Skillz
03-26-2002, 02:31 PM
Ok- don't want to jinx anyone for the soft water (spring) but started thinking...
I imagine sporting goods stores will be trying to get rid of their winter apparel soon (coats, hats, GLOVES, etc). I just wanted to send a thread out to see if there is a general concensis on what brand/style is the best.
I use cheap "mad dog" neoprine style with leather-type palms. Decent enough, but thinking if I can find a really good pair on close-out at Gander Mountain/Cabela, etc. why not? Waterproof is a must- durable and washable (fish slime) is also a good idea. Any comments?
skz
Good Fishin'!!!!
I like to go with a few different gloves and mittens.
Because I never know the temp, wind, or water conditions - I keep the following gloves/mittens in my dry bag - and use gloves as required.
1. A pair of leather choppers - with fox river wool liners. I use these when driving - when I need to keep the wind off my hands, and when it is not necessarily raining - that I need to keep the leather dry.
2. A pair of fix river wool liners - that I use as a pair of mittens.
If I have cold hands, have dried my hands off and want a quick warm up - it is tough to beat a pair of wool mittens - to warm your hands. Mittens are much much much better than gloves for keeping your hands warm, because - each of your fingers - heat - can help warm the adjacent finger.
3. A pair of neoprene full fingered gloves. These are water proof, and I use these if I am going to get my hands wet, need to be able to use the rod and reel, and keep the wind off my hands - but are not necessarily the warmest.
4. A pair of 1/2 fingered neoprene gloves. I use these for jigging. This is to allow my bare finger to feel the line - for those light bites. Typically - I will use a 1/2 fingered glove on my line hand, and a full fingered glove on my reeling hand. No need to let both sets of fingers get cold.
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Most important - I always carry one or two towels in my dry bag. If I am needing to get slime etc. off my hands, I try to clean them as much as possible over the side - to get the hands clean - then try to get them dry -- nothing worse to freeze your hands, than to leave them wet or damp in a strong wind. Cold hands get even colder as the cold water evaporates. I try to leave one towel - basically dry - to act as a back up.
Another place to look for golves this time of the year, is at Menards, or other home supply stores that normally sell work gloves. They do a lot of close outs at this time of the year as well.
p.s.
Another glove that I will often take in my dry bag, but always keep with me for my trips - is a nubby texturex, long sleeved - rubber glove. I use these - any time that I am cleaning fish. I generally only use one glove - i.e. I put a glove on the non knife hand. This keeps this hand dry and free of slime - and gook, and with the nubbys or sandy filled finish - it really helps to keep your hand from slipping when you clean fish.
I also have a chain link glove that I used to clean fish, but
a. it is not waterproof, and in the spring and fall - with the cold water in the cleaning shaaks - your hands get frozen.
b. After cleaning the fish - and cleaning the glove to the best of your ability - there is always "stuff" left in the chain link - that as it dries in the cabin -- rots -- and stinks to high heaven. I have tried everything from soap to bleach - all generally unsuccessful. Thus the use of the water proof long armed rubber nubby gloves - to act as an aid while cleaning fish.
Take care
REW