Here are some of the features (from the Confluence press release):

• All new, dual seating system combines a “Captain’s Seat” perch for a higher perspective above the water and the cockpit “Freedom Elite Seating” (FES) system for the ultimate adjustability.
• The FES is so cool it deserves more explanation. The breathable and ergonomically padded seat adjusts fore and aft in the boat. A leg lifter and oversized backrest offer full-body comfort. The FES folds and stows under the Captain’s Seat when not in use; and the entire chair is easily removed to be used as a beach chair when you’re done on the water.
• Side and thwart padding act as an extended thigh pad and makes for quiet paddle storage, a cooler exterior and shoulder-carrying comfort.
• Dual SlideTrax accessory system offers endless opportunities for individualized options, including dashboards, rod holders and covers.
• An integral trolling motor mounting block, adjustable foot pedals, bungee rigging and a stern skid plate come standard.

Pricing for the Commander 120 starts at $995.00

Kayak Fishing Clinic - Part 2

Kayak Fishing Clinic - Part 3

Jeff Little is the author of “In Pursuit of Trophy Smallmouth Bass: My Life in a Kayak” and owner of Blue Ridge Kayak Fishing, LLC , a guide and instruction service that teaches paddling technique as it relates to kayak fishing for river and reservoir smallmouth. Jeff is on the Wilderness Systems Kayaks Pro Staff and chases both river and reservoir smallmouth in the Mid Atlantic region.

Chad Hoover is the owner of www.KayakBassFishing.com and regional contributor for the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas for Kayak Angler Magazine. Chad is on the Wilderness Systems Pro Staff and does many demo days, events and conducts kayak fishing clinics throughout the southeast and Mid-Atlantic. He also guides custom trips for kayak bass fishing in Virginia, North and South Carolina.

Jeff Little is the author of  “In Pursuit of Trophy Smallmouth Bass: My Life in a Kayak” and owner of  Blue Ridge Kayak Fishing, LLC , a guide and instruction service that teaches paddling technique as it relates to kayak fishing for river and reservoir smallmouth. Jeff is on the Wilderness Systems Kayaks Pro Staff and chases both river and reservoir smallmouth in the Mid Atlantic region.

Chad Hoover is the owner of www.KayakBassFishing.com and regional contributor for the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas for Kayak Angler Magazine. Chad is on the Wilderness Systems Pro Staff and does many demo days, events and conducts kayak fishing clinics throughout the southeast and Mid-Atlantic. He also guides custom trips for kayak bass fishing in Virginia, North and South Carolina.

Join the regions fishing experts during Appomattox River Company Super Demo Day June 13th for on the water demonstrations and discussion of fishing strategies.

10am Kayak Fishing 101 with Wayne Bradby
Wayne will discuss the basics for getting started in kayak fishing, topics that will be covered include - boat selection, paddle selection, safety items, depth sounders, anchor trolleys, boat rigging, gear stowage, etc…

11am Kayak Fly-fishing for inshore species with Cory Routh
Cory is the Author of “Kayak Fishing the Complete Guide” and will give an on water presentation using the Native Ultimate as a platform for Fly-fishing, he’ll discuss casting, presentation, equipment, maneuvering strokes, safety, etc…

12 noon River Fishing for Smallmouth Bass with Jeff Little
Jeff is the Author of “In Pursuit of Trophy Smallmouth Bass, my life in a Kayak” and a member of the Wilderness Systems fishing team, during this presentation he’ll share some strategies and techniques for Smallmouth Bass fishing success.

1pm Fishing Lakes, Ponds Reservoirs for Largemouth Bass with Chad Hoover
Chad is also a member of the Wilderness Systems fishing team and will show benefits of “stand up” Kayak Fishing - sight casting, reading water, lure presentation along with rigging suggestions for Bass fishing flatwater.

2pm Maneuvering Tricks for Kayak Anglers with “Kayak Kevin” Whitley
“Kayak Kevin” is the first Kayak Angler to earn the Virginia “Master Angler” award and will explain some of the maneuvering techniques necessary to position a kayak for lure presentation landing big fish. He’ll also discuss the VA fish tagging program which he is very active in, along with the thrill of hooking into trophy fish from a Kayak.

