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3. Tully Redux

Found four frigid bows in the Tully this afternoon. One guy said the water was 38 degrees; that explains Matt's frozen toes. San Juan worm.

This has been a current theme of late in several threads that I can't remember now. Out here on the Coast, being able to stand in frigid crotch high runs for hours at a time is pretty important for serious steelheaders. There is only one solution. 5 mm neoprene waders with attached heavily insulated boot feet worn over long johns and fleece with heavy wool socks. Buy them over-sized so that your feet have plenty of room. A proper fit is counterproductive. No sense insulating feet if you are cutting off circulation by doing so. This is very important for those well on the other side of fifty without the blood flow we used to have.:) Cabela's sells them in brown with felt soles, and they are quite affordable compared to other wading systems. The duck hunting camo versions look pretty funky with a fly rod in hand and the rubber cleat soles are useless to dangerous. Forget trying to get your standard wading gear to work by adding more layers. It won't. My 2 cents, FWIW.

My good friend and steelhead fisher of many years John Dunn concurs. When I went up to Erie one year with him he laughed as I stamped and stomped trying to get some blood moving to thaw my feet out. Kurt describes his system to a T.

Kurt wrote,

"Forget trying to get your standard wading gear to work by adding more layers. It won't. My 2 cents, FWIW."

This is a very good point and makes a lot of sense. I'm out there in 38 degree water wearing a pair cotton socks over which I apply a thick pair of synthetic wader socks and then stick my feet into a pair of Simms Freestones. It is a tight fit and I'm likely cutting off the circulation and getting cold that much quicker.

I'm sure the 5mm neoprenes with attached boot feet would help a great deal. But my winter forays into those really cold waters are infrequent and the cost of the waders could be better spent on a couple of new lines and spools of tippet for my more temperate water temperature angling.

As much as I love to fish for steelhead once the air temperature drops below 45 degrees I hang up the waders until the water warms again in March.

Not a fan of the felt soles in the winter, mine hold snow like it's gold. Soon I'm walking on 2" of snow pack right on the middle bottom of my boot.

Got breathables, sock liners w/wading socks over. Under armour running pants(tights), long underwear, sweat pants. Snug as a bug.

I'm kinda like Wbranch on the temp thing, once or twice when it gets above freezing a little I'll get out in January and Feb. Mostly tying right now.

I have the Cabelas 5mm too, oversized. I often fished in supercooled water (less than 32F) in them. The only reason the water in the river wasn't frozen is bc it was moving. Anchor ice made Korkers affixed to my felt soles standard. Supercooled water allowed anchor ice to freeze flies and bait too, while I fished it. I'd pop em in my mouth to thaw them after so many casts. Guess I just didn't want to stay home. Fishing was OK too, at times. I even had one hen steely jump in such water.

Not the only solution, Kurt.
I am quite comfy in my breathable Gore-tex duck hunting waders. They, too have an attached insulated boot (non-felt). I wear modern long johns, a fleece "under layer", a heavy fleece top (under the waders) and then my outer jacket. Only a liner sock and a heavy wader sock on my feet.
I may get some "looks" in my camo on a trout or steelhead stream, but I have stood, waist deep in Presque Isle Bay, plucking decoys out of the ice as I watched the Bay freeze over, and never once wished I had my neoprenes on (besides, I can't fit in them anymore).

Hey, Tony, you might get some looks, but you'll need an Elmer Fudd hat to really draw the attention. I'll lend you mine come March to make the outfit complete.

Yes, you're right. It's not the neoprene so much as it is the boots. I didn't know you could get insulated bootfoot breathables, but I haven't kept up on waterfowl gear.

BTW - you've got your full Fudd:
http://www.filson.com/products/double-mackinaw-cap.60041.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=activity/hunting&fmetaProduct=aa13

and, you've got the half Fudd:
http://www.filson.com/products/mackinaw-cap.60040.html?fromCat=true&fvalsProduct=activity/hunting&fmetaProduct=aa13

I prefer the latter in olive.:)