The ice fishing season is uppon us, and though I already have been out on the ice, December the 15'th is more ore less become a traditional start of the season. This is because the local lakes and ponds with stocked trout and Arctic Char open this day for the winter. I started preparing for my fishing trip the day before by hooking up my Deeper sonar, battery bank, and camera to their chargers, and getting my fishing gear ready. All ready to just jump in my clothes and drive out to the lake in the morning. 

When I first moved to Härjedalen a few friends and me started arranging a fishing camp by one of the local lakes every summer. the camp is an open camp where everyone that wants to can take part. You got to bring your own camping and fishing gear, and buy the local fishing license, but that's it. We'll show you the good spots if you don't know the lake, and if there is room in our boat, you'll be invited to fish with us in our boat. If not, you can bring your own boat, or rent one from the local fishing administration. The last few years we've been arranging the camp in Hundsjön. Hundsjön is a clear water lake where they stock arctic Char and brown trout. In addition there is Pike, Perch, whitefish, Vendance and Burbot in the lake. There is not much fish in the lake, but the fish that are can get nice and big. Pearch over 2 lb are common, and every eyar we catch 1-3 perch that are over 3 lb. The pike are often over 20lb, and the trout are not uncommon to get over 6 lb. 

Once a year the Swedish fishing association arranges a short cruise for their members. The cruise is held on one of the boats that normally travel between Sweden and one of their neighboring countries. This years cruise was held on the MS Cinderella that travels between Stockholm  and Finland. There are loads of events going on during the cruise. The boat offers tax free shopping,  and several other activities that they offer on all their crossings, and for the Fishing cruise "Sportsfiskarna" has their own activities. I had been asked to show up and take part in a workshop on the trip. The workshop was to have several different stations where lure builders and fly tiers from all over Sweden where to show of what they make. I am most known for being a fly tier and lure builder, and for the workshop I got to choose whatever I wanted as long as it wasn't the same as anyone else was arranging. I thought first of lure building, making wobblers, or making ice fishing jigs and let the visitors paint their own ice fishing jigs, but decided that these where to close related to what the other guys had, so I ended up choosing spinner making. 

Some people will classify both Sonia and me as crazy. Sonia with her severe arthritis and diabetes has to be extremely careful to keep her blood sugar count just right, and her arthritis gives her a challenge in tolerating pain and at all being able to handle her fishing gear. Most of the time she uses my modified balalaika rods as these are easy for her to hold, and operate. A regular rod is a huge challenge for her. Still, if she could, she'd be out fishing every single day of the year. 
I have tried my share of extreme fishing that would scare most other anglers away, such as fishing from an inflatable canoe at open sea, Fishing trout during a storm with a buddy, from a canoe on a small lake, and night ice fishing in -40C
But nothing comes up to exploring new waters in remote places. What defines a spot as remote will have to be a question of your starting point, and our destination this time was just about the question of starting point and route chosen to get there. Some times the fastest route is absolutely not in a straight line between A and B.