Can I Use My Kayak in the Winter?

Is it Safe to Use My Fishing Kayak in the Winter?

In our previous seasonal blog we talked about Fall Fishing and finding the fall bite. The fall fishing window opens and closes relatively quickly for large portions of country. For many, November signals a big drop in both air temperatures and water temperature. When that happens, many put their fishing kayaks away for the winter. If you are too addicted to your kayak (not a farfetched concept if you own one), is it safe to use your kayak through the winter months?

If you plan on using your fishing kayak through the winter months, you'll need to make sure you have the right gear and take the right precautions when setting out on cold water. Let's talk more about why cold water is dangerous, gear that you can both wear and have on your kayak to keep you safe, and tips to keep yourself safe on the water.

Why Cold Water Is Dangerous

Many people reading this may think to themselves, "I'm a good swimmer and could get myself to safety." The problem with this thinking is most people don't account for their body's natural response when entering cold water unexpectedly (such as capsizing or falling overboard). Most fatalities occur in individuals not wearing a life jacket and before hypothermia even has a chance to set in.

Cold Water Shock

Almost immediately upon entering cold water, our body enters a shock state. Within the first few minutes, cold water shock can lead to gasping, hyperventilating, and panic. For many who are not wearing a life jacket, this often leads to drowning within the first two to three minutes of falling overboard.

To combat this phenomenon, a person must focus on their breathing first. Do everything you can to slow your breathing to prevent yourself from hyperventilating or panicking.

Failure of Arms, Legs & Extremities

If you manage to slow your breathing down and avoid panicking from the cold water shock, you must next focus on conserving heat. Within roughly 30 minutes of entering cold water, your arms, legs and extremities will begin to fail from heat loss. No matter how good you are at swimming, rapid cooling of your arms and legs will decrease your ability to keep your head above water.

Without a life jacket, fatality usually occurs due to drowning once you are no longer to keep yourself above the water.

Hypothermia

Anywhere around that 30 minute mark of immersion in cold water (may be sooner depending on water temperature), hypothermia starts to set in. Simply put, hypothermia is a medical emergency where your body reaches a point it is losing heat faster than it can generate heat.

Once hypothermia sets in, your entire body is effected. You will lose meaningful use of your arms as well as your ability to think clearly. Eventually, you will lose consciousness altogether.

What Do I Do If I Enter Cold Water?

If you plan to kayak during cold weather and water months, you need to be prepared to enter cold water. We will discuss proper gear to both wear and bring in the next section, but here are some basic strategies to keep in mind if you find yourself in dangerously cold water:

Other simple precautions to take when kayaking during the winter months include sharing your float plan with someone responsible and not going with you, not overloading your kayak with unnecessary gear, carrying a whistle or horn, and pay attention to the weather to avoid windy or extreme weather. Dive deeper in to the floating technique with the Minnesota DNR.

Must-Have Gear for Winter Kayaking

Fishing from a kayak always presents different challenges, and dangers, than fishing from the shore or from a larger boat. When temperatures drop both outside and in the water, you need additional gear and strategies to stay safe in your fishing kayak. Here are what we consider must haves when fishing from your kayak during winter months:

Kayak Differently In the Winter

Pick Your Water Responsibly

Give pause to the types of water you want to fish on during the winter months. Some rivers and streams that you paddled on during the summer months may not be good water to kayak on during the winter months. While capsizing in the summer is also dangerous, it is infinitely more dangerous in the winter months. Rough, fast-moving waters should be avoided during the winter.

Avoid Bad Weather at All Costs

Simply put, if the weather is windy or extra cold, don't go. Choose your days far more carefully in the winter than you might in warmer months. Any added weather element increases the risk of capsizing or falling overboard. Look ahead at your forecast and handpick the days you think are the best conditions to take your kayak out.

Accept the Conditions Your Location Offers

If you live in a warmer climate, some of these issues may not be as severe for you. In the southern portion of the United States, you may have warmer conditions year round and your water temperatures will stay a bit warmer than the northern states. You still need to take every precaution you can if your water temps are consistently below 60 degrees.

If you live in the midwest or any northern state, you may have a hard time finding open water during the winter months. Most open water in the northern states are the great lakes or rivers. These waters typically involve more dangerous conditions even in good weather conditions. While using your fishing kayak is always enticing, you need to gauge benefit vs. risk on these waters. Unlike the south where water conditions stay warmer year round, there is no wiggle room here for the gear you take and all of the cold water strategies we talked about – EVERY precaution has to be taken.

Ask Questions & Learn From Others

One of the biggest mistakes anglers can make is being stubborn. Ask for help on sites like our public fishing forum, the Kayak Anglers Resource. Sharing knowledge (like in the discussion, Fall Fishing Tips) is how we grow our sport. If you are hesitant about kayaking in the winter, take your time to do your research and ask questions to those who have experience. There is a learning curve to every season of fishing, but you don't have to learn alone in the cold!