How to Dress Properly for Cold Winter Fishing

Winter is a time of year when, for many, it is better to admire the scenery or go skiing than to go fishing. But it's when it cools outside that the real games begin, and the frost brings unparalleled fishing opportunities.

So what to do when our passion is such that neither cold nor snow can keep us away from the fishing spots? In this post we present some useful tips on how to dress for winter, whether we are fishing, doing winter sports, or mountaineering, and finally some suggestions for putting together basic winter gear.

In winter, we can lose body temperature in 4 ways:

1. Radiative loss—when body temperature is lost due to lack of good thermal insulation;

2. Convective loss—it happens when wind eliminates our body temperature due to unprotected exposure;

3. Conductive loss—when we are in direct contact with cold or liquid surfaces, such as standing in snow or falling into icy waters;

4. Evaporative cooling—when sweat evaporates and we lose heat with it.

Hypothermia occurs when we lose a lot of body temperature at extremely low temperatures. Symptoms include excessive shivering, fatigue, shaking hands, confusion, and memory loss.

If you find yourself in this situation, here are 4 ways you can warm up your body temperature:

1. Find shelter immediately, especially to be protected from the wind, and wrap yourself in a blanket or simply seek shelter near a tree;

2. Replace wet clothes with dry ones immediately;

3. Concentrate first on warming the chest area, then the neck and head;

4. Drink warm liquids such as tea or soup. Avoid drinking alcohol; it lowers the body temperature in cold weather.

Clothing according to the activity performed

We can avoid the discomfort caused by hypothermia or freezing by dressing according to the activity we will be doing. It is always good to have another set of clothes ready in case the situation worsens.

Quiet activities like fishing or hunting require good insulation in the chest area.

Activities like rock climbing or skiing involve a lot of exercise. In these activities, you need to focus on covering and insulating the extremities more than the chest area. This will prevent you from overheating and excessive sweating. Make sure that your base layer is breathable and permeable to air.

Multilayer clothing

For any activity you do outside in the winter, layering (multiple layers of clothing) provides maximum protection and insulation due to the air trapped between layers of clothing. Layering is used for both the upper part (blouses, fleeces, wind stoppers, and jackets) and the lower part of the body (pants, trousers, and overtrousers).

This system includes:

— Body layer or base layer: comes in contact with the skin first, absorbs moisture, and keeps the skin dry. The base layer consists of garments with polyester, polypropylene, wool, and materials that wick moisture and dry quickly.

— Thermal layer or middle layer: absorbs moisture from the body layer and provides heat retention. T-shirts or turtlenecks are the most suitable.

— Outer layer, or shell: protects from outside elements and allows moisture to escape. You should opt for fleece sweaters.

Outerwear for the winter

Once you've selected the base layers, the final component is what you wear on the outside, which has three basic functions: preventing wind, keeping you dry in rain and snow, and allowing sweat to evaporate.

For drier conditions, a softshell or waterproof jacket should suffice, but if you encounter situations with excessive moisture or heavy snowfall, look for clothing with high breathability and protection from water in materials like Gore-Tex® or Dry.Q®.

Winter hats, gloves, and boots

Once you know a little about hypothermia and frostbite, it's easy to understand the importance of keeping your extremities covered and well insulated from the cold.

Winter hats—In the winter, when temperatures are low, it is extremely easy to lose body heat through your head. Winter hats come in a variety of styles and materials. Whether they are made of synthetic or acrylic fibers (good against sweat, quick drying) or wool (extremely warm).

Neck and face protection: In cold and strong winds, face masks and mouth guards are the best choice.

Gloves—the piercing cold and strong winds are easier to endure with proper gloves.

Winter shoes

Footwear is an important part of outdoor gear. Whether you're preparing for a casual stroll in nature, jogging, cycling, or embarking on a longer trek in the mountains, a pair of shoes can significantly impact your experience. Always choose footwear depending on the activity you are doing and the season in which you are doing it. Before buying, you can look for tips and reviews, visit stores, and try several pairs. Manufacturers of shoes are constantly developing innovative technologies, materials, and designs to improve footwear and increase comfort.

The following factors are important in making the right choice:

1. Technical and functional details: height, stiffness, sole;

2. Quality of materials and strength;

3. Membranes used.

Depending on the main criterion to distinguish the shoes (seasonality), there are 3 main categories you can choose from:

1. High shoes are intended for light activities (walking, hiking, cycling, running, etc.) or as city shoes, have a low height and high flexibility;

2. Boots for 3 seasons—recommended for mountain tours; they are of medium height and higher stiffness;

3. Winter boots—especially for the cold season; they are high, stiff, and fix the foot well.

In the trips you make to the countryside in winter, whether you are an angler, a hunter, or a hiker, it is good to have warm clothes in your car, which can even save your life in extreme situations.

The winter survival kit should include:

1. Sleeping bag and a warm blanket;

2. Winter boots;

3. Warm change of socks;

4. Thick jacket or vest;

5. Gloves, scarf, and winter hat;

6. Water bottle;

7. A few energy bars or other snacks;

8. Flashlight with spare batteries;

9. Phone and battery charger.

Whatever your winter activities, it's good to know these basic things that can make the difference between comfort and discomfort.