Just wondering if anyone had some tips for keeping your guides from freezing up or is it just part of the mystique of winter time fly fishing?

go fishing in florida

Other than "fish when it's warmer," not really. All of the other remedies I've tried have only improved things marginally, if any. Just clean the guides out every few minutes, or if it's just the last couple, dip them in the water...all part of the experience.

One thing that does help a little is roll casting with a fixed amount of line out through the guides. Not always feasible depending on how you're fishing, but I find I fish like this a lot when I'm nymphing, which I do in the Winter more than other times of year. Shooting the wet line through guides is what causes them to ice up quicker.

an even bigger problem is ice on your line, leader, et. At around 25*f or lower those problems become significant.

^Yep. A little ice on the guides is one thing and isn't too big of a deal, but once you're leader and flies freeze up you know it's cold!

Carefully remove the ice from the guides. More than one fisher has popped a guide loose or snapped a tip section getting ice from the guides. Remember the the blank can become less tolerant / brittle when it's real cold out. I'd stay indoors if it's that cold out. The exception would be steelie fishing which I do for 48 hours every other year. I then biitch about it until I get talked into going again. Long range forecast for my Pulaski trip is lows of 12-13 and highs of 25-27. If you open a window and listen, you'll hear me complaining. Lol.

Thanks for the advice guys....hopefully Santa gets me a vice and some fly tying materials for those nippy days

You can prevent some ice by using chapstick on your guides. If it repels water (even liquid floatant) then it will help a bit. Nothing fixes it except not fishing when it's cold.

run a very fine wire up the blank and plug into a 9 volt battery...

they will freeze no matter what you try. just have to deal with it.

looks like my trip on friday is going to be cold and snow covered, going to be hard to get them to bite. but am hoping for some decent photo's any how.. theres 2 waterfalls 20 and 45 foot that i want to take.

How about WD-40? Put a little on a rag and rub it on the guides.

its a chemical that will ruin your line.......but if you afford to buy lines all the time go ahead...lol

Quote:

This says it all. For ice on the guides I just periodically clear it off, no biggy. When the line and flies freeze it's over.

First time I encountered ice on the guides was funny.

Fishing the Lackawanna in January with the Moonbeam, I was working a seam across the river and having difficulty reaching it. Now, I know my technique is still in need of improvement, but I should have managed that length of cast.

Finally looked at the snake guides and realized they were plugged solid with ice! A true "Duh" moment!

If I'm using a fishing guide and he gets frozen I just give him some hot coffee and a donut and they're usually good for the reat of the day! LOL!

Nice, nice!