Great Lake Hunters Get in Here

[bik-il]

One thing I forgot to mention, whether its hip or chest waders, is that I always wear a life vest when water hunting. Ok, ok, in July I dont, but probably should too.
I have a simple inexpensive one from Cabelas that is warm in this kind of weather and allows easy movement. They make automatic inflatable ones that are neat but cost quite a bit more.

From what I have heard about chest wafer drownings is that the cold water shock and lack of mobility played a part. The best way to minimize water fill up is to use a wader belt on a properly sized pair. Being a size 13 shoe and very tall, most chest waders I find have a huge torso section that doesn't fit snugly. This extra space in the chest potentially creates more space for water should I stumble into a hole or what have you. That's why the wader belt is so important.
Safety first!

By the way, the 'looking like a wierdo' ship sailed the moment you got in the water after swimming season!

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah! Theres about zero chance of looking cool doing this for sure! This is no sport for a fellow trying to pick up chicks! And dont even think about telling other people you do this as a hobby at a party or something.."Oh thats nice" and then they scurry off as fast as possible...for sure dont list it as a hobby on the Dating websites!

I also cant figure out the drowning in waders thing either...I would suppose its from hypothermia, or getting pulled into a strainer while fishing a river, or the shock of cold water stopping their heart.....I've fallen through the ice several times on rivers and beaver ponds wearing hipboots trapping...a few I thought 'this may be it' on my way down...cold water is something a guy has to get used to, seems if a guy drops into it up to their neck, the body flips a switch of somesort, and a guy can adjust for a while if a fellow relaxes a bit, seems warmer than waist deep? I dont know why, but it does...the Big Lake water temp here is at 56F this am, air is 28F so its not liquid ice yet...a fellow can go hypothermic quickly if he gets wet without those layers of clothes you mentioned....yeah, I think its more of a springtime fishermans hazard than ours, thats when the water is at its coldest, highest, fastest, etc... Well, since a guys gotta die of something, in waders swinging coil is not too bad an option comparatively speaking...dying at work would be about the worst thing I can imagine! Wasted a whole day and never got paid for it!
Mud

 

[Rainyday101]

Dam, Mud you are getting of thinking about gearing up and hopping in Green Bay a few times before it ices up. Now I am gonna have to go take a quick spin to the bay and check it out!

 

[Rick N. MI]

I stepped in a hole with waders on. I think the hole was a spring bubbling up. It was about 8' across. I knew it was there but detecting around sometimes you forget about it. I pushed my scoop onto the other side of the hole and pulled myself across it. Now you got me thinking what would have happened if I had went under. I wonder if a life jacket would work. If you wear a belt on the waders and stepped in a hole you might end up upside in the hole because of the air trapped in the waders. Maybe a wet suit is the best way to go.

Rick, N. MI