Cold and rainy day

[Gone Fishin']

It's chilly and raining today. Good day to straighten tackle and restring a couple of reels. I admit that I'm a fair weather fisherman. I can dress to stay warm if it's chilly, but I won't fish if it's real cold or wet and cold. Being a warm weather Texan, I usually stay off the lake when it's cold. I may fish in a light rain when it's warm, but cold and wet? Nope. I've seen some folks on here mention going when it's near freezing.

What's the coldest weather you have fished in, not counting our ice fishermen? Where does your misery index keep you home?

[DockShootinJack]

12 degrees. Cold enough to freeze braid stiff instantly. Had to dig up a rod with mono on it to keep shooting docks that morning. It was cold

[woodyard]

17 degrees one MLK holiday years ago on KY lake by myself. Stiff North wind too. Caught fish. I was only one on the entire lake until I saw another boat in the afternoon.
Speaking of cold weather fishing , I just got done researching and ordering Artic Armor bibs and jacket for cold weather fishing. Going to try them.

[slabbandit]

Can't handle the cold like I used too. When I was a teenager I worked in an ice cream warehouse at 40 degrees below zero! I would stay in there over an hour at a time. I still fish if it's cold but prefer the sun to be out.

[SuperDave336]

Cold doesn’t bother me as bad as cold and rain together. That’s miserable.

[CrappiePappy]

Yeah, I've gotten to the age of being a "fair weather fisherman", too. But, in my younger years I've been fishing when it was snowing, sleeting, or below freezing on a number of occasions. But, even back then I was never all that motivated to fish in real cold, cold & wet, or otherwise "nasty" conditions.

[BAMA S]

I went one day at 17 degrees. Never got over 25. Stayed out eight hrs. Absolutely miserable.

[Alphahawk]

The coldest ambient temperature I ever fished in was 7 degrees at Pickwick Dam. But the sun was out and dead calm wind. I was actually very comfortable. The coldest I’ve ever been on the water was a 3 day trout trip on the White River in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The high for those 3 days was only 24 degrees max. But the wind was 20-25 MPH. Thought I was going to die….LOL. I toughed it out as I had paid my money. By the way my trout count for those 3 days were 300 brought to net…same for my nephew that was with me. It took me two weeks back home to get warm. Told my nephew that was it for me…no more winter fishing. At 71 I am very close to being a fair weather fisherman. If it is high 40’s…with zero wind…and I do mean zero wind…I will go. Was always told by my older relatives years ago how things would change as I grew older…blew it all off at the time….boy were they right. I guess I’ve just reached the point I don’t want to be uncomfortable even for a little while.

Regards


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[Quailtail]

They were half price. I bought jacket and bibs. I bought them for the warmth but also the flotation quality. Not as good as a PFD but just another opportunity to help keep you afloat if you were to fall into cold water. Haven't tried them but appear to be good quality gear.

[Lund]

It was 37 degrees, not rising a degree for over 6 hours, the wind was 9-12 mph, and gusts up to 20 mph with light rain. I did not take into account the wind. I had dressed in layers topped with my Frogg Toggs suit, waterproof glove, and boots. The guide and I concluded, with the wind nothing is waterproof! The wind forced water everywhere it could ha! After 4 hours, I was soaking wet, and so cold couldn't feel my toes or fingers and couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. Even the crappie didn't want to bite (could see them on livescope) so we called it quits. Probably the coldest I have been in my life. Took hours to finally warm again, like my core got cold. I don't have a temperature because for me it is wind speed but I no longer fish when cold, wet, and windy
I also now use my old snowboarding outfit when too cold. I might be bright orange and blue but it works. I'm too broken to do winter sports anymore so might as well use the suit lol