Successful fishing in winter requires thorough preparation, which involves checking and repairing existing gear, purchasing baits, buying or preparing complementary foods and preparing baits. The amount of catch will also depend on correctly selected fishing accessories and devices that will allow you to comfortably spend time on the pond and, if necessary, easily and quickly change fishing points in search of fish. The selection of winter equipment should be done carefully and every little thing should be thought out.
Choosing a fishing box
This is one of the basic winter fishing accessories. If the box is correctly selected in volume, you can carry the main part of the luggage in it without using a backpack. But the angler often has to cross the ice from hole to hole several times.
Now on sale there is a wide selection of fishing boxes, but it is desirable that its body be made of dense foam, placed in a tarpaulin cover, which has several spacious pockets on its outer surface. One of them, the largest, should be located on the front side, and two smaller ones on the sides.
In boxes from well-known manufacturers, foam walls are only 15 mm thick, but at the same time their construction is so strong that they serve the angler for more than one year. The most spacious models have dimensions of 190x350x400mm, and a bag with fish weighing up to 6kg can be put in their pocket. The interior space is also well thought out and divided by partitions for more convenient placement of various fishing gear. There are Velcro straps under the lid, thanks to which the rods can be distributed so evenly that they do not take up much space. But the main advantage of such a fishing box is that it can also be used as a floating craft.
Basic winter fishing equipment
Peshnya. With this device 1, 3-1, 7 meters long, anglers probe the ice and cut holes in it. A properly made pawn should have a wooden handle and a piercing metal part in the shape of a shovel, bayonet, chisel, pike or petals with two cutting sides. The foot can also have a folding structure.
Ice screw. Designed for fast hole drilling in thick ice. Now the most common are the screw models, which consist of a handle, auger and sharp cutting knives. With their help, you can drill holes, both small (from 90 to 135mm) and large (up to 200mm) diameters. The use of such a device leaves the hole clean after drilling, since thanks to the auger, the drilled pieces of ice are pushed to the surface. To make ice screws convenient to carry and transport, their design is usually made collapsible or folding. We will talk about ice screws with a motor – motor-drills next time.
In the manufacture of ice screws, several types of knives are used:
Flat. They have a semicircular cutting edge;
Hemispherical models in the form of a removable head, where the cutting edge fits onto the auger belt;
Hemispherical products with a straight cutting edge.
The angler should always have in his arsenal a bar or file for sharpening knives and a screwdriver to change them.
Scoop. On winter fishing, this device is simply irreplaceable, as it serves to clean the surface of the water in the hole. With its help, ice and snow are scooped out, preventing the angler from watching the float or nod. It can also be used for churning ice that freezes on a fishing box or shoes. It is best to purchase a scoop with a bright colored foam handle, since it will not sink if it accidentally hits the hole, and it will be visible from afar if you have forgotten it somewhere.
Feeder. For ice fishing, a model with a metal cone-shaped body is usually used, with or without holes in it. The feeder with the lure placed in it is lowered to the bottom, where it opens, or remains closed (if fishing is carried out on a current, the food is washed out through the holes with water). If the current is very strong at the place of fishing, and the depth is large enough, it is advisable to use a feeder in the form of a cylinder with a heavy bottom. A bait mixture is placed in it, rolled into balls, which, when washed with water, crumble and attract fish to the fishing point.
Small hook. It is used to secure the line when large fish have to be pulled through a small diameter hole. It usually consists of a handle, which can be retractable or collapsible, a handle made of solid foam or brightly colored cork, and a steel hook made of wire at least 3mm in diameter. During transportation and storage, a PVC tube cap is put on the hook point to avoid accidental injury.
Detachment. It is a ring or tube with a slot for a fishing line and an eyelet for a safety cord. On the line inserted into the slot, the cut-off slides down and, due to its weight, knocks the jig or hook, freeing them from the hook. With the help of a safety cord, the cutter is lifted up to repeat the blow if the first attempt is unsuccessful.
Depth gauge. They are used as an ordinary sinker, which has any streamlined shape, weighs 30-50g and an eyelet for attaching a fishing line or cord, wound on a reel or reel. Red marking cambrices are installed on the line or cord every meter. The depth at the fishing site is determined by the number of marks after lifting the depth gauge from the hole.
Canna. In this convenient container with a handle, it is good to transport and store fry or live bait. For winter fishing, plastic cannes are usually used with an inserted mesh, thanks to which ice is easily removed when frozen. If there is no mesh, then the container for removing ice is tapped on the sides.
Knee pad. Designed for those who fish on one knee in winter, it protects the feet from the cold and softens the contact with hard ice. It can be made from soft sponge rubber or a polyurethane mat by cutting out a piece of the required size. For convenience, fastening straps should be sewn to the knee pad.
Mittens. They are usually fastened to trousers at the knees so as not to lose. Serve for warming hands during long sitting at the hole.
Towel. It is convenient for them to wipe off the fish mucus after removing it from the hook. Typically, one end of the towel is tucked into the shaft of winter shoes, while the other is left free and available for use.
Backpack. It fits and carries food, spare clothes, a lantern, matches and various accessories necessary for winter fishing. The backpack should be roomy, have wide shoulder straps and many pockets for small things. It is especially necessary during constant movement on the ice, when, for example, you need to install a large number of girders, because your hands should be free at this time.
Echo sounder. Until recently, echo sounders were produced in large sizes, and it was not very convenient to use them. Now they produce compact and lightweight models that are specifically designed for winter fishing. When fishing, a small device is attached to the wrist, and the transmitter and receiver and power are placed in an inner pocket. One battery usually lasts until the end of the winter fishing season.
Skis or sleds. May be required for transporting equipment and catch, especially during long and long journeys. A sled can be used instead of a highchair, and skis, which should have an easily detachable mount, are indispensable when moving on unreliable ice.
The choice of accessories for ice fishing depends on the individual characteristics of the angler and the specific fishing conditions, but it should be remembered that only the right equipment can bring a good catch and ensure safety in a frozen water body.