Fishing in a tent in winter: choosing a winter fishing shelter

General description and selection features

Currently, having a good tent for winter fishing is not considered an indicator of luxury , but rather an attribute of everyday life. The main thing is to make a responsible choice, weigh the pros and cons, and also not pay attention to cheap advertising. In any case, the key factor that determines the purchase of a specific model is financial capabilities.

When planning to purchase a good tent, you need to correctly assess your capabilities, as well as be guided by the requirements that apply to such a product. It is important that it reliably protects the fisherman from the destructive effects of strong winds, so the selected material should not be blown. At the same time, it should maintain breathability, but also remain quite dense. If this is not the case, the walls of the tent will most likely become covered with condensation, which will cause the fabric surfaces to freeze and possibly cause them to deform.

Also, the design of the tent must have windows or openings that play a ventilating role to ventilate the interior space. The material should have light shades , because they transmit a sufficient amount of light much more easily, although this is not essential. Make sure that the tent comes with special guy ropes that will allow you to set it up freely on ice. If they are missing, you will have to make them yourself.

An important parameter of the product is weight, since when winter fishing you have to often change your location and move along the surface of the reservoir in order to find a promising fishing spot. Therefore, the lighter the tent, the easier and more convenient it will be to fish.

Sleigh tent for winter fishing

Sled tents for winter fishing are a very interesting Finnish invention. It is a tent on a sleigh. This structure is amazingly convenient. It does not need to be constantly assembled and disassembled. If you hook the sled to a snowmobile, the structure can be easily moved to the desired location.

Of course, this structure is not suitable for urban fishermen. Often, sleigh tents are used for fishing in large bodies of water, where you have to go far onto the ice. In the northern regions there are even mobile houses that are designed for winter fishing.

Existing types of products

Retail outlets offer several types of tents for fishing in winter:

1. Automatic.
2. Arc.
3. Double layer.

Representatives of the first group are very popular, since they are built on an automatic system and do not require much effort to install. Most models use the umbrella principle, although there are other equally effective designs.

Automatic tents are usually manufactured by Chinese companies, but this does not harm their quality. Even professional fishermen note the good performance of such products, considering them a truly high-quality and reliable product. Among the advantages of such products:

1. Simplicity of design.
2. Affordable price.
3. Light weight.

But installing a tent without skills and experience will be problematic, so a beginner needs to practice a little. If you do not follow the step-by-step instructions and be careful, this can lead to damage to the expensive structure and other unpleasant consequences, so be careful.

Some tents are made directly in the image of an umbrella, but they are not practical to use in winter due to the lack of reliable protection from the cold.

Automatic tents have windows that can be easily opened to ventilate the space or increase the amount of light entering inside. Also, the raw materials are pre-treated with fire-resistant material, which allows fishermen to use any heating devices without the risk of the tent catching fire. Basically, they use a primitive device in the form of a tin can, where dry fuel is burned, but more advanced fishermen buy complex heating systems.

Among the advantages of such tents are:

1. Light weight.
2. Easy to install.

This allows you to successfully move with the tent over long distances.

By thermal conductivity

Tents for fishing in winter also differ in their capabilities in combating the cold. At home, thick walls protect us from the aggressive external environment. In a tent, this barrier is a thin sheet of special fabric. Shelter design options involve varying degrees of protection of the internal space from the cold. And if you are looking for an insulated tent, then you should pay attention to the presence of special additional layers.

Single layer

Conventional single-layer awnings provide basic protection: from wind and direct heat transfer. Even in a thin, cheap tent it is already much warmer than outside, especially if you use a candle or burner for heating. The most expensive tents are made of multilayer material, and they can be used without additional layers of insulation. But such technologies are applicable in mountaineering equipment and are not practical for fishing due to the high cost of such solutions.

