Cold weather fishing do's and don'ts

Actually just one.
DON'T leave your wading shoes, still wet from a previous trip, in your car when the weather is below freezing
I've been told that that's not a good thing to do

[ 01-06-2004, 09:33 PM: Message edited by: Stew ]

[WheresMyBobber]

If you have carpeted bunks on your trailer, don't (and I mean DON'T) go fishing in freezing weather one day, then park your trailer in an unheated garage, decide to go fishing the next day, and unhook your boat from the trailer before you back down the ramp. :shocked:

My brothers neighbors cousins friends Dad did this once a long time ago.... once . :blush:

[ZaQ]

Bobber, I like that one. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

[Fish Hawg]

I know someone who did that going duck hunting one weekend :shocked:

[Quasimodo the fish killer]

uhmm if you dont have a fish box never put your fish on the bottom of your boat they kind of get stuck to it

I did that once took 3 days to thaw enough to peel them loose [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

[blacktail]

Don't trip over a rock when wading downstream and dive face first into the Middle Deschutes on a freezing February day. :blush: [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Mike

[Timber]

Don't stand on the carpet in one spot very long with wet felt soles or you will leave them stuck to the bottom.

[Slade]

Wheresmybobber, I unhooked my 6-month old Willy DB from the trailer a week or two ago before my buddy (boat co-owner) backed down the ramp. Needless to say, I had to drag the boat to the water, which sounded nice. It was an eerie moment as the boat began to slide off the trailer; all the @#%! my buddy was going to give me raced through my mind in an instant. My buddy never said anything until I confessed my stupidity an hour later, and then he let me have it.

ZaQ - thanks for the jigging tips.

[CAPT KUJO]

When fishing in the winter remember:

EVERYDAY IS SUMMER IN A DRYSUIT!

Being Cold is a choice you make!

CAPT KUJO

[Birdnest]

Drink a pot of coffee and then put on 27 layers of clothes. :shocked:

[Space]

If you have a really great fishing shed, make sure you have a really great lock that won't freeze shut.

SPACE

[glassblower]

I think I would have to say never use a boat ramp in heavy freezing rain (not from experiance), but from experiance when driving 30+ miles to fish in below freezing weather do not bring a rod with braided line, I did this one time on the upper nestucka when it was about 20 below zero and that line on about the third cast started to freeze onto the spool all I could do was pack it up and enjoy the ride home.

Never break ice on the boat ramp with your trailer, unless you want to replace your lights.
Now I would never do this :blush: TWICE.

[ampersat]

Don't throw your nice graphite rod on the ground no matter how mad or frustrated you are. [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

I did not do this myself (I don't even own a nice graphite rod) but did hear about it second hand from a reliable source.

[Corkie Monster]

Don't stand under big tree limbs weighted down by snow or ice. This just did'nt happen to me today Uh Uh..... nope. :blush: [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

CM

[fishnpray]

Amen to the coffee and the layers. Good company helps too, as misery...

-Luis

[straightweave]

Don't forget to bring a piece of cotton cloth to wipe the fog off your glasses w/. Layer upon layer of wool and propelyne do not help to get the glasses dry.

[Short Hop]

Dont try to walk across the NFN in the snow because you think you can make it.

[HeavyMetal BankFisherman]

Don't do a slingshot cast from the bank when under trees and let the treble hook of the spinner impale you in the thumb well past the barb. [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

[Jennie@ifish]

Don't wear felts on a snowy bank, unless you like to walk on snow stilts and grow very, very tall, very, very quickly.

I was standing nearly 7 foot tall! :smile:

[SandyRiverRon]

As we age the question is what goes first, the mind or the eyes. My guess it's a dead heat; the other day I walked a 1/2 mile into a favorite drift in a snow storm, 2 rods and no glasses to see well enuff to tie a respectable knot.....that sucked.

[ORoutdoorsman]

These are all good tips, but I think probably the most important one was left out. Just remember, winter steelehad eggs are worthless. They are no good for curing, you'll never catch a fish on them. So when people get them, make sure to give me a shout and I will make sure to properly dispose of them for you.

[Grantspastor]

Don't ask your pregnant wife who reluctantly agreed to shuttle your trailer, to just sit in the front seat with you while you back the drift boat down a steep icy boat ramp. The combination of screams, visual images of her face, and water seeping in across the floorboards, along with assorted remarks designed to question your judgment, cause a sort of temporary sensory "overload", and make it hard to think of a good plan to get yourself out the sitation.

[Mad Mikey]

Don't stick your tongue on the side of your aluminum driftboat.... [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

[Jennie@ifish]

What were you doing? Trying to lick the egg goo off of it? :shocked:

Geesh! Some people!

Grants, yours made me laugh the hardest! That gave me DeJa Vu!!!!

Don't ask!!

Jen

[KingFisher85]

A do.....ummmm.....stay home...build a nice warm fire...put a movie in...and...umm..yea :grin:

[Reel Fun Fish'n]

Don't use the outhouse if it has a metal seat.....
don't ask how it know this :blush:

[Green Willie]

Upon arrival at your next drift, don't put the frozen First Cast Jig into your mouth to unthaw it before casting. Mark uses really sharp hooks. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

[Siwash]

DO: Bring along a an extra change of sweats and footwear in a dry bag, in case you take a dunking. Summertime, you can just slosh around until you dry out; wintertime, you'll have a life-threatening case of hypothermia in minutes.

