When does the weather start getting too cold?

[Scrumptrelecent]

I'm going to suffer through my first winter up here this year and was curious how many of you tuff out the cold and drag your yaks out. I've been considering purchasing a boat for a while now and I'm thinking this would be a good time to pull the trigger so I can stay dry during the cold season.

[Dimo]

Hey, welcome to the area! I've been fishing on the bay since I was 10 years old. This will be my first winter from a SOT yak, so I'm taking time to gear / practice up appropriately. I look forward to the cooler conditions and change in pattern but I won't be doing the distances I covered late in the summer. The only thing that's going to keep me off is heavy wind, pouring rain / snow or heavy ice in the drink.

[Fishinfool]

I'm going to suffer through my first winter up here this year and was curious how many of you tuff out the cold and drag your yaks out. I've been considering purchasing a boat for a while now and I'm thinking this would be a good time to pull the trigger so I can stay dry during the cold season.

It depends on your boat, your gear, and your experience level. I have a sit inside yak that's not self bailing in the event of a capsize. I watch the water temps. It they go below 60-65 degrees I am generally done for the season. The fish are usually out of the rivers by then anyway. You have to respect the strong possibility of hypothermia if you want to be around next season. Usually, this means through October is okay; but after Nov 1, I am done.

There are other guys on this site who fish all winter (pickerel etc), as long as the ice isn't a problem. They have full dry suits (about a 500-$700 investment), sit on top self bailing yaks, have practiced dunking and righting in cold water, and know how to take precautions.

Safety is the primary consideration, always.

[phoenixkeith]

if the water aint hard it fishing time . dress properly and pick your days wisely .

[Shady]

What he said ^ There's usually something to go after every month of the year. When the majority of the water get too cold, fish can get stacked in the warm water.

[M1A4ME]

I've fished rivers at home (Greenbrier County, WV) from the little 12 ft. rowboat in the middle of October and the water was still surprisingly warm. If it's warm enough to get out and wade up there at that time it should be down here in VA.

I've also noticed, when I was bass fishing from my boat, that down here we'll sometimes get 3 or 4 warm days in a row in the dead of winter. On the 3rd or 4th day you can go to a lake in the afternoon and catch (usually just one) nice sized largemouth bass. At least I seem to only catch one, but it'll be 4 to 5 lbs. I've already decided to try some of the small state owned lakes/ponds this winter (Lake Nottoway, Ameila Lake, Powhatan Lake, etc.) on some of those warm afternoons. The fish are up shallow, I've caught them in 3 or 4 feet of water, so I'll be close to the bank on the north side of the lake where the water is warmest.

[daddyg]

I'm going to suffer through my first winter up here this year and was curious how many of you tuff out the cold and drag your yaks out. I've been considering purchasing a boat for a while now and I'm thinking this would be a good time to pull the trigger so I can stay dry during the cold season.[/QUOTE]
I have an old picture that was posted a few years ago I put it in my slideshow for Bass Pro. image1.jpg

[Scrumptrelecent]

I'm going to suffer through my first winter up here this year and was curious how many of you tuff out the cold and drag your yaks out. I've been considering purchasing a boat for a while now and I'm thinking this would be a good time to pull the trigger so I can stay dry during the cold season.

I have an old picture that was posted a few years ago I put it in my slideshow for Bass Pro. image1.jpg[/QUOTE]

I do have a deep passion for fishing but I think I'd find something in the garage to tinker with before facing those conditions.

[Yak Fish]

You'll want one of these!
https://www.facebook.com/chesapeake....type=2&theater

[sega]

The only time it's too cold to fish is when the water is frozen!

We're fortunate that we live in an area where we have a nice selection of fish that can be targeted in the winter months. The action obviously isn't as "hot" (no pun intended) but it's just a different kind of kayak fishing. Fewer fish, but a greater reward is to be had when you do hook something.

In my opinion your best bet is to stick to freshwater during the winter months. Winter time is trophy blue catfish season. You can target pickerel just about all winter, and in late winter yellow perch fishing starts picking up. Around February/March we start targeting spawning walleye on the Potomac as well. I also know of a guiding service out of Western MD that used to do muskie trips all winter long and he did really well.

A lot of guys will recommend really expensive gear for winter kayak fishing. Proper gear is a must, but a lot of guys go way over board in terms of proper clothing. I have a pair of field and stream neoprene waders that I grabbed for $90 and I regularly wade chest high in February. You can grab the new Columbia waterproof/thermal-lining top for $100 (I just got this last week it's dope) and you're ready to rip.

If you want to go even cheaper go to an Army Surplus Store. They'll have a lot of essentially the same gear (fleece, neoprene, waterproof tops) other guys will recommend to you for a much cheaper price.


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[sega]

There's also a really good Kayak Kevin video on YouTube that go overs proper winter paddling gear.


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[willf650]

The only time it's too cold to fish is when the water is frozen!


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Some of us are stupid enough to break through the ice to try and make it to open water.


I usually fish until December and take January and February off and pick up again in March. When it gets cold I stick to small ponds around home.

[Mark]

I'd like to tell you this was an iceberg in the Patapsco but it wasn't:

2015-04-06-084634.jpg

It's one of the famous White Rocks. However the photo was taken in April and it was cold.

This is Raptor in the Severn last December:

A.jpg

Love the hat!

This is frost on my kayak during a launch into Weems Creek:

P1000120.JPG

And this is what you can get for braving the cold in local water:

A.jpg

So we have a long season here. I believe I have had my kayak on the water locally every month except February.

Of course when it gets really miserable here, Tampa is only 2 hours away on Southwest Airlines.

Tampa1.jpg

Bottom line...kayak fishing has become almost a year-round hobby for me.