Every year, many lakes and rivers in the coldest locations of our planet get frozen. However, this doesn’t represent a problem for fishing enthusiasts.
This technique is known as ice fishing. The idea is to open a hole on the water’s icy surface where you want to fish, this to have access to the water underneath and throw the hook. In most cases, it isn’t necessary to acquire a license to practice such hobby.
The Warp-Up
Before practicing this exciting hobby, it’s necessary to take into consideration some important concepts.
Regarding clothes, we need to understand that we are going to be fishing standing up at low temperatures. So, multiple layers and special climatic fabrics are needed. Gloves and caps are a must to remain warm. It’s also recommended to take hot food and drinks with you, this in order to control inner temperature.
For making the breaches through the ice, a special drill or auger will be needed, along with fishing rods and baits. In case of doing ice fishing with a partner or a group, safety measures must be taken when breaching through the ice, leaving around 20 meters between the person who is drilling and the companions.
Where and When to Fish
Finland, specifically Lapland, is a very popular destination for ice fishing enthusiasts, this because its many lakes and rivers that get frozen. Also, these lakes are notably larger in comparison with other alternatives, which is something positive for the practice. Something positive that many people highlight about this location is its tranquility and peacefulness, two things that fishermen appreciate big time.
The best season to do this activity is during spring. According to the experts, fishes during this time of the year are more likely to bite the trap and the temperatures aren’t as extremes as winter ones.
The Most Used Techniques
The usual thing is to use ultralight baits along with worms. By using ultralight baits, looking for quiet places is recommended, where we can find calm waters to throw the bait parallelly to the shore.
The hotter the water, more success chances you will have. That’s why sinking the bait as much as possible in frozen lakes is recommended. In these cases, the deeper we go, the warmer the water will be.
The hooks with worms are highly effective, being attractive for most fishes. Besides, their shape helps the easy extraction of the fish afterward. Calm waters will be the best option as well.
Ice Fishing Risks
Generally, ice fishing is a safe practice, especially if we do it with a partner who knows the area. However, the risks are very real and taking the proper measures is needed.
Most of the time, ice thickness in lakes is enough to resist our bodyweight but there may be some areas where the ice gets thinner without prior notice. Not making violent movements and walk calmly until we get to the fishing zone is fundamental. Once in that place, we can share our weight, including our equipment, in different spots.
As we mentioned before, low temperatures represent a real threat. So, having proper clothes and getting hot food and drinks is highly useful. If we expose to these temperatures without doing what it takes, our bodies can suffer permanent damage.