Braid the worst cold weather line

[Angry John]

So it's recently very cold in tenessee, and being that I will try and fish any water that is not solid, I figured I would go out for some more testing.  I grabbed my spinning setups without a second thought and I was off to drag a tube for some cold water action.  First cast was perfect and it was going to be a good day.  Sun shinning and a brisk 24 with a 3-5 mph wind.  Reel up for second cast and a mess of braid comes off the spool.  Well that sucks.  Get it undone and fire off a short shot.  Again no big deal.  Third cast I am back to a mess again.  Never again braid below freezing.... arrrrg

[WRB]

Watch the pro's cast braid and you see a cloud of spray come off the reel, that is water trapped in the braid....water freezes not the braid.

I learned this lesson decades ago with Dacron braid, it was like a frozen rope trying to fish in below freezing temps. You can spray the spooled line with silicone spray or WD-40 to reduce the water being trapped into the braid.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

Even my mono was freezing on Saturday 

[Angry John]

I used to hide inside most times and would not fish below 50.  Trying to broaden my skills.  Grew up in san Diego and lived near the coast almost my entire life.  My time in Connecticut I just hid from the cold.  My next adventure will be to see if kvd line and lure helps when aplied to the line and sprayed on the guides.

 

Even my mono was freezing on Saturday 

My fluorocarbon was not doing any better yesterday 

[TnRiver46]

 

I used to hide inside most times and would not fish below 50.  Trying to broaden my skills.  Grew up in san Diego and lived near the coast almost my entire life.  My time in Connecticut I just hid from the cold.  My next adventure will be to see if kvd line and lure helps when aplied to the line and sprayed on the guides.

My fluorocarbon was not doing any better yesterday 

I definitely wouldn't use braid but if it's cold enough you will have problems no matter what 

[Angry John]

 

I definitely wouldn't use braid but if it's cold enough you will have problems no matter what 

Figuring out also why northern guys hate micros.  #frozenFun

[Oregon Native]

Was at Norris when it was ten degrees and a stiff wind...so am sure was below zero.....ten pound power pro and dipping rod every other cast worked fine....!!!

 

[frogflogger]

nan-o-fil for spinning has worked better than braid for me in icy conditions.

[Bladesmith,]

Power Pro has served me well in freezing conditions. Have fished when it was below zero and had no problems with it.

[pondbassin101]

I have absolutely 0 problems down here

[Angry John]

Both rods were using 832 one in 30 the other in 15.  Is there a difference in how they act by brand.  I could imagine but would have guessed not.

[Paul Roberts]

Could try Gliss. It's very smooth. Haven't tried it sub-zero yet though.

[Further North]

On 1/14/2018 at 5:47 PM, Oregon Native said:

Was at Norris when it was ten degrees and a stiff wind...so am sure was below zero.....ten pound power pro and dipping rod every other cast worked fine....!!!

 

Wind chill has no effect on fishing line...or any other inanimate object object...

 

The only impact that wind can have on inanimate objects is to speed up the lowering of initial temperature to the same temperature as ambient temperatures outdoors.

 

I'm not saying 10° isn't cold...it's been below -20° here already this winter...just attempting to keep the science accurate...

[Oregon Native]

10 hours ago, Further North said:

Wind chill has no effect on fishing line...or any other inanimate object object...

 

The only impact that wind can have on inanimate objects is to speed up the lowering of initial temperature to the same temperature as ambient temperatures outdoors.

 

I'm not saying 10° isn't cold...it's been below -20° here already this winter...just attempting to keep the science accurate...

Oh...ok....was just thinking that with a wind blowing across it would lower temp.  "MY BAD"

Thank you

[J Francho]

Welcome to what we northerners have been dealing with for ages.  Micros? No.  Braid? No.  Fluoro? Maybe, as a leader.  Mono? Yes.  Copoly? Yes.  KVD L&L on the guides and line? Yes.

[Hawkeye21]

The only fishing I do in the winter is trout fishing and I've used braid plenty of times without issue.  I use a spinning rod and reel though.  The only issue I have when it's that cold is the tip getting froze up and that happens regardless of the line I'm using.

[Finnz922]

I would think a coated braid might work. Other than that, mono or copoly as others suggested. 

[Angry John]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

Welcome to what we northerners have been dealing with for ages.  Micros? No.  Braid? No.  Fluoro? Maybe, as a leader.  Mono? Yes.  Copoly? Yes.  KVD L&L on the guides and line? Yes.

So putting l and l directly on the guides helps.  I was thinking of trying that to see.  Good tip#!!

[J Francho]

If it's cold enough, you can just gently rap the rod on the rear grip, and knock the ice out of the guides.

[BobP]

I’m an old chicken.  Below 50?  Stay at home unless I’m trolling for striper.  But I think the idea of using Gliss, a fused super line rather than a braid has merit.  It might freeze from surface water like any line but it won’t absorb water.

[J Francho]

I don't know much about Gliss, but the Fireline Crystal fused line definitely froze up.  I was disappointed because it worked so well casting spoons from shore for browns, steelies, and salmon.

[Further North]

On 1/16/2018 at 11:43 AM, J Francho said:

If it's cold enough, you can just gently rap the rod on the rear grip, and knock the ice out of the guides.

Or dip the rod in the water.

 

That's what I did moments after this:

 

 

PS: Fly line works fine in the cold...little stiff, but it works.

On 1/16/2018 at 11:47 AM, BobP said:

I’m an old chicken.  Below 50?  Stay at home unless I’m trolling for striper.  But I think the idea of using Gliss, a fused super line rather than a braid has merit.  It might freeze from surface water like any line but it won’t absorb water.

Man...I get that, because cold tends to be relative...but some of our best fishing up here is after air temps drop below 50°...

 

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On a semi-related topic...we have a rope out back for the dogs...twice this year, we had wet weather (mid 30s, raining) then had the temperature take a dive to near zero over the course of three or four hours...and both times the core of the rope broke...leaving the outer nylon weave unbroken. 

 

Never seen that before...