Basically, ice fishing is when your lake or river is frozen over and you cut a hole in the ice to fish through. It may sound simple, but you need specific gear to make this type of fishing a success - and an iron constitution to stand up to the cold.

The first thing you need will be a saw to cut that hole with, then an auger to remove the ice and an ice-spade to skim off any smaller bits of ice and newly-formed ice that forms over the top. Saws and augers will be powered these days. Before you start, you'll need to be sure that the ice is at least 4 inches thick to support your weight safely.

To make things a bit more comfortable for yourself, it is possible to hire or buy a portable ice shelter to reduce the wind-chill factor. These vary in size; the bigger ones need to be towed out onto the ice with a four-wheel drive vehicle. The smaller ones may be sufficient and some are quite reasonable in cost so if you plan on doing a lot of ice fishing, this may be the way to go.

Of course you will need special clothing if you are to sit out on the ice for hours at a time. Make sure you get extra padding in the knees and seat of your trousers for added comfort. Fur-lined parka and woolen beanie or earmuffs, gloves, thick woolen socks, waterproof boots with a non-slip sole are other necessities.

Your normal fishing rods and reels will not suffice. These days there is a whole range of fishing gear specifically designed for ice fishing. It's wise to invest in this special equipment if you want to increase your chances of success. The sonar, for example, will be able to tell you where the schools of fish like to hang out. It will also show you where the foliage is that fish like to feed on. All you need to do is drill enough holes to find that school.

An underwater camera is also useful to show you what condition the green foliage many fish feed on is in and whether or not the fish are using it. It will also aid your chances of success if you understand the particular feeding habits of the fish you are after. Big-water perch feed on tiny organisms that move up and down in the water column depending on the light. At high-light times like the middle of the day, these organisms move to the deeper water where its darker, so that's where the perch will be found. When the light is low, the reverse occurs, with the perch following their food source towards the top of the water.

Walleyes feed on minnows that like the light, so they are more likely to be found towards the surface in the daylight hours. If you take the trouble to find out about things like this, it will increase your chances of success when ice fishing.