Simcoe Ice fishing was for survival, not fun

Ice fishing was for survival, not fun
Playing host to the Canadian Ice Fishing Championships allows Georgina to lay solid claim to the title of ice fishing capital of the world. It's a multi-million-dollar industry for the town, with local businesses supplying anglers with everything from heated huts and bait to accommodations and sustenance. Ice fishing is so important to the local economy it's hard to remember a time when it was nothing more than a niche hobby. But that's how it started in the early years of the 20th century. Some 3,000 years ago, aboriginal people first ventured out on the ice to exploit Lake Simcoe's plentiful stock of herring, trout, muskellunge and pike. Originally equipped with nothing more than a spear with which to impale their prey, these prehistoric people eventually developed a sophisticated understanding of fish habits and manufactured effective decoys with moving fins designed to attract fish to within spear range. Ice fishing became an integral part of the lifestyle of local natives, proving vital to maintaining
Published: 01/06/05 00:00:00