Layering for Cold Weather Catfishing - part 1

Layering for Cold Weather Catfishing (part 1)

Winter time is BIG CAT time in many parts of the country. Hardy catfishermen brave the nasty weather and frigid temperatures in their quest for a trophy Blue Catfish. Many of the lessons that a cold weather catfisherman often learns by trial and error, have already been experienced by waterfowl hunters throughout the country - a sport enjoyed by hundreds of thousands every year in the U.S. When it comes to comfort and warmth, catfishermen can learn a few things from these veteran cold weather sportsmen.

For years I was an avid waterfowler, and for years I put up with the same problems that most waterfowl hunters deal with. Staying warm! What follows is an article I wrote a few years ago about layering for cold weather to stay comfortable.

After a long walk in to the hunting spot or after laying out the decoy spread, I’d settle in to get ready for the hunt with sweat dripping off my forehead and clothes soaked with moisture from overexertion. At some point, while doing the morning’s work I usually had to shed my coat - the one that seemed so important when I first climbed out of the truck. Usually within 30 minutes the chills would start. The chills would turn into shivering, and in turn, would turn into tooth chattering, bone shattering cold. Of course, somewhere along the way, that nice morning in the duck blind turned into a miserable hunt that I was glad to end.

At some point, can’t remember when, I decided that the misery had to stop. There had to be an adequate alternative that would keep me comfortable, and dry, on the coldest mornings. I had no idea how difficult it would be to find a solution to my problem.

But find a solution I did! Finally, at the turn of the century and 25 years after spending my first cold morning in a duck blind, I spent my first truly WARM morning in a goose blind on a farmer’s field with the temperature hovering right around 15 degrees Fahrenheit. “But that’s not cold!” you might say. Well you’re right it’s not. The remarkable thing about this hunt is that my coat was hanging on a branch behind me. I’ve since spent several days on the water in miserable weather in sub-zero temperatures and I have only had to put my coat on in the most extreme conditions or while in the boat motoring to my hunting spot.

So what’s the key? First I’ll tell you what’s not the key – COTTON. Before you read any further, try an experiment for me. Go to the bathroom, grab a plain old cotton ball and dip it under a running faucet. Not pretty is it? The same thing happens to cotton long underwear, cotton socks, cotton anything. DO NOT WEAR COTTON IN COLD WEATHER! By the way, if you set that sopping wet cotton ball on the sink it will stay that way, wet, for a long time. The same thing happens to cotton longjohns.

What is the key then? Polypropylene? – Nope; Polyester? – Nope. The “Polys” are a vital part of a cold weather layering system though, so don’t discount them.

The key to cold weather layering and STAYING WARM is Silk and Wool!

I don’t consider goose down or even waterfowl hunting parkas important parts of a cold weather system any longer for reasons that I will discuss part 2 of this article.