What are you using to insulate your hands from the cold?

[smudger564]

Hi All, I'm trying to find out how you guys keep your hands warm, in the cold temperatures you fish in?

You experience more temperature variation during the winter, than we do in the UK.

I am running a thread on Sealskinz Gloves at the moment, so info from this could prove valuable to me, as an addition to what we are using at present.

Any guys who Ice Fish too, what are you using?

I'm a big believer in, "Any fool can be cold", but why get to that point, to start with?

Any help on this would be brilliant.

Best Regards

Stuart

[goldentrout]

For fly fishing I like fingerless gloves like these. You can also search this site for mittens, some of which I have used and work good for things like ice fishing or horseback riding.
FINGERLESS RAGG WOOL THINSULATE LINED GLOVES.

I also have these fingerless gloves. Alaska River gloves. They work really well and are less bulky that the above mentioned ones. Haven't tried the wind proof fleece mittens, but as good as the gloves work I'm sure they would be nice and toasty.
I really like the neoprene gloves for warmth and they are waterproof. When I'm spending my time stripping big egg sucking leeches through a lake in winter and not changing flies much, neoprene gloves work great.
Products - Fishing

Hope this helps!

[okuma]

I use fingerless thin fleece gloves in the cold and if needed, I carry a hand warmer pack in my pocket

[ant]

I use woolen fingerless gloves, that have a mitten part that flaps over my fingers. That way I can keep my fingers warm with the mitten, but if I need to tie a know can flip it back and have access to my fingers.

[dang old king]

I know I'm a new guy too this Board but I have been around many forums.

This topic is a sticky wicket for sure.

Gloves and fish slime.Unless your harvesting your catch,I would highly recommend Non absorbent gloves.

Or if you remove your absorbent gloves prior to handling your catch,Your doing the fish and fellow anglers a favor.

Most of the rivers I fish are C&R The rules in Colorado state the fish must be returned to the water immediately.

I wish it said unharmed and immediately. I cant tell you how many fish I've seen in spring and mid summer,that have finger and thumb prints on them from the previous winters

battles with man.

Tail rot and skin rot on a trophy's makes me sad on several different levels.

1. For the fish, what a horrible way to suffer as parasites eat away at your skin & flesh. Ethical and humane were words from a recent C&R thread.

Most of the fish I see, that have been damaged by mishandling, live in slack and back water eddy's trying to stay up right to grab the slightest morsel's that pass.All are dying and just waiting for that

last gasp if you will.

2 For the future angler that missed out on such an amazing creature.Uneducated anglers create the problem but they fish where I fish so it has become my problem.

I saw a book the other day.The author of the book uses a bright colored bandanna to knuckle his fish.I couldn't believe it.

My son recently presented me with a pair of Sims fingerless retractable mittens..I've used them once so far but removed them prior to handling my catch.

This removal has a two fold purpose..One keeps the glove dry,two leaves the fish unscathed.

I was very comfortable in the winter with an "Old Electricians" trick I being the Old Electrician..

The use of latex gloves and those tiny jersey wool type gloves.

1st apply a pair of latex..traps the heat in your hand

2nd apply jersey/stretchy type... keeps your rubber covered hand warm

3rd apply 2nd layer of latex..keeps the cloth dry and provides a semi tacky surface so you can manipulate line and reel.

This method works. Keeps you warm,you don't have to remove gloves and protects that ever crucial layer of slime on our finned friends.

Just my 2 cents worth

[smudger564]

Hi, Some good points, put across very nicely, Dang Old King. On the UK flyforums, the main thing to come out of all this so far is, use Latex gloves as an under glove. If your allergic use Nitrile.

They give a thin layer of insulation to the skin from the cold wind and prevent to much evaporation of moisture. The over glove, if you will, is to prevent the cold from seeping in.

There are fish that have been damaged by bad handling, the world over. People just need a little education, in release methods, ie, respect for ones quarry. Good handling techniques, allow Trophy Fish to remain Trophies. These are after all, someone else's fish too?

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Best Regards

Stuart

[dang old king]

Originally Posted by smudger564

Hi, Some good points, put across very nicely, Dang Old King. On the UK flyforums, the main thing to come out of all this so far is, use Latex gloves as an under glove. If your allergic use Nitrile.

They give a thin layer of insulation to the skin from the cold wind and prevent to much evaporation of moisture. The over glove, if you will, is to prevent the cold from seeping in.

There are fish that have been damaged by bad handling, the world over. People just need a little education, in release methods, ie, respect for ones quarry. Good handling techniques, allow Trophy Fish to remain Trophies. These are after all, someone else's fish too?

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Best Regards

Stuart

I never thought of latex allergies but they do exist..Good point Stuart and thanks of the positive feed back.

I don't get that often..People usually scream and rant at me..LOL

Steve

[peregrines]

I use the finger less fleece gloves too until it gets real cold-- then i switch to slit finger Glacier Gloves -- (I still use an older model of what is now the Pro Angler, but bought before it had a fleece liner) Products - Fishing

The slit fingers help with line handling, and the neoprene gloves keep your hands pretty toasty, even deep wading where your hands are always getting dunked.

If you check around you can sometimes find good deals on price.

[ghostdncr]

I use a pair of wool fingerless gloves from Scotland I got probably fifteen+ years ago. Tough as nails and warm even when wet. I also have a pair of the fingerless long-cuff gloves with the mitten flaps, but it's generally iced over around here when it gets cold enough to warrant those.

Excellent point raised earlier about slime injuries. I notice the older I get, the more conscious of this I become and tend to try unhooking to-be-released fish underwater. The wool really shines there, as it continues to insulate even when wet.

[Rip Tide]

wool fingerless for fly fishing...not too thick with long cuffs
poly or cotton liners and latex dishwashing gloves for icefishing