3pm Captains meeting for “Farmville Lakes Demo Day Tournament”
Meet at the Demo Site to get identifier, log sheet, discuss tournament rules.
6am Sunday June 14 - Captains Meeting at Briery Creek Lake with Vic for late arrivals.
6am Sunday June 14 - Captains Meeting at Sandy River Reservoir with Ray for late arrivals.
For details call Vic at (757) 890-0500

Exploring new water with a kayak and a fishing rod requires a few resources, proper planning, and a healthy sense of adventure. While sitting down to write this article, I decided to jot down all the different names of flowing water that I’ve caught smallmouth from. In about ten minutes, I came up with 71 names of creeks and rivers I have explored looking for smallmouth. Last Saturday I added another, which I will not name. The exact name and location of this small creek is not important. The process by which three of us explored the new water last Saturday is an important skill set. It starts with a vague notion of an area you wish to explore.

The seeds of this particular trip were planted at the  Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. While talking smallmouth with two buddies, one of them pulled out a stack of prints. The photos were taken the previous summer on several wade trips he went on with friends. They were holding many different 18 to 21 inch chunky smallmouth. The creek in the background couldn’t have been more than a single cast across. He readily named the creek, something I would not be so quick to do if it was in my back yard. He said that despite it’s being near where a lot of people live, is overlooked and under fished. I was intrigued.

If you haven’t heard rumor of big fish in some overlooked stream, you can still find out about them. In fact, your tax dollars and license fees are paying to gather this kind of information. It’s yours for the taking. Contact the fisheries biologist who assesses the stream and river fisheries in your area. They usually have a wealth of information, from electro shocking surveys, to the type of forage you may want to imitate while fishing a new area. Fishing clubs like the Potomac River Smallmouth Club www.prsc.org can also provide a source of information on new waters that may be worth your exploration. Also, using the search function on online message forums like the forum on this site can give you some insight on what techniques and patterns will work in a given area.

Back to the creek in question, once my buddy disclosed the name of the creek, I knew that I needed one of the two mandatory tools of new water exploration: a whitewater paddling guide. I quickly weaved through the crowd walking around the show, making my way over to the Blue Mountain Outfitters booth (www.bluemountainoutfitters.net). This paddling shop located on the banks of the Susquehanna River has an extensive selection of paddling guidebooks. I asked if I could borrow a copy of Edward Gertler’s Keystone Canoeing for a few minutes and made my way back to my two buddies.

Looking up the creek in question, we were able to find several different bridge crossings where the creek could be accessed. Additionally, on the map of the creek were mile markings, helpful in choosing an appropriate float trip distance. While exploring, I try to average a mile an hour. I made a mental note of some of the spots my buddy mentioned as we looked over the book before I returned it to Mary at the Blue Mountain Outfitters booth.

When I got back to see Mary, I asked if she had a DeLorme’s Atlas for Pennsylvania. The atlas for the state in which you explore is the other essential tool for exploration. Finding the creek on the map, I got an idea of how far it was going to take me to drive to the creek, and then looked for possible shuttle routes. I placed the Atlas back on the book rack, and stored this information in the back of my head for six months or so.

Fast-forwarding to about three weeks ago, I received a phone call from Mark Anderson. He was within a short drive of this creek, and asked if I knew of any good places to fish. I could think of plenty of smallmouth rivers in the area, but had in mind that one tiny creek that I would explore with Mark and his buddy Tom. I told him that I needed to do a little more research, but would be in touch with the details of when, where, and how we would go about float fishing this new water.

