The transition from fall to winter brings excellent fishing, but cold weather makes staying comfortable just as important as catching fish. Major League Fishing pro Brent Ehrler lives in sunny Southern California and admits that he gets cold easily, making his approach to layering and staying warm a must if he ventures on the water during the coldest times of the year.
"I always layer and tend to wear more clothes than I need to all year long," he said. "I guess I get cold easily, so layering correctly is very important to me."
Ehrler's Layering Approach
Of all the different materials, clothing and accessories are made of; wool is Ehrler's number one for cooler weather because it is warm and stays warm even if it gets wet.
"I always start with a good wool long-sleeve shirt," he said. "The Simms Ultra-Wool Core Top is a great layering piece. I'll wear that and then go with a jacket like the Simms Katafront."
Ehrler is a fan of the fit of that particular jacket for the fit.
"It's an interesting material and fits great," he said. "It has neoprene on the forearms and cuffs and doesn't pull back up when you are fishing. It also has a great wind-blocking material that keeps you warm even without having a big jacket over it."
On the outer layer, Ehrler will either wear his tried and true ProDry or the new CX jacket and bib.
"The ProDry is excellent and the CX is very good as well," he said. "The ProDry uses GORE-TEX and keeps you warm and dry in all conditions."
The ProDry is the top of the line from Simms and they recently added the CX as a more budget-friendly option.
"The CX is new and not as expensive and they are using a new material that is not GORE-TEX but pretty similar," he said. "It is very good at protecting you from the elements whether it is rain, boat spray, or whatever. It's waterproof and breathable and has a little flex to help you move freely."
Socks and Boots
Ehrler is a big fan of wool socks to keep his feet warm, and Simms makes a variety of different Merino Wool socks in various weights. He simply adjusts the ones he needs based on how cold it will be but says the Merino Midweight OTC Sock is a good starting point for fall to winter fishing.
"The socks keep you warm, and I pair that with a good boot," he said. "I like the shorter style boots because you can still get around the boat easily and work the trolling motor like you are wearing regular shoes. Plus, they keep you completely dry."
During the fall and winter, fishing can be excellent as fish begin to feed up for the colder months ahead. One of the biggest keys to fishing is finding baitfish and active fish, but staying warm enough to remain in the water is nearly as important. The best way to do that is with a solid layering plan and being ready for all of the elements that Mother Nature can throw at you this time of year.
Gloves and Beanies
Two other must-haves for Ehrler during the colder months are wool gloves and a wool beanie.
"I like the Simms Wool Half-Finger Glove because wool stays warm even if it gets wet," he said. "You go to land a fish and your gloves will get wet and all you have to do is wring them out and they will still keep you warm, even if they are a little wet. I like the half-fingers because you still have the dexterity to fish, hold your reel, feel your line with your fingers and fish effectively."
He slips on an oversized full-fingered glove such as the Simms Challenger Insulated Glove when making long boat runs.
"I go a size bigger than I wear so I can slip in my hands with the wool gloves," he shared. "You don't need much dexterity when driving a boat if you have the blinker style trim. Then when I get to my stop, I throw the bigger gloves in the box and start fishing."
Ehrler prefers a beanie during the colder months and again likes wool.
"You lose so much heat from your head and that's what makes it so important to stay warm," he said. "Wool is great because even if it is raining or snowing and it gets wet, the wool beanie stays warm. That's one of the best things about wool."
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