DON'T: Try and cram on an extra thick pair of socks if it's too tight. More insulation won't be worth restricting the circulation to your tootsies.

[kodiakfisher]

Siwash excellant tip, those of you who think extra socks with bootfoot waders and stuffing your foot into your boots will be warmer are wrong.

I have proven this in Alaska a time or two. Now I make sure my feet have pleanty of room.

[salmurai]

Wear your pfd even while wading. It doesn't matter, then go out and get one that is comfortable. I'm sure your widow and your kids would have wanted you to. :shocked:

[Mad Mikey]

>>>What were you doing? Trying to lick the egg goo off of it?<<<

Nah, had a flashback to the 80's with an old CW McCall song in mind, went somethin' like this..

"kinda like a tongue stuck to a sled in the middle of a blizzard..."

Same results with the driftboat.... [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

[No Wishin Just Fishin]

dont use the slide on the Nehalem at cook creek unless two people holding rope. boat looks funny on the other side of the river lucky another guide in his boat there

[DJFISHS2XS]

Ive posted this before but this is what not to do and I learned all this last weekend...I think its pretty funny...DJ

Fishing in 7 degree weather

I new I would have the river to myself, very cold weather and the Seahawks were in the playoffs. If you don’t have time to read a long post just scan the BOLD word it sum’s the day up nicely

1. Knowing it was going to be cold, I placed my wet waders in the house the night before to dry and then put them in the front of the truck. What I didn’t dry/put in the front of the truck was the wader shoes and they were FROZEN solid when I got to the river. So I had to unthaw them in the truck.
2. Felt bottom boots suck in the snow, first few steps away from the truck slipped and fell but it wasn’t bad lots of cloths and 5 inches of snow. Did get COLD wet hands to start the day with.
3. Sprayed the guides of my rod and line with reel magic, works for the guides but braided line still freezes as soon as the wet line leaves the water re-dipping the line does not remove the ICE
4. While stepping out of the river found out that felt bottom boots suck on ICE slipped right where the ice met the shore, landed on softball size rocks and ICE ouch.
5. No matter how nice and pliable the plastic jig box is, when COLD it well shatter when a 230 pound man falls on it . So now I have a fishing vest with a pocket full of jigs and shattered plastic.
6. I returned to the truck and decided to run down to the corner gas station and get some coffee and re organized the jigs in what’s left of the box. When I went to get in the truck my waders were FROZE so I couldn’t get my legs up to step in….so I place one hand on the door a jumped into the truck. The frozen waders were so slick on the pleather seats I slid of the seat and landed on my back next to the truck (feet still in side) that’s fall 3 for anyone counting.
7. Next I grab a Lamaglass spinning rod with mono on it. This time I spray the guides with WD40. Works better then the Reel magic but you need to carry it with you to reapply from time to time. When the WD40 is gone from the tip the ICE scraping from the line well gather on the tip. Don’t put the rod tip in your mouth to remove the ICE, your chewing tobacco well taste like WD40 even after you put in a new dip.
8. The jig that you spent time on the night before that you were sure was “the one” will FREEZE to the reel when the wet marabou touches the metal when you swing the line in to add depth to the float. When you remove the jig the feathers well stay on the reel. So much for the perfect jig.

OVER ALL IT WAS A GREAT DAY FISHING. NOT A BITE BUT ENJOYED THE SNOW AND JUST WALKING IN THE RIVER. LOTS OF BIRDS AND THE SUN GAVE A CLEAN GLOW TO THE SNOW. ENDED THE DAY WEARING MY WADERS HOME BECAUSE THEY WERE FROZE TO BAD TO UNTIE THE BOOTS

[Skipper]

Great Story DJ.
Many more reasons in my arsenal to avoid fishing on freezing days.

Cheerio'
Skipper

[Sagebrush Fisherman]

Mix up a 50/50 mixture of the old style of kitty litter and snow melt in a five gallon bucket to spread on an iced over ramp when retrieving your boat.

[SteelieSlammer]

Felt soles on your wading shoes fill up with ice and snow. This can make it very difficult to walk around until.

[shalom]

I am retired and done a lot of the things that have been written about . I!m amazed at how many of the things that are shared here i hadn!t thought of or had happen to me . It proves that you can still learn no matter what your age is . I liked the one about do not unhook the winch hook from the boat if you were out fishing the day before and the carpet is frozen . That could have happened to me , before i retired . Now i find that i am luck enough to wait for warmer weather .

[Nookie Monster]

Never pet a burning dog.


Dan and Mark's burning dog.

[fop]

Don't spend to much time reading the newspaper before going fishing unless you have that new type of indoor plumbing..


fop

[Silver Hilton]

"watch out where the huskies go-o-o, don't you eat that yellow snow-w-w, um hum..."

[SHOUGALNITE]

Don't ever teach your wife how to cast. She got us stuck on every other cast.

[mtpar]

Alot of great info.

Bottom line, better to be prepared for anything as its sure to happen if your not.

Boy Scouts were right!!! :smile:

mtpar

[GutZ]

Dry your hands off after cleaning fish BEFORE strapping down the boat. My partner stuck his thumb to the metal clamp on the tie down strap last weekend. I was gonna pull it off before he started screaming "NO, STOP"