What is the coldest temp you've ever....

[Guest]

-40 in Feb 03 at Red Lake I have a pic of the thermometer its kinda blurry but you can see it but actually it was kinda peaceful walking out of the cabin in my longies and throwing a cup of water in the air and making snow.

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This is 100% what its all about...

[Bobb-o]

Last winter fishing for crappies on an area lake at -26 with no house. It was so cold that when i went to bang the ice out of my scoop the scoop fell off the handle and into the hole.

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Diplomacy - The art of saying "nice doggie" while you find a rock.

[tulikow]

March of last year on Lake of the Woods was the coldest for me. The temp was -32 and the wind was atleast 30 mph. A few days after we left though it was nearly 50 degrees above 0.

[Paul Rohweller]

I'm thinkin it weas the same cold snap the scott steil was talking about. I lived in a low spot along the river in hawley mn, woke up to - 64 on the thermometer (got pix), didnt leave the house that day. Next day it warmed up to a balmy -40 something, sounded like a good time to head on the snowmobile to the fish house. Well my trusty ski doo oly started right up but it was so cold the rubber track was so stiff that it wouldnt go around. The old mans panther on the other hand was good to go, seems the older cats had alot less rubber and more canvas in their tracks, they actually go around in the cold.. If I rtemember right the were driving nails with bananas up in embarrass that morning..Just a note, all exposed flesh will freeze pretty much instantly at these temps, its not a wise thing to venture out on those days... Paul

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Paul Rohweller
Pine to Prairie Guide Service
218-962-3387 home
701-261-9525 cell
[email protected]
N.P.A.A. 425
Quality Bait and Tackle, Detroit Lakes Mn
www.scenictackle.com
North Country Outdoors Radio 99.3 fm
http://fishingminnesota.com/pinetoprairie

[Ronsay]

I had set up a trip to Red Lake late last winter thinking the weather would be nice. I reserved one of Kelly's new houses.

My Daughter, 2 Grandsons and my Kinship friend arrived early afternoon to a clear and crisp day. We followed Kelly out about 7 miles and settled in for a day and night of fishing.

Late that afternoon it started blowing, and kept picking up during the night. The ice snapped and cracked so bad that nobody could sleep good. We found out the next morning that it was over -30 that night without chill factor. Lucky I had nosed my Daughters van toward the house and started it twice during the night. It was warm enough in the house that the kids were in there tee shirts.

The Crappie fishing was just great through the night. The next morning we had to call Kelly to plow us out. It was a great trip. Ron

[mistermom]

About 20 years ago me and "Swanny" decided to go ice fishing on Bass lake Just up the Echo trail from Ely. It was about 25 to 30 below and we hiked in about a mile and went out and set up just a little bit out from the falls.

We made a fire on the ice and after baiting we would literally stick our hands in the fire to warm up. The bluegills were really biting. In fact they were biting so well that we were getting frostbit hands. The trek out and back to the car was the longest walk in the woods I've ever had. Totally nuts; but we caught fish!

mm

[Steve Foss]

That's a lot of cold weather.

When it gets that cold, you have two options. Fish because you love to fish more than you love to feel your limbs, or keep fishing because you just don't care whether school keeps or not.

Coldest I've ever fished at? Who cares? You want a competition, get an NBA contract.

Just go fish and screwdriver the rest.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 11-19-2003).]

[SLAYERFISH]

Jeez!You guys are insane-my personal bests or worsts? 3 times at -27F and 1 at -30F The -30 one we hiked 4 miles on snowshoes and so no hut or anything-'bout died but caught some slabbers cause it warmed up to 12F LATER.

[WallEYES]

Back in 1991-92? We were fishing out of Smitty's on Snowbank Lake for Lake trout. The accuall temperature was -59 degrees. We caught our limits of trout and they froze instantly. The bad thing was that it snowed a lot a few days before and we were standing in slush after the holes were drilled. It was a sight to see.

