Tundra

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I had a small scale emergency that kinda reminded me I'm human and to be careful while winter fishing.

Winter fishing is one of my favorite seasons all year. There is nothing like watching all the ice snap out of your guides all at once from the explosive tug of a large trout on a streamer. still it can be dangerous and you must take steps in the extreme cold.

Last night I repaired my waders in preparation of fishing today because they had a slow to moderate leak. I probably was fishing PA's largest cress bed this morning. It took me a lot of careful steps and navigation going through it because of the amount of mucky silt and I was trying to stalk out the fish on the edges. I got 70% of the way through it when I felt the pop and water rush in on my lower left leg.
I knew I had to get out but there was no way I was crossing the creek to get back to the car. I had to walk back painfully the way I came. After I got out, I had to walk the stream bank down to a bridge to get across and then up the road back to the car.

When I got there I started the car, took off the waders, wet sock and pants. I always pack multiple sets of clothes when fishing in the extreme cold just for this very reason. I even pack towels and blankets. While I held my leg in front of the heater, I used a towel to dry the inside of my waders. Needless to say wading was over. It took an hour for the blisters to calm down and the redness to calm. It was 8 degrees where I was today at sunrise and when the wind started, yeah. I had my boots freeze to rocks when I exited the creek and I had my fly hit my reel and instantly freeze to the cage. I took no pictures of fish either, it's too cold for that and it could hurt them for sure. In all honesty, I pretty much done with fish pics anyways. Even if it was a 30 inch brown. It was no joke and frostnip is no joke. I took multiple breaks to warm up in the car, normally I don't need to but that wet leg killed my tolerance even though it was dry now. I could go for an hour or so before needing to get to the car.

I was able to continue fishing and I had an excellent day on the water. I left this location around 1pm and tried to go to another. Upon arrival I realized I could only take the cold for less than five minutes now.
I immediately left because I has likely drained my core temperature. I've been drinking coffee and soup with the heater cranked all night, thinking about today's fishing and the trips coming up in the next few days. I'm ok and feel pretty darn good so I'm lucky.

I just wanted share and remind everyone to be careful.
Remember to pack extra clothes, blankets, towels, hand warmers etc... Always let someone know where you are fishing too, just not in a post ;-) Then again, I was the only crazy person out where I was today. Some where out there in the frozen cress bed tundra, in the narrow steaming watery maze, is a giant. It can stay there too!

Just bought myself a new face shield and looks like I'll be getting new waders tomorrow, better make them NEO's ;-)
Happy fishing all and good luck!

 

[troutfanatic]

Much truth in this post.

I was in Pittsburgh on leave a couple years ago and on a whim I drove up to Neshanock and hit Slippery Rock on return. No one knew where I was and it was like 25 degrees out. It was getting dark when I decided to wade out of the water to walk to the truck... boom and bloop. I fell in a deep hole and went under.
That sucked... sucked real bad. My muscles were on the verge of quitting as I crawled out and made it to the truck where I fired up the heater then changed to dry clothes right in the area I was parked.

 

[LeTortAngler2]

This post reminded me of my first trip to Erie fishing for steelhead right next to the lake with gale force winds and temperatures in the teens... It was lovely
I enjoy fishing in the winter too, but 8 degrees with windchills in the negatives? Burr..

 

[Fishidiot]

No doubt - some tough conditions out there right now.

I stay out of water more than about knee deep this time of year but on the CV streams especially, it is easy to step into a hole or get into boot sucking sediment and get wet in the process.

Be careful out there friends.

 

[streamerguy]

salvelinusfontinalis wrote:
I just wanted share and remind everyone to be careful.
Remember to pack extra clothes, blankets, towels, hand warmers etc...

^This is mandatory for all cold weather fisherman.

I had a similar experience back in November, during that big freeze we had. Was good all morning until I started wading in deep.......then my waders started filling up. My feet when from cold to COLD real fast. Ended up taking off my waders, emptying them out, and squeezing out my socks right there streamside it was so bad. That was good enough for me to make it back to the vehicle ok, and luckily my brother's waders and a change of clothes were in there which ended up saving the day. My feet were never so cold in my life.

I once took a swim about 5 years ago in February which was fun, especially since I was using hip boots. The car was right there so it was a pretty rapid warm-up/dry off.

Stay safe out there!

 

[troutbert]

In some of these stories the fisherman is basically depending on his car starting up and the heat coming on to save his life.

Usually those things will happen. But not always. Especially when the weather is very cold.