Single-layer simple Chinese tent

Double layer

The design of a two-layer tent has an additional inner layer of breathable material, which is attached from the inside to the frame. An air cushion is formed between the layers, which enhances the thermal insulation of the shelter. With such a two-layer solution, condensation passes freely through the inner fabric and settles on the outer fabric without disturbing the fisherman. With such insulation and heating, fishing in a tent is much more comfortable. But there are also disadvantages - the second layer increases the folded dimensions, as well as the time for installation and assembly. This shelter is suitable for large fishing trips, for example, overnight, daily or multi-day trips.

Three-layer

Such tents include another layer, usually made of padding polyester. It is located between the first and second. This three-layer protection is the most reliable shelter from bad weather, in which you can live in any frost and wind, as long as you have fuel for the heater and food.

Stack Cube 1 three-layer

Characteristics of arc and two-layer structures

Representatives of the group called “arc tents” include several 2-3-meter arcs, as well as an awning that is installed on them. Arcs can be made of metal or plastic . Of course, the first option demonstrates better reliability and durability, but its cost is much higher.

Taking into account the peculiarities of the structure's location, the tents have expanded free space, so a group of 3-5 anglers can easily fit in them. But their light weight makes them vulnerable to strong winds, although in calm weather such structures are simply irreplaceable.

The range of arc tents is much wider than automatic ones, since they are produced not only in China, but also in leading countries of the Western world. Choosing the ideal model will not be difficult. The main thing is to correctly assess your financial capabilities, and also take into account the slightest subtleties of the upcoming acquisition.

High-quality double-layer tents are also available for sale, which can provide reliable protection for the fisherman even in the strongest winds and extreme frost. Such products are also equipped with an internal awning, to which the inner layer is attached. Among the advantages of two-layer tents are excellent thermal insulation properties, as well as ease of installation, which is maintained even with an impressive weight. There is no need to move such a structure over the surface of a frozen reservoir.

Important parameters of tents

When planning to purchase a winter fishing tent, you need to carefully study its performance properties. The first thing you should pay attention to is the material, as it must retain heat and not be easily blown through. At the same time, breathability should remain at the highest level.

Cheap polyamide tents are fully justified and deserve special attention: they are able to “breathe” and are also moisture resistant. But if there is too much moisture, the tent begins to deform and stretch. With prolonged exposure to sunlight, strength indicators deteriorate, so the service life is reduced to two to three years.

Experts recommend choosing tents made of polyester fabric, which demonstrate durability and wear resistance. And although they are a little more expensive than the previous option, you don’t mind paying for the quality.

Canvas models are also available for sale. They have both pros and cons. Increased density and breathability are worthy of respect, but the likelihood of moisture permeation during prolonged contact is a problem. At the same time, you can find a good alternative on the market, which is treated with a good water-repellent composition. And don’t forget that a wet tarpaulin weighs quite a lot.

As for the color of the tent, there are no high requirements for it. No matter how unremarkable the color may be, in an open area you are unlikely to hide from someone. But experienced fishermen recommend buying light-colored structures, because they are capable of transmitting much more light, adding coziness to the room.

For a long overnight stay in a single-layer tent, you can use this option:

You need to assemble a tent at home in a hall or other spacious room and cover it with plastic film that has good density and width. If you manage to assemble it into some kind of tent cover, you can then glue the cut edges together using an iron. To do this, sheets of newspaper are placed on the edges of the film, laid overlapping, and you can run an iron over them several times, observing the temperature regime so that the polyethylene does not melt and the edges stick together.

If the plastic film does not fold into a cover, then you can cut it into wedges, pinning it to the tent with pins as a bait pattern. Having walked in a circle and collected the wedges into something like a tent cover, you can then glue them together using the above method using an iron.

You can take the polyethylene cover with you on an overnight fishing trip. And then a single-layer tent, which is well lit and easily transported from place to place, will become a completely insulated shelter if you put a plastic cover on it in the evening. The edges of the cover must be sprinkled with snow and then the tent will be warm with some kind of heater installed inside. But you should definitely remember, despite the wind and frost, the window of the tent when using a gas stove to heat your home should always be slightly open. Otherwise, even in a tent you can get carbon monoxide poisoning, which already happened last season, when fishermen were poisoned by carbon monoxide and then burned in a fire that started from a gas stove. Therefore, after gluing the polyethylene cover, you must also cut out a window in it opposite the window of the tent and do not forget about the “door”.

