When kayak fishing, you are a little more exposed to the elements than most and need to take the necessary precautions to ensure that your trip is comfortable, safe and productive. While fishing on the kayak, most people find themselves in some cold early mornings or some serious mid-day heat, however some hardcore anglers fish all year long and find themselves in some of the harsher winter conditions and need to take extra precautions. Some of the conditions you need to be properly dressed for are wind, sun, cold exposure, overheating and rain.
As a general rule, in warmer conditions you want to stay away from the heavier cotton blends and dress in light weight, breathable and quick drying synthetics. You should take precautions to protect your skin from over exposure to the damaging rays of sunlight, whether this is by covering exposed skin with clothing or using a good sunscreen. Polarized sun shades not only help cut the glare off the water but also protect your eyes from the UV light.
In harsher winter conditions you should dress differently as hypothermia and frost bite is a very real danger. Layered warm clothing is a must. Make sure your body is protected with clothing specially designed for this application.
Kayaking requires some amount of physical exertion, and even when cold out, you can still sweat. For this reason you need to use base layers that will wick moisture away from your skin. Your hands and feet are prone to getting too cold and need to be protected as well. It is very hard to tie lines and handle fish with bulky gloves on. I pull my gloves off to do these tasks but carry a hand towel and the air activated hand warmers so I can dry and warm my hands and fingers before placing my gloves back on. As far as my feet go, I wear heavy wool performance socks. These will insulate even if they get wet.
Your head is another area that you can lose body heat quickly. Make sure that you have a warm head covering on. The best I have found is one made from rabbit fur. However, some are allergic to animal furs and need to find a synthetic option here.
Cold weather kayak fishing attire basically falls into two categories: Those made from neoprene and those made from water resistant materials. The benefit of neoprene, or wetsuit material, is that it will temporarily keep you warm in the event that you inadvertently go for a swim or wade in the water while launching. Paddle johns are sleeveless neoprene suits; they provide the free range of motion needed for casting and paddling. These will protect your body core in the event of emersion.
The non-neoprene garments are made out of different materials, and are water resistant and breathable. They include splash wear and are loose fitting and can be layered for maximum comfort in changing conditions.
If the water temp is below 60 degrees you might consider wearing a Dry Suit. These are expensive but will save your life. I wear a neoprene paddle john under my splash wear when the water temp gets low. A wet suit will hold body temperatures for a short period of time and gives you enough time to get to dry land if you are not too far from shore, whereas the Dry Suit will keep your body dry with the exception of your head and hands.
Some kayak fishermen like to wear waders when it is cold out. These work to keep you dry from splashes and normal wading in the water, but do you absolutely no good if you roll your yak and take a swim as they can get water in them even with a wader belt on. The neoprene waders that are tight fitting will insulate where the rubber or water proof fabric ones will not. Neoprene waders would be the only ones I would recommend if you are set on this route, however it is my opinion that this is still not the best option.
The best tip I can give you about winter dress is that you dress like you are in fact going to take a swim every time you go out. You will always survive if you do take a swim. Please do not take these precautions lightly.
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