How To Dress For Winter Fly Fishing
Fly fishing in the dead of winter? Burr! It’s cold out there and I’m going to stand in the middle of a river swinging and hoping for a steelhead when it’s 28 degrees out and snowing? Sounds awesome!
Having the right attitude on the water always helps your days, any time of year. But, when it’s cold, rainy or snowy out so does wearing the right clothing and staying warm.
Here are some easy tips about what to wear to help you stay warm this winter out on the water.
Base layers. It’s all about starting with the right base layers that are comfortable and warm. There are different materials out there like synthetics and merino wool. Synthetics tend to cost less, dry quicker and come in a variety of thicknesses. Then there’s Merino wool, a natural fiber which insulates better when wet, doesn’t stink, and is super soft. Whatever you do, no cotton! It doesn’t insulate and if it gets wet you’re gonna freeze.
Stay puffed. After you’ve put your base layers on, then comes the mid. A light to midweight insulated puffy is best because of compressibility and warmth to weight ratio, so scientific sounding I know. There are two main insulation materials, synthetic and down. Down is generally more packable, lighter weight and warmer. Synthetics are generally more breathable and insulate better than down when wet.
What goes on top? You’ve got your base layers and puffy on, but now you need to keep the wind and water out. If it’s raining or heavy snow then a wind and waterproof shell is a must. Plus, waterproof fly fishing specific jackets might have features like neoprene wrist cuffs to keep you dry inside as you reach in the water to de-hook that monster trout. Large stash pockets for fly boxes and tools, a storm hood to go over your beanie and a generous fit for layering. Or, just wear your rain jacket that you currently own.
Keep those little piggies warm! If your feet are cold, then it’s gonna be a rough day. Make sure you have some wool socks on (no cotton!). If you have a lot of room in your boots, go thick. If you’re boots are tight, go thin. If you put a super thick sock on in a tight fitting boot, circulation gets cut off and will make your feet even colder. Counter intuitive I know, but it’s true. For me, keeping my feet warm is my biggest struggle in the winter. So, I will also make sure to take a break and walk around and get the blood flowing. Or, if I’m really having a tough time warming up, I’ll take my boots off for a few and let things circulate.
Hands up if you like them warm. You’ll find quite a few options of half fingered gloves for fly fishing. They give you some coverage and warmth, but fingertips are free so you can feel your line and set that hook. You can also find gloves with flaps that pull over to make them into a mitten, always the warmest option. Or, if you’re like me and always have cold hands in the winter, then keep some hand warmers going
Keep that head heat in. Ballcaps are for summer, thick beanies are for winter. Keep that noggin covered since it’s such a big heat source. Or, if you are a ballcap wearing kind of guy, then get a slightly loose fitting beanie so you can put it over your ballcap.
Check for leaks. The most important part of what you’re wearing any time of year is your boots and waders. If it’s been a while, check for leaks. Make sure everything is in working order. If you’re buying a new pair, then you should be good to go, but make sure that you’re buying waders with a little extra room in them. This helps with mobility (in & out of the boat, over logs, etc), but this way you can also fit more layers on underneath.
The great thing about clothing, it’s not rocket science. Sure, there’s some education on what to wear and why, which we talked about. But, clothing needs to fit, it should be comfortable, within your budget and you should love the way you look in it, cause damn you gotta look sexy in those waders!
Also remember that you probably already own some of these pieces. There’s a lot of gear pressure out there and it’s easy to want to go buy everything so you look pro, but experiment with what you already own and stick to your budget.
And for a little extra warmth this winter, don’t forget to bring your Thermus full of coffee with a dash of whiskey. I feel warmer already.