ICE! what's your trick for fighting ice?

[SkyRiverMan]

I think I have whined about ice so much for the last week, my wife finally got sick of listening.... I was getting ready to soak my line in Rain-X or WD40 to try to keep the line from freezing up on my guides - but my wife suggested PAM cooking spray right to the guides since that might be a little more enviro-friendly - (it was a little embarrassing to whip out the jumbo can of PAM in front of the other guys - and they all had a good laugh, scoffed, made comments about how they wanted their fish cooked, etc and gave me a dozen reasons why this was really a stupid idea..... although they did ALL line up 15 minutes later for a spray after I was still ice free!). Downside is PAM only works for about 20-25 minutes before it looses its mojo - and your rod, guides, line, etc is greasy and slicker than snot.....

So the Q is, how do you guys fight the ice build up on your guides? having my fishing time limited to less than an hour because of ma natures fickleness and excessive ice build up is getting me down......

what's the secret?

Sky

[BentRod]

There is no secret. Ice buildup happens and just sucks. A couple things you can do to minimize the problem is to use spinning gear combined with mono line. Spinning reels are less prone to icing as well as the rod guides on spinning rods tend to be a little larger, which also takes more ice build up to obstruct. Additionally, the mono holds less water, so doesn't ice up the rod guides as fast.
There is also a paste you can buy to smear on your rod guides that slows the water sticking and freezing at those points. I think it's usually located in the fly fishing section at most shops. Same concept of your PAM idea (worth trying in my opinion, so thanks for the feedback). Some guys suggest petroleum jelly or chapstick as an alternative. If you are using braid, you can try running your braid through wax, which helps keep it afloat as well as minimizes the water sticking as well.
I've come to the conclusion that fishing in subfreezing temps typically isn't fun as as my fingers hurt and I spend time battling my gear, but if I venture out I will usually take my spinning gear with mono and throw spinners and spoons. When the rod tip starts to freeze and obstruct, dipping it in the water and swirling it around will usually melt the chunk enough to break it off and free things up.
FWIW.

[chongo469]

I have told people about Pam for years now... Seems I always forget it when I need it, but it works good...

[Brat Bonker]

wouldn't the fish smell the pam and not bite or do they not mind

[Mike Carey]

another option on the guides is expired antibiotic ointment.

[natetreat]

WD40 works great. As for line, P-Line hydro float is much better at shedding the ice than mono. I love the stuff.

[primetime]

WD40 works great. As for line, P-Line hydro float is much better at shedding the ice than mono. I love the stuff.

Is that braid? I used braid last year during a freeze...never again haha.

[natetreat]

It's a heat fused braided line. It floats, like the name says, but it also sheds water than mono and doesn't get brittle. Spent all day out there today, it was 18 degrees when we started.

[sickbayer]

I use silicone spray, works well and if ice forms reapply.

[fishinChristian]

Good methods. Might try 'em, but generally i just submerge the offending guides and swirl, as mentioned. Never really bothered me for some reason...

[kzoo]

WD40 does the trick, but you need to spray your guides every hour.

[SkyRiverMan]

Thanks guys - Seems I am on the right track then as far as doing what I can to deal with the ice - I am already throwing Hydrofloat from a spinning reel, and thump my rod to knock as much water off the line before reeling in. I was hoping there was some trick I had missed over the years....

My family tells me I am nuts to even go outside when it's 15 degrees, I've fished a few hours every day all week, had the river pretty much to myself, and the fish have been willing, it's the ice that has been limiting the fun....guess I just have to keep chewing the ice cube off my bobber stop till it warms up...

Thanks for the input

SRM

[strider43]

WD40 works great. As for line, P-Line hydro float is much better at shedding the ice than mono. I love the stuff.

I used hydrofloat saturday with antibiotic ointment could only manage about 8 cast before the ice was so bad I had try to knock the ice off. I also tried to thaw my rod tip near a fire and found that hydrofloat has a very low melting teperature

[fishinChristian]

Of course the best trick for fighting ice, the one that never fails, is to go fishing when it is warmer than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hydrofloat. Low melting temp. Got it. And SkyRiverMan: That is what I love about winter fishing. No crowds when it is cold. Dress warm!

[Steelheadin360]

I smear some shrimp smelly jelly and my rod guides. I also try to use fishing methods that dont require alot of reeling and work well in cold water such as pulling bait divers or plunking on the bank.