Looking at the creek map in Keystone Canoeing, I found a nearby town. At the website, www.topozone.com, I typed in the town’s name, and got a better look at the lay of the land. Printing out a few of the USGS based topographical maps, and taping them together, I had a very detailed map of the creek. Details such as bridge crossings, streamflow gauges, places where the road came close to the creek, dam sites, and parklands all came into play when we floated. Each of these landmarks provided an update throughout the day on how far we had progressed toward the take out. Without some way of knowing where you are in the float, it’s possible to end up paddling the last few miles in the dark, or to end the day before you want to. I carried this homemade map in a ziploc bag. Some times, I will take exploration maps to be laminated at a Kinko’s. An easier method is to carry a GPS unit with topographical maps downloaded. Either way, having a more detailed map will help you pace yourself appropriately.

I needed to tell Mark and his friend Tom where to meet me. We decided on a local regional park that bordered the creek. I did a google search for the park, found the address, and used mapquest.com to print directions. I called Mark, provided the address, and then we agreed on a meeting time. I arrived early, looking for a place for us to access the creek. Tom, Mark, and I met and reviewed the topozone map, Keystone Canoeing, and the DeLorme’s Atlas, and then started driving the shuttle route. From the mile marks on the Keystone Canoeing map of the creek, we found that we could to either a 6 mile float, or a 9 mile float. Seeing how low the creek was, we opted for the short one, hoping that we would avoid a 9 mile hike instead of float trip. As it turned out, we only had to get out and drag through four or so riffles.

We put in upstream from a bridge crossing, dragging the kayaks across a bike trail. Before launching, we flipped a few rocks to check out the hue of the local crawfish. The shells were a medium brown with a slight blue/green tint. The tips and hinges of the claws were a reddish orange. I had a hand poured soft plastic that matched the color. Mark and Tom nose hooked 3 inch soft plastic stick baits on a #4 octopus hook to imitate the minnow forage. Apparently, the mid water column presentation was preferred.

Seeing that they had found the first solid pattern, I tried alternate presentations to find something to catch a larger fish. The buzzbait chugging through shady areas got nipped at by smaller fish, but none of them were able to take it down and get hooked. Thinking that mid water column with a larger offering would take a bigger fish, I tied on a spinnerbait. A steady retrieve through one of the deeper pools resulted in a 15 incher following it back to the kayak without hitting it. While Mark and Tom continued to catch numerous smaller fish on the 3 inch soft stick bait, I kept trying to find something that might get a bigger fish to bite.

Crankbaits are not my favorite. When I was 11 years old, I had a farm pond largemouth embed a crankbait treble deep into my thumb, requiring a trip to the emergency room. When I got serious about smallmouth fishing nine years ago, I used them, hooking and loosing many big ones. I recently learned the importance of using a softer tipped fiberglass rod instead of trying to use a stiffer jig rod to land fish on crankbaits. Since then, I’ve developed more confidence that when I use a crankbait, the fish will stay hooked.

Drifting motionless down the shallow side of a pool, I spotted a very pronounced series of ledges and trenches. I put down the spinnerbait rod, and picked up the fiberglass crankbait rod. Waiting until I was even with the jagged drop off, I launched a rootbeer colored bandit 300 to the opposite shoreline where the ledge drop off started. I could immediately feel the long plastic bill of the crankbait ping and grind against the rocks. Half way back, the constant jarring transitioned to an off angle glide toward deeper water. Slowing my retrieve to figure out what was happening, I could tell that something had grabbed it, probably unaware that it was hooked. Keeping soft tension on the fish, I watched intently as it appeared from behind a larger boulder. It saw me and dove under the large rock. My kayak was being pulled despite my not reeling in. Mark paddled closer, asking “Do you have one?!” I just nodded, not taking my eyes off of where my line disappeared behind the boulder. The thick bass shot out in a different direction once my kayak cleared the boulder. By then, Mark could see the churning of the water from the powerful fish’s tail thrusts. Once the fish was safely inside my landing net, I back paddled away from the deepest part of the pool, hoping that there were others there that we had not yet spooked. I knew that we had found one of the few isolated big fish spots in an otherwise dink filled creek.