It is best to heat the tent using a gas stove with a ceramic burner. With such a burner there is no open fire, but the heating temperature of the burner allows you to boil water and heat the tent.

Arrangement of heating systems and installation

If fishing is carried out in severe frost, then sometimes fishermen have to take extreme measures and install special heating devices inside the tents. Many of them prefer classic designs that run on dry fuel, but we must not forget that the amount of oxygen inside the tent is limited, so burning it without taking care of good ventilation is unwise. If you light a fire in the center of the tent, the window must be open at all times. If it is windy outside, then open the opening that is not against the wind.

Before setting up a winter tent, the fisherman needs to determine which direction the wind is blowing. This will allow you to choose the correct location of the structure so that the entrance and ventilation holes are on the opposite side from where the wind is blowing.

When you get ready to go fishing, don’t forget to take care of additional fasteners, because the models that come with the kit are ineffective. It is important to securely fix the tent on the ice, otherwise it will easily tip over under the influence of strong winds.

To avoid accidental freezing of zippers in the cold, they must first be wiped with paraffin. The locks do not close completely, as they may freeze. Also, reflective parts need to be glued to all sides of the structure, because many anglers drive onto the ice with cars or snowmobiles, and it is almost impossible to see the shelter in snowy weather from a distance.

Home, home - it's time to go home

In the morning, nothing kept me on the lake, and the song of the Gaza Strip “It’s time to go home” was stuck and spinning in my head. I caught a fish, survived an anxious night, gained some impressions, in a word, I exceeded my fishing plan. And I realized one thing: you always need to install the tent on all the fastenings - just in case. Well, choose a cube adjusted for the local winter.

I was also asked to talk about the disadvantages of the tent. Despite the fact that I was pleased with the results of field tests of the new wind-resistant and insulated tent, it has some disadvantages:

• the door does not lock when open;
• the entry hole narrows greatly at the bottom and top, which makes entry/exit difficult;
• The seams are crooked in places and the ends of the threads are sticking out;
• standing is warmer than sitting while fishing - due to the high ceiling, you can feel the temperature difference between the bottom of the tent and the top.

In general, the tent is not a big one, costing the price of a good horse, but a budget working donkey. It took me about 5 minutes to disassemble the cube after I had put all my things in the backpack and attached the mats and the folding bed. There was nowhere to rush, and the load in the form of catch and luggage did not allow me to walk quickly, so I waddled slowly to the house - there was no one to take me back in the car. I left the equipment at the dacha so that I could do more fishing during the winter. I had only one way out this winter - then it didn’t work out, and the winter ended. I arrived at the stop lightly with my catch and in a good mood - winter fishing on the lake was a success and there was still a whole Sunday ahead.

Advantages and disadvantages of tent fishing

The advantages of tent fishing include the following :

1. If there is severe frost, wind or snowfall outside, then fishing in an open area can be complicated. But if the angler is placed inside a good shelter, then this will save him from many troubles, allowing him to feel comfortable and protected. In addition, in such conditions it is possible to install a primitive heating system that will prevent dangerous hypothermia.
2. If you have a tent, then it will allow you to easily survive even the most unflying weather, including a strong snowstorm that can strike completely unexpectedly.
3. No outsider will understand with what gear and how effectively you catch fish, as well as its size.

The disadvantages of such tents are their impressive weight and lack of mobility.

