Cold Weather

[briansII]

I was invited to go steelhead fishing. That's a good thing, but I couldn't help thinking how painfully cold it can get. I can remember taking breaks, and being bent over in pain, trying to get feeling back in my hands. As i've gotten older, I don't tolerate the cold as well. I don't think I can wear enough layers to keep warm. The little heat packets have given me some relief. Any tips on keeping the chill out?


I think suffering is just part of steelhead fishing. The pain briefly goes away when you're hooked up.

My Michelin Man outfit.




briansII

[Sasha]

Sorry I don’t think I will be much help on this. When I fish in the cold winter months up here I don’t use a lot of fancy stuff. I usually just put on a pair of thermals on then my pants over them. For socks I put on a pair of nylons then put on my smart wool socks. Up top I use a thermal shirt then I put on a sweater and then my fleece jacket. I wear a beanie and fleece gloves as well. This seems to do the trick for me when it is cold and snowing and I am wading in water that is not much above freezing.

[midger]

Layers.

I don't use my goretex waders when winter fishing. I use Simms neoprenes with silk underwear, and a light polar fleece over them if it is really cold--ie 10-20 degrees. Tops the same--silk with layer of polar fleece over the silk. I cap it off with a Patagonia SST jacket ( I got it on sale in 1991, and it's never leaked or let me down--I just don't care for the bright green color, but the fish don't seem to mind). I bought the coat large so there is room for 3-4 light layers under it. For socks, I use the merino smartwool socks.

I don't get cold easily, so it's not been a major issue for me. I don't like my guides freezing up all the time though.

[meb]

Here's a few suggestions that help me: 1. one piece fleece long johns, 2. a lightweight balaclava that I wear as a neck gator until I need it, 3. a wool or fleece stocking cap that covers your ears. Toss in a thermos of coffee and a warm lunch, a few steelhead, and you should be fine.

Good luck,

Mark

[Pete]

Sorry I don’t think I will be much help on this. When I fish in the cold winter months up here I don’t use a lot of fancy stuff. I usually just put on a pair of thermals on then my pants over them. For socks I put on a pair of nylons then put on my smart wool socks. Up top I use a thermal shirt then I put on a sweater and then my fleece jacket. I wear a beanie and fleece gloves as well. This seems to do the trick for me when it is cold and snowing and I am wading in water that is not much above freezing.

Not trying to be a smart alec but, nylons? Different name for special warm weather gear or real nylons?

[Sasha]

Sorry I don’t think I will be much help on this. When I fish in the cold winter months up here I don’t use a lot of fancy stuff. I usually just put on a pair of thermals on then my pants over them. For socks I put on a pair of nylons then put on my smart wool socks. Up top I use a thermal shirt then I put on a sweater and then my fleece jacket. I wear a beanie and fleece gloves as well. This seems to do the trick for me when it is cold and snowing and I am wading in water that is not much above freezing.

Not trying to be a smart alec but, nylons? Different name for special warm weather gear or real nylons?

Haha I guess I should have read my post after I typed it I meant nylon socks then I put on my wool socks over them.

[JGray]

If you want to keep fishing in Colorado in Dec and Jan its always in the 20's. What works for me is about what everyone else has said. Make sure thermals and or silks are next to skin. I actually have a pair of thinsulate quilted thermals that I got for sitting on the deer stand that I wear. Like the others said make sure you have a wisking sock and a thick wool sock for your feet and for me I have found that wearing looser * boots keeps your feet warmer. I have a pair two sizes to big for winter. I guess its because it keeps the blood circulating better. And in your picture you aren't wearing one, but you have to have a wool hat or something similar that covers your head and ears. Most of your body heat is lost through your head. Some guys I know (Wildfly) even wear a skiers mask that covers your whole face.

[briansII]

If you want to keep fishing in Colorado in Dec and Jan its always in the 20's. What works for me is about what everyone else has said. Make sure thermals and or silks are next to skin. I actually have a pair of thinsulate quilted thermals that I got for sitting on the deer stand that I wear. Like the others said make sure you have a wisking sock and a thick wool sock for your feet and for me I have found that wearing looser * boots keeps your feet warmer. I have a pair two sizes to big for winter. I guess its because it keeps the blood circulating better. And in your picture you aren't wearing one, but you have to have a wool hat or something similar that covers your head and ears. Most of your body heat is lost through your head. Some guys I know (Wildfly) even wear a skiers mask that covers your whole face.

Thanks everyone for all the good info. I do what most of you do. Layer with wicking clothes. The one thing I didn't do....shown in the pic, is wear a warm hat. I now have 2 hats. Both(Patagonia & Mountain Hardware) are synthetic, and cover my dumbo ears. I have upgraded my gloves to Simms, windbloc fleece. What little i've used them, they seem to be an improvement.

What makes a miserably cold day tolerable, is being hooked up to a fish.......so I guess the best thing for cold weather is catching plenty of fish.



briansII

[FFFF]

I'm gonna rat myself out here. Back in the stone age when I was in the Army......I actually wore nylons under my cold weather gear.......and they worked too....kept me nice and warm during field exercises in the winter. But....that was before all this newfangled gear that is available. I felt sorta silly when I put them on, but the warmth helped me get over it. For whatever that was worth...it's what I did.....now go ahead and laugh your buns off!!!!

[Papasequoia]

You picked the wrong branch of the service ... shoulda gone navy.

[FFFF]

Oh Jon.......groan!!!!! I shoulda gone Air Force, haha!!

[Rockstar Fisherman]

Brian looks like your pain paid off cool pics and awesome steelies!

Here's my question, I sweat I guess, whether I'm wearing breathables or neoprenes. HOW DO YOU STAY DRY???? I quit tubing early today cuz my feet (MAIN PROBLEM AREA) were frozen!! It seems like it's my feet that suffer the most.

I was wearing a pair of liner socks, then regular socks then wool socks.

[briansII]

Brian looks like your pain paid off cool pics and awesome steelies!

Here's my question, I sweat I guess, whether I'm wearing breathables or neoprenes. HOW DO YOU STAY DRY???? I quit tubing early today cuz my feet (MAIN PROBLEM AREA) were frozen!! It seems like it's my feet that suffer the most.

I was wearing a pair of liner socks, then regular socks then wool socks.

JGray made a good comment about circulation. Make sure your feet aren't too tight in your waders/boots, or you'll loose some circulation. When your body gets very cold, it will restrict blood flow to your extremities to keep your core warm.

My feet and hands suffer the most. I usually wear liner socks under thick wool socks. My feet will sweat in waders, but not too badly. I can usually tell if the moisture is sweat, or a leak in the waders.

briansII

[Rockstar Fisherman]

Maybe I need not to wear my regular pair of socks, that means just liner and wool socks for me. I'll try it out next time.