Ice fishing on Lake Sils
By
Filip Zuan
The vastness. The cold. The endlessness. And at his feet, a hole: metres thick, through the ice covering a frozen Lake Sils. 15 years ago, Antonio Walther brought ice fishing to the most beautiful of the Engadin’s lakes.
The catch of the day
The host, who runs the best fish restaurant in the Engadin, the “Murtaröl” on the lakeside, sits on the frozen mountain lake for 30 to 40 days between January and March. Surrounded by nature, at 1,796 metres above sea level, exposed to wind and weather and ready for an adventure that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
With a self-drilled hole, ice rod or hand rod, line and hook, you… Wait. Wait. Wait. And wait some more. The biggest test of patience of your life, almost a meditation in itself – until the fish takes the bait.
“I’m overcome with happiness every time.”
A waiting game
It is possible to catch large trout and American Arctic char, which can be up to 20 years old and one metre in length – a rarity that complements the mindfulness experience. Only 30 ice fishermen are allowed on Lake Sils each day and just over 100 fish are caught per season – so, whoever pulls such a vertebrate out of the water under the ice hole, which is up to 71 metres deep, is a real hero!
But according to Antonio, “Regardless of whether a namaycush bites or not, I’m overcome with happiness every time. For me, it’s not the catch that matters but that satisfying feeling I get from a day of ice fishing: I feel like a new man every time.”
Photocredits: Filip Zuan
About the author
Filip Zuan is an outdoor sports and lifestyle photographer based in the Engadin Valley of the Swiss Alps. Drawn to photography from an early age, he now focuses on sports, people, travel and everyday life, with the mountains shaping much of his vision. After living in Barcelona to pursue skateboarding and photography, his curiosity for new cultures has taken him around the world. A trained graphic designer and art director, he has published four books and exhibited widely. Whether working on personal or commercial projects, he aims to capture timeless, authentic stories with a raw and honest approach.