Being outside means getting dirt on your hands, roughing it, and being happy no matter what weather comes your way, right? This does not have to be true, although you can head out for a long trip without even preparing. However, how easy is it to focus on catching fish when freezing water is dribbling down your neck? Being prepared for fluctuating weather means dressing for comfort and success.
Those who live in the Northeast know the saying if you don’t like the weather wait a minute and it will change. While this might be a catchy phrase, if it does change dramatically (and even the most seasoned outdoor lover will admit 30 degrees is dramatic) you want to be prepared. Whether you are venturing out on what appears to be a relatively comfortable spring or summer morning or a relatively warm fall or winter morning, change happens fast. The best thing you can do to stay comfortable regardless of the weather is to dress in layers. Layers allow you to add or remove clothing depending on the time of day and other factors.
Many times you may have headed out on a summer morning – and discovered that it was comfortable day of around 65. Thinking you’ve heard the weather forecast and they are expecting a thirty degree increase you might tend to under-dress – a light weight jersey and perhaps a button front shirt to ward off the morning chill. However, no one prepared you for getting out on the boat and finding out that it’s rather cool as you whisk across the water and the breeze picks up. In this case, you would have been better off with a lighter weight jacket or even a windbreaker. The same holds true if you tend to be a night-fisher. It’s warm when you climb on board the boat but as the sun goes down, you begin to feel that evening chill.
The best advantage of light jackets and windbreakers is that they are so compact and lightweight. They can be stowed when you are not using them, since they take up little room. You will be grateful for them as temperatures drop and they begin to retain your body heat and seal out wind. Many rain jackets serve two purposes, breaking the wind and offering protection from water (whether rain or spray from the boat). It’s best to get a rain jacket with a zipper that is waterproof or a combination of a zipper and buttons or snaps, since zippers often leak when wet. Keep your zipper dry, and you will stay comfortable.
You cannot stay healthy if you don’t stay warm during the winter. That said, anyone who has ever worked outside during the winter understands the need for layering. As you work, you begin to sweat, and the cool air plus the sweat equal the opposite of comfort. Expend as little energy as you can, and dress in layers so that you can add or remove one to stay warm (or not) as needed. In the cold, take off a layer when you start feeling too warm. Add that layer back as you cool off to stay very comfortable with little hassle.
Use layers to stay comfortable during the freezing winter months. Make sure that you create a layering system that works for you in your fishing conditions. When a fisherman is comfortable, he or she will fish longer, increasing the likelihood of catching bigger fish and more of them. Making better decisions is much simpler when you are comfy, and any fisherman knows the importance of using any advantage possible. After all, why would you choose to be cold and miserable?
Clothing is not the only important thing to consider, you should also consider your fishing supplies. Some of the most popular fishing equipment is Penn Fishing Reels including Penn International 965, Penn Slammer 360, and Penn 975 LD.
