Fishing in any weather

Recreation & Leisure

Many men (and probably quite a few ladies) find solace and comfort in fishing. As a leisure activity, fishing is supposed to be infinitely relaxing and beneficial to body and soul regardless of the catch. As a job, fishing can be hard work in hard weather, with reward ever more difficult to come by. But whatever your goal, be it R&R or food on the table, fishing has certain clothing requirements. Quamut.com carries some valuable advice for fishing in any weather, with cold weather obviously demanding greater care and attention. The most important piece of advice that they offer, whatever the weather, is to choose clothing that is breathable, allows for ease of movement and preferably wicks away moisture, and that is not cotton, as cotton absorbs water and dries slowly. For cold weather fishing, the suggest that fishermen and women adopt a layered approach to clothing, starting with a thermal base layer and two pairs of thin thermal socks, as opposed to thick bulky socks that could hamper circulation. The second layer should also not be bulky, and while Quamut proposes wool sweaters or fleece pullovers as the layer of choice, allow that any quick-drying, heat-retaining garment will do. Denim jeans are not advised as they get heavy when wet and take a long time to dry, canvas pants are far more practical, especially if they have water-repellent abilities. The outer layer needs to be as waterproof and windproof as possible. Warm hats and gloves are advisable, but gloves should allow freedom of movement, which means that fingerless gloves with fold over mittens are best. Warm weather fishing requires a completely different approach, with the focus on sun protection. UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) clothing is recommended. As with suntan lotion, the higher the rating, the safer you’ll be. Long-sleeved shirts provide better sun protection, and these days many clothing manufacturers make special fishing shirts that are designed to keep you cool in the heat of the sun. Polyester microfibre shirts are recommended for their breathability and quick-drying features. Shirts with collars are favoured for the protection they provide for necks. Pants should be a breathable, quick-drying cotton/nylon blend. Both warm and cold weather fishing require footwear that will keep feet reasonably dry and will keep you from slipping on wet surfaces. Sunglasses are also recommended whatever the weather, not only to cut out glare, but to protect our eyes from UVF/UVB damage. Vests, with lots of pockets for bait, lures, spare gut and sandwiches, etc are not quite a necessity, but you can never have to much ‘putting place’ when you’re out fishing, and you never know what you might need. http://www.dickiesstore.co.उक by SANDY COSSER