May 10, 2016

May 10, 2016.

After a week of warm temperatures we had a cold snap last night in that it almost froze and I was afraid that I would lose the garden I had planted early in order to gain a few weeks in the growing season. But, everything survived and if I make it past tonight I should be fine. It brought to mind the need to dress warmly for those brisk mornings early in the trout season and the biting wind which seems to come up out of nowhere on Silver Creek.

I wear fleece pants most days of the season, other than during the heat wave of August; the off brands like Reddington work just as well as the more spendy brands. Over the years I have come to favor the thin Italian Merino wool over a cotton tee shirt. But the best discovery has been the “Wind Stopper” vest made by SIMMS which keeps your core warm without the sleeves that heat you up too much; it features a blocking material between two layers of micro fleece. I always keep a fleece cap and a round or donut fleece scarf in my float tub, together with a nylon shell. In addition to 50 SPF fingerless gloves for general use, I carry a pair of warmer fingerless gloves in case it suddenly gets cold. I know people who fish with electrically heated socks but I don’t fish when the weather I that unforgiving. 

Doug Andres

Stream Keeper, Double R Ranch