A
AkDan76
Member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2014
- Messages
- 219
While I was their fishing with Bigslack, I got a little cocky wearing a light fleece and light flannel with a tshirt. Hindsites 2020, was great until I stuck my hands in the water multiple times landing fish. The big boy and adrenaline did me in at the end of the day, we could have fished a little longer, afterall I'm sure the gals expect us to be late when we're fishing anyways 
I was shaking like a leaf, maybe as much from landing the largest brown of my life, or just the sheer fact I was freezing my tail off I'm not sure.
I'll give you some insight to what we do up here. I should have done it while I was south being I had good garb with me.
2 layers of socks if they fit CAN work. Though I honestly don't believe its a good idear. read on.....
Generally cold anything is a sign your core is cold...and or, you're wet!
Feet are notorious no matter how much you don't believe it, they sweat! A spray on antiperspirant is a godsend in the cold. try it if you have cold feet or you know your feet sweat.
for me I prefer the heavy (red) smart wool socks. the problem for me with liners is they make my feet sweet profusely. Where just the heavy wools I'm good for a full day of even crazy cold fishing! Liners seem to in general create more moisture in your feet. If you need them so be it, but I'd try the antiperspirant first. Or do both! If those socks are tight...and I don't mean your feet fall off tight, I mean just enough to compress the wool...you're GOING to get cold feet!!!
http://www.smartwool.com/socks/fish-hunt/hunt-extra-heavy-otc-socks.html
When it comes to my core, in the cold a light liner is nice....but I generally don't need it. I do prefer wool though I have plenty of synthetics, they all work for light liners. When it's cold I'll grab a set of Minus 33 heavy weight top and the medium bottoms. Wool just flat out keeps you warm. I've spent a LOT of time in polys (army cold weather trainer) and was thankful to get rid of them! They do work, but man alive they stink and the stink is not removable LOL! I do still carry a heavy poly top on winter expeditions. I've hunted in temps down to -70 without windchill factored in. Your eyes freeze in those temps, its not fun. If you've seen any of the haul road trucker shows in winter, that's my play ground when I'm hunting. Fishing isn't that great until you hit the slope, than theirs char and the 1 1/2 months the lake is open, lakers, so I fish elsewhere lol.
You can get the heavy weight minus 33 from Hanks up in NY, they're great to deal with and the shipping is hard to beat, 2 day free. They also have good sales from time to time so watch them vigilantly! If you can find the higher almost turtle neck style top (1/4 zip) buy it! It looks as if the woolx brand from hanks is replacing the minus 33. I really like the minus 33 better, its a heavier weight wool and denser weave (keeps the wind out), I have both brands.
http://www.hanksclothing.com/minus33_merino_wool_thermal_underwear.html
Speaking of neck I usually have a small thin neck gator or hat that I can slip down with me. Your high heat spots are your pits, groin, lower back and neck and head! obviously regulating heat here will help you stay warmer longer!
When I'm fishing sweats and jeans are typically out. Though I was dumb and early on wore them in pa/md, including the day I got chilled. Fleece is my go too. its rare I get cold wearing fleece wading pants. You may look silly, but if staying warm is your goal, this is it. jeans do NOTHING for you! Sweats do little! A thick fleece pair of pants work wonders.
Stop wearing hippers in winter. The chest waders help keep the wind off ya. Every bit helps!
Up top I also like fleece over my wool for a medium layer, a light top and vest, or a heavy top and vest with some form of wind breaker outlayer usually un insulated. The vest or top will help you regulate better than one big thick layer top. its rare I use my vest...nothing fancy. I'd like to get one of the wool windshear tops from cabelas someday. (grey camo one) as a mid weight 2nd layer.
I sound like a clothing advertisement. LOL!
I'm fortunate I don't wear gloves fishing very often...well ice fishing. My hands if I dress properly don't generally get cold. I carry a pair of light thinsulate liner gloves if I need them. Tried some lighter wool fingerless they worked well too on this last trip. They don't stay warm when wet like wool will.
Staying warm isn't about one particular thing or even a particular brand. Its about regulating a system. That means stopping and removing gear when on the move, do it! Adding gear when you stop as well. And being smart unlike what I did with Jon that day. Thankfully I wasn't on a fly out hunting/fishing trip up here, it could have been much more serious than the wrap to a great day fishing!
C
o
l
d
keep COMFORTABLY Cool (notice I didn't say warm lol)
Ovoid overheating
Loose layers
STAY DRY!
