Keeping Hands Warm

[Dinky]

Have been doing some late fall wading and I am tired of my hands getting so cold that I cant feel my line or know if I have captured a minnow out of my bucket without looking to see.I have tried neoprene gloves,no feel and very stiff. Any ideas out there?

[WAeyes]

The first thing I would do is eliminate the minnows. It just makes your hands get wet which means colder faster. Crankbaits and jig with plastics will catch you plenty of fish and hands will stay drier except when landing a fish :)

I have actually gone to a mitten that the top folds back with velcro and turns into fingerless gloves. When the fingertips get unbearable, stop fishing and pull the mitten part over your fingers.

If you can walk to shore and put your rod down, start doing full motion arm circles and get the blood flowing into the hands.

I cant remember who it was, but someone here mentioned wrapping a thermacare heat wrap around your wrist. I have yet to try that.

Cold hands are no fun...good luck

[fatboy]

the thermacare i believe was from johnny candle. i'm going to also give that a try - he said to just wrap one around each wrist and then it heats the blood going into your hands keeping them warm.

[carson]

I saw that thread and tried it but found the heat from them on my wrist annoying. I liked better the advice to put 2-3 handwarmers in my jacket pocket to really warm up my hands. I had two of them and borrowed one yesterday and did it in one pocket. Since I only had those three I shifted them to the other side for a while. If you get your hands really warm they stay that way for a while as the blood vessels open. I have big pockets so I also stuffed my glove in the pocket as well and those gained some warmth too. I guess this works aS long as they don't get very wet.

[Dutchman]

These heater packs are a must check out. Snap a button inside the pack and 130 degree heat, instantly. Just put them in your pocket. The beauty of these packs is they throw heat even if they're(or you are) soaking wet. Kinda spendy, and you have to boil them for a few minutes to get them back to a non heating state, then they're ready for heating your hands on another day of fishing. 4 of them work for a day on the water for me. I've only used them for a year but they still work great. www.9thtee.com/reheater.htm




" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Chad]

I like using hand muffs. It is a tube with openings on each end. The inside if lined with fleece and insulated. I put the heat packs inside and ise them for deer hunting and fishing. Not sure if they would get wet wading since they tie around your waist.

[Koldfront Kraig]

For me it's a handwarmer in each pocket and a bunch of jersey gloves.
When the gloves get wet, I switch to a dry pair. Throw them on the dash of the truck and they dry out fast. I usually have 3-4 pairs in my parka and 5-6 more in by gear bag.

[drizz]

Go to the FTR site and check this out.
http://www.fishtheriver.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=equipment&Number=22243&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1

[Hooky]

Does anyone know if those Cabela's gore-tex gloves are insulated or not?

[eyehunt]

i use the x-hale glove. there warmed by your own breath. there's a port on top of the glove you blow into. it takes out the moisture of your breath and gives you heat. they are a little high price wise but they work. they go for 45.00 bucks a pair.

[phil wilson]

All you need to do is get some surgical gloves the ones your doctor puts on when he does his thing.
Seriously, try surgical gloves. I use them all the time, you can feel everything and you stay warm. What causes your hands to get cold is the wetness with the surgical gloves your hands stay dry there fore staying warm, when they wear out just put on another, before you get your hands wet. This is no joke, TRY IT, before you laugh. All of my amateurs thought was nuts till they saw how my hands stayed warm.

[Dinky]

Thanks guy's will try a few of the suggestions.
Cant leave those minnows at home. The want that meat!

[shadowman]

heres my method, get some old socks off a neibor kid and cut them at the ankle, make sure when you slip one over your wrist it fits tight, than slide another one over the 1st one and than insert a johhny hand warmer in between them, problem solved, do this for both wrists, washing the socks 1st is an option LOL!!!

[gills and speck]

It's simple; dress in layer's. Long Johns, put on smaller sweaters under bigger sweaters. A set of cover alls and a face mask finish up the dress up process. Most people think their body is warm, but the problem is in the hands & feet. You see I'm able to fish without gloves of any kind down to zero degrees. Also wiggle your toes, don't buy tight fitting shoes, keep them dry, and some rubber boots will actually make your feet colder then tennis shoes. Been doing it for 35 years, oh, I caught over a hundred sauger & walleye today with out baitttt. {John}

[REW]

Phil is correct about surgical gloves. The key thing is keeping your hands dry, and keeping up the blood flow into your hands.

So, to add to Phil's adivce, get surgical gloves that are just a touch large. By having the gloves just a bit large - they are much easier to get on and off, and if they are just a bit large; they don't cut off the blood flow in your hands - which cause your hands to be colder.

Take care
REW

p.s.
Any time that I am working in the garage, or on the motor - or doing any other type of "dirty" work - I typically use surgical gloves. They work really well - when you are woking with wrenches - easy to keep your grip - and when you get done - strip off the gloves and no grease under your finger nails.

Another thing to do - is what auto glass window installers do on a glass installation. They will put on about 4 pairs of latex gloves before starting a new glass install. Todays auto glass are held in with some very good glue- which is very sticky, and very black. The thing about this glue- is that it is very difficult to get off of things, and it can make a real mess. So, the installers, will use multiple layers of latex gloves. As they are progressing on the glass install - and get too much glue on their hands - so the glue is beginning to spread to areas, where it is not wanted - the installer simply peels off the outer pair of gloves - containing the glue - and is good to go with a fresh pair that is under neath. Typically, the installers will go through 4 pair - before completing the job; with virtually no cement on any other part of the car or glass.

The same principle - works when working on a greasy boat motor, or trailer, or wheel bearing. PUt on a few pairs of gloves; and as the gloves get greasy or torn - take off the outer glove and cointue working with no interruption.