Tom joined us as we took a few quick photos of the big healthy fish, and we hopped out to wade fish the deeper part of the pool. I looked through my kayak’s milk crate to dig out two more crankbaits for Tom and Mark. From three different angles, we thoroughly probed the pool with crankbaits. A school of carp spooked out from one of the deeper trenches. After about 10 minutes of casting, I figured that we had exhausted our chances at catching another big one from the spot. About to suggest that we move downstream, I heard Tom yell out, “Yeeeeeeah! Take that you little……” His rod was curved down toward the edge of the first trench when a fat 16 incher cleared the surface. We snapped a few shots, and continued to work the spot.

Smaller water like this creek will contain isolated spots like these that harbor big fish. From the looks of the interesting and dynamic structure of this pool, I doubt that we had caught the two biggest fish in the spot. On the six mile float we came across two other spots like this. Once you realize the structure, depth, and/or cover that hold the larger fish on a small creek like this, it becomes a matter of paddling until you see what you like.

Reaching the take out about 6:30 p.m., Mark and I drove the shuttle route to retrieve my pickup truck. When we returned, we found that Tom had made friends with the parks ranger. From where we took out, we had a fairly long carry to a parking lot. However, the park ranger was nice enough to allow us to drive right down to where we had pulled the kayaks up the bank. We discussed the fishery, the history of the area, and the park in general. Local resources, and just asking locals questions about the area often yields valuable information such as alternate access sites.

So in summary, two mandatory tools for exploring a creek you’ve never seen are a paddling guide book to give you details such as access points and distances, and a DeLorme’s Atlas to help with your shuttle routes. Other online and person to person resources exist that can help you make more of your exploration of new water. The most important thing though is your sense of adventure. Once you successfully complete an exploratory float trip, you may want to see new water each time out.

Find out more about kayak fishing exploration with Jeff’s new book, Pursuing Trophy Smallmouth: My Life In A Kayak, available at his website: www.blueridgekayakfishing.com, or by calling Woods & Waters Publishing at (540) 894-5960.

Last summer, while I was wading in the Susquehanna River near my home, two kayakers came around an island and stopped a couple hundred yards above me where I was eventually going to be making some casts. They caught some nice smallmouths from the rocks I was slowly headed towards. Before I knew it they slipped away. I was a bit irritated….and envious.

I hadn’t even thought about buying one myself until this year when I was thinking about how to maximize my fishing time, now that time is scarce with a 3 year old to chase after. After doing some research I made my purchase and now I’m ready to hit the water. I will however, steer clear of any waders. I’ve been there and know how it is!

Fishing from a kayak is becoming so popular that kayak manufacturers now produce models specific to the sport. These models are based on the recreational hulls. They come loaded with all of the accessories you would need to add to make your kayak fishing ready. It isn’t necessary to buy the “fishing” model. You can purchase the recreational model and outfit it yourself. Either way you will have a lean, mean fishing machine!

Popular Kayak Makes/Models Used for Fishing

• Dagger Blackwater
• Perception Axcess
• Perception Swifty
• Old Town Loon
• Old Town Predator (pictured above)
• Wilderness Systems Pamlico
• Wilderness Systems Pungo

Kayaking Accessories You Will Need

• Paddle
• Life Vest / PFD
• Emergency Whistle
• Dry Bag

Outfitting / Rigging Your Kayak for Fishing
In order to get your kayak fishing ready you will need to add many items normally found on traditional fishing boats. Because you are limited in moving around a kayak you will want things to be positioned in a certain place. The best way to make sure everything is where you want it is to use your kayak for a while before mounting rod holders, etc.

Options for Rigging

• Rod Holders (Scotty)
• Recessed Rod Holders
• Paddle Holders
• Anchor System
• Extra deck rigging
• Drain Plug

By: Matthew Leo, Originally Published: 4-10-2004

*Update - While some of this info still applies, I started using a sit on top kayak for smallmouth bass fishing in 2006 and have not looked back. Info on sit on top kayaks for smallmouth bass fishing will be covered in future posts.

Here we are using a straight flush mount rod holder but the procedure is the same for either straight or angled.

Use the base of the rod holder to draw a circle.

Cut out the circle. You can use the drill bit, jig or hole saw, or a dremel® tool. I use a jig saw.

