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I will be doing my first year of cold weather kayaking and would like some tips on staying dry an warm. I have a 12' heritage angler an i usually get wet just above my ankles launching. Winter last year wasnt bad considering i was in shorts in late January. But this year feels colder im expecting to dress for low 40s and up, anything colder an im making jigs haha. Not sure if i should spend the money on waders, if i need to what kind? Also what are my options without waders?
I usually wear waders in the cold months
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The one caution would be in the event of "taking a swim", and the waders filled with water. Would your PFD support that much weight? The answer is, I don't know. I have thought the same about wearing waders, and decided that neoprene boots and an outer layer of rain pants would be my choice. Full disclosure, I have never had the guts to take my yak out in winter. I stick with the boat and a propane heater......which brings on a totally new element of danger!!
Dry suit,with rubber gussets on the ankles wrists and neck and 2 or 3 layers starting out with poly prophalene tops/bottoms, then couple layers of polar fleece. Rubber hood with polar fleece cap inside for head. Rubber booties with smart wool socks and even neoprene gloves and you can break ice in your kayak. I know the gear is alittle expensive, but I have kayaked dead winter 20 degrees running whitewater dressed that way in the mts. Works like a charm and if you have to swim no worries about hypothermia hitting you other wise in the winter getting wet, you have about 15-20 minutes to live if you get wet. Don’t mess around with hypothermia please.
Dry suit is best. I have never had a pair of waders fill up and water is neutrality buoyant so your off would still float you. If it did. The only time you would become heavier is exiting the water like a deep water reentry but again I have never had them fill up to. When they have a hole only your foot gets wet or leg not a flood I belief it to be a myth I ment to try this summer to see what happens but forgot
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Et fish: wish i could get my bass boat out, gotta buy new trailer for it. Figured clothes were cheaper haha but that propane heater sounds handy, we always just went home hahaha
cevans: breaking ice? I got a chill just reading that haha i seen a few post about gear like you described, im having a hard time finding a store thats not 5 hours away, i would really like to try on before i spend that much. Would that be overkill on a day thats kinda decent? How well can you wear it say the wind quits blowing an you get some sun?
Most important thing is a pfd, and put it on before getting to the water's edge.
Fitted stocking foot waders (neoprene or breathable) work fine for winter wear. Neoprene is prone to make one sweaty on the paddle out, then one gets cold while fishing. Breathable is a better option. DON'T go with old school one size fits all boot foot rubberized/canvas waders. PS I have a drysuit and prefer waders.
I tried the wetsuit way and really didn't enjoy the days I wore them and felt like a 225 pound sausage. I bought a good pair of breathable hip waders and have used them on all my cold weather fishing. We don't have ice to often on the lakes and I don't fish if ice is present to the point of having to break it to fish. My hat is off to you Northern guys.
glad i joined this forum a buddy has some neoprene waders and was wanting to get rid of them, now i see why haha. Dry suit seems like overkill for central tx more i think about it, even in my bass fishing days pre fishing bass champs a day of 38 an sleeting rain was never a "wanted trip" more like a day when bossman says "your not busy on christmas are you?"
plus even under armor makes me itch, hopefully i can pull off a good set of waders for dryness an wind protection then some good shoes cause whenever my feet get cold im done. Then probably good waterproof light jacket, an on a bad day my gortex 100mph jacket
IMHO..a good quality rain suit..non-insulated.. some fleece under that..a hat..and for da'feet, muck boots
Just be prepared to swim as the old say beyond your control is “s#*t happens” and it only takes one time. Be safe when the water temp drops into the colder temps. Fish on!
Yeah the last thing i wanna do is have too much on an sink or be super heavy.
Somewhere I read about a 100 degrees rule- if the sum of the air and water temperature is less than 100 degrees you SHOULD wear a wet you or dry suit. I don't usually get out when it's too cold but will sometimes make it out during a warmer February or March day when it might be mid 60s but the water is still in the mid 30s. I wear knee high rubber boots and a rain suit. Plus I always wear a pfd when paddling.
While anything can happen,a PFD is probably the best thing to have on.Most of our waters in Wv are not overly large,If I were to fall out of my kayak,and couldn't get back in,it would take just mere minutes to swim to shore.That said,I would never wear my PFD over my heavy coat,in my mind I believe it would be best to shuck a heavy coat once I fell in rather than be so bulky I couldn't swim to shore..imho