What is too cold?

[bigtimfish]

How cold does it have to be for you to say no, It is too cold. I know some of you yanks ;D will have a different opinion. With your ice fishing and all, but I went on Dec 23 08. It was 27 degs outside. It was my first time to go fishing in the winter. My line guides were iced over and ice was peeling off of my line at the level wind. To me it was crazy. I had a good time and caught fish, on rat l traps to my surprise. But it was just to cold. BTW 27 degs is cold for southeast Tx. And don't be offended by the yanks thing, it's just a joke.

[J Francho]

I don't ice fish, but we hit the streams for winter steelhead. Some trips to Pulaski have been in the single digits.

[Busy]

I don't think it ever gets too cold, provided you dress appropriately.

Then again I've never experienced anything below -8 F while I wasn't sleeping.

Down to 0 is ok by me, but I'll likely be hunting/stalking rather than fishing.

[Skunked in DR]

I've gone late season muskie fishing in -5 - -10 degree weather (that's Celsius before you think I'm totally insane).  Bitter winds and blowing snow always seem to add to the fun.

I do it because I don't ice fish, so for me that's usually it for fishing for the next 5 months.

[Paul Roberts]

When there're fish to be had (esp steelies) there is no such thing as too cold.

I used to put the bait (egg sacks) in my mouth to thaw them.

Probably just a yank thing.

[J Francho]

When there're fish to be had (esp steelies) there is no such thing as too cold.

I used to put the bait (egg sacks) in my mouth to thaw them.

Probably just a yank thing.

Mmmmmm....I love the taste of kosher salt and caviar in the morning, LOL.

[crw]

There was a time, when I was younger, that cold, heat, rain did not bother me.   I fish for the enjoyment of it, and if I am not comfortable, I go home.  If I am out fishing and it starts raining, so be it, I just put on a rain suit for a while.   If it is raining when I get up, I wait until it stops, then go fishing.

Lighting is a totally different story.

[DINK WHISPERER]

In FL there is no such thing, LOL!!!!

[fishinfewl]

Too cold is when you don't get bites otherwise there is no such thing as it being too cold.

[Bass-1]

"TOO COLD" up here in Maine to me is when my Javelin can't break the ice anymore... ;D, and I can't cast to "ANY" open water.... Other then that, cold weather means NO DAM BLACK FLIES.... ;D ;D ;D

[Paul Roberts]

When there're fish to be had (esp steelies) there is no such thing as too cold.

I used to put the bait (egg sacks) in my mouth to thaw them.

Probably just a yank thing.

Mmmmmm....I love the taste of kosher salt and caviar in the morning, LOL.

You mean you bite down on 'em? Guess you tie extras.

[tnhiker44]

I am sitting out on my porch... it is 7:19 pm and it is 91 degrees out here. I am wondering why now, someone from Texas, would ask about 'too cold' ????

I am no longer able to tolerate the cold like I used to. It cannot be too hot, but anything below 50 degrees is just to darn cold. That is air temperature by the way, not water temperature... around here I doubt the water ever gets that cold.

[fishfordollars]

fished a tournament last year on lake Ray Hubbard. Had to pour lake water on the carpet and still ripped the carpet around the live well to put the first fish in. It had rained the evening before and the carpet frooze up to everything. I hate it when the guides ice up, but that's part of it.

thank the lord for the 100 MPH suits.

[hawgwalker]

My last day on the water in 2008 was December 29th and there were icebergs floating on the lake and the water temp was 36-39. Temperature does not keep me off the water but wind that time of year sure will. Something about a stiff breeze blowing across 30 and 40 degree water.

I wish I had ALgore with me a couple of weeks ago in July when the high never reached the fore casted 56 degrees and we froze our butts off in a cold wet drizzle.We could have talked of the mile of ice that a mere 10, 000 years ago covered my lake and the arctic wasteland that would be Maine but for a warming trend :

[underwraps1]

In FL there is no such thing, LOL!!!!

Hey, it gets down to the 50s sometimes, that's pretty cold!

[Bassn Blvd]

Depends.  Using the trollig motor I'd say 40's.  Running wide open with the motor then I'd say 50-60's.

