Days are getting longer fast and conditions on the ice are perfect for ice fishing. On many lakes there are no snow at all and it is easy and fun to walk on the ice or go for a kicksled ride.
You must be patient when fishing with balanced sinking lure. It is worth for it; when you have found the right ice fishing hole, fish bite may be even heavier than expected. Big berch, pike and zander are the most common balanced lure fishing species. A big perch bites eagerly small mormyshka jigs and metal vertical jigs with baits. However, the biggest perch are caught with balanced lures. Especially February and March are good time for balanced lure fishing.
When sun is shining, it is fantastic to spent a fishing day on the ice. It may be even better time to go for the big ones when weather is cloudy and windy and some snowflakes are falling down once in a while.
Cracks in the ice ‒ art of nature
On the lakes of Southern and Central Finland thickness of ice varies at the moment typically between 20‒40 cm. On those lakes where there aren`t any snow, big cracks in the ice have suddenly shown up. Cracks may be meters of wide. There may be magnificent two meters high ice edges in the crack.
For instance on Lake Näsijärvi there are several cracks at the moment. Anglers and other people must be alert, especially when walking on ice in twilight time. Yesterday one cyclist found herself from the cold water after she had driven straight to a wide crack. Also one off-road motorbike driver found an area of thin ice and his mororbike sank to bottom of the lake. Luckily both of them got away from the water.
Because of mild and rainy weather most of snow has melt in Southern Finland. Lot of water has run to the water systems and ice cover has got thinner particularly on the regulated lakes that are located on the lower parts of the drainage systems. Anglers should be very careful there or go rather fishing on the other lakes. E.g. on Lake Kulovesi and on Lake Rautavesi ice has disappeared from wide areas.
Photo: Ismo Kolari
Crack in the ice on Lake Näsijärvi on early spring 2022.
YLE news: Tampere walkers warned to stay off Näsijärvi lake ice! and a video
Ice thickness on Finnish lakes
Ice conditions in the Baltic Sea
The first photo: A nice perch bite a balanced lure on a small lake. Photo: Ismo Kolari.