PODCAST: Winter Skills Series, #3: Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes — S6, Ep3

by | Jan 29, 2023 | 12 comments

 The Troutbitten Podcast is available everywhere that you listen to your podcasts.

** Note **  The Podcast Player, along with links to your favorite players is below.

Here’s a full podcast dedicated to staying warm, from head to toe. Because sometimes, staying warm and functional in the winter is far more important than the tactics. The cold becomes our biggest challenge.

This episode is about keeping the cold out, the heat in and fishing hard — all day long, in even the roughest weather. More specifically, it’s about regulating your body heat while on the river.

In This Episode, We Cover the Following
  • How to regulate heat with layers and zippers
  • Staying mobile with flexible layers that hold in heat and let it go
  • Best materials for each zone, each layer
  • Hats, buffs, balaclavas, hoods
  • Dark colors and UV rays
  • Base layers, insulating layers, outer layers
  • Winters waders, winter boots
  • Socks
  • Heat packs
  • Battery solutions
  • . . . more
Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Category | Fly Fishing in the Winter
PODCAST: Troutbitten | S1 Ep 14 —  Winter Fly Fishing
READ: Troutbitten | Fly Fishing in the Winter — Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes
READ: Troutbitten | Winter — Something Is Always Going to Hurt

Here’s the podcast . . .

Listen with the player above, or . . .

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Next Time

Season six of the Troubitten Podcast continues next week with episode four. So look for that one in your Troutbitten Podcast feed.

Fish hard, friends.

 

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Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com

 

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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12 Comments

  1. Dom : Her are my thoughts. Outerwear either insulated waterproofed jacket or breathable technical wading jacket must have a hood which has a built in visor or bill which has a drawstring which fits over my wool fishing hat and can be cinched down in the neck and hood when I need it. I am a true American extra large I prefer 2x sizing which gives me the room for layering options and room to trap air and I also prefer garments with pit zips. Layering for me is either primaloft or fleece vest or jacket. you covered everything else in your podcasts. I am also experimenting with sock liners which go directly on my feet. You might recognize them as the disposable socks you would use when trying on shoes in a shoe store. Fox River also makes a sock liner and I have ordered a pair to try. My last experiment is with my wading belt which when cinched down over my insulated jacket causes me to sweat. I carry a traditional wader belt in my vest to access when I need it but not using it when I walk in seems to reduce sweating issues. In the winter I use a net magnet to carry my net and wading staff. Regards.

    Reply
      • I use an orange bead in front of a # 12 fly hook on the White River in Arkansas it works really well

        Reply
  2. Electric stuff is great. I have heated motorbike gloves that, when turned off, are also good lightweight motorbike gloves. I can see the application of electric gear to fishing and other outdoor stuff where you want less insulation to hike in, but good warmth when you’re moving less.

    And it’s only cheating when someone else is using it.

    Reply
  3. Great stuff guys! Just wanted to add to something you guys touched on there close to the end about when to put layers on. Back before the turn of the century, early 90s, I lived in northwest Montana and was big into backcountry snowboarding. It can be sub zero cold yet with the hiking at elevation it is a serious workout and you get hot. One of the biggest mistakes that will ruin a cold weather activity is putting your insulation on too soon. People would get all there gear, coats, hats, gloves, everything on indoors or in the vehicle. By the time you get outside and start hiking your body is trying to cool itself and you are starting to sweat, it only takes a short period of time before you are getting cold and now your body is trying to heat itself up again. It is better to get geared up outside in the cold where you body can try to warm itself as you start putting on layers. A lot of times you will find yourself more comfortable with less on as you are starting your activity or hike in. When you reach the stream then put on that last layer and leave it open/unzipped until you feel that you are acclimated and then adjust temperature with the zipper as a vent. I will also say that if you just get out in it your body adjusts to the cold. I remember my first Montana spring after the long cold winter and 35F was Tshirt weather.
    +1 on the alpaca wool socks. There is an alpaca farm around here that we took the kids to see baby alpacas and I bought a pair of their socks and I got to say best socks I’ve ever owned.

    Reply
  4. Thanks guys. I grew up in Pittsburgh but live in central California now. Where I fish is usually in the 40s in the winter but it’s all relative I guess. I know it feels cold to me. Love the tips and thanks again.

    Reply
  5. Have you tested using surgical gloves as a layer of protection from cold water during winter fishing?

    Reply
  6. Suggest you try BuffaloGold Herd Wear socks, specifically the Close-to-the Ultimate Boot Sock. Extremely warm and comfortable. BuffaloGold.net, 915-247-6601.

    I like the boot foot waders for the days in the boat.

    Reply

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Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

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