Best way to dress in layers for winter fishing

[skondolf]

I saw the thread requesting suggestions on fleece pants but I want to ask a more general question - what's the best clothing to use for dressing in layers for winter fishing.

I live in upstate NY and try to take advantage of the fall runs of salmon/browns/steelies and usually I'm freezing after a fairly short time out - especially if the wind is blowing. I know that you don't want to wear cotton against your skin but there's so much gear out I really don't know what to be looking for. Are we talking Underarmor here? Anything else? What about your feet? Normally I just throw a pair of long-underwear on and a pair of jeans and suffer - this year I want to do what I can to minimize the suffering. I realize nothing will be 100% but there has to be better options than what I'm currently doing. And as Christmas is only a few months away I need some suggestions anyway!!

[oldfrat]

We have a 12-month "season" , so I fish in the winter. I can't tell you my way is best, but it does work for me.

I start with synthetic long underpants and turtleneck shirt and a pair of heavy synthetic or wool socks Next comes fleece-lined wading pants and a heavy weight synthetic shirt. A heavy wool sweater goes over that, then a fleece jacket. Finally a breathable parka style jacket that is waterproof and windproof and my breathable stocking foot waders. Surprisingly, my breathable waders have proven way warmer than my neoprene ones.

I keep my head warm with a hat and an ear band. My hands stay warm enough with fingerless rag wool gloves that have a flap that converts them to mittens. If it is real cold, I'll also bring along a couple of pair of disposable latex gloves to wear under the gloves. Otherwise I carry a towel so I can dry my hands after reviving the fish and before I put my gloves back on.

I generally don't fish too far away from my car in the cold weather due to safety concerns. I'm usually fishing alone and the crowds aren't there. I keep a heavy sweatsuit in my car along with a beach towel as insurance against getting dunked.

[mgliss]

To answer your question, yes we are talking under armor. The cold weather stuff is great. My favorite fishing season is during the winter and here in Idaho it can get pretty chilly. I start with under armor both top and bottom. Then its a mid to heavy fleece pant, a light cotton long sleeve, fleece jacket and I top it off with my waders and a soft-shell. For days with heavy weather I wear my gore-tex shell. For socks, i prefer mid-weight Merino wool. I have found that it is better to have room for circulation rather than wearing a bulky winter sock. My $.02 hope this helps.

[kglissmeyer]

To answer your question, yes we are talking under armor. The cold weather stuff is great. My favorite fishing season is during the winter and here in Idaho it can get pretty chilly. I start with under armor both top and bottom. Then its a mid to heavy fleece pant, a light cotton long sleeve, fleece jacket and I top it off with my waders and a soft-shell. For days with heavy weather I wear my gore-tex shell. For socks, i prefer mid-weight Merino wool. I have found that it is better to have room for circulation rather than wearing a bulky winter sock. My $.02 hope this helps.

What my son said . It's good to know they pay attention now and then.

Kelly.

[Preston Singletary]

First off, lose the jeans. For a first layer, find some polyester briefs; cotton, particularly against the skin, will absorb moisture from the skin and function as as an excellent conductor, very effectively drawing heat directly away from the body. For a second layer, I favor knit polyester or stretch fleece; such garments are available in a variety of weights. Don't worry about the brand name, there's nothing magical about UnderArmor or any other proprietary brand, the important characteristic is that it absorb little or no moisture, which is true of all polyester.

You'll hear people talking about "polypro"; to the best of my knowledge, no one is still making polypropylene underwear, the material had great wicking properties and absorbed virtually no moisture, but it tended to absorb and bond with oils from the skin and, as the oils became stale, would begin to stink (climbers used to call it "polystinkylene") and, after repeated washing, tended to become rough and scratchy.

In really cold conditions another, outer, layer might be necessary and polyester fleece pants are available in several weights. Good places to look for such garments include ski shops and, of course, Cabela's. For the upper part of the body, the same principles apply. Polyester tee shirts or long-sleeve crew-necks make a good base layer; I like a zip turtleneck because of its greater ventilation flexibility (again, avoid cotton). Finish it off with a waterproof and windproof layer (breathable waders and a breathable rain jacket work nicely).

Feet are an area of particular concern: The best material for socks is, without question, wool. The strength and resiliency of the wool fiber retains more loft, particularly under the foot, and provides better insulation than any synthetic material. Again, don't worry about the brand, almost any 80/20 wool/nylon blend will do the job; overpriced, over-advertised brands are just that. Bootfoot waders, particularly those with insulation, will always be warmer than stockingfoots with wading boots. Circulation, especially in the feet is the key to warmth, always make sure you have "wiggle-room" for your toes.

Hats seem to be a very personal choice, something to cover the ears is nice and, in very cold weather, even a balaclava might be useful, the rain jacket hood should provide wind protection. I hope this is some help to you.

[Rich W]

I suggest wearing your rain jacket over the top of the waders and use a wading belt to seal the jacket to the waders. This way if you sit down in knee deep water, you may not get water flooding over the top of the waders ending a good day on the stream. This happened to me last winter and ended my day 5 minutes after I got in the stream and since I didn't have dry clothes, it was a cold drive home. I even considered a kayaker's dry top as the ultimate way to keep dry.

Rich

[Duffin Boy]

Important part was AVOID COTTON,........... absorbs moisture and moisture will make you cold.
No point in wearing a Gortex shell if the moisture is trapped next or near your body.
Mato has an excellent sheet on dressing and keeping warm

[kglissmeyer]

Just a note, if you buy fleece or some other type of wader pants with a stirrup under the foot, check for seams. Some of those have some big seams that really bite into your ankle and foot when worn with waders and wading boots. I switched from stirrup fleece to a material similar to what Preston described for a fairly seemless fit.

Kelly.

[pspaint]

Hey Steve! Been a long time. How have you been? First thing you need is a good warm hat, since we lose most of the heat through our heads. I also use under armor and heavy weight fleece. Cotton will ruin your day. It gets wet and stays wet. I use micro fiber clothing as my base layers. I finish off with an under armor jacket (very thin, yet very warm) and my wading jacket as a shell. By dressing in layers you can remove clothing if you get too warm. I never have any problems keeping my body warm, it's always my feet that get cold.

[skondolf]

Thanks for the replies everyone - info was very helpful. One more question - I knew I shouldn't wear cotton next to my skin but I didn't have the "right stuff" to wear. Now, the question - does this mean I shouldn't wear cotton AT ALL or just next to my skin. Lets say I get some Underarmor or Polartec or some other 1st layer - could I still wear jeans on top of that or should I dump the idea of jeans entirely?

And how are ya Phil? yep it's been awhile. Some people would say I don't need a hat as my head is usually up my ... but that's another issue