I should post this under general discussion board but I thought I would share with my fellow catfish anglers - since I was old enough that the law stated that I didn't have to wear a life jacket on the boat I have rarely worn one, I keep them in the boat to be legal but I just felt uncomfortable wearing them because of the bulk, as a young man back in the day I could swim and I was very athletic and even though I'm older now I still felt that I could still do things that I could 25 years ago, about a month ago I took my family to the swimming pool for a fun day out and it was then I realized how much things have changed and I could not swim as well or for very long like I thought I could, a couple of days later me and my father in law went out fishing and as I watched him put on his life jacket I started to think that I really should wear one because if I fell in the lake I could be in big trouble especially with shirt, pants and shoes on and if I am fishing by myself. I didn't say anything to him or my wife but last week my father in law and wife gave me a birthday present and what are the odds that it was a new life jacket that is the comfortable style, at that moment I shared with them what I had been thinking, looks like an angel is looking out for me, just thought I would share and something to think about, stay safe fellow anglers!

I love my life jacket Mike!!! I even wear mine in the summer... In
Shaller water! Lol!

amen

Thanks for the reminder! I have to admit I don't wear one very often on the pontoon. At night I do but not in the day much. I should though. I always do on the jon boat.

Good post Mike-
Thanks

I like wearing one in the winter time. Helps keep me warm and might keep my dead body afloat if I ever fall out of my boat and freeze to death.

Those kind look comfortable to wear....and not in the way either....Im glad ya got it!!

Thank Mike I'm in your shoes I need to get me another one thanks for sharing .

Last year I even built a vented life jacket rack right above my console just so I would wear it more because I was spending a lot of time on the boat solo at night in 20 mph winds. It made me wear it a lot more because 1.) it didn't stink and 2.) I didn't have to make a special effort to dig it out. I will add this though. My dad use to wear that kind of jacket a lot, but I made him quit because I got tired of jumping outta the boat everytime he got it wet and that dern thing went off. Hopefully yours is nicer and won't go off as easy.

I've got 4 like Rick's on the boat and I'll admit they've only been worn on a few really windy days. Like Mike said I don't like to wear one because they're too bulky. I've considered buying the new style several times, but wondered if the auto-inflate would open up if it got wet throwing a cast net or caught some spray from a wave. Are they really sensitive, or do they have to be submerged to open up?

I've wondered about the auto inflates but I'm worried they won't inflate when needed or will inflate while throwing the net. I did pretty much the same as Mike, could swim when I was younger, but jumped in a pool last year and seem to have lost a lot of the abilities I used to have. I'm in better shape now than I've ever been, so I guess I just don't swim enough anymore to be very good at it. I make the kids wear them the whole day but I don't, which doesn't make sense.

Kurtis, boat spray would set that thing off everytime but it wouldn't do it instantly. It would wait until we got all the rods baited and setup and as soon as it got quiet and somebody poured a cup of cofee BOOM!!!!! LMAO!!!!

Too funny!!!

I like the holder you made. I'm may put up a cargo net to hold mine. If it's right above me I'd probably be more inclined to wear it and it would help with drying.

Thanks for refreshing our thoughts on this topic Mike. Much like yourself, I found out I'm not quite the young man I used to be. My wife and I were up at Broken Bow a couple years back and anchored out in a beautiful cove, deciding to swim about 75 yards to and island beach. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I was going to pace myself for the transit. Seems like I can no longer do some of the things I did 40 years ago as a teenager. Sitting here this morning watching one of my teenage grandsons have his breakfast, it makes me realize that I should man-up and set a better example, finding a comfortable life vest to wear on a regular basis.

I wear my auto inflatable from the time I step on the boat until I'm back on land. I wear it in the rain and it hasn't gone off on me..........yet.