Ice on Rod Guides

Ice on rod guides

Often in the winter I run into a problem of having ice on the rod guides. This happens often to us in late October on the trout streams in Montana as well.   

You can prevent your rod guides from collecting ice in cold weather, up to a point.  The reason ice forms on your guides is because microscopic water droplets collect on the guides and the rod as your line slides in and out. Once this thin deposit forms it is easy for additional water from the line to build up in the guides. As this continues, it can plug the guides and the line will not go through them.

To prevent this I coat my rod and guides with a very thin coat of silicone line dressing being sure to wipe off all excess silicone. This prevents the water from adhering to the guides and rod. This helps for a long time. When the ice does form in the guides while you are fishing you can stick the upper part of the fly rod (not the reel) into the stream and swish it around to wash it off.

After fishing, I take everything home and let it try completely. I take the rod out of the case and lay it on a table that is out of the way in my basement. If your rod has a cloth sack, take that out of the rod tube and lay out to dry as well. Leave the cap off the rod tube and let everything dry for at least a full day.