[Bankbeater]

I've been when the temp was in the mid 30's with no wind and caught bass and I have been when the temp was 50 with gusty winds and about frozen my behind off.  I will not go when the air temp is in the 20's.

[J Francho]

When there're fish to be had (esp steelies) there is no such thing as too cold.

I used to put the bait (egg sacks) in my mouth to thaw them.

Probably just a yank thing.

Mmmmmm....I love the taste of kosher salt and caviar in the morning, LOL.

You mean you bite down on 'em? Guess you tie extras.

We fish with Meatballs!!!!  

[TommyBass]

Actual fishing from a boat anything from ice out to ice in. I can handle cold fairly easily except my hands... so those are my biggest worry, especially when using a baitcaster with the frigid water. Something about being on that water makes it alot colder too... there have been several early season days where I think "what am I doing?" as I suck on my guides to get the ice off, but its usually worth it... its when you catch the big dogs.

As far as my coldest temperature... Id have to say I don't know... but I know it was well below freezing and the windblown shores were slush... the only thing keeping the lake from instantly freezing me in there were the whitecaps  ;D

Now hunting... thats another story.

[slider head]

I fished a tourney last year at the first of March, that had it all....

6 am -8:30 am poured the rain...45 degrees

8:30 - 12 noon sun out and warming quickly...guessing upper 50's low 60's

12 -1:30 pm thunderstorms with small hail......

1:30 to 4 pm wind howling 20- 25+ temp dropping quick

4pm weigh in time......snow showers. Spit snow the rest of the evening. I spent as much time putting clothes on and off as I did fishing that day.

Coldest was a couple years back when I went out striper fishing with my Dad around the holidays. Temp was low 30's and dropping when we started. Not a breathe of wind...just bone chilling cold. I was not about to admit to the old man I was freezing. After 3-4 hrs he finally said we have to get out of here its too dern cold! We ran a christmas tree business and farmed most of my life. I have never seen the old man wear a pair of gloves or put anything on to cover his ears. I have seen his ears at times as red as a fire engine. It was the only time in my life I heard him say it was too cold.

Bottom line IMO below 40 degrees if you are in a boat on a body of water with any size to it........it will feel 10+ degrees colder than it actually is.

[InLikeFinz]

Coldest I've ever been on the water was 19 degrees this past winter. We fished for 4 hours in winter gear and it was uncomfortable enough for me to call it a season until spring. The week after that a couple of guys drowned because their boat took on water and the water temp was just too cold for them to make it to shore. This winter I will be thinking about that before I go out for sure.

[carrothead]

40 degrees!

[SkeeterZX225]

Once, while fishing this past winter, I broke ice at the boat ramp putting the boat in the water. The truck said 22 degrees, water temperature was 32-33 degrees and still had quite a bit of frozen water in the back of some pockets. Fished for about 6 hours and caught a couple fish. As long as the lakes not frozen over I will fish. I work outside in alot worse weather than that, so its no big deal.

[Lynx]

Theres going to have to be a serve blizzard to stop me.

[Fishing Rhino]

How cold does it have to be for you to say no, It is too cold. I know some of you yanks ;D will have a different opinion. With your ice fishing and all, but I went on Dec 23 08. It was 27 degs outside. It was my first time to go fishing in the winter. My line guides were iced over and ice was peeling off of my line at the level wind. To me it was crazy. I had a good time and caught fish, on rat l traps to my surprise. But it was just to cold. BTW 27 degs is cold for southeast Tx. And don't be offended by the yanks thing, it's just a joke.

I was out one day in mid March with the conditions you mentioned.  Guides icing up with the line squeaking in the guides.  I thought it was an equipment problem until I noticed the ice.

Surface temp was about 48 degrees, air temp high twenties, headed for a high of fortyish.

Had on layers of clothing. undershirt, chamois shirt, sweatshirt, and lined jacket.  Jeans and foul weather pants to stay dry while paddling.  No gloves.

Though cold, it was sunny, with nothing more than a slight breeze.  If it had been windy, I'd have stayed on the beach.

From time to time, I dipped the rod into the water to de-ice it.  Was catching fish, and my hands did not seem cold, until the fishing was done, and I started to load the canoe and gear onto my truck to head home.

I'll fish those conditions anytime the fish are cooperating.