“Fish in the cold”. The renaissance of ice fishing!

This year’s winter surprised Poles with drifts of snow and extremely cold days. Many could complain about the weather conditions as in years past, but certainly there were also those who for a long time impatiently awaited the arrival of the polar climate. Apart from skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, anglers also like to take advantage of the minus temperatures.

Ice fishing has broken records of popularity this season. The return of the classic, cold winter has caused lagoons to be covered with a thick layer of ice (up to 15 cm in some places!), which in no time has become a paradise for fishing enthusiasts. However, lifeguards from all over the country have been warning for weeks that even the most experienced anglers should be extra cautious during their favorite activity, after all, ice fishing is not the safest discipline and requires special preparation.

Ice anglers have to be ready for contact with Arctic water. They are protected from potential danger by special clothing and we are not talking about typical winter clothing. Thick overalls, similar to those used by sailors, are commonly used, thanks to which one can stay in the water without the risk of freezing or drowning. Equipment to create a hole in the ice, known as an auger, is also essential. For safety reasons, the drilled hole should not be more than 20 cm wide.

The great interest in ice fishing can be proved by the considerable and constantly growing number of competitions in this discipline. In recent days anglers from the PZW City and Zadębie Skierniewice circles competed in the Ice Fishing Championships, Piotrków Trybunalski Ice Fishing Championships were held in Cieszanowice, and the Brzeziński PZW Circle Championships were held on the frozen pond in Rochna. Everything seems to indicate that even though the winter is slowly coming to an end, ice fishing will stay with us for longer. Provided that next year the weather will be fine, and the bodies of water will be covered with ice again.

Featured Image: Freepik