Die Hards how do you stay out so late with your boats fishing?

I usually put the boats away around the second week in October or if the day temp gets below 50 degrees. I simply cannot stand the cold with good gloves on my hands. How do you guys/gals do it? I should mention I usually fish for bass by the time the temps hit the 50’s they are usually not to keen on biting. Should I troll perhaps for walleyes just holding a rod in my hand? When the ice is just getting to form I used fish up until then but truthfully never had that wonderful fall bite everyone talks about. Is it a myth Thanks!

We do lots of vertical jigging. If we are suffering bad we will take a break to warm up hands etc., we will bring a buddy heater. My late season fishing has almost all been done on the river.

I usually bass fish right up until ice up and usually throw a small tourney around mid November on whitefish. If I can hit the ice and open water just right usually a good walleye bite to be found. Either fishing until ice is your thing or not, I have nothing better do since I don’t hunt so I am fishing.

50’s??? That’s a heat wave in my world.

Once it’s cold enough that your numb, temps doesn’t matter. Just go

Need to get outdoirs on a regular basis in the fall to get acclimated to the temps. Dont wear gloves for as long as possible otherwise your hands will be wimps and want the warmth. Putting on a couple extra pounds in the fall helps to. Before you know it 35 degrees out in the boat will feel fantastic.

For bass they will bite right up to ice up. Stickbaits are a good choice. Just twitch them along and stop them often. Most bites will come with no movement.

Get heavy rubber gloves – like the 9MM nitrile mechanics gloves and a good pair of boots. If you keep your hands dry and your feet warm you’ll be just fine.

The only gloves i wear in the winter, are wool fingerless gloves. (Cheap $10 gloves from Amazon!)
Real cold i double them up – might even put a heater between the layers of gloves.
I have big fingers, so i have to open the finger holes up on the gloves otherwise they pinch and result in instant cold fingers.

When driving the boat between spots, i’ll remove those and put on leather insulated gloves to protect my finger tips from the cold steering wheel and increased wind chill.

My walleye pitching rods are wrapped with “Vet Wrap” or “Equestrian Wrap” to keep the rod blank from touching your hands (it insulates you from the cold rod).

Keeping your core warm will aid in keeping your extremities warm also! Cold core – Cold hands guaranteed!!

Regarding bass, just don’t fish for them – ever –

Mike is 100% correct. You get used to it if you tuff it out for a few days. I am always outside so easy to get used to the cold. Beer and a full belly helps too. What breaks the deal is your equipment. Keeping rods and the river from freezing up. Thats about the only thing that keeps the boat off the water.

Mike, we need an air boat!! How sweet would that be.

This photo you can tell i’ve got the gloves doubled up and there’s a heater in-between the two gloves on the backside of my hand.

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My boat usually goes into storage in November cuz of the ‘rules’ on where I store it. It’s always a sad day. All great tips from the guys here. I ice fish, too, and the Striker Hardwater ice bibs have sure been nice to wear in the boat. Bonus, they float. Not that ever want to really test it much in that cold of water.

Using the Ice fishing gear while on the boat is key to staying warm. Dress in layers, you can always take off what you don’t need, etc.

mrpike1973 wrote:

I usually put the boats away around the second week in October or if the day temp gets below 50 degrees.

This is me too. I store my boat at an indoor storage facility so I have to make time to get it winterized and in there during a specific time frame. Plus I have to get ready to do some hunting in November and December too.

mrpike1973 wrote:

I should mention I usually fish for bass by the time the temps hit the 50’s they are usually not to keen on biting.

Once the water hits 50 degrees, the bass fishing becomes significantly tougher. They go into a bit of a “hibernative” state so that’s when I stop targeting them too. Muskie fishing can be quite good beyond that though, as some of the largest fish of the season are often caught in November during the cisco spawn.

Given the choice, I’d rather fish a river in the winter like some of the die hards do here on Pool 2 over ice fishing any day. The cold weather doesn’t bother me.

I very rarely wear gloves unless it’s below freezing. Due to a lot of Hockey and some other adventures in my youth that I won’t go into detail on….my hands are pretty smashed up and full of arthritis. The colder they get, the less they hurt.

Now when it gets really cold out, I take three pairs of gloves with me. I fish with fingerless wool gloves as mentioned above. Even if they get damp, they still keep most of your hand warm. When it’s time to pull an anchor rope, I take them off and put on waterproof neoprene gloves. And if I’m making a long run down river (in my tiller boat) I put on a pair of choppers. Some days it seems like all I’m doing is switching gloves around, but it works for me.

