Ice Fishing Clothing

It ain't a fashion show...

Ice fishing clothing is the key to a good day on the hard water. If you are catching fish but are freezing your butt off because you are cold or wet, it makes for a miserable time. The first thing on your ice fishing checklist is to make sure you have the proper clothing. The tackle and bait can wait.

If nothing else, remember this; Dress in layers. You can always take clothes off if you get warm. Make sure you over dress for your day on the ice. You will be glad you did.

Keep Your Feet Warm!
If you are like most people, once your feet get cold, the rest of you gets cold. Boots are a key element to your day. Think about it. You probably have $200 worth of tackle and another $200 worth of rods and reels. Spend the $100 bucks and get yourself a good pair of winter boots. Preferably boots that come at least half way up the calf with a good warm liner. Sorels are a popular choice in Canada, and for good reason. They can handle the cold!

Something else to consider with your boots are “toe warmers”. These are disposable heating packets that you put between the bottom of your feet and your boots. Brands like Hot Shots and Heat Factory have been around for a few years and are common place on the ice. Even though technically this isn’t ice fishing clothing, it is something that can make your day very comfortable!

Socks are important too! It’s always good to have an extra pair of socks with you incase you get your first pair wet. Wearing two pair of socks is a good strategy. One pair of cotton and one pair of wool socks to pull over the cotton works well and is used quite often.

Keep Your Hands Warm!
Another important thing on the ice is keeping your hands warm. Ideally you would like gloves that allow the flexibility for you to do things like change hooks, put on bait and remove fish from your line. Something for you to consider that works very well is to wear plastic surgical gloves under a heavy pair of mitts. This allows you to take your hands out of your mitts to perform tasks requiring your fingers. It also allows you to keep your hands dry! When it comes to ice fishing clothing, this is a great strategy.

Other strategies include wearing water and windproof gloves especially made for ice fishing. These work great for reaching in the hole and pulling the fish out. It is tough to change and bait hooks compared to the surgical gloves, but they do work very well.

Remember the “toe warmers” mentioned above? Well they double very well as hand warmers. Don’t be afraid to use them in your gloves. Some people put them in their jacket pockets, and stick their hand in there when needed. The bottom line is to remember to augment your ice fishing clothing with these inexpensive warmers.

Keep Your Melon Warm!
Keep your head warm on the ice. Wool, fleece and knit hats work better than cotton because cotton is not a good insulator. Cotton performs even worse when it is wet! Bring the good stuff and keep your head warm.

Some folks prefer to wear 2 hats while they are ice fishing. One typically is a ski mask, and the other a larger hat that fits right over top of the ski mask. Remember, the key to ice fishing clothing, is to dress in layers. You can always take stuff off.

Underwear and Outerwear – Layer for Warmth!
Your first layer should always be thermal underwear. Thermal clothing is very effective at pulling perspiration away from the body. Cotton does a poor job of this. If you get warm and sweat early in cotton, there is a good chance you will be cold for the day. Get the thermal underwear.

To really class things up, get the one-piece full body thermal underwear – trap door optional! It really helps to keep your temperature even and comfortable for the day.

Over the initial thermal layer, continue to dress in layers. Try to avoid cotton as a layer near your skin. Wool, fleece, wind breakers and other heavy shirts work well. A one-piece insulated cover-all is an ideal item to wear ice fishing.

If you feel yourself get warm, remove a layer, or open your jacket. Try to avoid sweating. It’s a key to staying warm.

Covering your legs is an important element of ice fishing clothing as well. If you do not have something for your legs, overalls are a fairly inexpensive solution. They can be had at almost any store selling outdoor clothing. Some folks wear ski-pants, but remember, chances are you will be getting fish guts and blood on them before the end of the day (remember that when putting on your ice fishing clothing)!

Make sure whatever you are wearing on the outside is both windproof and water proof. This is your first line of defense. Remember to over dress for the day. You can always take something off.

Ice fishing is great fun. Make sure you start your day by checking the forecast and then dressing smart. Think in layers, and you will be comfortable when you pull in that trophy fish!

When it comes to ice fishing clothing, play it smart.

Thanks for reading.

Good fishing.

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