The winter season is almost fully upon us once more, and for some of you, it's already in full swing. What that means is more time spent cuddled up indoors by the fire, drinking hot chocolate, and keeping out of Old Man Winter’s grasp, but for those brave ones, it means another season spent outdoors in a beautiful winter wonderland.
Most winter activities are fairly accessible but there's one which often falls by the way side... Ice fishing is the name of the game and it is a wonderful reason to ditch the cocoa and hit the shacks to wrangle some monster-sized bites while braving the monster-sized winds. We don't necessarily associate the UK or France with ice-fishing. It conjures up images of frozen lakes in Scandinavia and North America, where people are far more used to the arctic temperatures. However, you can of course do it anywhere in the world that has a frozen lake! There are a couple of Lakes in the Grandes Rousses mountain range where our chalets are, which still have ice covering them in summer! If you are contemplating staying in this winter, here are the top reasons why you need to get out and do some ice fishing instead.
1. Test Out New Equipment
If there’s anything more fun than trying out new equipment, we’ve yet to hear of it. One of the best possible reasons to get out and enjoy the ice fishing season is to break in those new gadgets. It could be a new rod or a new ice fishing sonar, and maybe even a new sled or cordless drill ice auger, but whatever it is, your time has come. It's a great idea to have something to sit on so you don't freeze touching the ice, how about a heated outdoor chair? Only one way to find out if your money was well-spent is to start using it, right?
2. Cure The Boredom
Winter is a time of solitude, unless you are in the mountains of course! In the UK, the amount of time spent indoors trying to stay warm could make you go stir crazy. If you want to avoid cabin fever, then ice fishing could be a great way to do something productive, hopefully, catch some dinner, and spend some time outdoors reflecting on whatever it is that’s going on in your mind (we won’t tell anyone). What's more you don't have to be a keen fisherman to start things off, just the desire to do something different. Curing the boredom is tough, but ice fishing is an activity that can do its best to help.
3. Best Social-Distancing Activity
The term “social distancing” has easily been one of the most repeated phrases of 2020, and for good reason. Whether you are or aren’t a fan of it, it is good to know how important it is to think about other people’s well-being. While you might not worry about your chances of getting sick, it is best to head out on a lake and do some ice fishing to get away from everyone for a while. If there was ever a time for it to be acceptable to avoid people and do your own thing, this year has been it. It's also a good idea however to go with someone in your bubble... 'happiness must be shared' and the low temperatures can be dangerous if you are not fully prepared.
4. Help Build Your Cold Tolerance
Depending on where you live, and chances are if you can actually do some real ice fishing, winter is going to be a long and brutal affair. It will be cold for the foreseeable months so it only helps to build your tolerance to the cold somehow. Doing a little ice fishing will help you see that those sub-zero temperatures aren’t that bad. Just remember to bundle up!
Days are shorter now, the sun disappears earlier, the cold is starting to creep up and for many, that is bad news. The other few however are ecstatic that ice fishing season is almost (or already) here, so if you needed any more motivation to get out there, auger a hole, and park your butt, then these top reasons will give you that push you needed.
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