Mountain Folklore: Ice is nice for winter fishing

For hundreds of regional nature enthusiasts winter offers the rare opportunity to take advantage of Old Man Winter’s frigid magic when he turns water to ice.

Ice is nice for folks who like to get out on our local lakes to try their luck at coaxing a hungry fish to take their jigs or baited hooks.

I’ve enjoyed ice fishing on occasion but have never yet caught anything. I’ve dutifully trekked out across frozen Lake Ontelaunee with friends, gear, a good attitude and hopeful expectations. But, just like my surf fishing record, thus far my record is zero catches, despite numerous attempts of catching.

OK, this past season I did hook a hapless horseshoe crab while surf fishing the Jersey coast. You should have seen me set the hook on what I thought might be a tasty King fish. I used my best form to hook and land the mystery fish that turned out to be crab.

As I reeled in the crab a young man walked past and quizzically asked, “Are you fishing for horseshoe crabs?”

If I could have hid somewhere I would have, but there we were — me, the crab and the curious boy. It was an awkward situation and I think I just smiled and changed the subject.

Back to the ice, around these parts, I believe the favorite public destinations of people who fish through ice include Lake Ontelaunee and Antietam Lake. These lakes offer more stable ice than Blue Marsh Lake, which can be tricky and unsafe.

Naturally, the ice fishing season only comes once a year during winter, and even then it’s not 100% guaranteed in our climate zone so this is why fans of the sport make a ritual out of heading into nature to try their luck.

Why do they do it? Some ice fish so they can get out onto sections of the lake that could never be reached by land with the theory being that Moby Dick or some legendary fish catching tale awaits them as a reward for their pluck.

Personally, having never caught a fish while ice fishing, I can tell you that I find being out on the ice very peaceful and it’s a powerful reminder of how awesome nature is.

The sun’s rays aren’t as direct as in summer, the days are shorter, the temperatures drop and shimmering tracts of water transform into glistening sheets of ice. You can hear things on the ice that you cannot hear anywhere else. If not used to the music ice makes one should take a deep breath and remain calm and listen as the ice shifts and sometimes cracks, sending waves of sound off in all directions.

While I was out and about taking photos at Antietam Lake for this column, I could hear cracking and the music ice makes when under pressure. Admittedly, the cracking gets my attention immediately and I have to remind myself that all is well.

I asked some of the people fishing how thick the ice was and I got reports varying from 7 1/2 to 8 inches. That’s plenty thick to walk, fish and ice skate on.

It’s a good idea to not go out onto ice alone, and prechecking the thickness of the ice while knowing that it’s always thinner where tributaries flow into the main lake is the best precaution you can take to avoid an accident.

The next good idea is to invest in a pair of those ice-grabbing cleats you can put over your boots. These will give you great traction and confidence.

So, catching fish isn’t the only motivation for people who venture out for the adventure. Sure, hauling up a trout, sunfish, yellow perch or catfish is exciting, but it’s not the be all to end all of the tradition. Some folks practice catch and release even while ice fishing.

In some regions where the wintery climate creates ice depths of a foot or more, entire tent and bungalow or shanty villages pop up as people claim spots on the ice. Heck, they drive their Jeeps and other all-wheel-drive and  four-wheel-drive vehicles right out onto the ice and set up camps that remain in place throughout the winter. Some of these places have luxurious accommodations like cook stoves and wind-sheltered sleeping quarters.

Some regions hold annual “Ice Out” festivals where residents wager on the date that the ice will yield to spring, signaling the perfect time for a festival with good food, music and libations along the shoreline.

Some places allow ice boats to speed across the lake’s frozen surface powered by wind in a sail. This particular ice adventure is on my to-do list.

When I was younger a friend and I used to go to Angelica Lake, (before the flood destroyed the dam and lake), with an old bed sheet. On windy nights we’d strap on our ice skates and stand at one end of the lake, then, as we each held the bed sheet tightly, we leaned away from each other and created a giant sail. The wind would billow into our sail and off we went, as fast as we’d allow, zooming toward the far end of the lake. It was fun and, obviously, memorable.

Dave Kline is an award-winning writer, photographer, show host and producer, singer-songwriter, travel guide and community advocate. Reach him at davesmountainfolklore@gmail.com.

Source: Berkshire mont