Poll on Rain Jackets

[Steelheader69]

I'm not interested on what type of jackets you're wearing, what I'm interested in is HOW you're wearing them. I was fishing in the cold and rain a few weeks back and noticed quite the array of people wearing them. Here's my exact question. Do you wear your vests under your rain jacket or over it?

I'll give first reply, I usually always buy my rainjackets one size bigger then I normally wear. That way I can wear my vest underneath it. Rarely do I need access to my vest unless I'm in a snaggy area. This way I keep my vest and lures somewhat dry and only need to dryout jacket at end of day. My vest is dry and ready to go. I've found that on torrential downpours you even get water in boxes of spoons/spinners that have to be dried out.

Ok, now what do you do?

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You haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

[Hookset]

The vest is worn over the rain jacket. I've seen people wearing them under, just couldn't understand why. I like having everything accessible AND staying dry. The vest usually dries over night and never had a problem with water in any of the compartments except when opening one up. Have no problems fishing all day in the rain, just as long as I stay dry.

What do you want to bet that someone is going to post that they wear 2 rain jackets, one under and one over........maybe?

hook

[Hammer Bob]

I have to agree with Hookset that the most important thing to keep dry is me. The vest goes outside. That stuff in my boxes, which I am going to chuck in the water anyway, can go ahead and get as wet as it wants to as long as I don't. I also have a bad habit of packing to much junk in my vest, such as water bottles and roe jars ect. ect. To get to a lot of this stuff would require me taking my rain jacket off every time I needed to get in the back of my vest.

Anyone know of a good rainjacket with seals around the cuffs to keep the water from running down your arm??

[ZaQ]

Hammer, I use one that is made for snowboarding. It is made by Black Dot and I got it at Joe's. It has lycra seals inside the adjustable cuffs so you don't get that shot of cold water going to your armpit. It is also breathable, a must when your rowing 2 people down the river.

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Fish this!
ZaQ (http://zaq.4mg.com)

[sgs]

I wear my vest on the outside. The most successful arrangement I found for keeping rain from going up my sleeves is to only wear polyester (synchilla etc.) undershirts (and long undies bottoms). No cotton especially. Then a gortex or breathable layer with good velcro cuffs and then a good fully waterproof layer over that.

[Vic Carrao]

Most people up here in BC wear their vests on the outside, including myself. We use the large river style vests with the open pouch across the back.
Consider this, If you were to fall in the river with your vest on the inside, there would less chances of getting it off and making it to shore.I've seen it happen.

[Kwiky]

I'm with you, Steelheader69. Some of you who wear your vest on the outside answer me this: do you remove all of your gear from the vest and lay it out to dry after a rainy trip? I just couldn't take the hassle of trying to dry everything out each time, so now wear a fishing jacket one size large with the vest inside. Hammer Bob, Cabela's guidewear jackets have really good, tight cuffs on them (Just got one for Christmas!). They are a little bit more coat than a standard rainjacket shell, though.

Kwiky

[SSPey]

I don't wear a vest at all with my rain jacket, just choosing to use the big chest pockets on the jacket for my stuff. For winter fishing I only take along one fly box, one spare spool for my reel, shooting heads, some split shot and indicators, two tippet spools, nippers and hook sharpener. The fly box and tippet spools go in one pocket of the rain jacket, and the spare spool and shooting heads go in the other pocket. The split shot and indicators go in the pocket of my waders, and I wear a homemade lanyard that holds nippers, a cork for wet (used) flies, and a small hook sharpener. Everything dries just fine in the jacket when I get it home, ready to get soaked tomorrow.

[Master Baiter]

I have been lurking in the shadows for a while and have noticed that there is alot of good wisdom on this site to found and hopefully I can give back a little too.

I am an avid driftboater for the past five years fishing salmon and steelhead in Northern California and Southern Oregon. I hope I can prove to be a worthy member of your community here as I hope to venture deeper into the Pacific Northwest in the near future.
On topic:

Hammer, I also have the cabelas guide wear and find it to be very good, however I still get water running down my arm during a good soaking. I have aleviated this by wearing sports type wrist bands just inside of my sleeve to soak up the trickles. All I do is wring out the water ever so often so that they don't get saturated and begin to run also.

