How cold is too cold?

[Soclose2far]

How cold will you guys still venture out to go ice fishing? Last year I was out in -16 which seemed pretty hard on the equipment but it was a good day on the ice.

[viking1439]

I've found it isn't the temperature, but the wind. 20 MPH wind can make a lot of frozen lines and holes real quick. I don't mind being out when it is cold.

[CPace]

Temperature, at least to me, isn't the issue, more the wind than the temp.  Used to ice fish regardless temp or wind, sit with the back to the wind, on an overturned 5 gallon bucket, an 18 inch long chunk of a 1"X 6" board for the feet to sit on.  Now that age has caught up to me, arthritis, no cartilage left in the knee joints, you name it, I've become more sensitive to the wind.  -10 degrees F, no wind, good to go! -10 degrees and 20 mph winds, yup, I'll be sitting in a warm Lazy Boy and wish'n I was fish'n!  This getting older thing, is for the birds!!!  Wife broke down a few years back (mainly 'cuz she thought I was crazy) and got me a little Shappell (sp?) 2 man suitcase portable.  I got to admit, it's sort of a pain to have to haul with me, but... once on the lake/pond and sitting in it, it really doesn't matter temperature or wind, I'm good to go!  (yea, the joints still pay for it later, but hey, no pain, no gain!)

[maddograd]

Good shack and a heater good to go.  hole hopping gets less fun around 10 especially if windy

[drillinforgold]

Fished Waubay and some sloughs at -38 air temp about 10yrs ago. Got the insulated 2 man so hot you couldn't stand to have a coat on. Caught a couple perch and in the excitement I kicked my coat into the heater and caught it on fire. Then it was cold! It's all about being prepared, but, yeah at 52 now, wind is everything!   

[Soclose2far]

Fished Waubay and some sloughs at -38 air temp about 10yrs ago. Got the insulated 2 man so hot you couldn't stand to have a coat on. Caught a couple perch and in the excitement I kicked my coat into the heater and caught it on fire. Then it was cold! It's all about being prepared, but, yeah at 52 now, wind is everything!

-38.... I've lived in some cold places but I've never seen that. Throw in the wind chill and for sure I've been lower. Sorry to hear about that jacket.

[derek_buck]

Last year spent the night in the permy on Bitter and I believe it was -22 straight temp and -45 wind chill. I've fished in negative teens straight temp in my flipover without much trouble.  Tipups freeze in pretty fast buy other than that its not too bad.

[drillinforgold]

Growing up in Wilmot in the late 70s, Summit set the continental US wind chill record at nearly -100 one night. They have since refigured the chart so it doesn't look quite as bad, and I think it has been broken since, but I know we were -45 air temp with 40mph wind gusts down in the valley, and they were colder! Amazingly enough, the café on main street was packed the next morning for coffee, nothin' can stop a retired farmer!

[eepks]

Depends if the sun is out and the wind speed. No sun at -10 is a lot worse then full sun and -10. I have an insulated clam and heater, but prefer to be on the bucket.

[wyoutdoors]

I was out tonight with temps at -9 degrees, a good stiff 20 mph steady wind, and it began getting dark with whiteout conditions about a mile from my truck. I couldn't see any landmarks. My Garmin handheld finally paid off for more than a honeyhole waypoint and I was all too happy to see my truck come into view out of the darkness... 

[Republic of Alberta]

Anything below -20*c is getting to cold but I have been out fishing is -40 air temp before and it's not fun.    When you have to work outside all winter (wnter means snow on the ground from october to may) spending your days off work ice fishing in the cold is just stupid.

[whisker]

Below 15° with any breeze is cold to my old bones.

Wind chill will get you
http://www.onlineconversion.com/windchill.htm

[crappie rig]

Fished -15 with 25 -30 mph winds before, kinda took a lot of the fun out of it.  Had to resort to pouring a little schnapps in the hole to keep them from freezing over so fast.  Party foul I know but it worked

[MPCOA]

Having spent years in Fairbanks, AK. They would love the temps people are complaining about. Can't see much issue if you have a shack

[jbuss79]

I'm in agreement with regard to the wind. I fished Waubay last year when it was -10 with 20 mph wind and it was miserable. Thermal shack and a Little Buddy did fine. It was comfortable inside. I'll fish outside and hole hop when it's 0 as long as the wind doesn't blow.

[Soclose2far]

Well, we tried fishing on Christmas. 28* and raining with probably 40+mph wind. That was pretty miserable...

[rundrave]

I will fish in any temp its usually the wind and wind chill that will keep me off. A cold day with not alot of wind isn't too bad to get setup in

[helimpd124]

Buddy and I ventured out yesterday. It was -4 when we got out and 0 when we left after 7 hours or so. The air wasn't bad when the wind wasn't blowing but that wind sure wasn't fun when it was.

[eagleblood]

My weirdest outing was a day on bitter lake. With thick fog a few years ago where you could not see with in 3-5 yards infront of you. The fishing sucked that day.

For cold days. My worst was a -3 temp with 45 mph wind. And it kept blowing my pop up tent over amd letting the cold in on me. Inwas afraid the pop up will land on the heater. And fishing sucked that day as well.  Also that was on bitter as well.

[wyoutdoors]

The -3 temps I can deal with, it's the high winds which kill me! I recall being on a lake one afternoon and my flipover wasn't anchored since it was nice and I had been moving around quite a bit. A huge wind blew in and was scooting me across the ice. About tore the flip up attempting to get it shut and covered. Nothing but a big sail! 

[eagleblood]

The -3 temps I can deal with, it's the high winds which kill me! I recall being on a lake one afternoon and my flipover wasn't anchored since it was nice and I had been moving around quite a bit. A huge wind blew in and was scooting me across the ice. About tore the flip up attempting to get it shut and covered. Nothing but a big sail! 

Hahahaha. It is funny to be in them. With high winds. You do move or sail around.  Anchors do help in that case..

[nefarmer]

Wind is the killer! 

[lancej62]

If the fish are bite on and a good shack and heater, it can't get too cold. LOL 

[gunnerdog]

I was out last night -18* F.  Laying on my couch in a sweatshirt and jeans and my boots off.   Didn't catch anything, plent y of lookers but no takers.

[eagleblood]

I was out last night -18* F.  Laying on my couch in a sweatshirt and jeans and my boots off.   Didn't catch anything, plent y of lookers but no takers.

Dude, I went out yesterday near Hayti, All Nipples no bites, seemed like that was a theme with many anglers. I think the air is too cold for the fish to want to bite. I usually have better luck when temps are 12-25 degrees. not that single digit temps.

Also i notice i wrote nipples instead of nibbles before I sent this post out. So I am leaving it so you can have a good laugh at me.

[gunnerdog]

I had the camera down and watched a good size northern come in and he didn't even want to strip me of my $5 Buckshot.  I thought I must just suck that bad that I couldn't even catch a slimmer.

[steveice]

I would rather fish in -30 and no wind than 30 and a 30 mile an hour wind.

[eagleblood]

I had the camera down and watched a good size northern come in and he didn't even want to strip me of my $5 Buckshot.  I thought I must just suck that bad that I couldn't even catch a slimmer.

did they bite your bait at all this weekend?

[gunnerdog]

Nope.  EL Skunko

[eagleblood]

Nope.  EL Skunko

That seemed like the theme of the weekend. Skunking it all up