What is ice fishing?
Ice fishing (Swedish “pimpelfiske”) is jigging through a hole drilled in the ice. You stand directly above the fish and work the lure vertically — lift, drop, pause — to trigger a bite from a sluggish, cold-water fish.
It is Sweden's number one winter method. Best known from perch fishing on lake ice, but every bit as productive for Arctic char in the mountain lakes, whitefish in the big lakes and burbot in running water after dark.
Tackle
A short ice rod (40–80 cm), an ice auger (hand or electric), a small fixed-spool reel or simply a hand line, a handful of jigging lures and balanced jigs in 5–25 g, a few maggots — and a flask.
For safety: always ice picks around your neck, and a buoyancy harness under your jacket when you fish alone on unfamiliar ice. Safe ice = at least 10 cm of clear core ice. Snow ice does not count.
Lures
Jigging spoon — the slim vertical metal lure, often in a fluorescent finish. The all-round choice for perch.
Balanced jig — a horizontal ice lure with a treble at each end. More effective on bigger perch and on Arctic char.
Mormyshka — a tiny weighted hook, fished with one or two maggots on it. It rescues the days when the fish are passive.
Safety comes first — always
Before you go out: check the ice thickness with an ice chisel, or drill a test hole with the auger. Ten centimetres of clear core ice carries one person; fifteen carries a group.
Fångstrapport strongly recommends reading the ice conditions on IsRapport.se before you go out. Never alone on unfamiliar ice. Always a fully charged phone, and always tell someone at home where you are going and when you will be back.