How to prepare for night ice fishing

1. Of course, you need to take care of warm clothes and shoes. You need to dress generously. Experienced fishermen say: “It’s better to sweat seven times than to freeze once.” The soles of new felt boots should be immediately hemmed with an additional layer of felt, and only after that choose overshoes of the size you need. Your toes should move freely inside the felt boots. To keep your foot warmer, it is better to first put a wool sock on it, and a cotton sock on top.
2. Stock up on iodine, cotton wool and a bandage in case of skin punctures by sharp fins and spines.
3. Not a single night winter fishing trip is complete without complementary food. Therefore, you need to think in advance what kind of feed mixture you need to prepare. Popular complementary foods are considered to be crackers with vanilla, and Volga and Ural fishermen make complementary foods from crumbly millet cooked until half cooked, adding oatmeal, cake, crushed sunflower seeds or hemp seeds. Branded baits also work well. Some increase their effectiveness by adding bloodworms. In any case, in order to study the food preferences of fish, it is advisable to study the reservoir before fishing.
4. A lot depends on choosing a suitable location. A thorough knowledge of the reservoir makes the task much easier, so it is better to memorize the “tables”, holes, edges, currents and depths in the summer. On large reservoirs, successful fishing will be guaranteed if you can find a “table” with a shallower depth. After all, in winter, fish do not spend much effort in search of food, and finding places where it accumulates is the key to success and saving time and effort, since drilling holes is not an easy job. In any case, you need to go night fishing before dark in order to have time to choose a place. There is one more little trick: as a rule, the bulk of fishermen leave the ice shortly before dark. You can walk with a fishing rod along the holes left by them. By this time, the holes have “settled”, and the presence of fish can be detected during the first retrieve. Sometimes such a hole can work in such a way that the night catch from it will cover the day one. Several such checks will be enough to determine the most promising places and set up a tent.
5. It is equally important to prepare baits and lures. The most popular are small red worms (dung worms), bunch of bloodworms, and burdock moth larvae. And besides this: raw liver, dough, bread crumb, raw and boiled amphipod, caddis fly (prepared from the summer), pieces of cow udder. In the Urals, bream is caught using a crust of bread and lard.

What equipment do you need for night ice fishing?

Regular fishing rods for winter fishing are required. They do not require any additional improvements or alterations. Tackle with a nod and a jig, a nod and a hook, a “garland” of hooks, as well as a float and a hook are used. The fishing rod can be equipped with a sound alarm (sensitive bell).

Fishing with “devils” can be very effective - the fish caught with this bait are usually larger.

Tackle for winter fishing

A “garland” of hooks is more effective during night fishing than fishing with a jig. This garland has an end sinker and several short (about 5 cm) leashes with hooks. This tackle works exclusively with a nozzle and is used for catching fish without playing. A jig at night is not as reliable as a hook and works worse. Most often there are not bites, but only blows from the fish. And when using a hook, almost every bite ends in success. In addition, when fishing with a hook, less attention is required, and you can even take a short nap, taking care only to secure the fishing rods.

Popular premium models

of similar products on sale , there are certain models that deserve special respect. Among them:

1. Tramp Ice fisher 180 is an excellent fishing tent, which consists of two layers of polyester, which has increased wind and moisture resistance. This tent has only one entrance, but its dimensions allow 3 fishermen to stay inside.
2. Maverick ICE 5. In its shape, this model resembles a hexagon. The material from which it is made is not afraid of blowing, and the frame can cope with any mechanical loads. The delivery set includes wind braces, and inside the structure there is a “skirt”, the width of which is 20 centimeters. Its purpose is to provide additional protection from wind and precipitation. The model also has 2 additional ventilation holes. Various colors and designs are available for sale.
3. Trump Wild. This model is made in the shape of a hemisphere and includes two layers. The external one is treated with a special waterproof compound that protects the fisherman from moisture and wind. The inner one is made of fine-mesh mesh with good ventilation properties. The design easily accommodates 2 people, and can be used for hikes of moderate difficulty.

Classification of tents

Fishing in a tent in winter can take place in various conditions. Therefore, before purchasing, you should think about why it is needed and what characteristics it should have. The stores have a huge number of offers, the choice is based on the needs of the fisherman and his budget. It is important to understand whether you need a simple tent, or a functional and warm one - the price will be different. When assembled, the models vary greatly in weight and dimensions. For winter fishing in not very harsh conditions, the cheapest one is suitable, with the help of which you can minimally warm up or shelter from the freezing wind. For comfortable night fishing in the merciless conditions of the harsh wilderness, you should think about buying more serious equipment.