Take care
REW

[Black Jack]

Move to Florida!!!!

[Stump]

I use an old trick that sounds kinda weird but Im tellin' ya it really works. Put some juice from a Hot Pepper on your hands before you put your gloves or rubber gloves on and your hands will stay warm. Rubber gloves work best ...they keep the scent off your equiptment. Now when you guys are finished laughing at me and thinking Im an idiot for suggesting this...LOL! Try it! It works the same as when you put a pepper in your mouth, what causes the burn in your mouth also causes the nerves in your hands to react, which causes more blood to flow through the hands and fingers faster. This trick also works on your feet( doesnt burn or nothing), you just gotta deal with your feet smelling like a pepper. And to some that may be an improvment!!!!

[Phil wilson]

PEPPER????
What do you do when nature calls? I remember eating peppers once then, ooooooooooo Baby, my hands werent the only thing warm.
I prefer the surgical gloves to be skin tight. No loss of circulation, your hands will sweat a little causing the same effect basicly as a wet suit. The moisture will keep you warm.
Also they make them with aloe and lanolin inside, after a day of fishing your hands are mighty soft.

[eyehunt]

want to keep your hands warm ? try the x-hale gloves. there's a port on the top of the gloves. you blow into the port. it draws the moisture out and gives you warm air. there real comfy and not bulky. there a little high (45.00 a pair). but there worth it. if interested let me know. i can get you a mailing adress.

[Dave S]

I would be interested in reading more about the ex-hale gloves. dsamuelson@conpoint.com

[Carson]

I did the same thing,..ever see those Irish RIVER DANCE people? Thats what I looked like for about 20 minutes!!!!


Have to be careful of your eyes.
I might vote for a combo thing, maybe surgical gloves and hot pockets from 2-3 Jone-E hand warmers. No matter what gloves I have on , its sometime Sooooooooo nice to put your cold hands into those very hot pockets to open up the blood flow,..as someone said, cheap at flea markets, maybe pawn shops/ebay. and you can buy the fluid in big containers and they glow for many hours, I've tried those boilable ones and they are OK but don't procduce heet for very long.

[HumorMan]

I like a good warm muff too.

Wait. Maybe we are not talking about the same thing??? Smiles.

[Armond]

What I did was get a box and I lined it with that foilfaced bubble insulation. I then put 3 0r 4 Jon-E hand warmers depending how cold or wet, I then put in several pairs of gloves in there. There is nothing like putting on a pair of heated gloves!! I generally take my gloves off for fine stuff like knot tying then put the gloves back on. depending on how busy things are I use very light weight gloves and have a pair of heavyweights in the box (they stay hot much longer) I also put in a small towel to dry off in case my hands get wet. I made a "valve" on the box (a piece of plywood that swings open/closed for a vent) which I open up if things are wet to dry towel/gloves off. also a small hole drilled in side for a little air for combustion as the handwarmers won't work without some air.
You know, they make gloves with batties and heating elements marketed to skiers. Last year someone talked about how he converted his electric socks (which can make you go broke in replacing batteries or a least a hassel in changing nickle hydride rechargeble ones every hour) and I did as he suggested. I soldered some wires from the bat pak on the sock. (you could make a dummy battery instead and have wires going from them.) to the socks with quick release connectors and touched them to the wet cell trolling (or a motorcycle bat for ice fishing) for 5 seconds and THEN waiting for a minute. after doing this a few time you can feel the heat in your toes like you have them by your fireplace at home. ONLY DON'T GET DISTRACTED!!! Do at least several cycles,..it takes a LOT of heat to rewarm toes,..don't try to do it in one minute or you may do RIVERDANCE II !!! ONCE they are warm they tend to stay that way for a while and you can boost them with one cycle every so often.Anyway I'll bet you could do the same with those gloves.

[FishRodMN]

Try using a pair of Seal Skins gloves - availible from Cabela's and other places - cost around $30/

Good luck fishing.

Mike

[curt quesnell]

Here is another suggestion for the Skindog jersey gloves. They work great and when they get wet, put on a different pair.

I put the minnow bucket in a 5 gallon pain in the middle of the
boat. When it comes time to "minnow up" pull the bucket out of
the pail, let the water drain out and get the minnow with a scooper
or a net. Leave the gloves on even when handleing fish.

I will also be using Therma care heat wraps around my wrists this
winter while ice fishing.

Curt Quesnell

[tennessee tuxedo]

My wife bought me a pair of those seal skin gloves and it's remarkable who well they keep your hands dry but once they get wet they loose their insulating value. I like using different gloves for different applications but thats fishing in a boat. Jon-e hand warmers are great and a good value.

[Walleye Express]

Dinky.
Didn't read all the posts, so maybe this has been mentioned. An old trick my dad taught me when I was but a lad, was to flap my arms HARD against my sides. I always felt stupid doing it, and waited to just before the light shade of blue fingers turned to Black. But man did she work. It almost burned from the heat, and they stayed warm for quit some time. Simply swing fast and hit yourself hard under the armpits for about 10 swings. You'll feel the blood/heat do its job fast.

[fishguy]

Wear wool fingerless gloves and put a instant heat pack on the tops of your hands inside the gloves. The blood flows to your fingertips via the top of your hand--not the palm. ...and keep dry. If minnows are a must, and your casting and retrieving or adding any motion at all, when you get to the lake/river take the minnows out of the water and put them in a dry container. Try an old secrets box that you can fit into your chest pocket. At night in the fall they will stay cool and fresh without water. Hungry night eye's don't care if the minnow is fully alive or not.

Something is fishy around here.