How do you keep warm on the lake

[Bonefish]

Since the weather has finally gotten winter fishing season underway, there are a few things to keep in mind. Most of your body heat is lost through your head, and you should keep your head as dry as possible by not sweating before you get into your boat. Make sure your headgear is waterproff and also allows moisture to escape. Cover your head in layers as well as your body and feet. You may want to wear an thin head pullover or ear covering with an insulated hood. Hand and feet must also stay dry. Boots and gloves should be waterproof and insulated and should not be too small or too big...just snug. If gloves are too small, they will reduce the circulation to your hands. Gloves should have approximately 40-100 grams of thinsulate in them. Boots should have 600-1400 grams in them. Socks and underwear should be able to wick body moisture away. Do not use cotton because it will hold body moisture. It is important to dress in layers to keep air pockets between the layers and you can also adjust to changing weather conditions throughout the day or night. Your outer shell should be waterproof, windproof, insulated and with some type of flotation. A two-piece may be more practicle than the one piece when it comes to adjusting to changing conditions and movement. Make sure the zippers and seams are water and windproof. Adjustable waist and wrist tabls are good to have ass well. There are a number of different types of products out there that work well, but they can be expensive, but in wet, freezing lake conditions, comfort will be cheap.

Maybe some you who fish the worst of conditions can comment on how you keep warm on the lake in during the winter.

[birdstrike]

I loooove the cold! Problems I've been having (last night- 21 degrees) are the rod eyelets freezing up, braided line freezing solid on the spool, and reels in general freezing up. Not really looking for solutions to these problems as it's a good sign to get your butt off the river when your fishing gear is frozen and your extremities are going numb

Like you said, a good hat is half the battle, layers, a windproof shell and sense enough to get out of the weather when it's too cold is the other half!

[CatFan96]

Good info. The part about not sweating before you get on the lake is important. A ride in a warm vehicle, then you hustle around trying to get the boat loaded and launch, then a long walk from the parking lot to the ramp is a good way to work up a sweat. I leave the really warm clothes off until I'm on the water.

I wear pac boots that I buy a half-size too big since I'm not walking in them. This leaves room for extra socks or a handwarmer if it's really cold, but leaves room for circulation all the time.

One thing I've learned from some folks who work outside here at work: Tuck the little handwarmer pouches under the elastic cuff of your jacket or gloves on the bottom of your wrist. All the blood going to your hand goes through there, and warming the wrist keeps the blood flowing and your hands warmer even if you have to take your gloves off.

Don't think wool is outdated. It is some of the warmest stuff available. I have wool long johns with a poly layer, and a wool flannel shirt. Really warm.

Also, make sure you have a way to get back in the boat. With all the extra gear on, there is no way to climb in a boat by yourself without a ladder or help. You will be exhausted and hypothermic within just a few minutes.

[roadrunner]

Good info. The part about not sweating before you get on the lake is important. A ride in a warm vehicle, then you hustle around trying to get the boat loaded and launch, then a long walk from the parking lot to the ramp is a good way to work up a sweat. I leave the really warm clothes off until I'm on the water.

I wear pac boots that I buy a half-size too big since I'm not walking in them. This leaves room for extra socks or a handwarmer if it's really cold, but leaves room for circulation all the time.

One thing I've learned from some folks who work outside here at work: Tuck the little handwarmer pouches under the elastic cuff of your jacket or gloves on the bottom of your wrist. All the blood going to your hand goes through there, and warming the wrist keeps the blood flowing and your hands warmer even if you have to take your gloves off.

Don't think wool is outdated. It is some of the warmest stuff available. I have wool long johns with a poly layer, and a wool flannel shirt. Really warm.

Also, make sure you have a way to get back in the boat. With all the extra gear on, there is no way to climb in a boat by yourself without a ladder or help. You will be exhausted and hypothermic within just a few minutes.

ONe of the best ways to get in the boat is to stradle the motor and tilt it al the way up then crawl in the boat. You need a dry set of coveralls in the boat. take of your wet close and put on the dry ones.

[peter]

http://fishin.com/how-to-stay-warm.pdf

Above is from an earlier earlier post on same subject.

I like the metal bucket filled one third the way with sand. Dump in some charcole and light it. Never have tried it. Guess you could cook some hot brats as a side benefit.

