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Trigger
 
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| water is COLD now, and I need to know what everyone is using to stay warm. Have tried lots of things but always get wet. Even with the life jacket, seems to be risky.... Also use an inflatable and outboard all year long, stepping in the water to launch either boat is cold and so I am asking: what do you wear on your kayak or inflatable in cold months? Wet suits, dry suits, special suits, ?? No one ever expects to turn over, maybe the worst is just getting into knee deep water to launch, but what do you wear, how do you prepare for the next 3-4 months?
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Snapper
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just light a fire, if it gets too big you can always just splash it out!
Team Gettin' Rowdy Nick Eldridge Roll Tide!!!
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Grouper
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get some waders for launching. im getting a pair for wadefishing
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Ruby Red Lip
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| Wetsuit or drysuit pants and booties. Personally I just wear summertime fishing pants and dress real warm from the waist up. If your in a kayak, even with scupper plugs in, your at least gonna be damp just from paddling. A word of caution on waders. If you roll and they fill with water..... I don't trust them in a kayak. There are alot better things to wear as mentioned above. I have dumped my boat several times in winter while fishing and the main thing is practicing and being very confident you can self rescue and get back in your boat especially in the gulf. Always use a paddle leash so you can concentrate on your other gear not being lost. I haven't seen to many days in winter inshore fishing where I wasn't able to continue on fishing after a good dunking, but then again as my name implies, I am naturally insulated.
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Grouper
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and thats why i said for launching not necissarily for being in the yak
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Ruby Red Lip
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Yea fishhead I know what you meant, and just for the record, I was wrong about the waders. I always wondered about them so I did a search. I found a google video where a guy did a demonstration wearing waders with a belt and a pfd. The waders actually helped him stay afloat as long as he had the belt on. He demonstrated that as long as you didn't have to float around for hours at a time the waders didn't keep him from getting in and out of his boat at all and water didn't rush in and try to drown you.
I may just get a pair for keeping dry myself.
Here is the video.
http://revver.com/video/677504/exploding-the-myth-about-waders/
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Snapper
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And, guys and gals, the secret here is - Wearing the newer lightweight breatheable waders and not the heavy rubber kind like us old farts used to wear when stream fishing up North
- Use a wading belt of some kind to stop entry of large amounts of water into the waders if something unforseen should occur
- Always ALWAYS wear a good quality PFD that will support the weight of your body and not some little kid's each and every time you go paddling
- Know how to get back into a dumped kayak and practice that maneuver before you need to use it, preferably in the middle of July or August
That combination should be enough to save your salty hide if you are dumb enough to go into the bay or Gulf when there are icicles hanging off the piers!! ............ Just kiddin' a little bit. But be aware of the water conditions and what you can and can't do in your kayak and strive to stay safe on the water at all times. If you are constantly jouncing around in a kayak that has a very low secondary stability rating then "yo' takes yo' chances and yo' gets yoah just due"!! A kayak out in 50° water in the middle of January is no place for someone with no common sense. If it doesn't sound like a good idea, whatever it is, then don't do it!! I have been paddling in all sorts of water in all sorts of weather conditions in the past 50 years or so and I have taught classes in canoe and kayak handling AND I have made most all the mistakes known to man in both craft so I am just trying to pass along some information from personal screwups .................. uh, I mean experiences that I have had myself! Many kayaks have differing points of interest and their own "personalities" sometimes so that is why I emphasize "your" kayak all the time. Get to know your craft and its limitations and don't always count on what others say that "their" kayak will do or not do. Different brands and models of kayaks are built differently and you need to be aware of what yours will do before you try something that you may regret later based only on the advice of someone else. If you encounter one of those motor head jerks who has a personal grudge against paddlers, then all bets are off. ..................... Shoot to kill.  Here's a working link to FatGuy's video on waders. Watch it, it has some good information in it.
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Trigger
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| I'm really surprised no has suggested wet suits. A friend fishes year round and has suggested them as a way to both stay warm, stay safe (you can't sink wearing one, even if you were crazy enough to be without a PFD) and they are pretty easy to wear. Anyone tried wet suits and decided they were not the thing to do? If so I would love to hear comments / feedback, as I'm really on the fence on what to do and the water is getting even colder!
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Pin Fish
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| Here in Virginia the best time to catch big stripers is November through January. The water temp is usually 40-43 degrees. Most of use breathable chest waders with a good dry top or semi dry top. Last time I turtled in the cold I got about 2 or 3 tablespoons of water inside. I use the kokatat semi dry top from kayakfishingstuff. just my 2 cents.
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Trigger
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| Good question and here are a couple of ideas: Wetsuit. A farmer John will cover your lower half and upper core. You can wear some good poly underwear and fleece top, perhaps a rain jacket and you should be warm and dry. But a wetsuit will not protect you from the wind - wear fishing pants, waders or some other windproof pant over that and you will be OK. The wind will go through a wetsuit and chill you quick. Some good socks and a good pair of dive / wader booties. This is the cheap-ish fix and will keep you warm and insulate you if you go swimming. A farmer john suit can be had for $100-$150. One Christmas I got a pair of semi-dry pants and a semi-dry top. Santa got them from NRS. NRS is a paddlers heaven - I get the catalog and want everything... Great stuff. Semi-dry means it may leak a little water over prolonged immersion, but is windproof and almost waterproof. I wear a set of fleece pants and tops underneath the dry top and pants and stay very cozy -warm, dry and windproof. The fleece is from Mysterioso - I can not recommend this stuff enough, it is the best set of cold gear I have, fits tight, is warm and insulates wet or dry. Primo. I just bought a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks. They work great, you can wade while launchning and your feet will stay dry. Lastly, I have a deer hunter orange ski cap - I stay warm and visible.
www.GulfCoastKayakFishing.com
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Trigger
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| I would look into a drysuit. Not the kind for scuba but the kind used for windsurfing . I have seen them on ebay and you can get them for under 200.00.
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Pin Fish
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| I agree with Ferd. Layering is key. I have a farmer John wetsuit from NRS. It has a dual front zipper, which makes it easier for coffee relief. I wear the titanium neoprene booties which keep my feet toasty. I like the fleece (polartec) tops because they will provide insulation even when wet. Lastly, I keep a change of clothing in a dry bag which I stow below in the front hatch.
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Ruby Red Lip
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For what it is worth... the kayak fishing video out of SoCal (great vid by the way)... the waders he is using is not what most of us here in the South and do a little duck hunting refer to as waders. I have neoprene waders connected at the boot and the water will not drain out of the bottom as he shows during the later half of the video (perhaps I missed something... did he remove a water tight boot?)... however he does show how effective a pdf and wader belt is... he definitely busted the myth BUT as he mentioned he is using a lighter version of waders... not hunting waders.
Just my $.02 and I think he is doing a great job busting myths because many people are so reluctant to take part in our sport for various reasons.
I would stay away from the old school rubber/canvas waders as someone mentioned above too... but most sold now seem to be water proof neoprene and form fitting like a wetsuit... which would help as well. I may or may not give mine a try for some white trout in Jan/Feb.
.:dangermon:.
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Snapper
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Windblocker fleece with a gore tex shell over it. Layers are the key like a few have already said.
www.flatstalker.com
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