The icy conditions we are enjoying (well I am, to look at Facebook and listen to the news, it appears as if everybody else is whinging like Kiwi's) is putting me in mind of one of my favourite films, Grumpy Old Men with Walther Matthau and Jack Lemmon. I like the scenes where they all go out onto the lake where they all have their own small shacks for storing their bait and tackle and shut themselves up inside and fish through the ice.
I do wonder how that works though. The rods they used were tiny things, they can't have been more than 18 inches long, and I wonder how, if the fish they are targeting are combaitive, they cope. Perhaps it's just me, but if I'm into a large fish that is not very happy on the idea of being pulled into the side and out of the water, then one of the requirements is to get about the bank to prevent it going for weeds or a clump of tree roots. Or possibly, ice fishing requires such heavy duty bait and tackle that as soon as they get a strike they just haul it in with no need to fret about the line breaking.
But then, that can't work because surely the line is clearly visible to the fish, so it would have to be either very thick or careless. The whole point of fishing to my mind is to choose the bait and tackle to lure the fish into reckoning that all is well and it is in for a nosh with the best bait and tackle set up as light as possible and meant not to be seen and when the fish bites and you strike to snag it, the proper sport comes in, playing the line out when it runs, bringing it in when it stops and trying to make certain that it doesn't break the line and get away.
One of the bits that was great me in Grumpy Old Men was that the fishing tackle shop had a caf space which I thought was a magnificent plan. What better, particularly on a freezing day, than being able to get a warm drink and a snack and be able to natter, swap yarns and information? The fishing tackle shop that I live nearest to is just that, although as a specialist shop it gets my interest as I can stroll around them for ages, looking at the various ranges.
But my favourite things were the small sheds. What fun to be able to shut yourself away, fit it out with gadgets and fun things just as you like and just have a marvellous day. I realise that it appears anti-social to do that but, to be candid, as most fishermen tend not to fall into the category of pretty and female, in fact generally the diametric opposite, you don't really want to look at them overly across the water.
All of the above is naturally completely academic. I have no embarrassment in pointing out that I am very much a good weather tackle dangler and it would need to be a very good reason to get me out in the freezing cold, but it looks nice in the film, and that is where I'll leave it.
I do wonder how that works though. The rods they used were tiny things, they can't have been more than 18 inches long, and I wonder how, if the fish they are targeting are combaitive, they cope. Perhaps it's just me, but if I'm into a large fish that is not very happy on the idea of being pulled into the side and out of the water, then one of the requirements is to get about the bank to prevent it going for weeds or a clump of tree roots. Or possibly, ice fishing requires such heavy duty bait and tackle that as soon as they get a strike they just haul it in with no need to fret about the line breaking.
But then, that can't work because surely the line is clearly visible to the fish, so it would have to be either very thick or careless. The whole point of fishing to my mind is to choose the bait and tackle to lure the fish into reckoning that all is well and it is in for a nosh with the best bait and tackle set up as light as possible and meant not to be seen and when the fish bites and you strike to snag it, the proper sport comes in, playing the line out when it runs, bringing it in when it stops and trying to make certain that it doesn't break the line and get away.
One of the bits that was great me in Grumpy Old Men was that the fishing tackle shop had a caf space which I thought was a magnificent plan. What better, particularly on a freezing day, than being able to get a warm drink and a snack and be able to natter, swap yarns and information? The fishing tackle shop that I live nearest to is just that, although as a specialist shop it gets my interest as I can stroll around them for ages, looking at the various ranges.
But my favourite things were the small sheds. What fun to be able to shut yourself away, fit it out with gadgets and fun things just as you like and just have a marvellous day. I realise that it appears anti-social to do that but, to be candid, as most fishermen tend not to fall into the category of pretty and female, in fact generally the diametric opposite, you don't really want to look at them overly across the water.
All of the above is naturally completely academic. I have no embarrassment in pointing out that I am very much a good weather tackle dangler and it would need to be a very good reason to get me out in the freezing cold, but it looks nice in the film, and that is where I'll leave it.
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