Staying Warm in the Pacific - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

beef78 · 12-14-2015, 04:36 PM

Dress so you will survive in the water and above it. I tried a wetsuit and it was either too hot or too cold above the water. When it was hot out, I was sweating. When it was windy or cold, I was freezing. I would have been perfect if I fell on the water, but more susceptible to heat/cold injury when paddling 10 plus miles in hot or cold weather. If you opt for waders, wear a dry top with them if the water is really cold. In Southern California, you should be fine most of the year with just splash pants and spray top or waders with a rain coat. What most people will tell you is to buy the best survival/ most comfortable gear you can afford.

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Kayak_Bernie · 12-16-2015, 11:21 AM

So I started kayak fishing in the Great Lake around Wisconsin and Michigan , and once you get past September in Lake Michigan, you need to stay dry, with water temps in the 50's the bass , and trout really start to bite, but if you fall out you may not have much time before you succumb to hypothermia. So immersion gear became very important, not having hundreds of dollars to spend on a dry suit I improvised. I use chest waders and a dry jacket with a rubber or neoprene gasket at the sleeves waist and neck. This combo served me well in the chilly midwest and pretty much year round in the Pacific Northwest, where water temps usually never make it over mid 60's even in mid summer. I flipped a few times coming in after fishing for lings/rockfish and stayed dry and toasted, but most importantly I stayed dry and toasty after taking a few waves over the bow while launching. Jim Sammons has a couple of good videos on you tube about staying dry while wearing the same combo, also you get to see Jim jump into a pool while wearing just waders to illustrate why a belt is so important. Stay warm , safe and dry out there, Also remember to bring a waterproof radio, despite all the immersion gear, and pfd, if you get separated from your kayak, that radio may be the only thing that saves you. Not trying to scare, just be prepared. My motto is that its always better to have and not need than to need and not have...

Silbaugh4liberty · 12-17-2015, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayak_Bernie

So I started kayak fishing in the Great Lake around Wisconsin and Michigan , and once you get past September in Lake Michigan, you need to stay dry, with water temps in the 50's the bass , and trout really start to bite, but if you fall out you may not have much time before you succumb to hypothermia. So immersion gear became very important, not having hundreds of dollars to spend on a dry suit I improvised. I use chest waders and a dry jacket with a rubber or neoprene gasket at the sleeves waist and neck. This combo served me well in the chilly midwest and pretty much year round in the Pacific Northwest, where water temps usually never make it over mid 60's even in mid summer. I flipped a few times coming in after fishing for lings/rockfish and stayed dry and toasted, but most importantly I stayed dry and toasty after taking a few waves over the bow while launching. Jim Sammons has a couple of good videos on you tube about staying dry while wearing the same combo, also you get to see Jim jump into a pool while wearing just waders to illustrate why a belt is so important. Stay warm , safe and dry out there, Also remember to bring a waterproof radio, despite all the immersion gear, and pfd, if you get separated from your kayak, that radio may be the only thing that saves you. Not trying to scare, just be prepared. My motto is that its always better to have and not need than to need and not have...

Nice! So you fished the great Lakes for bass and trout, but what about the walleye? Best tasting fresh water fish imo! They remind me of like a fresh water smaller cousin of lingcod with the way they look.

goletaslim · 01-11-2016, 09:51 PM

Listed above were semi dry pants, how does that fare launching in the surf? I rarely if ever get to launch in waters without having to get at least knee deep.

My winter setup is the wetsuit route with a splash jacket and was curious to the splash pant option.

Thanks for the info already posted in this thread.

Rufus · 01-14-2016, 05:15 PM

Damn, there's a lot of cold folks out there! In San Diego, I wear shorts every trip; I have a lot of meat on my bones. If it's cold, I put on a jacket. If it's wet and blowing, I put on a raincoat jacket.

And water socks, those shoe-like things that let water drain out of them. I wear those, better than flaps.

That's it. I don't plan on falling out of my PA. Been four years and hundreds to trips. But I don't go out when it sucks. That's for the young guys.

goletaslim · 01-14-2016, 07:11 PM

Gotta rub the San Diego weather in my my face! Haha. It gets pretty cold in Santa Barbara during the winter and early spring.

Harry Hill · 01-14-2016, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goletaslim

Gotta rub the San Diego weather in my my face! Haha. It gets pretty cold in Santa Barbara during the winter and early spring.

I fished San Diego today and was glad I had paddling pants, my feet were really cold until the sun came up but I was warm otherwise and I was dry.

12-14-2015, 04:36 PM	#1
beef78 Large Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 316	Dress so you will survive in the water and above it. I tried a wetsuit and it was either too hot or too cold above the water. When it was hot out, I was sweating. When it was windy or cold, I was freezing. I would have been perfect if I fell on the water, but more susceptible to heat/cold injury when paddling 10 plus miles in hot or cold weather. If you opt for waders, wear a dry top with them if the water is really cold. In Southern California, you should be fine most of the year with just splash pants and spray top or waders with a rain coat. What most people will tell you is to buy the best survival/ most comfortable gear you can afford. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ "I shall not tiptoe through life to arrive safely at death."

12-16-2015, 11:21 AM	#2
Kayak_Bernie Live Watersports ProStaff Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Rolando Village Posts: 224	So I started kayak fishing in the Great Lake around Wisconsin and Michigan , and once you get past September in Lake Michigan, you need to stay dry, with water temps in the 50's the bass , and trout really start to bite, but if you fall out you may not have much time before you succumb to hypothermia. So immersion gear became very important, not having hundreds of dollars to spend on a dry suit I improvised. I use chest waders and a dry jacket with a rubber or neoprene gasket at the sleeves waist and neck. This combo served me well in the chilly midwest and pretty much year round in the Pacific Northwest, where water temps usually never make it over mid 60's even in mid summer. I flipped a few times coming in after fishing for lings/rockfish and stayed dry and toasted, but most importantly I stayed dry and toasty after taking a few waves over the bow while launching. Jim Sammons has a couple of good videos on you tube about staying dry while wearing the same combo, also you get to see Jim jump into a pool while wearing just waders to illustrate why a belt is so important. Stay warm , safe and dry out there, Also remember to bring a waterproof radio, despite all the immersion gear, and pfd, if you get separated from your kayak, that radio may be the only thing that saves you. Not trying to scare, just be prepared. My motto is that its always better to have and not need than to need and not have... __________________ Heroes on the Water SoCal Chapter Safety Director

01-11-2016, 09:51 PM	#4
goletaslim Junior Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Goleta Posts: 16	Listed above were semi dry pants, how does that fare launching in the surf? I rarely if ever get to launch in waters without having to get at least knee deep. My winter setup is the wetsuit route with a splash jacket and was curious to the splash pant option. Thanks for the info already posted in this thread.

01-14-2016, 05:15 PM	#5
Rufus Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Ocean Beach Posts: 90	Damn, there's a lot of cold folks out there! In San Diego, I wear shorts every trip; I have a lot of meat on my bones. If it's cold, I put on a jacket. If it's wet and blowing, I put on a raincoat jacket. And water socks, those shoe-like things that let water drain out of them. I wear those, better than flaps. That's it. I don't plan on falling out of my PA. Been four years and hundreds to trips. But I don't go out when it sucks. That's for the young guys.

01-14-2016, 07:11 PM	#6
goletaslim Junior Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Goleta Posts: 16	Gotta rub the San Diego weather in my my face! Haha. It gets pretty cold in Santa Barbara during the winter and early spring.