Characteristics

A winter tent for a fisherman is not just a piece of equipment, it is an important part of his favorite hobby. As in other aspects of fishing, there are no trifles here. Therefore, before choosing a tent, the angler must study the theory of the issue. The main functions of the design are to protect the fisherman’s body from wind and low air temperatures. The simplest and cheapest winter tent should provide at least these two barriers. Issues of comfort - secondly, depending on the angler’s budget. Let's consider the important points, characteristics and functions, on the knowledge of which the choice should be based.

A fishing tent is different from a regular one. This is specialized equipment specifically for winter fishermen, which has the following differences from tourist equipment:

• Sufficient height for sitting position on the fishing box.
• The design includes special loops for fastening on ice.
• Drop-down floor (for holes).
• Thermal insulation.

Automatic
Special warm tents for winter fishing consist of two or even three layers. The heat exchange of such a structure with the external environment is reduced due to the air gap. If it is also equipped with a heat-insulating floor and a heater, it begins to resemble a living space. In such a shelter you can take off your outerwear and sleep. Even a cheap single-layer winter shelter already protects against the cold, and you can warm it up a little with a regular candle. Warmer air is trapped at the top of the canopy, making the angler feel more comfortable.

Snow skirt is a special strip of material along the lower contour of the structure. It is sprinkled with snow from the outside (if available), as a result there is no longer a direct path for external cold air to enter inside. Internal circulation occurs - warm air rises, more and more of it accumulates, it sinks lower and lower, thus in an unheated tent, but covered with snow along the skirt, even in severe frost, the holes practically do not freeze (provided the door is closed). And this is the cheapest option for night winter fishing - a Chinese figure-eight tent, a skirt covered with snow and candles inside. It's warm and light, you can fish calmly.

Snow apron (skirt). Mitek Nelma 3 Automatic.

Windproof

This characteristic of the awning depends on the material of manufacture, the quality of the seams, locks, and the tightness of the closure of doors and windows. The more “deaf” it is, the slower the heat leaves. All cracks, holes, holes release warm air. Warm, waterproof tents almost completely limit air exchange. To prevent the formation and icing of condensate, as well as the release of combustion products from heaters, special valves and ventilation are provided. In such a shelter you can wait out the severe winter weather.

Fastening to ice

The tent must have high-quality loops for attaching to the ice. If you buy a cheap one, pay attention to this point, otherwise the loops may turn out to be disposable or simply break in a strong wind. Good hinges are made of high-strength materials and are firmly sewn. The sewing area also needs to be inspected - it will be strong if various amplifiers, overlays, etc. are provided. It is desirable that inside the loop itself there is a metal (or at least plastic) ring for inserting fasteners.

Through these loops, with the help of special screws (gimlets) screwed into the ice, the structure is stretched to the correct position and securely fastened. To do this, you can use self-tapping screws, screwing them into the ice with a screwdriver. Large nails that can be driven in with a hammer are also suitable. Smart fishermen take a screwdriver with them so that the process goes faster, with a minimum of effort.

Homemade screwdrivers at work

Magazine inserts

Wind resistance

A fishing tent has a fairly large surface area that is exposed to the wind. Strong winds can literally bend and warp your tent. In such cases, fishermen tie it with a cord to an ice auger fixed in the ice. Hemisphere-shaped structures are the most resistant to wind. This factor is also influenced by the quality of materials (metal, fiberglass) and the thickness of the frame guides on which the awning is attached. Good expensive professional tents do not give in to deformation due to the correct design and strength of the frame.

Mobility

This point also needs to be taken into account. When assembled, tents take up a certain size and weight. And the more voluminous and multi-layered the shelter, the more space it takes up and, accordingly, has mass. Small and medium-sized ones are carried by hand, in backpacks or in fishing nets. To transport the largest ones, you will need a separate sled; they can be transported over long distances by snowmobile.

