Guides icing up
Guides icing up
Looking at the weather forecast, it looks like we will have some days where we'll be fighting ice build up in our line guides. So far this winter it has not been a problem for me but I do try to go out on the warmer days. I post this just as a reminder to everyone that just like your rod's guides, a trout's gills are vulnerable to icing which can damage the gills quickly and kill the fish. Keep the exposure to air at a minimum if you are C&R.
Re: Guides icing up
Put a little Vaseline on the guides, it won't stop it, but it will help slow the buildup of ice.
- njcatchrelease
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:36 pm
- Location: Northern NJ
- Contact:
Re: Guides icing up
Get a stick of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and use that on the guides. Works great and doesn't hurt the fly line.
Tight Lines
Re: Guides icing up
Does vaseline hurt the line? I could see Burts working as well, any waterproof product..chap stick, carmex?njcatchrelease wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:25 pmGet a stick of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and use that on the guides. Works great and doesn't hurt the fly line.
- njcatchrelease
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:36 pm
- Location: Northern NJ
- Contact:
Re: Guides icing up
I haven't heard anything about Vaselne hurting the lines, but I did read about someone who used true Chapstick and they stated it caused their fly line to discolor.lightenup wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:50 pmDoes vaseline hurt the line? I could see Burts working as well, any waterproof product..chap stick, carmex?njcatchrelease wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:25 pmGet a stick of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and use that on the guides. Works great and doesn't hurt the fly line.
Tight Lines
- Rusty Spinner
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:35 pm
- Location: Flanders, NJ
- Contact:
Re: Guides icing up
Vaseline is petroleum based and so are fly lines. So I doubt it would do any harm and might just work. My solution to icing guides is a 100% fix. I leave the fly rod home and go hunting this time of the year. Haven't had a single icing issue since!lightenup wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:50 pmDoes vaseline hurt the line? I could see Burts working as well, any waterproof product..chap stick, carmex?njcatchrelease wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:25 pmGet a stick of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and use that on the guides. Works great and doesn't hurt the fly line.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Guides icing up
A small nasal spray bottle filled with windshield de-icer works for me.
aka; Ralph
________________________________
The irony of the Human condition is that we are so focused on reaching some point in our journey, some happiness, or some goal, that we seem to forget that the journey itself is where life happens.
________________________________
The irony of the Human condition is that we are so focused on reaching some point in our journey, some happiness, or some goal, that we seem to forget that the journey itself is where life happens.
Re: Guides icing up
Just your fingers from poor circulation though....Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:14 amVaseline is petroleum based and so are fly lines. So I doubt it would do any harm and might just work. My solution to icing guides is a 100% fix. I leave the fly rod home and go hunting this time of the year. Haven't had a single icing issue since!lightenup wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:50 pmDoes vaseline hurt the line? I could see Burts working as well, any waterproof product..chap stick, carmex?njcatchrelease wrote: ↑Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:25 pmGet a stick of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm and use that on the guides. Works great and doesn't hurt the fly line.
- Rusty Spinner
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:35 pm
- Location: Flanders, NJ
- Contact:
Re: Guides icing up
You don't know the half of it since I began taking Coumadin because of my artificial heart valve. I use the chemical whole foot warmers in super insulated Sorel boots with two good layers of warm socks to deal with my freezing toes and I wear "glove mittens" where the fingers are halfway and a mitten like top pulls over the finger area. I put toe warmers in because they fit perfectly in the mitten top section and they have adhesive on one side so they won't fall out. Then I also have a hand warmer tube I wear around my neck like a quarterback or kicker might have on tonight at the Kansas City game (just saw its snowing hard there currently). Steelhead camp with my TU chapter was not fun, and I almost never chase them because of the cold and not being able to stay warm all day. I just can't keep my feet warm. But with hunting in a stand or blind, I can keep warm with the above help and great layers of clothing I have acquired over the years.lightenup wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:15 pmJust your fingers from poor circulation though....Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:14 amVaseline is petroleum based and so are fly lines. So I doubt it would do any harm and might just work. My solution to icing guides is a 100% fix. I leave the fly rod home and go hunting this time of the year. Haven't had a single icing issue since!
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Guides icing up
Yes, I know about your issues..It must suck, but it doesn't mean I can't poke you...Ill be fishing next day possible in the cold...My hands get very cold, as I have a very low BP, so I will have hand warmers...Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 3:54 pmYou don't know the half of it since I began taking Coumadin because of my artificial heart valve. I use the chemical whole foot warmers in super insulated Sorel boots with two good layers of warm socks to deal with my freezing toes and I wear "glove mittens" where the fingers are halfway and a mitten like top pulls over the finger area. I put toe warmers in because they fit perfectly in the mitten top section and they have adhesive on one side so they won't fall out. Then I also have a hand warmer tube I wear around my neck like a quarterback or kicker might have on tonight at the Kansas City game (just saw its snowing hard there currently). Steelhead camp with my TU chapter was not fun, and I almost never chase them because of the cold and not being able to stay warm all day. I just can't keep my feet warm. But with hunting in a stand or blind, I can keep warm with the above help and great layers of clothing I have acquired over the years.lightenup wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 1:15 pmJust your fingers from poor circulation though....Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:14 am
Vaseline is petroleum based and so are fly lines. So I doubt it would do any harm and might just work. My solution to icing guides is a 100% fix. I leave the fly rod home and go hunting this time of the year. Haven't had a single icing issue since!
Re: Guides icing up
Some ideas I used for keeping warm when I was young enough to ski, the key is keeping dry, once perspiration occurs its over; polypro liners for feet, medium weight wool socks. For fishing I use polypro gloves with finger tips cut off and wool mittens with the folding finger tops over them. If its windy, snowing or raining I use waterproof ski mittens, a pita, but you stay dry. For core warmth I use layers of lightweight fleece under a rain/wind shell. Kept me warm in winter when we had the cabin on the WB Ausable. Saw this article a while back I thought had some good suggestions;
https://troutbitten.com/2018/11/21/fly- ... -and-toes/
Snowing here now.
https://troutbitten.com/2018/11/21/fly- ... -and-toes/
Snowing here now.
aka; Ralph
________________________________
The irony of the Human condition is that we are so focused on reaching some point in our journey, some happiness, or some goal, that we seem to forget that the journey itself is where life happens.
________________________________
The irony of the Human condition is that we are so focused on reaching some point in our journey, some happiness, or some goal, that we seem to forget that the journey itself is where life happens.
- BiggerThomas
- Posts: 469
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 1:44 pm
- Location: Whenever somebody's looking to be free...look in their eyes--you'll see me.
Re: Guides icing up
I'm surprised and proud that you guys kept this thread out of the gutter
"Most anglers spend their lives in making rules for trout, and trout spend theirs in breaking them."
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
-From Letters to Young Fly-Fishers, (1926) Sir George Aston,
- Rusty Spinner
- Posts: 1239
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:35 pm
- Location: Flanders, NJ
- Contact: