3 Reasons To Love Recreational Ice Fishing: Ultra Light Fishing

Every November, around Thanksgiving, friends and family approach me saying the same old thing, “Why do you like fishing so much in the winter?” The answer is more complicated than the question might appear. Quite simply, Ice Fishing is a passion, it’s a chance to get closer to all the structures of mother nature and furthermore, reel in some monsters! The fruits of an anglers labor might be more bountiful in a more “plush” climate but the bounty of a true fisherman’s reward is in his soul. I tell people, If fishing was supposed to be easy, we would all buy fish tracking computer diagnostic systems, the reward is in the relationship with nature, for me anyway.

Ice fishing is like hunting any animal. So is a hunter more glorified in his skill if he slays his prey with a shotgun, or a bow and arrow? Since the first Inuit tribes of North America first inhabited this great landscape, Ice fishing has been a culture, not just a sport or hobby. Frugal fisherman, might balance the costs of the cold versus the rewards of a winter catch. However I personally encourage everyone I meet to take part in at least one “real” Ice fishing trip, before discounting the potential love for the craft. There are millions of reasons to encourage Ice fishing, as opposed to waiting through the winter or simply going on fishing trips in warmer climates. However due to time restraints (because I have a fishing appointment this afternoon in my friend John’s shanty) I have created this list of the true fundamental appeals of Ice Fishing. Specifically this list is for fisherman who still remain “non-believers,” in the belief that Ice fishing can be even MORE enjoyable than warm whether fishing.

First, Ice Fishing is about nature. As previously eluded, Ice fishing brings a fisherman face to face with the brutal realities of mother earth, not just it’s subtle comforts. Regardless of what your personal fishing inspirations are, whether recreational fishing or sport fishing, any TRUE fisherman knows that their craft is bigger than just catching fish. Ice Fishing is about respect for nature just as much as it is about fun and excitement. Fisherman develop a deep sense of kinship with mother earth, inherently because for years the creed of fisherman was about more than sport it was about survival.
Winter time is about majestic lakes, warm shanty’s and log fires. To adorn the beauty of the harsh climate is to grow a deeper connection with your fishing holes, lakes, streams and ponds. By creating a relationship, bound by memory, a fisherman creates a greater awareness of his craft and mother earth, simultaneously in the winter. For that reason alone, ice fishing is a very cerebral, intoxicating sport, which can bring the best spirits to real men of the wilderness.

Second is the camaraderie of ice fishing. Take out an ultra light rod, a pocket full of small ice jigs and a container of natural bait and crack a brew with your friends. Ice fisherman, like all fisherman, tend to have fishing buddy’s or groups with which they take part in the ice fishing “occasion.” Treasure the winter months, don’t be frayed by the cold, rejoice over your ice hole and pull out a dinner worth talking about for years! Nothing is funnier than the stories inside a shanty, stories from high school, about girlfriends, wives and children, are some of the most valuable treasures a fisherman can find on his path. Reconciling with friends and family, or voicing opinion is perfect in 20 degree weather, inside a warm shanty, sometimes with a television! I like to watch football in my shanty, making the occasion sort of a celebration of sorts. Whatever your passion, enjoy the moment and take in the times.

Third, ice fishing really let’s a man (or woman) get away. Venture out to the depths of the wilderness when your ice fishing. When I go, I just go and go and go and go, as I feel innately intended. Sometimes I will just Google Earth a lake I have never been too, grab my drill and truck and take off looking for it. Enjoying the “wilderness” is amongst the greatest draws for ice fishing enthusiasts who want to cut ties with their daily lives. Embark on an adventure, don’t just fish to fish, fish because you love it! Don’t focus all your attention on a catch, focus on your surroundings, take in the cold and spit it back out. Whatever mother nature dishes a true fisherman, a true fisherman can handle!

That is why I love ice fishing! So take time to think ice fishing over again before dismissing the topic next time it’s brought up. Maybe you might realize ice fishing is the perfect opportunity to find a passion you have been missing!