Hope some of this helps someone. The summers are a respite from the long cold dark winters, makes our giant skeeters somewhat bearable.
Maybe I'll do a few posts on here on some winter fishing. I keep drewling over the open water year round you have.
is it april yet!?!?!?!
I was shaking like a leaf, maybe as much from landing the largest brown of my life, or just the sheer fact I was freezing my tail off I'm not sure. I'll give you some insight to what we do up here. I should have done it while I was south being I had good garb with me.
2 layers of socks if they fit CAN work. Though I honestly don't believe its a good idear. read on.....
Generally cold anything is a sign your core is cold...and or, you're wet!
Feet are notorious no matter how much you don't believe it, they sweat! A spray on antiperspirant is a godsend in the cold. try it if you have cold feet or you know your feet sweat.
for me I prefer the heavy (red) smart wool socks. the problem for me with liners is they make my feet sweet profusely. Where just the heavy wools I'm good for a full day of even crazy cold fishing! Liners seem to in general create more moisture in your feet. If you need them so be it, but I'd try the antiperspirant first. Or do both! If those socks are tight...and I don't mean your feet fall off tight, I mean just enough to compress the wool...you're GOING to get cold feet!!!
http://www.smartwool.com/socks/fish-hunt/hunt-extra-heavy-otc-socks.html
When it comes to my core, in the cold a light liner is nice....but I generally don't need it. I do prefer wool though I have plenty of synthetics, they all work for light liners. When it's cold I'll grab a set of Minus 33 heavy weight top and the medium bottoms. Wool just flat out keeps you warm. I've spent a LOT of time in polys (army cold weather trainer) and was thankful to get rid of them! They do work, but man alive they stink and the stink is not removable LOL! I do still carry a heavy poly top on winter expeditions. I've hunted in temps down to -70 without windchill factored in. Your eyes freeze in those temps, its not fun. If you've seen any of the haul road trucker shows in winter, that's my play ground when I'm hunting. Fishing isn't that great until you hit the slope, than theirs char and the 1 1/2 months the lake is open, lakers, so I fish elsewhere lol.
You can get the heavy weight minus 33 from Hanks up in NY, they're great to deal with and the shipping is hard to beat, 2 day free. They also have good sales from time to time so watch them vigilantly! If you can find the higher almost turtle neck style top (1/4 zip) buy it! It looks as if the woolx brand from hanks is replacing the minus 33. I really like the minus 33 better, its a heavier weight wool and denser weave (keeps the wind out), I have both brands.
http://www.hanksclothing.com/minus33_merino_wool_thermal_underwear.html
Speaking of neck I usually have a small thin neck gator or hat that I can slip down with me. Your high heat spots are your pits, groin, lower back and neck and head! obviously regulating heat here will help you stay warmer longer!
When I'm fishing sweats and jeans are typically out. Though I was dumb and early on wore them in pa/md, including the day I got chilled. Fleece is my go too. its rare I get cold wearing fleece wading pants. You may look silly, but if staying warm is your goal, this is it. jeans do NOTHING for you! Sweats do little! A thick fleece pair of pants work wonders.
Stop wearing hippers in winter. The chest waders help keep the wind off ya. Every bit helps!
Up top I also like fleece over my wool for a medium layer, a light top and vest, or a heavy top and vest with some form of wind breaker outlayer usually un insulated. The vest or top will help you regulate better than one big thick layer top. its rare I use my vest...nothing fancy. I'd like to get one of the wool windshear tops from cabelas someday. (grey camo one) as a mid weight 2nd layer.
I sound like a clothing advertisement. LOL!
I'm fortunate I don't wear gloves fishing very often...well ice fishing. My hands if I dress properly don't generally get cold. I carry a pair of light thinsulate liner gloves if I need them. Tried some lighter wool fingerless they worked well too on this last trip. They don't stay warm when wet like wool will.
Staying warm isn't about one particular thing or even a particular brand. Its about regulating a system. That means stopping and removing gear when on the move, do it! Adding gear when you stop as well. And being smart unlike what I did with Jon that day. Thankfully I wasn't on a fly out hunting/fishing trip up here, it could have been much more serious than the wrap to a great day fishing!
C
o
l
d
keep COMFORTABLY Cool (notice I didn't say warm lol)
Ovoid overheating
Loose layers
STAY DRY!
Hope some of this helps someone. The summers are a respite from the long cold dark winters, makes our giant skeeters somewhat bearable.
Maybe I'll do a few posts on here on some winter fishing. I keep drewling over the open water year round you have.
is it april yet!?!?!?!
