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Keep in mind that I am always looking for images for our newsletter; fish, sunsets, sunrises, other anglers fishing, equipment, anything fishing related. I can use them all.  Large, unedited images are best. Thanks.

Created by Scott McKee Oct 31, 2018 at 1:09pm. Last updated by Scott McKee Oct 31, 2018.

Thank you, Jay!

This site is sponsored by NMA Member Jay Nannen.

Due to the fact that I can't see too well and the buttons on my phone are really small, I accidentally deleted a forum post I wrote earlier today entitled, "Brrrrrrr... Cold." This in itself is no big deal. The problem is that it also deleted John Jarosz' excellent response. Sorry, John.

Basically with the cold weather and snow settling down for a visit in WNY, I wanted to make members aware of an article I wrote a few year back on staying warm and hypothermia.  Click here to read article.

I hope you like it. Sorry again, John!

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Sometimes you eat the bear & sometimes the bear eats you. I'll try to remember & repost the pointers tomorrow morning. I don't think anyone is going anywhere tomorrow anyway. I heard once that when you write a story or something like a story you should write it all down first, then crumble up the paper, throw it away & start all over. This way you'll only remember the good points of what you were trying to write. I'll give that a try. Who the heck has time to write anything twice anyway? But tomorrow I'll find out if it really works.

BTW, the article you wrote back then was excellent & everyone who, not only fishes in the cold, but is out there for anything, should read it

I just read your article on dressing & fishing in cold weather in that newsletter & it is a good one. Everything hits the mark so there's really not much else to add. I'm planning on going steelie fishing in the Lower in a boat as I've done many other times in Dec, Jan & Feb. Your article goes into specifics as far as brands & designs. I'll list some general guidelines I use when dressing for the cold:

1. "There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." You might remember one time in your life when the weather was absolutely miserable; cold, damp, dank, rainy and windy, but everything clicked, you had the right clothes on & you were comfortable. Everyone else might have been miserable but you were toasty warm & dry. You don't wear sneakers in the snow & you don't wear just a baseball hat on your head. Dress right & the weather's not a factor.

2. Cotton Kills: I can't believe the number of people who wear jeans on a boat. Cotton doesn't shed water, doesn't wick it & will keep you damp. Look at ALL labels before you buy. Many will read 15% cotton. Go to the next rack & look for wools, wool blends, aplaca or synthetics & synthetic blends. Cotton T-shirts, while being the most comfortable, will hold moisture if you start sweating & you'll get chilled for sure.

3. Dress orderly: Pick a system & stick with it. I dress for the cold from the bottom-up, starting with synthetic sock liners, then wool or alpaca socks, cover the legs with synthetics, then upper torso & gloves, then to a neck gaiter or balaclava & finally headgear, all non-cotton. This way nothing's forgotten.

4. Don't sweat it: I prefer the two piece cold weather suits with a jacket and bib. If it gets warm the jacket can be opened up or even removed & the bib flopped down. The ability to add or remove clothes according to changing conditions will keep you dry. The fancy name is layering. I remember backpacking one day & when we got up the temp was in the mid-20's. Hiking out that a.m. I didn't even put my jacket on knowing I'd be cold starting off. All I had was the long upper underwear & a synthetic sweater. The jacket went over my backpack. In 15 minutes I was warmed up, dry & real comfortable, never having broken a sweat. If you're casting, start off being cool or cold & you won't break a sweat while warming up. I prefer to start off dressed on the cold side & let the activity warm me up rather than starting comfortably warm & then removing clothes to stay cool.

5. Cotton Kills: Can't say it enough. Look at what the other people are wearing for pants.

6. And to end with a short story. One night when we were camping the temp had gotten down to the mid to high teens. Many of the Scouts had trouble getting to sleep because their legs (hamstrings) were cramping up & their feet were cold. They piled extra socks & pants on but their legs were still cramping, even while in their sleeping bags. Then one of us put a synthetic sweater on &, wa-la, his leg cramps stopped. The rest of us did the same, the leg cramps stopped & everyone slept well after that. I learned a valuable lesson. The body will do what it has to to keep the vitals warm, i.e., the heart, lungs, etc, even take blood away from the extremities. The extremities are 2nd class citizens. You can survive without arms & legs. It's a little harder without a heart.  When you don't have enough blood going to the legs because it's going to the torso, they'll cramp up. Once we kept the upper torso warm the body let the blood go to the legs & cramping stopped.

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