Question about cold weather fishing

[Baseline]

Originally Posted by eriksat1

Maybe not officially approved but they do float. Plenty of videos showing it. I don't plan on falling into ice cold water but a better feeling wearing it anyway.

Yep!!! If we ever hit the water when its cold enough to wear the ice fishing gear we will have bigger problems to solve.

[TomP.]

Originally Posted by Baseline

Yep!!! If we ever hit the water when its cold enough to wear the ice fishing gear we will have bigger problems to solve.

You are right but at least it makes it easier to find your body.

[10pounder]

I am 66 years old and have worked(outdoors), fished, and hunted most of my adult life. My hands and feet have been frozen and thawed thousands of times. Now add all the times I've smashed, pinched, and cut my hands and fingers. The cold just decimates my hands now. I believe it is due to a build up of scar tissue and nerve damage. I buy the heater pacs at WalMart and 2000 gram LaCrosse boots 1 size larger so there is room for the heater pacs. I bought a float suit from IDgear and it is also known as Arctic Armor. The beauty of the suit is, if you fall in you float! They have a gold and black suit(bibs and coat) for $234 online. this is the only gear i wear every winter. I do wear layers under it. When you are all bundled up with big boots on it becomes easy to trip. If I do fall in the water I am not going to sink. I don't have to fight the shock off and swim at the same time. I catch walleye and steelhead in 34 degree water. Can you imagine being totally immersed in that water and trying to function! I remember a Friday in midwinter. It was snowing big flakes, getting dark, and the traffic was backed up on the bridge I was fishing by. I'm sure there were drivers wondering what kind of idiot would be in a boat, in the river, in the middle of the winter. I can tell you. A guy with a cooler full of walleye. Bet I caught better than 30. This was in Indiana too. Hey those suits are warm too. Remember " dress warm-if you get too hot, take something off. but if you get cold, you can't put on what you didn't bring".

[kswalleyer]

we all know the dangers of cold water, my Mustang catalyst suit has this, if it didn't, i'd wear a pdf even if it says it floats...go jump in a shallow pool in summer with hunting waders, cold weather fishing gear...all of it... and see how it works before being pressed into figuring it out in 25 ft of 35 degree water in January somewhere 5 minutes from Hypothermia. For sizing, I'm 6'4 230 and wear the XXXL. they run small. very warm and comfortable .

not cheap but safety gear is always more important than any other gear in the boat so should be bought first before anything else...when bundled up its very easy to stumble, I had a 62YO guy out on Truman in my bass boat last January and he stumbled and went in, I was there to pull him out so no biggie...he stiffened up like a board almost immediately. he couldn't believe how quickly it could go bad. Until 50 degrees surface temp or more, I wont go out in anything else, remote or not

[reddog]

Originally Posted by kswalleyer

we all know the dangers of cold water, my Mustang catalyst suit has this, if it didn't, i'd wear a pdf even if it says it floats...go jump in a shallow pool in summer with hunting waders, cold weather fishing gear...all of it... and see how it works before being pressed into figuring it out in 25 ft of 35 degree water in January somewhere 5 minutes from Hypothermia. For sizing, I'm 6'4 230 and wear the XXXL. they run small. very warm and comfortable .

not cheap but safety gear is always more important than any other gear in the boat so should be bought first before anything else...when bundled up its very easy to stumble, I had a 62YO guy out on Truman in my bass boat last January and he stumbled and went in, I was there to pull him out so no biggie...he stiffened up like a board almost immediately. he couldn't believe how quickly it could go bad. Until 50 degrees surface temp or more, I wont go out in anything else, remote or not

I sent you a pm Ks.

I tripped over the tongue of my boat unloading on a reservoir on Dec 20th in full winter gear. Certainly not a life risking event, but it did give me some idea of how heavy I am when fully water logged . I'm not sure if I could get back in if it happened in open water situation.

[kswalleyer]

Originally Posted by reddog

I sent you a pm Ks.

I tripped over the tongue of my boat unloading on a reservoir on Dec 20th in full winter gear. Certainly not a life risking event, but it did give me some idea of how heavy I am when fully water logged . I'm not sure if I could get back in if it happened in open water situation.

I responded I think? if it didn't come through just tell me and Ill retry it. yes, getting back in the boat is the problem...yeah you might be able to power trim yourself in, climb up a ladder, but for me I'm just not risking anything 10 miles from the nearest ramp with nobody around.

[AllenW]

Lots of heat packs, the more I wear the less clothes I need.
Looking like the Michelin man is not my idea of being comfortable.

Besides, I look to close to him already...


Al...beating HRG to the punch line.

[rebelrn2001]

I didn't read all the other posts but here's what I do. Warm feet are huge. Wear the warmest boots you can reasonably move around in in the boat. If I'm running any distance, I wear a face mask, at least till I get to where I'm fishing. Layering is the key. A ski cap along w/the face mask. Two pair of hand warmers. One set in glove palms and one pair in chest front pockets. Layers: Winter quality bibs (I have some orange bib's I used to wear when I deer hunted) over my insulated fishing pants. T shirt, 2 flannel shirts and winter jacket. Plus my life jacket. I can always remove stuff but you can't fix cold if you don't have things to put on. I look like a poor old hick but I don't really care. Good luck !