Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

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crusher
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Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by crusher »

As another cold water/weather season sets in I 'm wondering if there are suggestions for staying mostly waterproof without waders. I usually wear good breathable stockingfoot waders and a goretex wade jacket in the dead of winter and am a bit extra cautious to avoid turtles. Re- entry with full wade gear doesn't sound fun.
To avoid the bulk of full waders with wade boots etc, I'm wondering if anyone has a wade pant & wade jacket; waterproof pant with wade jacket; or some other way to stay mostly dry, warm, and safe during the colder water times. Any suggested alternatives to the breathable waders?
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by texnomad »

I will be following this closely. My plan was to tryout my frogg togg rain suit but I will love to hear experienced information.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Ramcharger »

I use my Frogg Togg rain suit. It works well, and allows for layering underneath. It also provides a good level of wind blockage.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Part-time gypsy »

I use NRS splash pants ( https://www.nrs.com/product/20015.03/nr ... lash-pants) if I'll be in and out of the water a lot during cold weather. I'll wear GoreTex rain pants just for regular paddle splash or choppy water with chilly water temps.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by murraycamp »

I just bought a pair of Frogg Togg Hellbender wading pants:

https://www.froggtoggs.com/hellbender-s ... uide-pant/

I think you can find them on sale for around $90. I have used them twice in a kayak and twice as surf waders. They work and are comfortable in both applications. You will need to layer for thermal protection (no cotton).

All in all, I would buy them again. HTH.
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crusher
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by crusher »

Those are a few interesting suggestions and the type of things I was hoping for. Gives me something to ponder in between my basic non-waterproof fishing pants and the all-in breathable stockingfoot waders.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Drifting Yak »

Have used a pair of Frogg Toggs Pilot II breathable stocking foot pants for about a year now and really like them. Have also heard good things about the Hellbenders but decided to go with the Pilot II because of the leg construction (might be all marketing but thought that the extra material in the legs would be better suited for the yak). Adding layers makes them very capable in all but the coldest of temperatures. They are also a whole lot easier to manage when mother nature calls! I usually pair them with lace up boots from Academy (add a size or two to make plenty of room for the booties) but have also used zip up neoprene shoes for colder days. I also have a variety of jackets that I wear depending on the temperature. And no matter which pair you get, make sure to research the size/fitting charts. Plenty of good information out there.

PS: I keep a Frogg Togg rain suit in my yak most of the time (Walmart has good prices on them). I bought the rain suit a size bigger so it can easily slide over whatever I'm wearing. That extra layer makes a huge difference when the nights turn colder or if the wind picks up.
Last edited by Drifting Yak on Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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shoffer
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by shoffer »

Yes. I highly recommend Bass Pro's White River stocking foot wading pants. They are easy off and on for pee breaks, and we don't ever get in chest deep water anyway.

http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/white-ri ... extensions
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by bowhntr1 »

Good thinking fellow yakers
I have both FT hellbender (I spray extra inside of them thomas waterproof), also habe pair of lite breathable stocking foot waders (just like pair blue jeans). Wool jackets to layer and wade pants

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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by eightweight »

I had heard, "dress for the water, not the air" when kayaking, and thought it good advice. The water can be a good bit colder and, if you turtle, there's that frigid wind chill. Hypothermia is pretty serious. So I got a pair of NRS Hydroskin pants and shirt for just this reason. It's a lightweight neoprene, tight fitting. Reasoned it will keep me warm even if I turtle and it gets wet. And it does. Problem is, it gets warm pretty fast when you're paddling out. You're body try's to cool down by sweating, but the sweat just builds up under the neoprene, Neoprene doesn't breath. I usually overheat and have to peel off layers. I wouldn't recommend it for kayak fishing in Texas. But it is great for surf fishing in the Fall, when you're constantly in the water.

If it's in the 50's I wear breathable waders, cinched tight at the belt, maybe fleece, and a breathable rain jacket on top to cut the wind and paddle splashes. Life jacket of course. No cotton!

