My base layer is a Walmart brand Ultra Therm which is a duofold type with polypropylene inner layer with polyester wool blend outer layer. Over this I wear another somewhat bulkier underwear layer a Duofold brand fleece type underwear. Then I put on a pair of blue jeans and flannel shirt and heavier hooded fishing jacket and tennis shoes with my first sock layer. This is what I wear to the lake. At the lake I replace the tennis shoes with a pair of rubber ‘mickey mouse’ type boots with the thick felt insert. If really cold I’ll have on a second wool sock layer. Over all the above I’ll put on black snowmobile suit. Over my ball cap I put on a fleece cap with ear flaps and a wool neck gaiter.
Keeping my hands and fingers warm is my main concern for being able to stay on the water. I have found that if I can keep my head, neck and feet warm it will be much easier to keep my hands warm. For me the neck gaiter is almost the most important article of clothing for helping me stay warm.
Several years ago while upland bird hunting someone suggested I use a neck gaiter while hunting to stay comfortable in the cold. I found the neck gaiter was great at helping regulate my comfort levels with the different levels of activity. At the slightest rise in body temp or perspiration the neck gaiter came off until which time I became chilled when it would be put back on. Wearing the neck gaiter I found that I could get by with lighter weight jackets while hunting.
For gloves I try to get by with the cheap brown jersey gloves and placing the chemical hand warmer packets inside the gloves on the back of my hands. I keep several pair on the boat to keep dry gloves handy.
Last winter I bought a pair of flip-mitt fleece neoprene palmed gloves from Glacier Glove http://www.glacierglove.com/pages/gloves1.htm.
They were really nice while running across the lake. After using them I sewed a pocket inside the flip-mitt part of the glove to hold a chemical hand warmer packet securely while opening and closing the flip part of the glove. I suggested this improvement to Glacierglove via e-mail and they had an appreciative response but doubt if they added the pocket.
I find a similarity with coldness and how the medical profession advises fighting/managing pain by trying to stay ahead of the curve. When I get behind the curve at staying warm I find the effort much greater at getting warmed back up than the effort required staying warm in the first place.
It is interesting to see the differences on the water how some fishermen dress and apparently their higher level tolerance for the cold. I’ll be out there bundled like an Eskimo and they will just have a ball cap on with uncovered ears. Dressed like that I would be chilled to the bone and off the water in a short time. One time while driving back to the dock I allowed the backs of my hands to get cold and after getting the keys out of my pocket I didn’t have enough strength to hold the key with my thumb and index finger while trying to unlock the truck. This just makes me quite aware that if I were to fall into the cold water I probably wouldn’t be able to get myself back into the boat and all this fun would cease.
I don’t know why I’m rambling on how I stay warm while winter crappie since if more people discovered just how enjoyable it can be out there winter fishing it might just cause more folks to be on the water. Guess I’m just trying to share the joy.
Anyhow good winter fishing.
“There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” Ayn Rand