 

[Maurice]

There should be a support group for those with this addiction...its a sickness. Risking life and limb to catch trout. Nuts I tell ya.

We can call it FFA. Hi, my name is Sal and I am a Fly Fishing Addict.

For years we used to go to Erie and break the ice from pools for hours, let the fish rest and then fish for them. Ice in the guides, feet feeling like bricks, fingertips freezing, reels locking up. These are all signs that you are doing it wrong.

For this reason my brother came up with the 38 degree rule. If the temperature is not going to reach 38 degrees that day you don't go fly fishing.

Everytime I have deviated from that rule I have regretted it in some way or another.

So, maybe I am an old curmudgeon but when the lows are in single digits and wind chills below Zero with highs in the teens, and you are fishing...you my friend are nutz. IMHO of course... :-o

 

[geebee]

troutbert wrote:
In some of these stories the fisherman is basically depending on his car starting up and the heat coming on to save his life.

Usually those things will happen. But not always. Especially when the weather is very cold.

this is true - always keep your gas tank pretty full in winter, and blankets, water etc along with a shovel, scraper and de-icer.

thats whether i'm fishing or not.

i also carry a survival blanket with a whistle, a torch and knife/fire starter.

fishing wise i have the same prep as the rest of you - but i do take a thermos flask of tea or soup to warm me up from the inside.

 

[troutbert]

Maurice wrote:

So, maybe I am an old curmudgeon but when the lows are in single digits and wind chills below Zero with highs in the teens, and you are fishing...you my friend are nutz. IMHO of course... :-o

I was thinking it was some mixture of masochism and machismo.

But "nutz" works just as well.

 

[sandfly]

I miss fishing in the winter, but with a heart problem no way !
I fall and hit cold water on the chest wham instant heart attack
only place I would go is the small streams where I don't have to wade but they are frozen over..

 

[JackM]

When I first started fly fishing and about 3 years in, I learned the Yough was fishable in the winter thanks to this site. I went up, waded across the river getting teet deep to make it through the deepest part, then climbed up a hill and back down to traverse a deadfall that blocked me from wading straight up the shoreline. At the end of my trek, I could fish a ledge where the trout held in the winter. Nowadays, I won't fish when it is that cold because I don't like shivering unless a woman is involved.

 

[boychick]

Good advice here, be prepared and be safe in the winter. Getting wet in the freezing temps can be life threatening and should be taken seriously. I live by the Maurice rule, but my cut off is 33 degrees.

 

[pcray1231]

It took an hour for the blisters to calm down and the redness to calm.

I was able to continue fishing and I had an excellent day on the water. I left this location around 1pm and tried to go to another.

Good post. But dude, you got it bad. I'm willing to go fishing in cold weather. But after that experience, I'd have been done for the day, no doubt about it! Within that hour of warming up, I'd have been back home, perhaps with a warm shower, a fire blaring.

 

[pete41]

and if you find yourself getting oh so sleepy and wanting to sit down and take a short nap-head for your vehicle immediately and jump into your down filled arctic sleeping bag- if you don't you aren't going to wake up.
I had just enough sense left to realize I was about to succumb to hypothermia- slept for about six hours.
Not smart-that was in Montana,no one else at the spot….

 

[sandfly]

pete41

and if you find yourself getting oh so sleepy and wanting to sit down and take a short nap-head for your vehicle immediately

I take a nap on the streams every time I go.....

 

[Lutz]

Seeing the temps were holding above 32F, I couldn't contain myself and went to the tully yesterday. I was well prepared for the cold, but not mentally prepared for the 2'x2' ice block that bumped into my side when my attention was focused on presentation. Lots of images went through my mind before looking at the attacker.

:-o

 

[sandfly]

air might be warmer, but the fish don't notice in cold water.

 

[Lutz]

I'm well aware of that, Sandfly. I based the decision on my own comfort, as others were saying earlier in this thread.

 

[JackM]

I am not sure if the last exchanges were serious, but cold water is a stressor as much as warm water, except oxygen is more plentiful in cold water conditions. There is nothing wrong with fishing any time fish will bite, but it is worth noting that care should be taken, particularly with the strain of a fight. Always land as quickly as possible in the winter.

 

[Chaz]

I like winter fishing, but limit it to days when the temperature is above 32, I don't want the guides to freeze.
I always take a change of clothes in case. If I fall in I get back to the vehicle and warm up, then get the heck out and get the core temperature up if I was in the water long enough to feel it's dropped. I cold water hypothermia sets in very fast. Get a hot drink to help warm up.