Hydration Time

[Mobasser]

My conservation officer friend told me about a guy he found last summer. He was alone, and fishing in extreme heat during the day. He made it back to the small boat launch, climbed out of his boat, and was sitting there in the sun. He was in bad shape. He was lucky that the conservation officer found him, and knew what to do to help him.                                           Now, the officer makes it a point to ask guys when he sees them putting in, " you guys have plenty of water?".        This should be an annual thread. This season, I plan on hydrating the day before I go fishing, as well as when I'm out there. At my age, I may have to pee a lot, but I don't care. That means everythings working as it should.                                              A-Jay has a good chart that shows the effects of dehydration. I'm hoping he can post it here as a reminder for all of us. Dehydration can happen to anyone, young or old. Drink up when it gets hot.   

[gim]

No super hot or humid weather here on the horizon yet but its only a matter of time.  Our first day of 90+ degrees is usually around May 30 so we're on bonus time.

 

Staying hydrated and protecting yourself from harmful UV rays is important.  Peak heating hours of the day are especially dangerous.

[Bird]

UV index is something else to consider, it's been running very high here (9).

An issue that some of us face " especially me " is that when the fish are biting we become to focused to stop, pause for a minute and drink.

 

With age we get a little wiser " hopefully " 

I make it a point to put down the rod and drink a bottle of water roughly every hour.

 

We should be drinking plenty of water every day regardless of activity.

[Texas Flood]

My old boss use to say "drink tomorrow's water today". Hydration is key

[TOXIC]

Having been a guide and being on the water multiple days in a row in the scorching heat of summer, I have upped my hydration game over the years.  I had heat stroke once and that was enough to school me on the importance.  There’s some conflicting information out there as to what is “the best”   For me, good ol water has always been my preference but I’m reading articles where you can actually wash out electrolytes by drinking too much water.  I have tried Gatorade and other sports drinks supposedly designed to keep you hydrated and replace minerals, etc., that you sweat out but most of them swell me up like a tick.  I have tried putting flavor packets in water and most of them taste awful especially if they are low sugar and low sodium.  My fishing partner is a retired marine and says the corps pushed him with so much water, he’ll never drink it again if he has a choice.  He drinks Propel.  I can’t take the sweetness.  He always is telling me that I’m going to get the silver bullet if I don’t stay hydrated (military will know what that is)😂. I do know this there are 2 things that will never be allowed on my boat, alcohol and carbonated drinks.  They both are a recipe for disaster on the water.  

[pdxfisher]

I always bring a lot to drink and sip constantly all day long.  Worst consolations I gave fished was out trolling for walleye all day long when it got to 105. 

[Spankey]

Great post. I usually have a small cooler with me but there has been times where that was left on the kitchen table. That will cut down on the amount of time I planed to be out. If I remember in route up to the lake I do have one spot where I can run in and pick up water or Gatorade. Open 24 hours. At 4:00 not much open. It works out well if I write myself a note “WATER” and leave it on the kitchen table. Was out for a bit this morning but didn’t forget H2O. We have a horrible stretch of heat coming up Monday til ?????? Hydration is important at any age. You and I are about the same age (I suspect). Be careful. 

[Bankc]

 Your body can only absorb about 1 liter of water per hour.  And on a hot day, you can easily sweat a lot more than that.  And maintaining a balance of electrolytes is important.  Which is the theory behind sports drinks and salt tablets.  Sports drinks are basically just flavored sweat in a bottle. 

 

I'm also a big proponent of climate acclimation.  In other words, getting out often in the heat in a controlled manner to get your body used to the heat.  Usually, by mid August, I have no problem fishing all day in 105° temperatures with no shade.  But this time of the year, before I've had a chance to fully acclimate to the heat, 90° in the shade can do me in if I'm not careful. 

[Zcoker]

Here in south Florida it can get scorching hot way out in the marsh lands with hardly a breath of wind blocked off by the sawgrass. Hydration is a must! I also can start my truck remotely, so it's nice and cold when I get back to the launch area, little break to normalize and then load up and shove off. I actually drink more hot coffee out in the sunlight than I do cold drinks, ironically. Blending in, so to speak.....

[WRB]

I am not fishing in 100+ degrees in the sun, those days are long gone and turned into cooler nights.

I keep water in the car in a cooler for trips and take water in the boat it’s a habit that don’t leave home without it. Don’t like sweetened sports drinks either. 
It’s summer soon so stay cool, sunscreen and wear SPF light clothing and a wide brim hat for shade and drink water.

Tom

PS coffee dehydrates you, not good!

[Functional]

Good timing. I just did my groups safety meeting on this yesterday.

 

-Hydration starts at least the day before

-You need SOME salt/electrolytes to replenish (salted peanuts/sunflower seeds)

-Cold water cools you but room temp water is believed to absorb into your body faster.

