Am off for two weeks now, until after New Year, hoped I could get some grayling/chub trotting in, maybe some stillwater fly fishing. Its snow here currently and temps today started at -12 and "warmed up" to -5, back down into double figures now. Was walking the dog this morning and it was vicious (the temperature, not the dog) - pretty scenery, but couldn't feel my face after 5 mins. Checked forecast for this coming week and everyday its well below zero, ranging fom -14 to -3. I usually fish all through winter, I don't mind the cold, but this is impossible! Quite apart from my fingers freezing in next to no time, no amount of glycerine would be able to stop the line freezing in the rings (when trotting) and all the stilwaters are fozen. Think I'm going to have to admit defeat even thouhg I'm going a bit stir crazy now The week after Christmas it's at least forecast to get above freezing, so maybe I can give it a shot then, even if its only a token effort. Is anybody actually managing to get out fishing??

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get out there ya bloody tart ,been out today with fred pics later ........

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

yup but its only -5, ice blocks banging on my legs.

I ventured out today,loaded up my car and said ta ta to the wife.Got as far as the end of my road turned round and got back into bed

Neil

I hope you said ho-ho-ho to her when ya got back in

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Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate
YOU DONT NEED EYES TO SEE YOU NEED VISION

You wouldn't even get to the end of the road down here 123.........I think all this snow is Byng Crosbie's fault.
GB

I did but it soon wore off when she had me cleaning out the shed I've been promising to do all yr


Terrific aint it?

Neil

- 13 here in Galway tonight, lots of snow and white frozen roads. Whats even more there is a shooting ban in place so cant even go for a shot,not that I mind must be tough for birds in this weather,so I decided to take the springer's for a walk today only to have their feet ice up after half an hour.
Think the only thing for it is a big fire and lots of alcohol.....
HO,HO,HO
Trout Hunter

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Trout,great to hunt,greater to release.

Deep and crisp and even - my ar5e. And it's my busy time of year at work, too. Go away, cold - I want to go fishing...

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"In wine there is wisdom. In beer there is strength. In water there is bacteria." - German proverb
JH based near Southampton

I feel your pain, brother.

Fly fishing just gets very difficult IMO at about -5 and colder. We don't have much choice here in the frozen tundra, if you want to fish at all during the first 3 months of the season, you'll have to put up with cold, ice, and snow, but the fun really isn't there unless it's going to warm up to at least -5 C.

I can take the cold no problem, it's the damn ice buildup in the guides that drives me crazy. And before any comes in with "try using X, it prevents ice buildup", let me just say a) I have, and b) it doesn't. Whatever it is, from glycerin, to chapstick, to wax, to ground up ass wart off of a freaking white rhino, I've tried it on my rod guides and no, it doesn't prevent ice buildup. At BEST it slows it down a little bit.

Also, the reel really takes a beating when it's very cold because it freezes up solid from the water coming off the wet line. Then you have to either beat the ice out of it or dunk it in the water to melt it free, and that gets to be a little hard on gear because then it has to be carefully dried out.

Winter fishing don't come easy, but beyond all the hassles I still really enjoy it. Generally I'm the only one out there on miles and miles of river and there's a certain satisfaction to having a really good day in really tough conditions. Also, as far as I'm concerned, the only way to get better at fishing is by fishing in all conditions. Any plonker can catch when the water is boiling with dry fly action in May. What separates the men from the boys is easily seen when the going gets tough and the water gets cold.

Grouse