I was out Saturday on my home lake, Lake Athens, and John Stockman and others know how windy it is from the 2495 bridge where one turns and heads up into the northern cove where I live. It "tunnels" the wind and makes for some strong waves at times. I took extra care as I wasn't expecting the winds to be THAT strong.

I'll even go a different route at times where I follow the bank around and cross shallower or in a narrower section limiting my exposure to the most dangerous areas. Saturday, the wind was strong out of the west so I chose to kayak along the west shorelines when possible where the wind whistled overhead, not the far side where the wind was pushing water aggressively. There'd be dead spots in the water in many places, heavy waves just around a corner or across the way.

On two occasions on Wheeler Branch where the winds can be notoriously strong, I just pulled off the water and waited it out. I haven't had to do this in the last several years.

I was in my 10 ft. Slayer Propel Saturday, known for being super stable, and it was just something where, like John, some experience would certainly help. This group from Saturday and the unfortunate drowned kayaker? It sounds like a recreational group to me. Does anyone know? I might have missed it. Regarding recreational kayakers, I have seen more than a fair share out in cheap and unstable kayaks without life vests.

Brad

Brad, that seems to be a trend. The fishing community aggressively encourages PFD use. Rarely do I see an avid kayak anglers without a PFD. Most recreational kayakers I see are not using a PFD. Going back to Saturday I saw just that. I saw two teenage girls launch a inexpensive tandem on a point with no PFDs. I was on the protected side of the arm of Lewisville I was on. They launched on a point dead middle of the arm. I hung around where I was at for a while looking occasionally with a nervous eye, expecting the inevitable. No PFD no experience. I watched them spin around and never gain any type of momentum for about 20mins. They stayed about 20 yards out from shore. It made me wonder if they did flip could I help them? Not sure I could have given the conditions.

I just upgraded to the NRS Chinook.

skip the waders in a boat. they become anchors when they fill with water

Thats a pure myth. I have messed up more times than i care to admit. I often throw castnet from my kayak and have changed kayaks several times in the last 2 or 3 years. What actually happens is one of two things, 1, if wearing a belt cinched down the bit of air trapped in your waiders will cause your lower half to float. This is not bad if wearing your pfd but could be harmfull if you choose to be silly and not wear one. Or 2 the preasure of the water compresses the waiders tightly to your body. Either way the waiders dont drown you or cause you to sink. Mabey next time you speak on a subject you could have some first hand exp instead of buying into the internet myths and garbage.

Correct me if I'm wrong here. I've heard the danger with waders was slipping and falling in a stream or river with current. You slip in the current then the waders act like an underwater sail carrying you down stream. I've never bought into waders sinking you in a lake. How is water heavier than water and going to make you sink. Just my opinion, I tried waders but couldn't find any that fit properly.

Yes, the wader issue is sort of . . . ill thought out. There is no issue I can think of related to safety.

John could be on to something regarding using them in rivers, etc.

I believe I saw a video where an instructor flips into the water, pulls his waders off, empties them of water so they are then full of air, then somehow uses them for additional flotation, if needed.

Brad

I have personal experience with wearing a wader while being capsized in 5 foot surf at galveston.
That's when I was inexperienced- or you could say that's when I gained experience.

My wader filled with water, it did not make me sink, but it made swimming pretty hard and clumsy, it also made climbing back to the yak real hard.
Imagine you just gained 40 lbs.
In that situation, I could not right my kayak, and I was lucky I did not get knocked out of conscience when my yak flipped over me. And I was only 200 yards from shore. So I held onto the kneel of the yak and let the waves slowly pushed me back until my feet could touch the sand.

I kayak fish a LOT! I always prepare for the worst, and my bottom line is that I at least would NOT DIE.
Winter fishing can be potentially dangerous because of cold water. Cold water can kill you in half an hour.
In winter I do creek fishing -water can be as cold as 40F.
I wear a diy dry bib -made from an older breathable wader with the neoprene boots cut off, along with knee high rubber boots.
In case I get dunked in water, I'll swim to shore with kayak. I have in the hatch dry clothes, towels, emergency food & water, heating pads (hot hands brand).
Yea I'll probably get a cold, but I'll survive.

If you wear a wader, make sure you have wading belts on. No I do not think you can take off the wader while in water easily. You can't even do that easily on land with that much winter clothing on you.

Of course, I always have my NRS chinook on (it's been on sale on NRS for a few years now, costing only around 70$).
The pockets are good for phone (in a waterproof case); for lures, for a serrated knife in case of tangling yourself in fishing line or rope.

In calm days, I used to put my PFD tied down behind my seat. Now I always wear it, no matter what.
It is forming the habit, instead of the singular actions in a given day, that will save you in the most unexpected situations.
I now liken wearing PFD to wearing seat belts.

About high wind situations-
I once was in a group fishing near shore under a bridge of a lake, and there was a front coming out south out of no where.
Before we could decide whether to untie from the bridge and head back to shore, or to wait out under the bridge, the sky darkened, wind pick up and became really strong. The rain was pouring.
I estimated the wind to be 30+mph. Waves was about 3 feet (trough to peak).
The good thing was that the water was deep, near the pylons and waves did not break.

I accidentally lost connection to the pylon, and got blown away north. I knew there is no way I could work against the wind and wave to get back to the pylons.
So rode the waves and wind to the near shore and sought shelter in a leasing office building of an apartment complex.

The lesson for me was that when the wind was too strong, sometimes it's better to kayak downwind to get to the nearest shore, even if it means it's going further away from your launch.