Yes, you read that title right. Whether you’re a longtime angler who’s been chucking out the rod for as long as you can remember, or an aspiring angler looking to try out fishing for the very first time, there’s no better time than the present winter season to try out ice fishing for the very first time. It may be cold, and may seem like an odd sport at first, but it’s a fishing style that has been slowly growing popular over the years, thanks to advances in modern technology. So, here are some reasons why you should try out ice fishing for yourself.
It’s beginner-friendly
For as specialized as the sport is, thanks in no part to being exclusive to the winter season only, ice fishing is much easier to get into than it seems.
More experienced anglers may be inclined to choose sturdier rods to handle the frigid season, while all anglers will want a way to drill a hole in the ice, such as by using an auger.
But really, the concept is quite simple. Find a frozen lake. Bring your fishing and ice drilling equipment, drill a hole, plop your stool down, and wait for the fish to bite.
This of course, removes a bit of nuance, such as taking safety precautions to ensure that the ice isn’t too thin for humans to step on and whatnot, but the concept overall is the same: Ice fishing can be enjoyed by anyone, whether you’re a new or experienced angler.
Fish caught in the ice taste better
This factoid seems like something you’d hear as a story that anglers tell each other to encourage them to go fishing during the winter, but this is actually quite grounded with science.
Blue green algae is a type of cyanobacteria that affects water and the fish that live in it. Most of the time, they are harmless, but contribute into making the water green and smelly while giving the fish a foul and muddy flavor.
However, in the worst-case scenario, they can prove to be quite toxic, killing fishes as well as poisoning humans that ingest said fish. It is not uncommon for one to see their effects on the colors of freshwater aquariums, giving them a sickly green color.
These cyanobacteria usually proliferate during the warmer seasons of the year, such as during summer season. During the winter, however, blue green algae stops proliferating and either dies out or remains dormant, waiting for the water temperatures to become warm once more. There are records of some blue green algae surviving, but nowhere near the extend of how it was before the chilly season
At this time, fish will lose their acquired “muddy” taste, thanks to the lack of blue green algae in the water. This makes winter great for fishing, especially if you’re aiming to eat the fish that you catch.
It gives you an excuse to go out during winter
The winter season encourages you to stay warm and toasty at home, snuggled by your blankets and even the fireplace if you have one.
But for some people, this may not be enough. Taking a nap at the couch is good and all, but there are people out there who would rather get their blood pumping by going out and about to see nature and do outdoor activities than just lounge around inside all day.
The problem is, it’s a little hard to be motivated considering the amount of effort you will have to put in to go out in the first place. At the very least, an outdoor activity like ice fishing lends itself to being simple and easy to get into, as mentioned above, being nothing more than a more specialized version of regular fishing, which makes it appealing to any person looking to try out fishing during the winter.
The lakes are quiet
When it’s winter and the lakes are frozen over, you’re not going to find too many anglers out and about. In fact, save for a few adventurer-types, most people prefer to sleep in at home instead of doing outdoor activities like fishing. Other than the occasional snowmobile speeding down the lake, and the auger of another person looking to do some ice fishing, it can get really quiet out there.
And no, it’s not just the type of quiet you can get from using noise-cancelling headphones, covering your ears, or even hanging around a quiet spot at home.
It’s the type where the sounds come more from the ambiance of nature, so much so that you can practically hear the leaves swaying by the wind, the birds flapping their wings and calling out to one another. You might even be able to hear a wild coyote or two howl.
Ice fishing is not only about the fish you want to catch, but the environment that you are fishing in. You will get to admire the place in a way that you may not have noticed from your regular life, and you may even relax outdoors in the same way one would tuck in to keep themselves warm from the cold outside.
It’s being able to get away from society for just a bit, as well as anything resembling noise pollution, that makes such an activity so relaxing and peaceful for the mind.