SR

Matt Moen wrote:

If you keep your hands dry and your feet warm you’ll be just fine.

I’ll add keep your head warm too. Get a good hat!

Never have cotton anything next to your skin. Only wool or poly. Layer up.

Make sure your feet have room to move around in your boots. See a lot of guys squeezing their feet into boots that fit tight. (Like wearing 2-3 pair of socks) This kills blood circulation to your feet. Upsize your boots. You will thank me later!

Keep a dry towel handy to dry off hands between fish. Have a few pair of dry gloves handy.

Agree with Mike and Joe, a lot of it is just mind over matter. You’re cold. You are not going to freeze to death in the next few hours. You will get warmed up later. Shake it off!

-J.

Thanks for all the info all got some great tips here. I should have mentioned when I was 5 years old my mom went in the ditch in a snowstorm 15 below 0 18 hours later mom had used floor mats cut the vinyl ‘dating myself here’ off the roof to keep me warm. She almost lost some toes still has issues and my hands have never been the same they were a sick grey when rescued I’ll never forgot it’s like they lock up when I get cold and the bones just ache. The idea of nitrile gloves and heat pads sounds like the cats meow. When it gets to low 40’s i’m done no matter what slippery boat landings aren’t worth it Again thanks some great ideas here!!

we ice fish in some pretty ridiculous conditions. sitting in the goose pit or in the boat when its 40 is usually nothing.

That said we do outfit ourselves with our buddy heaters occasionally.

my dad definitely needs the heaters rolling.

Don’t the Buddy heaters kick out a lot with the wave action in the boat?

Far as the hands go. I buy dozen or so of brown cheap jersey gloves if they get wet put on another pair. Usually, the biggest fish of the year come in the fall for me, plus I usually sit from dark to dark on a climber bowhunting. Man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do!

Cheap jersey gloves as many has stated here. Keep few pairs, work really well.

Also like fish blood mentioned I use the toe warmer packs. They have a sticky side which I put right on top of hand, or right on underside of wrist inside the jersey gloves, works really well.

Its probably better to stay home and stay warm less competition that way. On a serious note as others have mentioned the key is to keep your core warm multiple layers on your chest and good boots and hat. I usually opt for jersey gloves or something very light on my hand, and a towel to dry hands after handling fish. I can’t stress enough about layers on your chest and make sure its wind proof.

Went to ML last fall my partners gave me funny looks for wearing my ice coat, then they got chilly.
Hey those Buddy Heaters do shut off w/any motion-did’nt I hear that Northern made a knock off w/o all the safety crap?

Just have to wear your ice fishing gear. Find some good quality waterproof gloves with some dexterity. I bass and crappie fish right up until ice. Numbers might go down but size does not!

In terms of warm light gloves, I buy those wool military surplus gloves. Very light. And about $5. And way better than wearing cotton.

every post here is great advice. i like to keep 2 pair of extra gloves inside my jacket or bibs and rotate them. they are pretty warm when you pull them out

This always works for me

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mrpike1973 wrote:

Don’t the Buddy heaters kick out a lot with the wave action in the boat?

I have my buddy or big buddy heaters in the boat every spring and fall for my Jamaican fishing buddy- he can’t stand the cold. Waves no problem. Wind- problem. Especially if one has not done the pilot light modification to keep it out of the wind. It gets turned off when running to a new spot and restarted when we stop.

Fishing in a boat when it is freezing cold is very sedentary compared to many other outdoor activities, especially if you want to stay out for 12+ hours The key is oversize to the max. Start with good pac boots and wool socks with heating packs. My long underwear is 3XL. Two pairs where the tops go down to mid thigh tucked into two pairs of bottoms that go half way up the torso. Bibs and jacket are ice fishing 3XL,so underneath i can wear wool sweaters, perhaps a down coat and another pair of insulated pants too. Warm hats and hoods. My body is so warm, pumping warm blood to my hands i rarely wear gloves. Obviously if you go this route you need to layer up at the landing. I wouldnt last a minute in a vehicle dressed that way.

I never give up

Launched the boat last winter on Superior when it was -1 degrees….

That was a bit extreme (even for me), but I do fish in the boat pretty often in “warmer” freezing weather.

When your planer boards are ice cubes and your boat has icicles you know you’ve crossed a line few people have lol

Lots of great advice mentioned already above ^^^^

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Boat usually goes in storage mid October but i’ve always wanted to try to extend my season of not catching more fish.

Fish with a guy who says if conditions are nice and pleasant fishing is probably no good.