I have this itch to get out and take a few casts on pickerel at a local lake. Even though it’s cold outside pickerel are still active and relatively easy to catch. But it’s the middle of winter and there’s frost on the ground. Will the lake be clear of ice or will it already have started to freeze? The bigger question is, is it safe to be out on the water on my kayak fishing at this time of year?
There are two camps on whether to get out to take the cast during winter or not. Some will say it’s a definite no while others, including me, will say yes, let’s go fishing. But you must—must—be prepared for the weather and water conditions due to the risk of hypothermia. The Mayo Clinic gives the following overview of the risks:
“Hypothermia is a condition that occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). It is a medical emergency. In hypothermia, the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing a dangerously low body temperature. When body temperature drops, the heart, nervous system, and other organs can't work as well as they usually do. Left untreated, hypothermia can cause the heart and respiratory system to fail and eventually can lead to death. Common causes of hypothermia include exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water.”
So, what do we do to prevent hypothermia? Not rolling the kayak is a good starting point, but accidents happen. So, before I get on the water I’ll let someone know where I’ll be fishing and the amount of time I’ll be out on the water. I may even check in on occasion. I carry a small survival kit that has a space blanket in case I go into the drink. And most important of all for a kayak angler, I wear a dry suit—an essential piece of gear for fishing in cold weather conditions.
What type of dry suit should you invest in? Yes, a dry suit will be an investment. Dry suits run from the mid $500s up to and over $1500. There are semi-dry suits, too. They are a bit less expensive, and will normally have a neoprene or similar material for the neck gasket. A dry suit will normally have latex gaskets. Neoprene gaskets are a bit more comfortable and cost less, but are not as watertight as latex gaskets. If you have a latex allergy there are also some suits made with silicon gaskets.
Dry suits will seal out the water in case of immersion to help prevent hypothermia, but they aren’t the only thing you need to wear for a day of fishing. A dry suit by itself is not like a survival suit and it doesn’t provide much protection against the cold on its own, so you will still need to layer up under the suit. I wear long underwear, jeans, a flannel shirt, and a light sweater if needed. That means your dry suit should be sized appropriately to accommodate what you would wear on any cold weather outing.
You’ll also need to wear your life jacket over the dry suit. Dry suits provide some floatation but they aren’t PFDs and won’t keep you entirely afloat, nor will they keep you upright.
Hopefully I didn’t scare you off the water during cold weather conditions. But if you take proper precautions by wearing a dry suit you can extend your fishing season to include every month of the year. So get out and take that cast, even if it’s a bit colder than you’re accustomed to.
- By Eric Packard