business."

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