Getting Ready for Wintertime Fishing

Do you know what time it is? Its time to start getting out all of your winter fishing gear and get ready for big trout season. Winter is right around the corner and its time to straighten out our gear. This article will be about preparing for winter fishing with your favorite little fishing buddy.

Lets start with youth waders. To my knowledge, Hodgeman and Simms are the only companies that make and sell youth waders. Personally, I prefer to wear the Simms because they are breathable and allow for more layers and movement. If you are on a tight budget, Hodgeman makes both neoprene and breathable waders in youth sizes. Other manufactures do not offer youth sizes but they do have smaller sizes that might accommodate. Here is a list of companies that make small enough sizes to suffice: Orvis, Flytech, Chota, Cadis, Patagonia, and Frogtogs. Im sure that there are other companies but these are the ones that I am personally aware of.

Now lets talk about how to find leaks in your waders.

Step 1: Flip your wader inside out and lay them out flat on a desk or table.

Step 2: Fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol.

Step 3: Spray the wader evenly with the alcohol.

Step 4: Look for dark grey and/or black spots on the wader.

Step 5: Place a dab of Aqua Seal on the spot while it is damp and work it into the fabric with your finger. DO NOT apply if the spot is still saturated with alcohol.

Step 6: Flip the wader back out and hang by the straps to dry for a minimum of 12 hours to allow the Aqua Seal to dry and cure.

Once this is done, I recommend that you use ReviveX by Simms to renew the water proofing on the outside of the wader.

Lets go through this step by step.

Step 1: Wash your waders in the washing machine with, and ONLY with powdered soap.

Step 2: While the waders are in a damp state, spray the wader with the ReviveX.

Step 3: Use a hair dryer on the high heat setting to dry the ReviveX. Make sure to distribute the heat evenly to avoid burning the wader. NEVER put your waders in the dryer to activate the ReviveX. And now you have renewed the water repellency of your waders.

Wading jackets are important on windy days and for fishing in deep water. Wearing a wading jacket prevents water from entering your waders when a wave hits your back. Frogg Togg, Simms, Columbia, Hodgeman, and Patagonia are all brands that I would recommend you buy for yourself and for your child. Staying dry is a big factor during the winter because of the water temperature. I wear either a Frogg Togg or Simms wading jacket when fishing in the winter.

Layers provide warmth while fishing in the cold. Layering is very important to your comfort during the day. Depending on the conditions, you should layer to your comfort. You dont want to be too hot by wearing too many layers or too cold by not wearing enough. I personally, only wear up to two layers because it doesnt really get too cold down here in the Rio Grande Valley. Today, there are so many companies that make clothes for the winter. Under Amour, Simms, Sage, and Patagonia are just a few companies that I am familiar with. If you are going to buy the Under Amour, make sure to get the ColdGear products. On the Simms website, they have a category specifically for layering and I recommend taking a look at it to see examples of layers.

Accessories such as fleece gloves and beanies are some other products that can protect you from the elements. With the air already crisp with the frost of winter, the boat ride can be pretty chilly. I suggest finding fleece gloves, facemasks and beanies to protect your face and hands from the cold. Simms, Glacier Glove, and Columbia are companies that sell these products. Simms makes a variety of different gloves and I use the Freestone Foldover Mitt during the boat ride. While actually fishing though, I do not wear any gloves.

Here are a few sources that I used for research for this article: www.simmsfishing.com, www.patagonia.com, www.underamour.com, www.columbia.com, , www.froggtoggs.com, www.chotaoutdoorgear.com, www.glacierglove.com. I hope that you take to my advice and knowledge about these products and I wish all of you the best of luck this winter season.