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Does anybody know how to stop your guides from freezing up. I will be fishing some rivers hopefully the next couple of weeks but this also would be good to know for ice fishing. I have some "magic" spray that was supposed to work but I don't think it does. Anybody have and ideas or know of anything that works?

JFish

Frozen guides are normally related directly to the guide size. Larger diameter lines also bring more water into the guide on retreive. It's the build up of excess moisture that causes the problem.

Ice rods require a guide size at the tip approx. 2 - 2 1/2 times larger than norm. The larger tip guide allows you to break the ice out with a little bit of finger pressure.

I have never come across a magic solution that will keep guides ice free although there may well be something out there.

Best to get the right equipment from the get -go and minimize this sort of hassle.

I asked the same thing earler on, and I was told that you can use PAM that spray on stuff for the frying pan.

But if you are not in a shelter I think that it is impossible to avoid. Even if u use small diamater line. I get freeze up on my Crappy rod with 2lbs test mono.

What about cooking oil? Oil and water dont mix right? So maybe there wouldnt be as much water left on the guides as the line came in. I dont know its just a thought. Probably a stupid thought, I have many of those.

Ya, i think i remember hearing about pam but i'm sure the spray i have is probably close to the same thing. Let's change the topic to just fall fishing and not ice fishing. I have a shelter for ice fishing and ice buildup is not a problem. It's the floatfishing guides that I am having a problem with, so guide size isn't really a factor here because they don't come too much bigger.

JFish

Maybe you get more luck in the Float and Fly Fishing Forum.

Vaseline ... if you dont have any I'll lend you some from my vast personal collection

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

guides from freezing. i thought it would be about richard collins out there freezing his butt off.

Rich, I dont think I will ask about the collection but thanks for the laugh, that was funny.

Funny and frightening at the same time. I've never seen industrial sized containers of vaseline before but thanks for putting a smile on my face Rich, ya sicko!

Seriously though, the Pam, vaseline and oil suggestions do make sense theoretically. Whether it works in reality is another thing. The fact they both have a base that repels water makes sense. Could probably work. Don't know how often re-application would be needed though. Might be more of a pain then anything else.

If McQ hasn't found a cure all yet, not sure there is one. Then again, not sure how much of a crazed ice fisherman he is.

Good Q and interesting thread, even for an ice hating person like myself.

Sorry guys, would have posted this in the Float and Fly forum but it seems pretty dead over there and I knew I would get more responses here.

JFish

Last time I had a frozen guide a micky of Screech thawed 'em out real good.
What ever you use, try it out on your mono first to make sure there is not a negative reaction that might weaken the line.

WD-40

Ian...Screetch doesn't count my friend, that stuff could melt polar caps and might even come close to warming up my frigid ex-wife but I doubt it. Not even sure the depths of Hell could do that!

Seriously though, keep noticing oil based suggestions. Obviously you guys have tried some of these things. What is the re-application time like with whatever product?

I really hate to say this... It looks like I'm actually becoming curious about ice-fishing, this is friggin' scary!