rod line guides ice, any remedies?

[Tree Digger]

With a new career path the past few years, the opportunity to fish has increased in the winter months. While ice fishing is ok, I like to hit the rivers for walleye occasionally. The biggest problem I have is the line guides iceing up when temps dip below 32. I know mono is much better than say fireline or other braid due to shedding water better. I know the steelheaders fish the blizzards in the winter, do you just deal with it? Or, does one line or method help.

Any advice for trapping or netting a better walleye minnow than what the bait shops in my area have, I'm all ears. I have trapped a lot of minnows in the warmer water, but they seem to disappear when the water temps dip into the 40's or lower, I assume they go deep in the holes, or up warmer spring fed feeder streams.
Thanks

[eyesforever]

A little glycerine will help a lot. Use a Q-Tip or your finger to smear it in the guides, and a little shake of the rod while reeling in to shake off water b/4 it freezes.

[double trouble]

carry a bit of winshield solvent or de-icer in a spray bottle.

[Tree Digger]

thanks, I'm feeling humble now....why didn't I think of that.
Thanks again. Any more great ideas?

[Jimmer]

guy I fish with swears by wd-40. Says it actually helps attract fish too :lol:

My only issue with it is putting petro chemicals into the water.

[bobcolenso]

guy I fish with swears by wd-40. Says it actually helps attract fish too :lol:

My only issue with it is putting petro chemicals into the water.
:yeahthat:
Someone told me about WD-40 before and I thought he was pulling my leg. Then he put some on his eyelets and lure and 3 casts later landed a nice 10# walleye. So now I have a small can in my fishing vest.

I also heard of people using non-stick cooking spray like PAM or something. It may not be an attractant like WD-40, but then it's not a petro chemical either.

But then, how much petro chemicals are dumped into the lakes and rivers by two stroke boat motors?

[alex-v]

I also heard of people using non-stick cooking spray like PAM or something. It may not be an attractant like WD-40, but then it's not a petro chemical either.
Yes it is, or, at least it contains some. I just went and looked at a couple of cans of this stuff. One brand name just lists propellants and the other lists propane as one of the propellants. Plus some of the other ingredients are those weird names which end in "...ane"

I have heard of people wiping the guides down with olive oil. They say it lasts longer than vegetable oil.

[fish eater]

Back in the day when I was a kid fishing before I could afford a shanty, I used to put a cup of household cooking oil (Canola, Peanut, Vegetable, etc,) in the hole. It floats at the top in your hole, and this way I was always reeling my line and my baits through it. Seemed to work ok back then.:)

[Tree Digger]

Thanks again guys, I have to agree w/you on wd-40 being an attractant. I have used it on lk erie, we actually sprayed the lures on one side of the boat and not on the other. The sprayed lures always produced more walleye, seems like the test would only last untill we started catching fish then we would end up spraying them all.(did not test on crawlers)
I'm not sure if the test results would be the same on inland water, I assumed the scent somehow matched a gizzard shad and would be productive when the shad is present in the water body.
I had an older gent, an exellent walleye producer tell me to use preperation H, if you read the ingredients it does contain shark oil. I have tested this some through the ice with no great improved results, it may have been my test water, it is a tough bite in the winter regardless. Plan on wiping your lure when finished, this stuff will not wash off while fishing...

[Will Schultz]

Here you go...

Ice-off paste - it works.

http://www.loonoutdoors.com/cleanerslubricants.html

Available at most fly shops.