"Extra clothing is an important
part of a fishing trip."
Author - John E. Brady, Hanover PA-USA
Copyright 2001
e-mail - jeb@jebswebsite.com
Whenever I went fishing with the guys in my bass club, I could always guarantee to be greeted with a comment about my apparel. Those ribbing comments however weren't directed toward my choice of style, but always about the volume of clothes I was wearing or carrying.
Being an avid outdoors man, I always had one major shortcoming, staying warm. You see I'm "skinnier than a bean pole" as Ray, one of my fishing buddies, would always say. "One of these days you're gonna get carried away by a breeze" he'd always tell me. Because of my lack of natural insulation, I've always had trouble staying warm.
While some people would love to be in my shoes, braving the elements while staying warm was always a challenge, and one I took very seriously. So whenever I went fishing I always had to be well prepared for any weather condition in order to be comfortable.
I've always carry two bags with me. One with fishing tackle, and one full of clothes and rain gear. Even in summer I always at least carry my signature red plaid wool shirt. The weatherman can be predicting eighty degree weather for the day, but I'll still have that wool shirt with me.
I learned my lesson many years ago on a fishing trip to the Potomac river. The weatherman was calling for clear skies, and eighty degree weather. About eleven o'clock, a rainstorm blew in and it rained for several hours. All I had was a light nylon jacket. Needless to say I got wet, cold and miserable. The only saving grace was that I caught the largest fish of the tournament later in the day. That warmed me up for a little while.
As we all have seen with the El Nino phenomena recently, mother nature is not to be taken lightly. Especially when you're going out on the water. Again the famous Boy Scout motto comes into play. You must "be prepared" for any weather situation when venturing out fishing. Although the weather forecasters are getting more and more reliable with their predictions, it is still just that, a prediction.
In winter and early spring being prepared properly for the weather can be a matter of life and death. It can be a pleasant fifty degrees in town, but head to the lake where there's a mild breeze blowing across the water that's thirty five or forty degrees, and that equates to some pretty cold air. Even when the air is pretty mild, cooler water temperatures will cause the air temperature out on the water to be much cooler. A perfect scenario for developing hypothermia, unless you go prepared.
When you go fishing this time of year, you should always carry an extra bag full of a few warm essentials. I recommend a long sleeve flannel shirt, hooded sweatshirt, a wool shirt or wool sweater, a stocking cap, wool gloves, and a rain suit. Snowmobile suits are popular in the tournament circuits. They're nice to be able to put on as you go out on the water, then take off when you come in. As opposed to putting on a lot of layers of clothes at home, only to get too warm getting to your fishing destination.
A rain suit is great to take along anytime, even in summer. It can help take the chill off you early in the morning, and protect you if the wind kicks up. People are always asking what type of rain suit they should buy. The best rule of thumb is buy the most expensive suit you can afford. Or spend as much money on your rain suit as you would on a new rod and reel outfit. I still can't believe the amount of fisherman that go out fishing with a two hundred dollar rod and reel outfit, and when it starts raining, pull out a two dollar rain suit.
Good boots are also a must. You can be bone dry all over but have wet feet, and you'll be miserable. Don't skimp here either. Get a good pair of leather boots with a good waterproof lining in them.
The only way to survive in bad weather and still "have fun" is to be prepared with the right kind of clothing to keep you warm and dry. You may hardly ever need all those clothes, but when the weather gets bad, you'll be glad you have them. Instead of worrying about how wet and cold you are, you'll be able to concentrate on catching fish.
After all..."They call it fishing, but the goal is catching!"