[Guest]

I don't usually venture out too far when I know it's too cold or gonna get cold. Those huge cold fronts usually shut the fish down anyway. But one time, I was up at Mille Lacs in the early 90's with a couple of friends when the temps dropped like a shot to about -35. (Once it gets that cold, further temp drop is academic.) Trust me, all the usual stuff happened to us but no one got hurt......Since then, I have made sure that all of my stuff is in good working order before I leave on a trip and know it's gonna be cold. That's propane full for sure and go from there.......And just one tip from me....I like a nip or two when I'm out there, but when it's that cold outside, you'd be better off to leave that stuff alone. Especially if you get hammered on it. It could be the end of you if you get caught out in the cold..........

Iffwalleyes.......Is Albert still looking for a newer JDX hat? I been looking for one but can't locate one. He's a character!......T

[rap]

i remember hunting a couple years ago for pheasants on the open prairie in -50 degree windchills, that was crazy...

[Guest]

Bemduckboy and I fished Fox lake up near Bemidji while in college a few years back. Temp was 30 below with 25 mph winds. Not sure what that is in windchill, but I know it was darn cold. The inside of the house had about an inch of frost on it and that was with the sunflower on full blast and the lantern going. Started with 10 inch holes and by the time we were done, they were about 6. Taking down the house, your hands would freeze to the metal poles!
BRRRRRRRRR

[Fishn'Lady]

We were on URL Feb-March 2002 and 2003, we happened to hit the cold front both times where the wind was whipping and the overnight lows were -25F to -35F (actual temp.). We stayed out overnight several days on the ice in our portable but we had 70+ F inside. Brrrrr.

Fishn'Lady

[End of the Line]

I have never fished in that cold weather only about 70 degrees! ,but the outside temp on LOW in the 80's was -32 below F at Long point. I remember how cold it was because I wore a stocking hat and jumped on a snowmobile to go to the ice house, froze my ear lobes, didn't pull the hat down quite far enough. They hurt for a week or better after they warmed up. Fishing was fantastic too!

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End of the Line Charters
Lake Superior
1-888-U-HOOK-EM
www.fishontheline.com

[Poutmaster]

Very interesting replies! I am not the only insane one here I see. At temps nearing -30 there are a few lessons to be learned. Minnows freeze instantly before you can get them from the bucket, to the hook, and down the hole. Don't bother trying to get a line down the hole until after you have all heat sources fired up. To get those heat sources fired up, you may need to place your propane tanks on the floor in the truck with the heater going full blast so they can "thaw" before you use them. And make sure you do not set the Auger down on any ice chips or snow with water underneath. Nothing like sitting on the ice for an hour, trying to "chip" out your auger with a leatherman, all while it is -30 out with 40 mph wind. And I've had that happen twice!!!

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Love them 'Pout!

[Paul S]

About 20 years ago my dad and I fished on Crow lake in Ontario for Lakers. It was around -75 below with wind chill. We were outside without a shelter. I had a part of a cow hide that I wrapped around me, which froze and I couldn't get out of it!! My dad ended up snapping it into a couple of pieces to get it off me. That same day I had about a 3-4 lb laker follow my airplane jig up, cleared the hole and landed on the ice without ever having a hook in him!
Paul S

[Guest]

Wow!

Guess I'm just a lightweight.

My coldest was 4 of us went to Waubay Lake, SD about 4 years ago. We were tip-up fishing for pike. Temps were -10, with a nasty wind........That was too cold for me, but we averaged a pike on the tip-ups every 5 minutes. Alot of fish from 5 to 10lbs. Even some big walleyes!!!

[lucky7]

I don't know the temp but it was so cold my eyelashes were sticking together and the auger wouldn't start. This was December of 1991 at Taylor lake in Colorado

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lucky7

[icehousebob]

Our first trip to Devil's Lake, my older brother and I were exploring for Perch. The sun was out and the wind was still[rare for that area]. We really didn't notice the cold until I took my bottle of Icehole Schnapps[70 proof] out of my coat pocket. It was frozen. We came up with this great idea then to set up the fish house and light the heater. When you threw a perch onto the ice it would do two and a half flops and quit in midflop.