i’ve never experienced the kind of bitter cold that Canada and other similarly wintery places have to deal with, but something tells me that sitting in an ice fishing hut doesn’t appeal to me much. when i saw this series by photographer Richard Johnson however, i started imagining what my own ice hut would look like… i probably wouldn’t use it for fishing though, perhaps just as a giant freezer? i can store a year’s worth of ice-cream in there.
Richard traveled across Canada comparing the similarities, and differences, of Ice Fishing architecture between provinces. the project is now in its 6th year, and he has photographed more than 650 individual huts.
As with its distant cousins the native Teepee and the Igloo, the Ice Fishing Hut has its own essential purpose. It must be weather resistant and transportable, giving basic shelter and access to the ground beneath it. These provisional shelters offer a colourful glimpse into the Canadian culture of Ice Fishing. Faux wood paneling, sheet metal, tarpaulins, peak roofs, modified camping trailers all fulfil the requirement for shelter.
