AS IT IS 2016-01-10 Warm Winter Gives Ice Fishermen the Cold Shoulder

AS IT IS 2016-01-10 Warm Winter Gives Ice Fishermen the Cold Shoulder

People usually think of fishing as a warm-weather pastime¹.

But some fishers say the activity is best when it is freezing outside. Those people are called ice fishermen.

When it gets really cold, they are in their element.

In parts of the northern United States and all over Canada, ice fishing is a big sport.

People wait all year for lakes and rivers in their cities to freeze. They drive trucks and snowmobiles on the ice, cut a hole into the water, and drop a lure².

Here is how it works³:

First, fishers drill a hole in the ice. Then they drop a line into the water. Then they wait. Hopefully, a fish bites the hook⁴ at the end of the line. It is just like regular fishing, but it is done in the winter.

The fishermen wear heavy coats and gloves to stay warm. Some people build small shelters on the ice around the hole. They leave the shacks⁵ on the ice all winter, so they can come and go easily. The shelters provide some protection from the cold and wind.

The shelters are called “shanties,” or shacks. Some have rugs⁶. Some have electricity.

Brian King owns a bait⁷ shop near Detroit, Michigan.

He says he is hoping for ice to form on Anchor⁸ Bay, and everyone is wondering if it is going to happen this year.

Dan Thompson is a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.

He says he expects this year’s warmer weather to continue.

“It’s likely due to El Nino. It’s hard to point to one specific factor because there’s a lot of things working. But in an El Nino year, warmer temperatures are favored and certainly that is what we’re seeing this year.”

Some people are still buying ice-fishing supplies. They are waiting for enough ice to form on smaller bodies of water, like canals.

Other people are happy fishing in the winter, as during the fall or spring, from the shoreline.

In some parts of Minnesota, much further north, low temperatures have been below freezing since December 1. The ice fishing has already started.

In Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, people like to catch a fish called walleye. It is the most popular fish in Minnesota because it is hard to catch. It has a covering on its eyes that is pearly, and helps them to see in low light, says the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that by January 5, ice fishing was active. Resorts⁹ are busy with people who like to catch fish.

A local tourism bureau¹⁰ told the newspaper that ice fishing adds about $10 million to the economy each year.

An ice-fishing guide in Lake of the Woods tells the Pioneer Press the season began about one month early in 2014. Things are different this year.

Words in This Story

bait – n. something (such as a piece of food) that is used to attract fish or animals so they can be caught

meteorologist – n. a person who works in a science that deals with the atmosphere and with weather

pastime – n. an activity that you enjoy doing during your free time

snowmobile – n. a vehicle designed for travel in snowy conditions

lure – n. a device¹¹ used for attracting and catching¹² animals, birds, or especially fish

shoreline– n. the land along the edge of an area of water (such as an ocean, lake, etc.) : a coast or shore

1 pastime   

n.消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Playing chess is his favourite pastime.下棋是他最喜爱的消遣。
• Baseball is the national pastime.棒球是全民性的休闲运动。

2 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

3 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

4 hook   

vt.钩住；n.钩子，钩状物

参考例句：

• The blacksmith forged a bar of iron into a hook.铁匠把一根铁条锻造成一个钩子。
• He hangs up his scarf on the hook behind the door.他把围巾挂在门后的衣钩上。

5 shacks   

n.窝棚，简陋的小屋( shack的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They live in shacks which they made out of wood. 他们住在用木头搭成的简陋的小屋里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Most people in Port au-Prince live in tin shacks. 太子港的大多数居民居住在铁皮棚里。 来自互联网

6 rugs   

n.小块地毯( rug的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• rugs handmade by local craftsmen 由当地工艺师手工制作的小地毯
• Try to avoid colours that jar when choosing curtains and rugs. 选择窗帘和地毯时，尽量避免颜色不调和。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 bait   

n.饵，引诱物；vt.用饵引诱，折磨，奚落

参考例句：

• The fish took the bait.鱼吞饵了。
• They are too knowing to bite at such a bait.他们很老练，不上这种当。

8 anchor   

n./v.锚；危难时可依靠的人或物；用锚泊船

参考例句：

• Letters from home were an anchor to him when he worked abroad.他在国外工作时，家书是他的精神支柱。
• The ship dragged her anchor during the storm. 船在暴风雨中拖动了锚链。

9 resorts   

n.求助，凭借，诉诸( resort的名词复数 )；求助[凭借]的对象；采用的办法；度假胜地v.求助于或诉诸某事物，采取某手段或方法应急或作为对策( resort的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Ferry boats ply regularly between all the resorts on the lake. 渡船定时往返于湖的各旅游景点。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other resorts could benefit from the spillover of tourists. 其他度假胜地可以从游客带来的影响中间受益。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 bureau   

n.提供或收集消息的机构；局，司，处；署

参考例句：

• The weather bureau makes daily reports on weather conditions.气象局每天报告天气状况。
• The Tourist Bureau arranged everything for our journey to Rome.旅游局已为我们去罗马旅行准备了一切。

11 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

12 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。