Extreme Cold – Safety Precautions

4 of us are heading up to LOTW this weekend. Forecast looks cold and especially cold and windy on Saturday, they are talking 20-40 below windchills. We are fishing out of insulated portables but this is my first time fishing this type of weather. Looking for advice on what things we should make sure we have. I have lots of winter gear and a spare heater but am looking for some tips from those of you who do this regularly. Thanks in advance!

PS – I won’t accept a “stay at the cabin and drink” response!

Double everything. Shovels, propane, heaters and a survival pack.

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Double everything. Shovels, propane, heaters and a survival pack.

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What types of items do you put into a survival pack?

Don’t forget these:

Bring extra of whatever clothes/heaters you can fit. My biggest concern would be vehicle trouble or just not starting in the cold while you’re on the lake which could lead to real trouble so maybe fish near some other groups. I’d be replanting for another wkd but that’s my advice if you’re going no matter what which it sounds like you are.

Joe

Would definitely consider a fuel additive to prevent any freezeup of the fuel lines.

Doesn’t everyone have a nose warmer??

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Doesn’t everyone have a nose warmer??

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Matt Grow doesn’t…………..

Neither did this guy. ‘Course he needed eye lash warmers.

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Neither did this guy. ‘Course he needed eye lash warmers.

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Man, if you haven’t froze your eyelids open… you haven’t lived.

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Neither did this guy. ‘Course he needed eye lash warmers.

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Man, if you haven’t froze your eyelids open… you haven’t lived.

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Looks painful!

jumper cables! don’t be afraid to let your trucks run and idle. start them often.

And a fully charged jumper pack just in case

Maybe something to keep you warm…like blackberry brandy

Stay warm and safe.

I like to bring an extra thermal coupler.

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Neither did this guy. ‘Course he needed eye lash warmers.

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Man, if you haven’t froze your eyelids open… you haven’t lived.

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X2

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Doesn’t everyone have a nose warmer??

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I didn’t know they were supposed to be worn on your nose

WS

Silly guy. I have a much larger one for that.

Extra hand warmers. A female companion in case you have to spoon.

All real good advice. My only advice is don’t park with your truck facing into the wind and don’t let it sit too long without starting it and running for a while. Otherwise dress warm and you should have a good time.

Stay hydrated and not with alc.

we were out on Lake Oahe this last weekend and had simular chill factors with sustained 35 mph winds and 50 mph gusts, it wasn’t the most fun, but here’s a run down of some common stuff. Go out with someone and have two trucks. Set houses up next to the trucks using them as wind breaks, don’t park into the wind, start them a couple times to warm up. Have extra dry gloves, extra propane tanks. Even with insulated shacks your zipper will still freeze so work that around a few times. Keep some water ready, prepare a sack lunch. GPS your trail from the landing, things look a lot different in a white out! Check in on the other shacks, make sure nobody is so sealed up they start getting headaches and really tired from carbon monoxide. Be ready to pack up and get off if you feel things are getting too tough.

Bring a couple floor mats from a truck and use them in your shanty. Helps keep your feet off direct ice and keeps them a little bit warmer. Good luck and have fun.

When we fished there it was -30 and -45 WC,we had our 1 lb tanks freeze up, so we had to use our 20 lber with a sun flower heater.
Also the horn stuck on in one of the trucks.
It was absolutly the coldest I had ever been.
Good luck.

Put lotion on your hands to help them stay warm. If your concerned about smell (and you probably should be) just put some fishing scent on your hands after the lotion and don’t wipe your nose.

Agree on the jump pack.

Not sure how you are planning on travel – but if it’s a quad or snowmobile you’ll be driving out on you will need to have completely wind proof protection for every part of your body. Example – a helmet instead of a stocking hat, put handlebar muffs on the quad/snowmobile over your hands. Those are a couple you can do without when it’s warmer, but when it get’s cold a good upgrade.