There are a few other things to consider when heading to fish your favorite winter water - a few items that in reality could make or break a trip.  Common sense again comes in to play here, and this is not another list of less than useful gear that you as a fly fisherman gearhead need to think about buying - you have all (or most of) this gear already……

A full change of clothes in a dry bag - a tumble into very cold winter water does happen occasionally (see our post yesterday), and a full change of dry clothes can literally be lifesaving.  We always pack in a dry bag given our propensity to float some of our local rivers, even if we’re wading that day. 

Double check that you have the “easy to forget stuff” - gloves, hat, sunglass before you start the truck.  These items always seem to scatter after getting back home and being spread out to dry - repack that gear bag and double check. 

Thermos with your favorite hot beverage - sounds simple but we’re amazed at how often our buddies in their rush to hit the water forget to load their thermos with coffee, soup, tea, etc, and throw it in the truck.  We don’t carry the thermos but it’s sure nice to have in the truck when we’re back.  We’ve taken to carrying one of the Jet Boil stoves with us (it weighs less than a pound and is about the size of a pair of gloves and hat rolled up).  The stove unpacks and can be running in less than a minute, and can boil a cup of water in less than two.  Some instant soup, tea, or whatever can be amazingly refreshing on a cold afternoon.

In the same vein, matches in a waterproof container or one of the magnesium fire starting tools can be a lifesaver after a dunking if you need to strike a fire to warm up before getting back to the truck or other civilization. 

We often debate the utility of a wading staff, but are more likely to drag one along in the winter in particular to check depths of water that is tough to gauge in the flat light of a winter day.

Battery performance falls off dramatically in the cold - check those camera batteries and replace if needed. 

Getting comfortable on snow shoes or cross country skis will open up a whole new world of water for you.  We prefer snow shoes as they’re easier to manuever in the confines of streamside willows and contour changes than skis - but hey, go with what works for you. 

Finally, some high energy snacks can keep you rolling through a really cold afternoon - bring your favorite along if you’re going to be out for more than a couple of hours.  One of my kids just bought the book Lip Smackin’ Backpackin’ and it has some great recipes for these types of trail / river snacks. 

You could argue that none of these things are absolutely essential, but any and all will make your trip a better one.

Reader Peter F. emailed some great suggestions yesterday -

I have had a couple ideas you didn’t mention.  First, actual neoprene socks, they are fleece lined, cost about 20 dollars at sportsmen’s warehouse (right near the waders), but insulate SO much better than anything else.  I wear them as a liner underneath thick synthetic wigwam socks.  Another great piece of long underwear is the Hind Arctic weight Drylete tights.  They are incredibly windproof and warm as could be.  With another pair of synthetic pants over the top, I can stand in winter water for hours and not get overly cold.  On the glove side, I recommend the “Glacier Gloves” retractable mitt.  They have neoprene palms and windproof fleece making them much more preferable to regular fleece or wool for handling fish and the thumb retracts as well, greatly improving dexterity.  They are also available at Sportsmen’s Warehouse for about $20.  Your suggestion for multiple pairs of gloves is very wise.

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