Winter Driving. Get to those fish risking life and limb.

You go fishing or hunting during the late season when the snow flies and you best be ready to attack the roads, because they’ll be trying to eat you.

I’m not as gung-ho on the icy road driving as I used to be, but I still end up out there on occasion stomping on the pedal trying to attain a few more yards, to reach that perfect run on on the Ruby, or that trailhead to a golden trout lake in the Wind Rivers, or to throw on some Vancouver Island steelhead stream where there just has to be a 20-pounder.

There are some keys to driving in the snow and on ice, foremost being a four-wheel drive vehicle. Beyond that, weight over the rear axel is imperative. Think sand bags or rounds of wood. A third key would be good tires with solid mud and snow chomping, aggressive tread. Chains and a shovel. Must have gear for getting out when the getting is really, really hard. Then it’s a matter of familiarizing yourself with steering on the slide. Best illegal way to do that? Hit a grocery store parking lot, after hours, and spin that rig.

To give you an idea of what to expect out there, here’s a truck with the appropriate weight in the rear, plus a pick of what got us out of the mountains in the Madison Valley earlier this year. And here’s a vid on trying to get up a hill with bald tires in hoarfrost. You got to love Canadian guides. Good luck out there this winter. Be kindof safe. And do get to those fish.

Chains get you out of the ditch and they grab on slick, mountain roads. Headed into some rugged country this winter for fish? Better have a set of these along or you'll pay the price, sooner or later.

 

Weight over the axle, big time.

 

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