Cold weather kayak gear for north texas

Saw the cold weather gear topic on the bass fishing forum and wondered what others wear during the colder months when out kayak fishing in north texas(DFW Area).

I have spent a fair bit of time fishing out of motor boats during cold weather, but no canoeing or kayaking once weather starts to cool off.
With purchase of my own kayak I would like to be out on the water most of the year.
Thinking of possibly wearing some sims freestone waders once water gets colder.
I used to do a lot of diving and do not believe that a wet suit is the right option for kayak fishing.
I know how to stay warm and dry, it is the possibility of falling into the cold water that I am most concerned about.
I usually stay pretty close to shore and when the water gets colder that will be even more important to me.

How cold do the lakes get around here anyway?
If anyone has taken a fall into the cold water please share your experience on what worked or you would wear differently.

They get cold enough to kill you. I wear some breathable Hodgman waist-high wading pants.

I had experience for kayaking even the temperature dropped to 29F. Keeping dry is key. I wear thermo-under-pants and wool long socks plus breathable waist-high wading pants. Of course, it's important to stay close to shore.

I'm going to post this video up here before it gets started.

I like full length breathable waders, layer as needed underneath (avoid cotton), frogg togg coat over top, and most important a PFD.

I got swept off my kayak in 43 degree water in a fast moving river. The shock of the cold took my breath away and I felt like I had run a mile. It took me couple minutes(seemed like an hour) to get to a section of shore I could climb out on. I stripped off my waders and I was mostly dry. My feet, down my sides, and my shoulders and arms was all that got wet. I was dressed like I said above.

First and foremost try to avoid any wearing cotton if at all possible. It's a poor insulator, holds moisture against your body, and takes a long time to dry; all bad things in the winter. Wool is excellent at insulating (even when wet) and wicking moisture away from your body. It is a bit expensive, but luckily polyester based synthetic fibers (think fleece) can replicate the properties of wool at a much more affordable price.

I start with knee high silk weight liner socks along with silk weight boxer briefs and under shirt. Then it's a lightweight baselayer pant and long sleeve shirt followed by knee high wool socks over the pant. The next layer consists of a fleece 1/4 zip sweatshirt and fleece wader pants. Then I'll add one more layer of pants which are kind of like your standard fishing pants but made with slightly thicker material and windproof. Everything I wear is designed to pull moisture away from my body. You'll also notice that I wear multiple layers which allows me to remove layers as the outside temperature or my body's temperature rises through the day. While on the water I wear breathable, stockingfoot waders, wading boots, and a lightweight, breathable, wind/water proof rain jacket. This may sound cumbersome and bulky, but I don't feel restricted at all. A fleece/wool beanie, glomitts (fingerless gloves that have the mitten cover flap), and a buff finish off my winter garb. Nearly all of my baselayer clothing is Cabelas branded, and has held up well for many years.


Cliff notes version:
1st layer: Silk weight sock liner, boxer briefs, and under shirt
2nd layer: Thick wool socks, lightweight baselayer pant and long sleeve shirt
3rd layer: Performance Fleece wader pant and 1/4 zip pull over
4th layer: Windproof pant and wind/water proof jacket
5th layer: Breathable stockingfoot waders, wading boots, Buff, fleece/wool beanie, and glomitts.


An important thing to remember is when washing wool, fleece or similar clothing don't throw them in the dryer with a dryer sheet like Bounce. Dryer sheets put a film on the fibers and prevent them from wicking moisture. I actually air dry all my winter and summer fishing clothing because of that.

Wearing a PFD is probably more important during the winter than summer. You're going to be wearing more clothing which makes it more difficult to swim and you also don't know how your body is going to react with the shock of entering cold water. You could easily become disorientated or the shock of the cold water could cause you to instantly inhale while under water.

Waders are OK to wear during the winter. If properly worn with a belt they are hard to fill up. If they do fill up with water they don't weigh you down like most people think, however they could make it more difficult to swim or get back into your kayak so you may have to ditch the waders to increase your mobility.

So I understand that cold weather TX is not the same as cold weather Wisconsin. There are still standardized safety rules about colder weather paddling. There is something called the rule of 120. Basically it says that when water and air temps combined hit lower than 120, it's time for a true DRY suit.

One big exception to the rule of 120 is that when the water temps are below 60 F, it's also time for a true DRY suit.

Here are two nice links to consider: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/kayak-safety.html
Scroll down to the spot where it says: "dress for immersions"

Here is a video to consider too: https://youtu.be/BBTm-a8o_jE

Stay safe

When it gets really cold I typically wear chest waders and always swear a wading belt and pfd with them. What I layer underneath depends on just how cold it is, but its always some combination wool and fleece layers. No cotton, ever. I also have a set of wool wading socks from Cabela's that are fantastic. I added a Buff worn around my neck, a wool stocking cap, and usually half-finger wool gloves. A rain jacket when its cold enough. As mentioned above its key to stay dry if you want to stay warm, but you also need to have a plan for falling in. I don't get far from shore and stay away from big lakes like Texoma. If its windy then I don't go at all or only launch and fish in a protected cove.

Remember always have a spare set of clothes handy in a water proof bag , I Keep a set of thermals with me in the kayak and another in my car.

I use a dry top that has the rubber gaskets around wrist, neck, and waist, over a pair of breathable waders. A full drysuit would be better but I've tried my current system out and the amount of leakage is minimal if I get back on kayak within a minute or two. I was completely warm on Jan 1, last year when the air temps never got above 26 degrees. With a few chemical warmers for feet, inside waterproof gloves, and around ears, I had to let some cooler air in every now and then to keep from sweating while paddling.

My dry bag has everything I think I'll need if I have to spend the night in the coldest/wettest conditions... food, clothing, extra gloves, shelter, fire starting ability, chemical warmers, extra batteries, light and duct tape if I need to patch anything, along with a tube of jb waterweld if I need to repair kayak hull. I can't stress enough how handy a heavy duty lawn trash bag can be when changing clothes in cold windy conditions. If you don't have a dry bag, use a lawn trash bag as it fits easily inside hull.

Thanks to all for your comments and sharing your experiences.
Confirmed that waders would be a good choice and the non cotton under layers I use for hunting or other cold weather activities would work here.
I always stay close to shore but never get enough reminders on good safety tips.
I went out and got some Simms waders and boots finding some good discounts online.

Now I need to figure out how much I need to wear for different temperatures.
Tops are easy to peel the layers off or put more on as needed. Bottoms/socks are a lot more work.
Anyone ever use the toe warmer packets you expose to air and stick onto your socks inside your stockingfoot waders?

Happy Thanksgiving to all.