Welcome to our Weekend Adventures with Woolpower series! In this series, you’ll meet some of our Woolpower fans and learn how they use their Woolpower gear during weekend adventures.
Today we’re travelling up the coast to Southern Ontario and the Boreal Forest for a chat with Matt Dewey – @mattt.dewewy – about his weekend adventures in Woolpower. Matt is an avid outdoorsman and guide. Fishing – more specifically ice fishing – adventures are his specialty.
Woolpower – Hey Matt! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today. We’ve been following your ice fishing adventures on Instagram for a while and were so intrigued by them. Ice fishing seems like an interesting sport! Tell us a little bit about how you first got into it.
Matt - My late father raised me in the outdoors – hunting, fishing, camping exc.. He had taken me out a few times when I was younger and I’ll never forget the very first time he took me out – I was maybe 5 or 6 years old – we were catching Mudpuppies ( Aquatic Salamanders). It was a strange first experience! As I got older and more independent, I fell in love with ice fishing – around the age of 16 – and have spent almost every day on the hard water in the winter since.
and external gills that look like feathery projections near their head.
– Photo Courtesy of DNR –
Woolpower – Ice Fishing looks cold. We’re getting chills just looking through the photos…brrr! When did you first discover the warmth of Woolpower? Has it become an integral part to your ice fishing trips?
Matt - I discovered Woolpower probably 7 or 8 years ago; I was really getting into bushcraft and indulging in nature/fishing every second I got. Through researching YouTube videos and from personal experience, I knew I needed better clothing and gear to make my outdoor passions more enjoyable. I used my first or second paycheck to buy my first Woolpower pieces (long johns and socks) and that’s when Woolpower became an integral part of my fishing and anything outdoors – especially in cold temps – gear!
Woolpower – Which Woolpower piece is your go-to, can’t leave home without it in your pack?
Matt – Definitely socks and long johns. The thicker long johns as my mid-layer is key. I can’t count how many people in the past have had cold feet on the ice and asked me how I stay so warm even though they have similar footwear most of the time. It’s all about the socks! I love my Woolpower socks. I like to say there’s no bad weather with the right clothing!
Woolpower - What has been your most interesting or comical ice fishing trip?
Matt - Probably the most interesting experience I have had ice fishing was a few years back. I was fishing Lake Simcoe in Ontario with a few buddies and a snow storm came through. Our gear and other huts were flying around on the ice. There was no snow at all on the ice so anything without grip was gone. Made it difficult to chase stuff down!
Woolpower - We know anglers love a good fish story! What is the biggest / best fish you have caught through the ice?
It’s not easy to choose my biggest/best fish through the ice. I often target multiple different species throughout the winter, but I will say over the past couple of years I caught two of my personal best – a 29″ Whitefish & 38” Northern Pike. The Pike I caught through 38 inches of ice!
Woolpower – For people interested in getting into ice fishing, what would you recommend?
Matt - Get the basics for gear – all you need is a rod, reel, lures and some warm clothing – like Woolpower!
The biggest thing when first getting into ice fishing is learning about ice safety! Never go on ice without following all the safety precautions. You can usually find ice safety information and info for your local area on the internet.
Thanks Matt! What a unique Weekend Adventure in Woolpower!
Have an adventure you’d like to tell us about? Email your Weekend Adventure or tag us – @woolpowerus – on Instagram for a chance to be featured.
Stay Warm!
Team Woolpower
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Interested in ice fishing?
Checkout these beginner’s tips!