clothing for hard water fishing

[GEEMAN]

When it comes to handwear I do the same thing as Russlleman. I wear a thermax glove ( thin lightweight ) under a pair of buckskin & lined choppers I had made from a buck I busted a few years ago.
The choppers are waterproof and make a nice kneeling pad when your checking tip ups.
I wear the choppers when going out but once I set up camp switch to a pair of those fingerless mittens.NEVER had a problem with cold fingers going this route.

[Brett Meyer]

Here is my set-up. I have the Columbia Omni-Quad parka, and Omni bibs, these are waterproof, windproof, and really warm. bibs work nice for drilling holes so your pants don't get wet, and they have full length zippers down each leg incase you want to go sit in a house or something, they come off easy. I wear mickey boots with a good pair of wool socks. I have a leather mad bomber, and I also use buck skin choppers. This set up works great for me, i have fished on some cold days (-20 F) and as long as you can keep your hands fairly dry, and besides my face i stay comfortably warm. The parka and bibs might set ya back anywhere from $350-425, depending on where and when you buy them but i think that they are well worth the money. They should last many hunting/fishing seasons. I use this suit for duck hunting too.

There are about 3 other guys besides myself that have the columbia outfit, and we all like it.

[walliceman]

Im Not the one to go all out, but here in connecticut it usually doesnt get to cold. So i usually wear a top and bottom of hot chilis, some nice wool socks,good pair of waterproof boots, and my ski jacket, works like a  charm.


-Evan

[wolverine-iceman]

As walliceman,I to wear the (hot chili`s) underwear tops & bottoms.Also wicking socks under smart wools,next comes fleece pants,(light)fleece jacket,presently using Lacroose Ice-man boots.I put on my Carhardts after I get to the pond.Got to get me a pair of the black extremes! A good Columbia(fleece) lined jacket,over a good heavy Starter hooded sweatshirt for the run`n` gun days. My hands,fingerless inside my nice lined leather mitts.And always have an extra pair of gortex ski gloves.One of those wool hunting hats that doubles as a face mask.I always wear sunglasses,snowblind and windburn protection.  

[kenelz]

I dont dress real heavy. If I'm on foot I generate enough heat dragging my stuff out to keep warm until I set up the shanty and get the heater going. If I use the sled to get me where I'm going it dont take long. So, I just wear some Carharts coveralls over my everydays cloths with a insulated vest and Lacross snowboots.

[Penguin]

I've been keeping comfortable with this:

Feet: Cabela's Thermax knee-hi's under a mid-weight poly-wool blend sock; LaCrosse Ice King boots are light, give good traction, very warm.

Body: mid-heavywieght 2-layer poly-wool long johns, fleece pants and shirt, turtleneck dickie.

Outer: Cabela's Gore-Tex hooded parka and bibs; usually have a hooded sweatshirt under it. Only complaints are the zippers: leg zippers don't open far enough to get my boots through, and neither leg or chest zippers are two-way (important for answering nature's call).

Hands: fingerless wool blend gloves with beaded palms. The beaded palms give good grip and help make them more water resistant. Eskimo mitts with the fleece-style liners have lasted me years. I've tried neoprene, don't like it. Fingers don't breathe, get really sweaty, hard to get off.

Head: my folks gave me what looks like an oversized fleece dickie with an 18-inch neck, called a PoloPoncho. Pull it up over the head for a snug hood and part of it up over the mouth and nose. My Pittsburgh Penguins baseball-style cap keeps out from underneath it all.

[tarbot]

 Here is my system I'm trying for this year...

Webfoots Body Sock (Polarstrech fleece long underwear.)
Merino wool socks
Polartech 200 fleece pants
Polartech 200 fleece vest (half zip)
Polartech fleece jacket (full zip)
Sorel Downpour jacket (Wind and water proof)
Sorel Downpour pants (Wind and water proof)
Cabela's Glacier Point Pac Boots
Fleece hat with built in face cover if necessary
Goretex mitts

Now we just need some ice here in central MA

[bigdave1018]

no one mentioned eating a meal before you go on the ice or bringing snacks to keep your energy level up. walking through deepsnow dragging a sled puts alot of strain on the heart and makes your body burn more calories. hope this helps.

[tarbot]

I agree with Bigdave1018... nothing beats a good breakfast before you go out.
We brining out the grill for lunch... Bratwurst on the grill can't be beat!!!!
There is even a pizza place that will deliver to the boat ramp!

[lwfinj]

I have a tip I got from an old timer afew years ago . Spray your feet with Right Guard or any good under arm deoderant before you leave in the morning and your feet will stay warm and dry all day.

Just wash them with cold water and soap. Same result  This tip at least 100 years old
Plus you will have less changes to get cold if get your feet wet

[Basshuntah]

L.L. Bean, Cabelas, can't find'em here they don't exist.

[JungleJohn]

What a bunch of great tips for hard water fishin'!!! Especially liked the feet articles as that is always the first thing that gives me grief. Going to try spraying deo and also washing in soap & cold water.  I fished with a guy couple years ago that first thing after cutting a hole, he submerged his hands in the water. Swears his hands didn't get cold the rest of the day. Just figured he was full of superstitious prunes, but I will try it this fishin' season. When I was about 9 or 10, we had a  blizzard that dropped snow about 4 feet deep in our front yard. We lived out in the boon-toolies and was basically shut-off from the rest of the world for almost a week. Being an ornery kind of kid, I decided to "tunnel" up to my neighbors house, about a mile away. My gloves consisted of a pair of old socks. Took couple hours for my hands to go numb, which at the time I thought was kind of cool. Long story short, after my dad beat my ass for about 1/2 hour he made me hold my hands under warm tapwater till the feeling came back . Next day all the skin on my hands started peeling like an orange and felt like they was on fire. To this day i don't know why my fingers didn't fall off from frostbite. And to this day, my hands start getting numb anytime the thermometer starts getting close to the freezing mark. Sure puts a crimp in my ice fishing. My gloves of choice are made out of rag wool. Warm, cheap, and dry easy. Also easy to snag a hook in them so you have to be careful.