Dressing for immersion, Oregon style

Looking at getting a Prowler Trident 13 and putting together the gear for some salt fishing. Do those of you who fish along the Oregon Coast always wear wet suits? What thickness? Any other gear advice for keeping warm and safe? Sure am glad I found this place.

Do a quick search of the site. There's been lot s of discussion about this.

Z

Hey Z, I did a quick search and wound up with a lot of hits.  Might this topic warrant it's own Forum?  Seems like it comes up every month or so.

-Mark-

Did the search and found all questions answered. Thanks guys. Looks like neoprene chest waders and a drytop under the PFD ...

Hey Z, I did a quick search and wound up with a lot of hits.  Might this topic warrant it's own Forum?  Seems like it comes up every month or so.

-Mark-

For the time being lets keep it as is. If it gets bigger we can do that. It would be nice to start a topic and sticky it though. Any takers?

Z

Hey Z, I did a quick search and wound up with a lot of hits.  Might this topic warrant it's own Forum?  Seems like it comes up every month or so.

-Mark-

For the time being lets keep it as is. If it gets bigger we can do that. It would be nice to start a topic and sticky it though. Any takers?

Z

Sounds like a good topic for an article.   

-Allen

Hey Z, I did a quick search and wound up with a lot of hits.  Might this topic warrant it's own Forum?  Seems like it comes up every month or so.

-Mark-

For the time being lets keep it as is. If it gets bigger we can do that. It would be nice to start a topic and sticky it though. Any takers?

Z

Sounds like a good topic for an article.   

-Allen

We're waiting for your first one.... this would be a good start.

Z

Wasn't the downrigger article in the last Kayak Angler by our dear PolePole?  Or do I have myself confused again?

Waders aren't made for immersion.

There are lots of guys here who know a whole lot more about fishing from a kayak than I do.  I don't even have a FF on mine yet and the only reason I even own a kayak is because when gas was $5.00/gallon I couldn't always find three guys to split gas with me to head to Brookings every time the seas laid down.  Gas for the boat and truck was almost $200.00 a pop and when one is retired and going sometimes three or four times a month it's KAYAK and HONDA CAR TIME!!

Having said that I do know a lot about being in the water.  Most of my fishing is done with a dry suit beneath the surface with a spear gun and I go out there every chance I get which is pretty much any time the seas lay down, and I've been doing it for a long time.

This kayak thing is pretty cool and I'm planning on getting a second one so my daughter can come along from time to time.  She's a young nurse in Portland now and all her life she has been my number one fishing buddy.  Very focused, very hard working and very tough to outfish.  I might even be able to convince my wife to give it a go.  

They won't be wearing waders in the ocean.

Right now the surface temp out there is just over 50 degrees.  It will warm up some as summer nears but even in August the water is very cold and very unforgiving.  I would suggest you wear a 7 mil wetsuit when it's cool and cloudy and a 3 mil when it's sunny.  They will keep you warm and on the surface.  Granted, they won't be quite as comfortable as waders and a dry top and certainly not as cool looking but if you do go in, you won't have to worry about them filling up with water and ruining your day or even your life.  

I have a really nice pair of waders and if I can ever get these guys to show me the ropes on river kayak fishing somewhere here in southern Oregon, I'll wear them along with a good belt but, not in the ocean.  

Wasn't the downrigger article in the last Kayak Angler by our dear PolePole?  Or do I have myself confused again?

Yes, I wrote the rigger article.  It's an inside joke with Zee.  We are planning some articles for here at NWKA.

-Allen

See this video regarding waders.

-Allen

HooksnSpears is right about waders not being for immersion, BUT immersion is relative.
 If you go more that 6' under the surface in less than 7mm of neoprene you'll find the true meaning of cold. But diving is not fishing and we spend most of our time on or close to the surface (preferably on the surface). My goal in dressing for fishing is to be able to roll the boat, re-board, and to be able to continue fishing comfortably. That said, I've played in the surf comfortably at Pacific City in Feb (and spent more than 20 minutes in the impact zone) with neoprene waders and a (pink) splash top.

 I don't think I agree with the Jim Sammons video though about breathable waders for our conditions. As I've said before, Kayak fishing south of Big Sur is waaay different than up here (we have a lot less sailfish). Our concern is first, hypothermia, then drowning (in that order).

Breathables provide you NO insulation by themselves and will be cold when you get water on the inside of them. I nearly froze to death with a breathable dry suit and entirely not enuf insulation at Beverly Beach.
 
Neoprene waders on the other hand, will still act like a wet suit and keep you warm even with some water infiltration. I'm not saying that they will keep you warmer than a wet suit, but for me the drytop/ neoprene wader combo has worked really well in some funky fishing conditions.

BTW aren't rivers generally colder water than the ocean?

Breathables provide you NO insulation by themselves and will be cold when you get water on the inside of them. I nearly froze to death with a breathable dry suit and entirely not enuf insulation at Beverly Beach. Neoprene waders on the other hand, will still act like a wet suit and keep you warm even with some water infiltration.

I'm not saying that they will keep you warmer than a wet suit, but for me the drytop/ neoprene wader combo has worked really well in some funky fishing conditions.

BTW aren't rivers generally colder water than the ocean?

I wear varying levels of synthetic fleece and Smartwool socks under my breathables. I like being able to wear thin layers in warm(er) conditions and lots of layers in cold/cold conditions.

I've seen my home river looking like a slushy, in the winter. Rivers can get a lot colder than our salt, in the winter.

Pole,
Interesting and enlightening video on the waders however the experiment there is in a pool on a sunny day;  no current, no surge, no cold shock, no salt water in the mouth and an arms reach from the side.  Had he done all that where we go, he would be one cold puppy trying to get back to the car as fast as he could paddle;  fishing over!!  LOL  Still, I must admit a lot of good points were presented there and I can see now how one could talk himself out of wearing a wet suit.

Tupperware,
I agree with you completely in that the goal is to be able to not only survive but to continue fishing comfortably.  And I think you're probably correct in saying the neoprene waders would act sort of like a wet suit should they become flooded.  (I'm not real sure though because I flooded my dry suit once and liked to froze to death)  Of course I'm inclined to think that neoprene all around is the best bet if you're going to fall off your ride on a chilly day.  I'm sure you know, it's a real treat if the calm day you decide to go fishing on turns out to be warm and sunny.  Most times it's cold and just windy enough to freeze your butt should you be unfortunate enough to get wet or aren't bundled up appropriately.

Yea the rivers may be colder but around here it's a stroke or two at the most to the shallow water in most cases.  Still I don't think the guy in the video would have fared all that well without his pfd or belt in the Rogue River.  Better leave those on I'd say. 








 

So, here's my thoughts...  (useless as always  )

Dry top and breathable waders, good belt and PFD.
Dry suit and PFD.

Either of these combos without layers underneath will probably get a guy in trouble regardless of how dry he stays. 

Now with layers of fleece and other synthetics, a guy should be good to go, no?


I think I'll wear a 3mm farmer john, a dry top, a pair of neoprene waders, and a full drysuit over all of that.   
Should stay warm and float like a bobber!

Should just go pick up a US Coast Guard survival suit.