Eskimo Fishing

[TF_paulnewell]

When the surface has frozen for a period of days , the water temperature underneath has a chance to stabilise . A few fish may have a go and give the more adventures angler a modicum of fun . You do however need to be cautious and follow a few guidelines . Good gardening style gloves are a must and good soles on your boots . Remove as much layers of clothing as you can because the work will cause you to sweat . You need to place your kit well away and never set a pole up beforehand . On commercials you can take a spade to clear the platform of snow or ice before you start . For the lazy and the lucky you need a matchman called Postey Pete to chuck your breaker . 16 metres Plus !! No Bother !!! 😮 😮 😮

[TF_GLEBE1]

Used to love breaking the ice, made myself some proper gear with interchangeable weights etc.
Can’t be arsed with it these days, sooner stay in bed lol!!!

[TF_paulnewell]

Glebe I know that feeling ,did it come with age and bad knees ? 😀 We used to do it at TBF . Sometimes using Bloodworm and Joker . Back in the days when you could purchace the Joker that kicked up off the bottom . The Russian joker was absolute rubbish for F1 s . Sometime later the fish refused to have it and I always thought there a link with that crap going in . like you there were some guys at Tunnel with very sexy breaking kit . 1 metre of chain on the buisness end and then metal loops with bolts through . One bloke had three sizes of the old window sash weights for different thickness of ice ! :rolleyes:

[TF_pete bennett]

I miss those days of chucking out the ice breakers!

I’ve still got my 3 breakers gathering dust in the garage!

One tip for you – NEVER lend your breaker to a stranger as when they lose it they just laugh!! Never again!!

Why do people turn up at frozen venues without a breaker?? They spend a fortune on poles and other kit yet don’t want to spend £20 making a breaker!!!

[TF_CriagH66]

Love it on commercials when all the carp heads can’t chuck a bomb and an approach with some finesse and consideration is required. Money time for me.

[TF_paulnewell]

You didn’t like it enough to come and do my peg Pete .!!!! 😀 😀 😀

[TF_pete bennett]

I can remember chucking my breaker over the Extension pool for you once when you drew in the mid twentys!!!! You won the match!

[TF_paulnewell]

Yes I was flabbergasted . 16 mtre and you stuck it on the island . Didn’t get you a pint either Pete . Next time . 😉 🙂

[TF_Mark Wintle]

Only ever fished one ‘ice-breaker’ that was on the Kennet and Avon canal one January nearly 30 years ago. A 2-hour captain’s meeting on whether we should fish, my team said yes, no ice breaking gear back then. I had waders and SkeeTex so OK for wading and found I had 10″ of water for 3 yards as there was a sunken boat in front of me. The bloke at the next peg saw me well out from the edge using a weed hook to clear the ice (less than 1″) and asked how deep it was, I said 10″ so he stepped straight off the edge into 30″ of water and was not amused. Dave Swallow stripped off and broke the ice by wading naked – one old lady said to him “Not much to show today”. No bites for 3 hours then a late run on bloodworm saw everyone catching. Half the field never bothered with pools including me – I had enough for 3rd. A memorable day for all the wrong reasons.

[TF_paulnewell]

😀 😀 😀 😀 :p 🙂 🙂 🙂 :). good tale , great laugh . Years and years ago they would use a chain saw on the Oxford canal and catch double figures of gudgeon . Sitting on the ice ! When I thought it got out of hand was at TBF they started wearing neoprene chest waders and a rubber ring round their waists and get in with axes and lump hammers . Some of these fellows had travelled vast distances and just had to fish ! Some bright sparks would commandeer Micks boat and get in . All in the same Team . A very unfair advantage that was soon stopped . Especially when Micks oars were all smashed up on the ends . 😮

[TF_NoCarpPlease]

Still got my breaker in the garage – although not use it in a LONG time, as I rarely fish canals in the winter nowadays. I remember one Chiltern winter league match on the GUC where we spent ages “cutting and sliding”. It was a work of art …. out to 11m. Thhn just before the all in the only boat mad enough to be out came along and just created icebergs drifting all around. We had around a pound each – would have been good without that barge tho!

[TF_pete bennett]

I can remember fishing Gold Valley many years ago and playing Ice Tennis with a well known name……he wasn’t impressed I had the nerve to push back the ice he’d pushed down to me!!!

[TF_paulnewell]

Yes I remember a few disagreements ! And then there’s the day where with a natural thaw all the hard work is undone . Then the wind might blow and an unfortunate angler gets his hole close up . 😀 😀 😀 . Also you could draw a peg on Sunday where someone on Saturday broke a little girly hole . This meant yours was now thicker than some other bits and you couldn’t get through .!!! 😮 it’s firkin lovely today sat by this radiator c :p

[TF_pete bennett]

I can remember drawing a few pegs the following day after the top kit brigade had ‘broken the peg out!’ It took me 2 hours to break out sometimes! And then when you done well they wanted worm and joker banning!!! They could have caught on maggots if they’d made the effort to break a decent sized hole!

Some match anglers are a strange bunch indeed!!

[TF_pete bennett]

I’d love to have the chance of breaking some ice…….unfortunately the only thing I have broken is my ankle!!!!! Roll on the spring!

[TF_paulnewell]

Broke it recent Pete since we sat next at Earlswood ?

[TF_pete bennett]

Yes Paul. Broke it the night before Xmas eve!

Completely destroyed me and my fishing for the winter!

[TF_paulnewell]

Ouch ! Get well soon .

[TF_pete bennett]

Cheers!!

At least I won’t have to tie any rigs for the next year!

[TF_redarmy]

fished a silvers only match yesterday it never got above freezing, water wasnt iced up but could only catch on waggler.the rod rings iced up all day pain in the arse 24 roach and rudd for 4lb 8oz bronze maggot fished shallow never fed a maggot in 5 hours.also had to put back 4 carp which would of gone 30lb + 😀

[TF_paulnewell]

That’s called Maggot Dobbing then ? :rolleyes:

[TF_allyParticipant]

I remember that match on the K&A that Mark refers to. Its was over 30 years ago, and not only was Dave Swallow cavorting about in the canal naked, he went on to win.

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