Ice fishermen gather to determine world's best

RIGA - While the rest of the world is glued to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City about 50 competitors are gathered in Latvia for the Ice Fishing World Championship.

Conditions are good on the Dunezers Lake, 20 kilometers from Riga near Sigulda, where the competition takes place Feb. 19-24.

This is the first time Latvia has organized the world championship, and it will be the first one attended by Estonian and Lithuanian teams.

It is also the first championship where new international rules on the use of a lure known as a "mormysha," beloved by ice fishermen, will be in effect.

A mormysha, Latvian Angling Federation President Janis Stikuts explained, is a small, artificial lure consisting of a metallic head with a hook soldered to it and a rubber skirt or worm attached. In English its known as a jig. Invented in the last century in Russia the mormysha rapidly gained popularity among ice fishermen there and in Scandinavia.

Russia, the reining world champion, is this year's favorite for the title. But while Latvia finished second last year its chances of victory should not be underestimated, said Stikuts.

While ice fishing remains a male dominated sport, two women will participate in this year's championship, one from Finland and one from Latvia.

And what counts most in this competition is not brawn but brains, said Stikuts.

"It is not so important to catch the biggest fish. The total weight at the end of the day will determine who will advance to the next day," he said.

Many species of fish can be caught in Dunezers Lake, including perch, roach, rudd, bleak, ruff, white bream and pike. All are partial to bloodworms which are the anglers' bait of choice.

It may be difficult, however, to trick the fish into biting since it is very hard to predict conditions.

"Generally, the best conditions for ice fishing were yesterday or will be tomorrow, but never on the day you actually go out there to try and catch some fish," said Stikuts.

He dismisses concerns about the strength of the ice on Dunezers. International rules stipulate that it is dangerous to fish on ice thinner than 10 centimeters.

"Ice fishing is never more dangerous than living, but in spring time it could be wise to be a bit more careful," said Stikuts.

He also rules out ice fishing becoming an Olympic sport any time soon.

"It is against the Olympic spirit to try and catch and kill something that is alive," he said.