[This message has been edited by Master Baiter (edited 12-28-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Master Baiter (edited 12-28-2000).]

[Phish_on]

Last time I was out I wore my vest under my rain gear ... but it wasn't really raining hard, I never zipped up my parka.

I pondered this very question, and considered transferring stuff to coat pockets. I am also into travelling light - 4 or 5 pre-tied rigs, some lead, pliers, gob of eggs, Swiss Army knife - works for me.

I don't have any ritual, it's all situational. I tend to take my vest off if I'm not wandering around.

[Roeboat]

Raincoat over some layers including polar fleece. Vest (lots of pockets and large rear pouch)over raincoat. What to do with the wet vest? Put it in the 5.99 plastic bin you keep in the back of the truck for wet stuff (vest, waders, wading boots, and fish). Keep another bin for dry. Toss in a couple of extra bins for the buddies and everybody returns home with all their gear to boot.

If you are busting a lot of blackberry brush and not doing a lot of deep wading in light rain then the old long military raincoats are great. Throw one over your vest and charge onward without worry that your neoprenes will come back worked. If you spray the long military raincoats (thriftstores around 5$) with rainproofing they are highly effective even in a heavy downpour and they don't gain weight if you have to wade across the stream a couple of times. (waterproof the lower area inside and out as they hang to the knees)

[meyersbilly]

Wow! People actually wear their vest on the outside of their rain jacket. Must be nice to return home every night and hang that thing up by the fireplace. Just a little jealous. Fifty days straight in some foggy, raining cats and dogs inlet with only a wall tent to warm your bottom will convert even the most skeptical. If I’m packing gear for others I wear a vest on the inside and if I’m on my own I wear only waders with some extra large pockets that fit everything I need. Sketchy wading will convince you that a vest no matter where you wear it can be the difference between snorkeling the tailout and wading it.

Vic: Are you serious? Is there a Charlie Brown cloud over my head or what? Smelly Hansen or bust!


[This message has been edited by meyersbilly (edited 12-28-2000).]

[Steelheader69]

Hey meyersbilly, someone with my point and experience. (I only wish I could get 50 days in a row, I only get a week at a time). But my routine is based on same principle as meyersbilly. I take a yearly fishing trip with my Dad. We spend 9 days fishing the Oly Pen, staying in my Dad's Cabana on the Nooch. There's no power, no phone, just walls, a roof, some windows, and a woodstove. There are times we have torrential downpours for a few days (which ruin the fishing when it blows out the rivers). It became habit for my Dad and I to wear vests under rainjackets. We could never really get vests dry and it seemed that on days we didn't need jackets we were soaked from vest (which makes you cold). Plus it's easier to peel on and off your rain jacket. Just one layer to pull off. You don't have to take vest off, then pull off jacket, then put vest back on again. But that's just me. Just keep responses coming. I find them interesting. I will say, I never asked for types of jackets, but I use either my Filson fishing jacket (for hard rains) or my Cabela's guide model for warmer days.



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You haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

[mic4fish]

Steelie69:
For the many years I've been steelhead fishing I've seen guys wearing their vests on the outsides of their raincoats. I could never understand it. I've had my boxes get so wet from the torrid rain that they fogged up so bad I couldn't see what was in them. So I, like you, like to keep everything dry. I have two different styles of raincoats. One is an inexpensive columbia sportswear short style version for my chest waders. The other is a longer version Helly Hanson that goes over my hip boots. Because I don't even like that part of my body getting wet. If I am fishing a snaggy area, where I need access to my vest, I keep my jacket unzipped but with one or two buttons buttoned. I still keep very dry. I also buy my rain jackets a couple of sizes bigger. I like to think that by dressing like this I can fish in almost any kind of conditions with East Wind being THE exception. By the way, I've noticed in some of your posts that you steelhead fish with your dad. what a concept! My dad's never been steelhead fishing in his life! Consider yourself lucky and cherish the time you spend with him.
Mike

[Gizmo Man]

I found that the fanny packs that are made make a great alternative to a vest.