Peter

[stratosjoe]

bucket with sand and a coleman lantern, Use vaseline intensive care ( a small amount ) on hands work in good put on latex surgeons gloves, put fingerless jersey over that and fish ..... Hot coffee... finish trip at home with a dribble of good Bourbon

[JUSTINHALL]

I always wear snowmobile bibs and jacket. It is much lighter and warmer than Carhart or work type clothes. It is water proof breathes well and overall very warm with out being heavy. One more important aspect of them they will regulate your body temperature as well as the material reacts to your body heat and won’t make you sweat to death once you get too warm. Even if it does warm up too much they have zippers that open up sections of it to cool you down with out having to peel layers off. Usually around arm pits and back. The cheaper puffy ones can be a litte too bulky but the more expensive kind for snow cross is well worth the money, warm thin and light weight. I have fished in the teens way too many times in the past, If you are dumb enough to fish with 2" of snow on the deck (like I am) you will apreciate warm clothes. (The kind of weather where you have to shake the end of the pole in the water every 10 minutes to melt the ice off your eyelets. And you have to flip a coin to see who has to reach in and get the bait out of the livewell when you forgot the net.)

[know1]

Catching fish does the trick for me...

Michael

[stratos294]

I like the wool, and rainsuit combo. Not burning yourself up in the truck helps too. A friend showed me a trick this year that really works. Hot tomoato soup, drink it like coffee. Seems to keep you warm and tosty.
mike

[dsonthelake84]

Whats a good pair of gloves to use so you can feel the bite? If its real cold I wear some bibs and a couple of hoodies but my hands always stay cold do to no being able to fill the bite.

[Bonefish]

As CatFan and StratosJoe says, vaseline/surgical gloves and handwarmers around your wrist are good ways to keep your hands warm.

[Moose1am]

All very good information. But what if you fall out of the boat? Do you have a Coast Guard Approved Life inflation device to keep you afloat? Do you have a ladder on your boat where you can climb back into the boat. This is especially helpful when your freezing in icy water for even a few minutes.

And after you get back into the boat do you have some extra clothing to get into after your dry off and warm up. A blanket and something to give off heat. Be it starting a fire or an propane heater or even a car or truck heater. The important thing is to get out fo the wet cloths and dry off and then into some dry new warm cloths and then get someplace where you can warm yourself. You will want to get your core body temperature back up. A thermos with some warm or hot soup would be helpful. That or warm coffee. Decaf so that you don't constrict your blood vessels. You want the blood flow to be restored not constricted.

This safety message brought to you by an old Rescue Diver who never did like pulling people out of the drink when they fell in and could not get back into the boat.

Think safety and have fun knowing that if something bad did happen you are prepared to handle a cold emergency.

The life you save may be your own.

And if it's windy you may not be able to catch up with the boat if you fall out. It's nearly impossible to swim very fast with all those heavy cloths on. And wearing insulated boots will make it nearly impossible to get your feet to propel you though the water. Even wearing sandals in the summertime will hinder your swim kicking ability.

Since the weather has finally gotten winter fishing season underway, there are a few things to keep in mind. Most of your body heat is lost through your head, and you should keep your head as dry as possible by not sweating before you get into your boat. Make sure your headgear is waterproof and also allows moisture to escape. Cover your head in layers as well as your body and feet. You may want to wear an thin head pullover or ear covering with an insulated hood. Hand and feet must also stay dry. Boots and gloves should be waterproof and insulated and should not be too small or too big...just snug. If gloves are too small, they will reduce the circulation to your hands. Gloves should have approximately 40-100 grams of thinsulate in them. Boots should have 600-1400 grams in them. Socks and underwear should be able to wick body moisture away. Do not use cotton because it will hold body moisture. It is important to dress in layers to keep air pockets between the layers and you can also adjust to changing weather conditions throughout the day or night. Your outer shell should be waterproof, windproof, insulated and with some type of flotation. A two-piece may be more practical than the one piece when it comes to adjusting to changing conditions and movement. Make sure the zippers and seams are water and windproof. Adjustable waist and wrist tabs are good to have ass well. There are a number of different types of products out there that work well, but they can be expensive, but in wet, freezing lake conditions, comfort will be cheap.

Maybe some you who fish the worst of conditions can comment on how you keep warm on the lake in during the winter.