Winter Kayak Fishing Safety

Just posted this on my Examiner page. Like my other ones, I feel that this issue is too important to just link out the article so here it is in its entirety!

Winter Kayak Fishing Safety

All around the country the air is getting cooler. Many outdoors men are hanging up their Shimanos and picking up their Winchesters; but for some of us, kayak fishing season is yearlong. Anglers who wish to pursue fish in winter weather can be rewarded greatly, but extra safety precautions must be taken to ensure you live to fish another day.

The Basics
You should never paddle without a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) on, but paddling without a PFD in the winter is especially deadly. In the event you fall out of your kayak in the winter, cold water temperatures will restrict your motion instantly, within a few minutes your movement will be completely shut off and without a PFD you will almost certainly sink to a watery grave. A Georgia man has already lost his life this fall and he was in a small pond in about 20 feet of water. If you are going to be on the water in the winter wear your PFD.
Also, be sure you are also following local boating regulations. Most states require some type of visual and auditory signaling device for kayakers at all times.

Staying Comfortable
Staying warm in a kayak doesn’t have to be break banking expensive, but keep these rules in mind and you should be nice and toasty.
• Layer your clothing. Multiple pairs of socks, pants and shirts will help conserve your body heat. Breathability is a nice feature to have as well.
• Wool stays warm when wet. Kayak fishing will always be a water sport and you’ll still get wet when the water is cold. Wearing wool or synthetic gloves will keep your extremities nice and warm, even after you they get wet grabbing a fish.
• Waterproof and Breathable outer layers are worth their weight in gold. I will never fish in the winter without my 100% waterproof waders and rain shelled Columbia jacket. And no, waders will not sink you if you fall out of your kayak.
• Cotton is a bad idea. Cotton dries very slowly and holds cold water. Getting cotton wet in the winter is a recipe for hypothermia.
• The only part of your body a fishing hook can completely destroy is an eyeball. Wear your eye protection!

Worst Case Scenario
Even the most experienced of kayak anglers fall out of their kayaks. If you plan for the worse and stay calm, you will get home safely with nothing more than a bruised ego.
• Bring a buddy whenever possible.
• Bring multiple forms of communication. A cell phone and VHF radio are good places to start.
• Pack a Ditch Bag.

A ditch bag is a dry bag full of survival gear you would use after an on the water emergency. Useful items to have in a ditch bag include:
• A dry change of warm clothes (Multiple pairs of sox, long johns, fleece pants and sweatshirt, hat, gloves or mittens, warm shoes or boots, windbreaker type jacket and a few blankets).
• Some kind of fire starter (Water proof matches, lighters, etc.)
• S.O.S. signaling devices (Mirrors, horns, flare guns, etc.)

Winter kayak fishing can be a blast and can be done very safely. Prepare for the worst and stay smart and you may be greatly rewarded!

Question about the ditch bag in particular, do you keep it within reach or attach it to you somehow, Reason I ask is if you fall out in current and the kayak floats down river. I'm worried if I attach it some how I might get tangled in it.

Rule #1 - Don't fall in the water

aznflycaster said:

Question about the ditch bag in particular, do you keep it within reach or attach it to you somehow, Reason I ask is if you fall out in current and the kayak floats down river. I'm worried if I attach it some how I might get tangled in it.

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That's really a tricky question...

Most people store it inside the hull because they can get to be very bulky depending on how well prepared you are... That leaves the risk that you loose your kayak in a dunking then you're really screwed...

At the same time if its attached to the kayak within reach and your kayak floats away you're still without a ditch bag...

But if it's not secured to the kayak there's a good chance it will also be floating down the river if something intense enough to make you fall out of the kayak occurred...

Really the first thing to do after you fall out is immediately grab your yak.

Good Stuff!

Good article.

As far as the ditch bag is concerned, I never go into water that has the kind of current that I can't catch up to my yak if I fall out by myself, esp. when it is cold.

If you are with someone else, they can either transport your dry bag to you, or they can lend you their dry bag.


My dad and I once fell out of a canoe one summer morning (after I begged him not to stand like me) into water that was 60 degrees, with 60 degree air temps. We were only 1/4 from the car, but he was shaking uncontrollably by the time we got to the warm car (I faired a little better because I was dragging the canoe up river to the car.)

I can't imagine how bad it would have been if the water and air was in the 40s- or colder.

As pointed out in the article- COTTON IS ROTTEN when it gets wet. Same rules apply when hiking or doing any activity that makes you sweat.

That is the reason for a paddle leash IMO. If you fall out there is a tendency to hang on to your paddle. If it is leashed to your yak then you are leashed to your yak.

Update on a few things I left out and some tips others relayed to me.
• Pack extra water. Dehydration is still a very real threat even when its cold outside.
• Bring high energy foods. Energy bars, sardines, etc. It'll keep you fed as well as keep your body working to metabolizing it, thus making you warmer.
• Having Hot Chocolate or Warm Chicken broth in a thermos is another good way to fight hypothermia.
• If you do happen to dunk, stay mobile after drying off. It's another great way to fight hypothermia.
• Always let someone know EXACTLY where you're going fishing.

This tidbit is from "DoahRiverRat" on how to properly pack a ditch bag.

As we get deeper into winter, those of us who fish all year round need a good reminder. I served as our club water safety officer for a while and worked up a presentation on cold weather floating. If I can find it maybe I'll put it up as an article. In the mean time a couple of notes about Ditch, or Bail-out bags...whatever you care to call them. I start carrying mine the last week of September.

I would make one suggestion about them: Pack the bag in the order you'll need to pull things out of it. I've included a picture of mine and the order I pack it.

From the top of the bag, left to right: Supplies to start a fire in any conditions, that means flint and steel and tender that WILL catch fire when wet. That means steel wool and dryer lint laced with Vasoline for me, there is no such thing as water-proof matches or lighter... Trust me. Added to that is a small pot to boil water for coffee that's part of the whole kit and packed in the pot. Toss this to your float buddy and let THEM start the fire...you'll be shaking too hard to do it.

Next, a Camp towel, get you head dry first and put on the knit cap and save the heat. Then strip everything off that's wet. We're racing the hypothermia here so you need to be as quick and deliberate as you can. Once you have everything off, dry off as best as you can, get the socks on first. I have since added a pair of neoprene socks as well that go on before the wool pair.

Next, long underwear, (synthetic of course..NO cotton) then dry clothes, then the pullover, gloves, and then the fleece.

Finally, are the extras in case you have to spend the night. 2 "Space blankets" a piece of 6 mil plastic, about 12' by 12', 50' of stout line, knife, some extra food that won't spoil and an extra charged up cell phone. They'll all call 911 whether you have a contract on it or not (that's a Federal Law). Keep it in it's own dry bag and check the charge on it once a month. Throw in an optional flashlight and you have everything you need to sleep dry and warm for at least one night if you have to.

Don't forget first aid kits either...but that should part of the regular year-round gear...right? ;-)

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A good rule of thumb to follow for safety is the "100 degree rule." This means the air temperature plus the water temperature should be greater than or equal to 100 degrees F. Below 100 degrees combined is when hypothermia conditions can set in quickly and things can become very serious.