After the hole is cut make sure that the rod holder fits through the hole. If its too small widen it. Then using sand paper smooth off the rough parts. I like to use either 80 or 100 grit on a sanding block.

You’ll need something to seal off the bottom of the rod holder to prevent water from entering the kayak. Here a cut off vitamin bottle is used. It is attached with silicone caulk. You can also use bottle caps, etc. You have a choice of either something that fits around the outside of the rod holder or fits snuggly inside. Whatever you use seal it with silicone, no matter how snug the fit.

Place the rod holder in the hole and drill the screw holes. The size bit you use will be determined by what you decide to use to mount the rod holder. You can use various sized screws, wellnuts, or bolts and nuts. Its not load bearing so I use screws which are the simplest.

Remove the rod holder and liberally apply silicone caulk. Now place the rod holder in the hole and screw it tight. Silicone will ooze from the sides. This is expected. If it doesn’t ooze out the sides you didn’t use enough. You can lift up the rod holder and apply more. Its fine to have to much. You want to make sure that you don’t have to little, otherwise it could leak.

Allow the silicone to dry. Give it at least a day and then trace around the outside of the rod holder base with a knife and pull off the excess silicone.

Provided by: Joe Cambria
website: www.kayakfishingstuff.com

First make sure the surface area is clean.

Place the template on the kayak and trace with a magic marker.

Now you have a tracing to make cutting the area out

Use a drill to punch a hole in the kayak and then use a jig saw to cut the insert out.

At this stage I like to take out a sanding block and debure the edge and rough up the surface where the silicone is going to go. This will allow it to adhere better.

Now you use the rim of the hatch as a template to drill the holes. I like to put a few rivets in the first few holes to hold the hatch rim in place while you drill. Drill all the holes using a ………… drill bit.

This is what it should look like.

Now its time to apply silicone t the rim. Use a generous amount. Its better to use too much rather than too little.

Put the rim in place and insert your fasteners. The hatch comes with rivets, but you could also use bolts and nuts, or wellnuts. Secure the fasteners and let dry overnight. Remove the excess silicone. I like to use a razor blade around the edge and then I peel away the excess.

Provided by: Joe Cambria
website: www.kayakfishingstuff.com

One thing that we hear oRen here in our home waters of the Northeast is that people decide to put off the purchase of their first kayak in the Fall and wish to wait until the Spring when its warmer. Summer is definitely the best time to learn the sport but Fall is the second best time to get started here. Water maintains homeostasis, which in simple terms means that it retains temperature. After a summer of heating the water is relatively warm. Conversely in the Spring, after a Winter of cooling, we find the coldest temperatures of the year. Also in the Fall the air temperature is often cooler so we dress more appropriately, since we tend to dress for the air temps rather than the water temps. Not understanding this and dressing improperly for immersion is the greatest cause of death in this sport. So before we discuss what to wear, we’re going to tell a few stories about some unfortunate people who didn’t prepare for their environment, and the consequences. We do so because it’s a much better way to get our point across and easier to understand real situations rather then theory.

Example 1 - About 5 years ago we had a very cold winter. In early April the water temperature was only about 45 degrees. As oRen happens at this time of year we had a series of 80 degree days. A young couple decided to take out a jet ski in Long Island Sound and enjoy the beautiful weather. They dressed for the air temperature, never giving the frigid waters a thought. They had typical summer attire when they should have been wearing, at the very least, wetsuits. They ended up getting tossed from the jet-ski, hypothermia set in almost immediately, paralyzing their muscles, which prevented them from swimming back and climbing onto the jet-ski. Both of them died. YOU MUST BE PREPARED TO BE IMMERSED THE WATER Immersion is highly unlikely but you have to be prepared and dress for it.

