Beating the Heat

[Paul Roberts]

My summer "fishing shirts" are long-sleeved. I try to minimize sunblock, but do use it on the backs of my hands, neck, face, and ears. Beats skin cancer, which is easy to get here at altitude. I buy my shirts at thrift stores, looking for mid-tone colors/patterns, in the lightest thinnest cotton I can find. Not too hot. They tend to wear out after a season or so, but at $3 a pop, that's aok. 

 

As to gar, their mouths are nearly all teeth and bone -not much tissue to sink a hook into. They will chase, and grab, a minnow imitation, like a Rapala, really well. But, they are nearly impossible to hook. This is why people use rope lures, as bluebasser mentioned. These tangle in the teeth -no hooks needed, or wanted.

 

Also, gar have a peculiar way of catching fish prey. They cannot inhale -use suction- and they cannot bite straight on. Instead, their jaw morphology allows them to slide those long narrow jaws up next to a fish, then grab it with a side-ways snap of the head. So... you need to swim your lure up ahead of them and, if they are in the mood, allow them slide their jaws up beside the lure. Then... whap! Not unlike a mousetrap! But, again, hooks don't help much. I've never tried a rope lure though, so I've never got one in the boat. Cool to see anyway. Nifty critter.

[scaleface]

I cant beat the heat . I use to look forward to hot summer days . I wear short sleeves , shorts and a wide brim hat . I dont think all that wicking gear works in high humidity on a person that sweats profusely . I fish in the wind , or just wait for night . If its hot with no wind , I cant do it . I  was a firefighter for 27 years and think I got overheated too many times .

[RAMBLER]

I've tried the UV blocking shirts, but they didn't let my body heat out.  They felt almost like wearing plastic. I've gotten really sick from heat, wearing them.  I went to a thrift store and bought white long sleeve dress shirts (usually have blue stripes) that have a lot of cotton in  them.  That wicks the moisture off my skin and a breeze will blow through them and I can feel a chill (even in 90 degrees).  Being white, they reflect sun.  I've gotten a couple of them for .50 a piece, too.  Beats $30-$40.  Still wear gloves, buff, wide brim hat and sun block on the little bit that's uncovered.                                 

I've had several pieces of my hide cut out that was cancer.  I tend to be pretty careful.

[Brad Reid]

I just don't fish the middle of the days any more over the summer months, not here in Texas. I have been getting out around 5:30 PM and fishing into the dusk hours, last light. Or, still on occasion in the AM but less so these days.

 

Sun protection:

 

I use sun block on my hands, my upper face area;

I have a hat with that "drape" thingy on the back that keeps sun off my neck;

I wear long pants and long sleeved shirts;

 

and, I grew a beard and that pretty much keeps my neck and face a bit protected.

 

Brad

 

[Koz]

On 5/29/2019 at 5:26 PM, WRB said:

Add a Sunday's Afternoon wide brim hat to your SPF gear.

Tom

When I see myself in a wide brimmed hat all I can think about is that I look like some sort of weird mushroom. Every wide brim hat I have tried is either too big or too small and none just right.

 

I was in Dick's today to pick up some Senkos and tried a few hats on but I looked ridiculous. So for now I'll just use my Huk fishing cap and a gaiter for protection. Someday I'll find the right wide brim hat...

[txchaser]

9 hours ago, Koz said:

When I see myself in a wide brimmed hat all I can think about is that I look like some sort of weird mushroom. Every wide brim hat I have tried is either too big or too small and none just right.

 

 I was in Dick's today to pick up some Senkos and tried a few hats on but I looked ridiculous. So for now I'll just use my Huk fishing cap and a gaiter for protection. Someday I'll find the right wide brim hat...

https://www.sheltahats.com/

 

They are almost silly expensive, but I can't see going back to a canvas boonie hat in Texas. Really well thought out hat.

[Harold Scoggins]

I carry a couple of reusable, refrigerant gel cold packs inside a small, soft side cooler. Hold one against your neck and it cools you down pronto.

[FishinBuck07]

On 5/28/2019 at 9:48 PM, PAbasser927 said:

The stifling hot days are the days I leave the boat and kayak behind in favor of wet wading for river smallies.  The Columbia PFG gear is about the best way I have found to beat the heat out on the lake, but nothing comes close to being chest deep in the river.

I am with you on this one!  Nothing better when it is hot and humid than wading a cool creek smallie fishing!