Rookie, stupid question...

[paddyrunelite]

Tried fishing the Harpeth Sunday morning, more for personal sanity than in hopes of catching anything. The air temps were 24, not sure about water. My question is about guides icing up. Anything I can do to prevent this? I've heard chapstick might work. Thoughts? Will anything work for very long in temps that cold? Thanks...

[Travis C.]

Maybe someone on here knows more but I have never found anything except fishing warmer weather to prevent it.

Just becareful of the build up as it can damage the line.

[toddro]

The easiest way to prevent it is to dip your rod in the river before every cast as it keeps warmer (non-freezing) water on your rod.  It will also de-ice your rod if you leave it in the water long enough. 

Loon makes a de-icing paste for your rod guides that works very well, and a lot of Steelhead fishermen swear by it.  Burt's Beeswax works too, as does chapstick. 

[Steve H]

Todd nailed it, just dip your rod in the water and it will de-ice itself. If the ice is thick, knock it off with your hands around the guides, then dip.

[bd]

I bet a coating of water-repellent flyline dressing on the guides would prevent icing.  Of course you're doing the same thing with the chapstick, and chapstick is probably cheaper.  The only reason I can think of to use line dressing instead is if you're super picky about your lines and worried about what the chapstick residue might do to the flyline coating (probably nothing).

bd

[paddyrunelite]

Thanks guys. Lots of good ideas. I will see what I can do on Friday...

[toddro]

Were there any fish biting in the Harpeth at 28 degrees?  Were you fishing the suburban trout jungle or were you fishing for bass?

[lawnman]

Ice on your guides is kinda like hair on your chest, makes you more of a man. I fished my local pond that's stocked with trout on Friday and had ice on the guides as well frozen fingers but they were biting.

[bd]

Ice on your guides is kinda like hair on your chest,

Is this why you never see women fishing when it's cold?

bd

[grumpy]

a clean fly line isn't apt to pickup a lot of water

Grumpy

[paddyrunelite]

Were there any fish biting in the Harpeth at 28 degrees?  Were you fishing the suburban trout jungle or were you fishing for bass?

I was fishing for anything that would bite. Had a white woolly bugger and some other large profile, light colored streamers, hoping something would see it and eat it. Water was high and off color. I fished at the dam stocking location...or is that the damn stocking location? 

No luck. Another couple was there bait fishing. Didnt see them pull any out either.

Had a hard time keeping my streamers deep enough in that fast water. Decided after an hour or so that I'd rather go to church with my family than wade among the garbage. The highlight of the excursion was seeing two beautiful blue herons along the river...

I feel like I live in the black hole of Tennessee hunting/fishing. Pretty good drive to get to anywhere worth going...

[toddro]

I feel like I live in the black hole of Tennessee hunting/fishing. Pretty good drive to get to anywhere worth going...

Hmmm...  I'd have to disagree with you there on the fishing aspect, unless you are only targeting trout...  

[Travis C.]

I feel like I live in the black hole of Tennessee hunting/fishing. Pretty good drive to get to anywhere worth going...

I once thought that. Where I am located north of nashville just as close to KY as downtown it's at least 1hr 15min just to get to regular trout water. BUT.. once opened up my thinking, there are big time smallie creeks within 15 min of my house, golf courses where we have caught 3-4-5-6 and even a 9+lb bass from on topwater at night. Several city lakes full of big crappie and bluegill.

I am not even including the carp aspect or miles of fields with ponds.

[Travis C.]

Had a hard time keeping my streamers deep enough in that fast water.

You can help a streamer get down with a small 1/8 or 3/16 oz bullet worm weight placed on the line like you would fish a Texas rigged plastic worm. Just make sure you open your loop so that you don't hit your rod with the weight.

Once you get the cast down it can be easier than swapping out line on a trip when you need to get that streamer down in the deeper pools then after you move past it just take the weight off.

[Steve H]

Also, there are no stupid questions. We are all always learning in this sport.