Changing Seasons

[Phil Lilley]

I was recently watching the weather channel to prepare for my guide trip on the White River the next day. I noted that I would be starting the day in freezing temperatures. I was about to work through the change of seasons and I needed to prepare for it. The change had come rather suddenly and I was still dressing to fish in warm conditions.

My choice of foot wear for warm weather is boat sandals. They are comfortable, dry quickly and afford secure footing on the wet decks of boats. They are not very warm. With the cold weather coming, I switched to a pair of L. L. Bean gumshoes. They are waterproof and warm. They also provide sure footing in the boat. I wear a pair of heavy wool socks with them.

My warm weather slacks and shirts are lightweight and designed for the tropics. I only wear long pants and long sleeved shirts. This is to afford me full sun protection. I am very fair skinned due to my Scots Irish heritage and I burn easily. As the weather cools, I switch to jeans or if it is very cold to pile pants. In lieu of the tropical shirts I wear fleece jackets. I have several of them in different weights and try to match them to the weather. The colder it is the thicker the pile I choose. Pile is not wind proof, however. I wear my waders and a rain jacket on windy days to break the wind and stay toasty warm.

In the summer, I generally wear silk weight boxer shorts. They are cool and non-chafing. When the weather shifts, I switch over to poly propylene long under wear. They are warm and wick moisture away from my body. If you are dry, you are more comfortable.

It was also time to put away my panama hat. The sun protection afforded by it and the soft comfort is without peer. I have another straw with a chin strap that I wear on windy days and a light weight rain hat for stormy summer days. Now as the seasons change, I once again turn to my beloved cowboy hat. There is something about it that looks and feels right. I have been fishing in it for twenty five years and it is starting look its age. It has a broad brim to protect me from the sun and since it is beaver felt it keeps me warm in cool weather. I added a rattle snake band years ago as a bit of whimsy. I throw a fleece hat with a short bill and ear flaps into my wading bag for bitterly cold days. It will fit under the hood on my rain jacket and easily fits into a jacket pocket. I also carry a wax cotton baseball hat for rainy conditions. It repels the rain and it also fits under the hood of my rain jacket.

I wear sun gloves in the summer to protect my hands from the harmful rays of the sun. They are not very warm. Now is when I switch over to fingerless wool gloves. They allow me to tie knots and rig fly rods without removing them. Wool has the ability to keep you warm even when wet. I generally carry an extra pair in my vest. When it is a bit colder, I switch over to full pile gloves with a wind proof shell. I find these particularly handy for long runs up river in my boat.

My waders of choice during warm weather are waist highs. The water is generally lower during the summer and these are much cooler as your torso is not covered by the waders. In cold weather, I switch over to chest waders. They cover more of your body and you can wade deeper. The ones I use have hand warmer pockets which are a welcome feature on bitterly cold days. I use wader boots that are one full size larger, in the winter. These allow me to wear two pair of socks. I use one pair in my regular size and another one a size larger.

I switch over my rain jacket from the light weight one I wear in warm weather. My cold weather one is a lot heavier and has fleece lined hand warmer pockets. It is also a little longer to cover more of my torso.

In addition to changing up my clothing, I also throw several packages of chemical hand warmers into my wader bag. I pull my big stainless thermos out of the cupboard and fill it with hot coffee every morning before I leave the house. Nothing can make a big difference on a cold day like a cup of hot coffee.

Take note of the changing seasons. If you prepare for it, you will be more comfortable.

John Berry

(870) 435-2169

berrybrothers@infodash.com

www.berrybrothersguides.com