Ice on line

[limpline]

Today was my first day of fly fishing in the "tolerable" cold. Went horrible. Ice on the guides, river was up, and I think the line was frozen. Couldn't cast worth a darn! Top of that,I found a guide on the T2 section was loose. I called Aleka and another is being sent out.
Got out of river and went to the field to change. Decided to practice cast some to get spirits up. Casted great. I hate to ask a dumb question, but, could the line have been stiff affecting loops. I was using 6wt Orvis WF.
PS: These ladies enjoyed the morning!

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[mcnerney]

Fishing in the cold can be a PITA but with a long cold winter it helps the cabin fever to get out on the water. I usually like to go on days where the highs will be forecast to get into the low 30's and little or no wind. That way in the morning you will be fighting the ice in the guides and then in the afternoon not so much. You have to expect the guides to freeze and eventually your fly reel will too so that is worth keeping an eye on. I will dunk the fly rod in the water periodically, that helps to a degree but you still have to work the ice out of the guides. If your high sticking, the line out of the water will get ice on it as well, but as soon as you dunk it back in the water it should be fine. A small tug on the line will tell you if the line is moving freely through the guides or not, when it starts getting a little stiff, time to take some corrective action, dump rod in the water and then work the remaining ice out of the guides.

Larry

 

[sandfly]

OMG -- open water ?
There is at least 6" of ice over the whole creek here and top to bottom ice on the tribs. The lakes have 12 to 18" of ice. I won't see water till June I think..

Nice that you got out, but theres always problems fishing below 32 degrees.