It weights less.

It doesn't pull on the back and shoulders (I have a bad back and this has relieved some pain.

It holds more.

I find that the belt acts as a safety strap on the waders to keep water out if you slip.

You can move it from front to back.

When in front you have a small work area on top of the pack.

You can clip an egg box to the side of it.

It can be worn on inside or outside of rain gear. When it is raining I usually button the top couple of buttons and I don't get wet and the pack stays dry.

Wading in deep water. pull it higher or take it off and drap it over your neck,

Give one a try...

Giz...

[Steelheader69]

Trust me, I more then cherish my time spent fishing with my Dad. I'm 31 and still can't wait for the next trip we make together. We've been taking a yearly trip every year fishing since I was around 5/6. It's kinda funny, I had friends in school who wouldn't go fishing, but I'd take THEIR Dad's fishing. Too funny.

Now that we're off post subject, I'd comment on the fanny/chest packs. Actually, I use them myself. Normally I only use them if I'm using a certain specific fishing style. I have found I either have to scrimp on amounts of gear to bring or use only one (i.e. fly fishing, driftgear, hardware...). Normally I'm so overpacked in them I will usually just use my shortie vest I use for wading. I do love my pack though, I do use it if I'm flyfishing only or driftgear. Normally I like to have a box of jigs, spinners, driftbobbers, etc. So one chestpack won't do it for me. I like to be well prepared. I do use them on my cat alot. It's easy to access and straps to boat easier then my vest will.

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You haven't lived til you've rowed a cataraft. Friends don't let friends run Outcasts.

[Centerpin]

Billy,

I couldn't believe the responses to the above question. Now I can tell where anglers are from just by the way they wear their vests. It seems that if you are from the lower mainland or the USA your vest is worn on the outside and you have missed the point that rubber raingear is waterproof.

Vic is quite right about your vest becoming a sail in the current. I remember old Billy catching some wind (current) one day without his pockets zipped up. I was busy trying to pull him across and fish out his yarn and leader boards with my free hand as we were moon walking towards a canyon on a remote coastal stream.

At work I wear my field vest underneath my RUBBER rain jacket. When fishing I do the same with my RUBBER rain jacket with a RUBBER hood. When it really rains I snap shut my RUBBER rainjacket and let the water bead off.

[smilesforu]

Rain gear under the vest. Anything that needs protecting is sealed in a bag or box. It is important to have a long enough rain coat so it doesn't drain down your front. Also good to have a hood so you don't get the neck leak (I wear a ball cap). Being mostly a banky I prefer something light to pack or a gore tex coat (for the it might rain day). If I am in a boat no need to wear the vest it sits on the floor. I hang my vest when I get home and it is usually dry for the next trip.
Tight Lines

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Marty M
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)

[Osprey]

I'm with Gizmo,retiered my vest years ago,I'll take my fanny pack,saves the neck and back,also you can sling it over you're shoulder when walking in and of course attach it to my oar towers when I'm cattin around http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
btw: Cabelas Babine wader jacket,vecro cuffs and vented all for 40 bucks...love it...Os
When I wore a vest it was under my jacket.
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Row quietly and fish a Cataraft !!---
Release all Wild Fish --<'))>><

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 01-03-2001).]

[OneLastCast]

Underwear over my pants
T-shirt over my flannel shirt
Socks over my shoes
Vest over my raincoat

OneLastCast
(I'm the one not hard to spot on the river)

[FEAR NO FISH!]

THE WORD ON SAFETY AND COMFORT!
Mustang work suit.
Flotation and anti-hypothermia. Worth every penny I spent on it. All 3000 of them. Black bottom with orange top. Lower half shows no dirt, upper half stands out if you are in the drink.

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FEAR NO FISH!