Tips and Tricks for Ice Fishing

Ice fishing might not sound like a lot of fun, sitting out in the cold, dropping your frozen bait through a hole in the ice, but it has a lot of followers. In Wisconsin alone, over a quarter of the annual fishing harvest is done by means of ice fishing.

So, what exactly is so appealing about this sport? To begin with, it has a lot of advantages over regular fishing. One of these is the insects. If you have ever sat at the edge of a river, swatting mosquitoes and having big chunks taken out of you by horseflies, you will appreciate the silence and lack of behind-the-ear biting going on out on the ice.

Also, the solitude of ice fishing on a lonely lake can be comforting to some people, while others prefer to pitch their tent on the ice along with dozens of other people. The camaraderie can be thrilling. Ice fishing in general is an addicting sport!

To keep from freezing to death while making your catch of the day, it is important to prepare. This means buying the right equipment to protect yourself from the cold and doing a bit of research to learn where the best lakes are and how frozen they are. You don't want to be falling through the ice in the middle of hauling in a big catch!

Fishing this way means spending long hours out in the cold and on a lake there is no wind protection. This means you need to wear the right clothing and plenty of it. If you dress in multiple layers, you can stay nice and warm, while being able to remove some clothing as needed.

For very cold locations, wool is best because it traps heat and warms the body even when wet! A cotton undershirt and long johns are generally recommended since wool can cause skin reactions in sensitive people and itching in general with anyone else. A windbreaker on the outside helps keep the chill from cutting right through you. Felt liners are also recommended for your boots to keep them dry as well as warm.

While some people still use tents, ice shanties are more common these days. They are basic little sheds that cut the wind and usually allow for a small stove that heats the space almost instantly. These can be bough prefabricated and simply erected on the fishing site, or you might fabricate your own at home and bring it along.

It is also important to bring plenty of food and drink. Your body needs to burn fuel (food) in order to warm itself, and you shouldn't just rely on the fish you catch! Granola bars, candy and hot chocolate are all great instant energy boosters that your body can burn for a while.

Ice fishing can be fun, but you do need to be prepared. So why not take a chance this winter. Instead of moping around until spring to use your fishing gear, get out there and do some ice fishing.