Less than 50, I'm not on the water.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Springfling »

I just got a pair of the Frogg Toggs Hellbender Guide Pants. I chose to go with the pants over chest waders since my PFD would cover the wader straps and thinking of emergency egress I opted to give the pants a try. My main objective is to keep water off of me in cooler weather and still get out and stretch my legs in shallow water.

I am 6'-0" / 170 lb / size 10 shoe. To date, I have only tried them on (dry test). They went on nicely. There seems to be ample room on legs/crotch to sit in kayak and move around as necessary, and add a base layer. The neoprene booties were neither too big nor too tight. I have not tried them with my wading boots yet. My concern, so far, is getting the booties back off my feet was tedious. I was barefoot in my trial and I normally wear graduated compression socks, which are thin and I am hoping will provide some "slippage".

Upon official un-wrapping, I will have to report back on bootie removal with socks and wet test. Hopefully it takes several in-situ tests along the coast :wink:
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by karstopo »

I usually wear shorts and a jacket on all but the coldest days. I find if I can keep my torso and head warm, I’m usually comfortable. If I get a little cold, I’ll paddle hard for a while to generate some heat. The worst solution is having any pants that stays wet like anything cotton. I’ll don breathable waders on really cold days.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Yak-n TX »

I used to use muck boots and rain pants to keep me dry. The boots helped when entering the kayak and the rain pants kept the rest dry while paddling. This worked pretty well.

Lately I’ve been using breathable waders. The key is to keep them cinched at the waist. My thinking is that the PFD should, for the most part, keep the top of the waders out of the water.

But I am also interested in the wading pants others mentioned.


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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Yaklash »

crusher wrote:As another cold water/weather season sets in I 'm wondering if there are suggestions for staying mostly waterproof without waders. I usually wear good breathable stockingfoot waders and a goretex wade jacket in the dead of winter and am a bit extra cautious to avoid turtles. Re- entry with full wade gear doesn't sound fun.
To avoid the bulk of full waders with wade boots etc, I'm wondering if anyone has a wade pant & wade jacket; waterproof pant with wade jacket; or some other way to stay mostly dry, warm, and safe during the colder water times. Any suggested alternatives to the breathable waders?
I've been monitoring this thread since the OP. I would like to add a few thoughts.
One: I rarely kayak in the winter. I don't see much good in fishing shallow water in the winter and am not comfortable with the deep water scenario you are planning for.
Two: if you are paddling in water deeper than you can stand up in w/out your waders filling up, and you are trying to plan for re-entry without full waders in the dead of winter, I think you might as well have a wetsuit as your underlayer. Hypothermia is not something you want top deal with on a 2 mile paddle back to your launch.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by kickingback »

The Frogg Toggs are cheaper on Amazon...https://www.amazon.com/Frogg-Toggs-2717 ... th=1&psc=1
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by DumpTruck »

I just got these NRS Boundary wade shoes from ACK. More like boots. They are surprisingly comfortable. Work great with pedal drive. I can launch my beastly Predator PDL in sneakers without getting my feet wet, but it's just way easier on my hull to be able to wade out to a little deeper water before I get in.

For the price, it's really hard to beat the Academy brand rain overalls. H2O Express brand, I think. The ones they sell now are the "soft shell." Mine are the older style. Not sure if they still have them for sale, but the ones I have were on sale and like $60. The soft shell ones go for $100, and if they are as good as the old ones, pretty good deal.
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by Springfling »

So, I made the maiden voyage yesterday with my Frogg Toggs Hellbender wade pants. Since it was just getting into the 50’s I chose to wear some liners underneath. They got a bit warm at times, but at other times I was happy to have them. They certainly kept me dry and allowed me wade a bit, take nature breaks, etc. to protect the booties I procured a quality pair of canvas Converse knock-offs (<$10 at Wally World). The issue is they are still a bit difficult to remove (get over heels), but thin socks help.

In pic you can see the water beading off the pants and the stylish shoes. Oh....and a flattie friend
Image
Last edited by Springfling on Tue Jan 02, 2018 9:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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kickingback
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Re: Anyone using wade or waterproof pants during winter kayak fishing? Recommendations?

Post by kickingback »

Try a pair of these socks to get them on and off easier. I use thin silk work socks and it works well to slide over my foot easily.
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