Example 2 - Another near tragedy happened this past December when a kayaker went out alone on a fairly nice day and on his return back he found himself in seas that were too big and couldn’t get back. He decided to wait it out on some rocks in the middle of the Bay, as it got dark he was stuck out there and on the verge of freezing. He hadn’t been prepared for the chance that he might have to spend some time out of his kayak and exposed to the elements. He didn’t have extra clothing or a cell phone, and only had one flare. Luckily someone on shore saw his lone flare when he fired it and they called for help. I am sure when he started out on his paddle on a nice 50 degree day he didn’t think he would have to deal with the dropping temperatures caused by wind which resulted in a 20 degree wind-chill. YOU CAN NEVERPACK ENOUGH CLOTHES!

Example 3 - Hypothermia doesn’t only happen when the water’s cold or the air. It can happen any time of year and almost anywhere. We go into a situation where we were unprepared for the environment in July in Florida no less. We were kayak fishing the Gulf Coast Flats and the weather was hot and humid. You had to run the air conditioner in the motel room and vehicles. The heat was brutal. We were out fishing and had come upon the first island on our way to a further island. A thunderstorm was off in the distance so we decided to stop and fish near the first island before proceeding further. It started to rain and then we determined the lightning was getting closer. Here we were on a tropical island approximately 20 minutes from our starting point. We recognized that the storm was going to pass over us so we decided to beach our kayaks on the island and take shelter in the jungle. The storm passed right over us and the lightning was all around. The rain was torrential and we got soaked. Here we were wearing only t-shirts and shorts for the sweltering weather that was the norm. The temperature dropped and it was very windy. We began to shiver. This is the first stage of loosing body heat. The storm wasn’t showing any signs of letting up and after close to an hour of shivering we realized that we couldn’t continue to loose body heat.

As we thought of things that we could do to provide warmth or insulation, we realized that our PFDs would do the task. So we put them on and fortunately they provided enough insulation that our shivering stopped. We saw an opening in the storm and made a mad dash back to the mainland. Shortly after getting back the storm intensified and for the next few hours it was severe. If we hadn’t taken advantage of the short weather window and returned to the mainland we were not prepared to spend a few to several hours on the island. The adventure could have been an ordeal; we were very fortunate that it became a valuable learning experience instead. We were both amazed at how cold we got in Florida on a July day. Teeth chattering cold! So you can’t really judge what will happen on the water in a couple hours time, so you have be prepared, no matter what the weather is, when you launch.

Example 4 - There is a phenomenon in southern California called the Santa Ana winds; warm inland heating and the exchange between the hot land and the cold ocean create them. These winds can form quickly and can come roaring down canyons towards the coast. They can be very powerful and wind speeds of 50 mph or higher are common. The waters of southern California are cold considering their latitude. That’s because its currents come from the north and bring the cold water from there. Also the waters, even very close to shore are extremely deep, so the sun has little opportunity to warm them much. Wetsuits are normal attire for water sports because of this. I don’t recall the specifics but I believe that 2 people were out kayaking. They had wetsuits on but unfortunately they got caught in a Santa Ana. Its 50 plus mph offshore winds were impossible to paddle against. They even had a cell phone and called for help. The result was that they were blown far from shore. The winds created rough seas and they constantly got soaked. The wetsuits they were wearing were incapable of protecting them from the wind chill. Their bodies couldn’t heat the trapped water layer fast enough to prevent hypothermia. Before rescue agencies could find them they had succumbed to exposure.

There is a formula that is often used which combines the air and water temperatures. It’s called the rule of 120. Supposedly if you were to add both values and get a figure over 120 you should be fine. This is nonsense. One can be very safe well below this value and in trouble well over it. It all depends upon what you wear and what you take along with you. The Florida example was probably over 160 when we started the day and still easily 140 while our teeth were rattling.

So what should you wear? There are several choices and combinations of those choices. What’s great is clothing has come a long way recently and we are the beneficiaries. No longer are we limited to some rubber-band feeling wetsuit that irritates the skin. We now have new materials, which are lighter, warmer, more flexible, and much more wind and waterproof. Gear that not only provides greater protection, but its comfortable too. No one piece of clothing or system will cover all situations. All have their strengths and weaknesses. By understanding them and utilizing a variety of options you can safely fish in practically any conditions.

There are many considerations to think about when picking kayak wear. Two are especially important. They are weather and where you’re going to fish.