Sleds with packed equipment

Waterproof

An ice fishing tent has a certain level of waterproofing. This is necessary to protect the angler from rain and sleet. A good shelter should not get wet even in heavy rain. This characteristic depends on the awning material from which the product is made. Water resistance is indicated by the manufacturer on each product (from 500 to several thousand millimeters of water column). This figure reflects the water pressure (every 1000 mm equals 0.098 bar) that the awning will withstand without letting moisture inside. The water resistance of tarpaulin is up to 500 mm, synthetics - 1000, but now manufacturers can significantly increase this figure with the help of impregnations.

The type of impregnation used is designated as PU (polyurethane) or Si (silicone). You can also often find the designation SW - water-repellent impregnation. For winter fishing, you need a water resistance level of at least 5000 mm (will withstand heavy rain).

Breathability

Winter fishing tents are made from non-breathable (but waterproof) materials. The use of an expensive membrane, which, due to the difference in partial pressure, pushes moisture from the inside out, but does not allow water to pass in from the outside, is not practical in fishing tents. We're not climbing Everest. And membrane material is very expensive and requires special care (impregnation, wiping, etc.). The fisherman does not need an assault or expeditionary mountaineering tent. If not properly cared for, the membrane will quickly turn into a useless rag. It will be enough for a one-time mountain climb, but it will not be able to serve a fisherman for years.

Ventilation valves

The design of the fishing shelter, if a long stay is planned (night, day or more), should include a ventilation tube at the top or at least a zippered window that can be opened slightly if necessary. When breathing, a lot of water is released, and steam also rises from ice, from holes or during cooking. If the tent is heated, there will be virtually no condensation. In multi-layer tents, condensation will accumulate on the outer layer in the form of droplets. In a single-layer unheated shelter, drops of water will condense on the inside of the fabric of the structure and fall on the fisherman, and in severe frost the condensate will begin to freeze, and the inside of the tent will be covered with a layer of frost.

Scheme of condensation formation

These inconveniences, of course, can only occur when you stay inside for a long time (for example, while sleeping). Still, fishing is an active process. The fisherman constantly enters and leaves the tent, ventilating through the door. But if it’s frosty and windy outside, no one comes out of the shelter for a long time, and several people are also fishing in the tent, then a slightly open ventilation window will be very useful.

Frozen condensate

Internal amenities

You can make an entire ice base out of a winter fishing tent. The fisherman's imagination is not limited here. Various stands for candles, rugs, mounts for bags of fish, LED lighting - anything to please the owner. Some more expensive models have similar pleasant “buns” provided in advance. When buying a cheap product, it is much more important to pay attention to the quality of the hinges for fastening to the ice, the door lock and the floor pocket for the holes (this is always the first thing that fails on Chinese cheap products).

Available offers in the budget segment

If we talk about inexpensive products with good performance, it would be reasonable to highlight the following designs:

1. Penguin 2 Arctic is a pretty good option, which has an ideal combination of price and quality parameters. It consists of two layers of high-quality fabric, and is also characterized by its light weight, convenient design and ease of installation. Domestic fishermen highly value this model and consider it the best solution at an affordable price.
2. Nelma 3 is a good model that can easily accommodate three anglers. It is made like an “umbrella”, so it can be disassembled and put back together very quickly. There is a loop inside on which a lantern or other lighting device is hung. “Nelma” is also distinguished by the presence of a wide window and entrance, as well as a “skirt” around the outside perimeter, which performs protective functions.

Going fishing with a good winter fishing tent is a smart decision. Such a simple but irreplaceable design expands the angler’s capabilities, allowing him to properly organize the upcoming fishing, as well as enjoy the process with maximum comfort. It is thanks to her that fishing easily turns into a full-fledged vacation, and not into survival in unbearably harsh conditions with extreme frosts.

Of course, when choosing, you need to be guided by financial capabilities, so even an affordable model will become an incredibly valuable acquisition.