Weather: Obviously you have to take into consideration the weather. This consists of a few factors: air temperature, the wind status and precipitation, or the likely hood of either or both. None of these variables are singular. By this we mean that they are interdependent. You can’t dress for only one. Review the stories above if you have any doubts. You need to dress for the most severe of the factors that you will encounter or bring along appropriate items should they arise. In the Spring, for instance, you can have a wide variety of air temperatures, but your constant, which you much recognize, is going to be the water temperature. So this is what you must dress for. The wind can significantly change how you feel. Wind chill is the event where wind passes over living things. It pulls moisture away and has a cooling or chilling. So wind chill is a function of temperature that isn’t indicated by a thermometer. It’s dangerous when you’re wet especially when it’s combined with low temperatures. As the Florida example shows it doesn’t have to be very cold to be a concern.

Destination: How close will you be to shore and what is your access to somewhere that you can stop at to change clothes? Some of our local waters where we fish a lot have many small islands, and rock piles. There are many places to go ashore, whether to add or peel off layers and dry off and change if necessary. We also have a lot of shallow water areas that we call flats. Often you can stand, even though you may be miles from shore. If you need to add, or take off a layer of grab a shell, etc. you simply hop out of the kayak and do so. Conversely if the area I’m fishing doesn’t give me this ability I have to plan with more thought to the subject to better prepare myself.

Now that we’ve considered and discussed these factors, let’s get to the clothing.

Dry suit - This is the big daddy of thermal protection, a dry suit is waterproof, and the better ones are breathable. It’s essentially a body suit to protect you from the elements. It certainly has its place but for most situations its overkill. You could create too much body heat within the system and overheat. That brings up something important. Paddling, which is our means of locomotion, does produce heat and perspiration. We need to wear under garments that have the ability to pull moisture away from the skin. One needs to use fibers that can transport the moisture but not stay wet. If you do decide to get a dry suit it’s also important that it be breathable. The moisture you create must have the ability to escape. A dry suit is a great choice for winter use especially if you’re going to be far from shore.

Dry Top and Pants - Same idea as the dry suit with the seals around waist, ankles and wrists but can be worn separately or together. You definitely have more of a chance of water getting in with a top and bottom set as opposed to a full dry suit.

Waders - Many people think in the event that you should end up in the water waders will fill and pull you to the bottom. This is a misconception. The specific gravity of the water inside the waders is exactly the same as the water around you. So they won’t pull you down. ESPN recently did a segment showing this. Should you end up in the water with waders on and they fill up you will find it difficult, if not impossible, to get back on your kayak. So what you need to do is keep the water out. All waders, to begin with, are not created equal. There are several materials that are used. The neoprene or breathable style of wader makes a very good item of clothing to wear when additional clothing is used with it to form a system. For kayak fishing stocking foot models are better than boot foot ones but many simply use what they have. The stocking foots allow you to wear more kayak specific boots that will function better than boot foot modes. In the event that water should enter the system it won’t enter the boot. A system that is used by many is breathable, stocking foot waders and a kayak dry top.

There are several configurations of tops but the common denominator if that they have very good waist and wrist seals. Some models have rubber, neck gaskets, just like a dry suit, and some have a Velcro closure system. If you’re wearing a life vest, and you should, than your head will be above water and the weaker Velcro system will work fine. A pair of breathable waders when combined with a breathable dry top forms a very versatile system that works extremely well for a wide range of conditions. The waders actually trap air and act as additional flotation. The other nice thing about waders is that the kayak fisherman often uses the kayak as transportation to go wade fishing. Waders are designed for use while wading and all other forms or clothing don’t do this job as well while keeping you dry.

Wetsuits - Wetsuits work by trapping water between your body and skin and heating it up, the problem with wetsuits use to be that when you are out of the water and water flushed out you were cold again. Also most wetsuits are designed to function in the water. As kayak fisherman, we spend the majority, and hopefully, all of our time out of the water. Some of the new suits are made to block wind and have fleece on inside to wick moisture away from the body. There are some terrific suits out there now. They come in a variety of styles too, and you have to choose between full, farmer john, shorty or even in just shirt or pant types. The Farmer John type is the best because it doesn’t restrict paddling.

Spray Jackets and Pants - Nobody should be without some spray wear and its important to buy spray wear that is breathable or you will heat up and perspire. This moisture won’t be able to escape and at the very least you’ll feel clammy, but it can also chill you. Spray jackets and pants can be used in a variety of ways. They can be used in the summer, when an extra layer is needed. In the Florida adventure told above they’re all that would have been needed to prevent our shivering. We would have remained dry and warm and would have had been protected from the wind. The two of us always have a set along now. We often find that the addition of a jacket is all we need on summer nights in the northeast. They can be used over a wetsuit to provide wind, and or rain protection. This way the wetsuit protects you should you go in the water and the spray gear does the same when you’re out of the water. A hooded jacket can even be used over a dry suit or system to keep the rain off. Many of them pack up quite small and come in their own carrying bag. So there really isn’t any excuse not to have a set in a dry bag, just is case.

First Layer Insulation - The only time you won’t need this is when its warm out otherwise this is important. This is where you will start any clothing strategy. If your core gets wet and moisture stays there you will be cold no matter what you are wearing on the outside. You want to wear modern synthetic fibers. These fibers have a myriad of functions, but most important is that they retain their insulation properties when wet. Fleece, polypropylene, capilene, etc. are great to start with because they wick moisture away. There have been recent advances and one such item is a product called Mysterioso. At present this is the best first layer material on the market. Mysterioso is so advanced that our military uses a version of it for their cold weather operations. It has many terrific features. It works great when wet and is super fast drying. It has a wind barrier too. Surfers have been using it for years and is can add up to 2MM of warmth to a wetsuit. It can even be worn as a light wetsuit. Some of the synthetic materials like polyester are OK for first later but stay away from cotton.

Hats, Booties and Gloves - Not that you don’t have enough to think about but you will need to keep head, hands and feet warm. Booties are mostly Neoprene and work like the wetsuit, you should wear some fleece socks, at the very least wool, or something similar to keep from feeling clammy. Your head is responsible for 50% of your heat loss. So if its cold out a hat can be vital. At the very least bring a wool hat along. Wool, though a natural fiber, still insulates when wet. There are better ways to protect against heat loss. Modern caps made out of high tech materials will keep you warm and dry. It’s not smart to wear high tech clothing and then forget about your head. Gloves, again you may need to protect your hands, and for optimum protection in cold weather, and fishing, you need to bring some along. There are essentially 2 styles of gloves used in kayak fishing. It’s a very good idea to bring along both styles of gloves: those that expose the fingers and normal gloves. Both have their use. For fishing, an exposed finger or fingers are oftentimes necessary. Paddling in inclement weather is much better done with a closed, waterproof system. For cold weather fishing, we recommend having both along.

Now you should have a broader knowledge of some the clothing out there that you can use for colder weather situations, you still might wonder what is best for system for my kayak fishing situation. Since we’re all different with different needs its something that only you can determine. See what other kayak fisherman are using in your area. This is a great place to start. Here in the Northeast we use most of the time either a wetsuit or wader and dry top system. We then layer appropriately for the conditions. We bring along a dry bag with extra layers and items which increases the range and flexibility of the system. Sometimes we need to shed a layer as the day warms or conditions change. We have gone out for as many as 12 hours in one day’s fishing and encountered several environments. Up at Cape Cod we would start in a sunny bay in the morning, fish the out going tide and eventually ending up out on the ocean. Conditions changed a lot and we needed a variety of clothing to be both comfortable and safe. Here a dry bag is invaluable for both storage, and keeping items DRY. Should you dump and get wet its nice to have a spare set of dry things to put on. This has saved more than one day on the water.

As you participate in this sport, you’re going to encounter a lot of environments and weather. By giving the subject some for thought, you can safely and comfortably fish most situations.

Provided by: Joe Cambria
website: www.kayakfishingstuff.com