-Set an alarm on your phone if you have a hard time remembering. 15min, 30min, 1hr. Depends on level of heat/humidity

-Chugging water to catch up can possibly cause more problems than benefits, drink it consistently not all at once.

-Gatorade is good but is loaded with sugar which can make dehydration worse if you load up on too many/much.

 

Personally, I bring a 30oz yeti packed with ice and water and then keep a bunch of water bottles in the shade. I'll alternate drinking the ice water and the shaded water. Once the ice water is done I do half a bottle of gatoraide and the rest water (mid/late morning). Once thats done I do the rest around 2. 

 

If you stop sweating you have something to really worry about. CDC website has a lot of good info for once on something. 

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, gimruis said:

No super hot or humid weather here on the horizon yet but its only a matter of time.  Our first day of 90+ degrees is usually around May 30 so we're on bonus time.

 

Staying hydrated and protecting yourself from harmful UV rays is important.  Peak heating hours of the day are especially dangerous.

You gotta hydrate in winter too 

 

Im really good at drinking tons of water, until I get home for the day. Then I like barley water  😂 

[gim]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

PS coffee dehydrates you, not good!

 

I haven't found anything out there that says that.  In fact, since its almost pure water, it may actually offer some hydration benefits.  I drink it every morning, 365 days/year.  But I also drink water too.

 

Caffeine, the active chemical in coffee, increases the production of urine. Because of that, coffee is considered a diuretic, something that stimulates the kidneys to produce more urine and leads to excess fluid losses, Olszewski says. However, this diuretic effect is mild per cup of coffee, says registered dietitian Maria Sorbara Mora, RD. A morning cup or two shouldn’t cause any havoc on your hydration levels.

“You would need to consume more than 500 milligrams of caffeine per day (that’s five cups of coffee!) to see a significant diuretic effect in the first place,” Mora says. What’s more, these cups would need to be consumed all at once for the body to increase urine production significantly enough to cause dehydration, she explains. 

Interestingly, ritual coffee drinkers also build a tolerance to the diuretic effect, meaning it becomes less of a diuretic for them and the caffeine won’t cause them to urinate as much as it does for those who don’t drink it regularly, Mora says. 

[GreenPig]

I drink 6 - 8 bottles of water every day. On days I'm going to be in the heat, I add a Liquid IV to my first bottle of the day. Did the straight water for years and still managed to get dehydrated. 

[Texas Flood]

I'm fishing my first summer tournament next month(normally fish spring/fall tourneys) and I have a little checklist on my phone to make sure we have all the things we need to survive the heat. 

[T-Billy]

Night time is the right time. Off the water by noon. That said, you gotta stay hydrated. I always take plenty to drink no matter the season or time of day.

[A-Jay]

If you've got the time . . .

😎

A-Jay

[Texas Flood]

I didn't know Heineken sold water in a can too!

[ironbjorn]

That's something people need to remember. Hydration starts the day before. And don't go out with just a bottle or two of water and a bunch of Cokes. Also Gatorade isn't a substitute for water. And don't slam beers in the summer heat. 

[Bankc]

2 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Here in south Florida it can get scorching hot way out in the marsh lands with hardly a breath of wind blocked off by the sawgrass. Hydration is a must! I also can start my truck remotely, so it's nice and cold when I get back to the launch area, little break to normalize and then load up and shove off. I actually drink more hot coffee out in the sunlight than I do cold drinks, ironically. Blending in, so to speak.....

 

In some Asian cultures, they drink hot drinks in hot weather to cool themselves down.  And there's some science behind it, as a hot drink will temporarily raise your internal body temperature, and cause your body to react by trying to cool itself down.  Whereas a cold drink can temporarily lower your body's internal temperature, and cause your body to react by trying to raise it.  It's a little counter intuitive.  Also, warm drinks get absorbed quicker. 

 

As to whether coffee or caffeine will dehydrate you, I think that's different for everyone.  Sodas and coffee doesn't seem to do much to me, but for some reason, black tea will open me up like a faucet!  And it's not the sugar, because I drink it both ways and always with the same result. 

[WRB]

The coffee statement was incorrect as the water content outweighs the caffeine. 

Tom

[MN Fisher]

I usually have a 20oz travel mug of coffee and a couple 1-liter bottles of ice tea - re-used bottles, tea from a large bottle - along with me whether I'm in the boat or on-shore.

[Fishing_Rod]

Greetings All,

Helpful information with emphasis on safety! Bravo, well done.

 

Here in Arizona we have elevated temps recently, even in the higher desert elevations of 4600 feet we were at 106 F the other day. Plenty warm for this location. It was much hotter in the metro areas such as PHX and TUS.

 

Sufficient hydration is important year round and is critical when the heat index is severe. Always prepare appropriately, let's be careful out there. Take care for yourself and others with you. Keep a keen awareness for indicators of distress and don't wait to address them.

The fish will not mind if you wait till conditions are more favorable to play!

 

Because the majority of the SW has experienced a large number of wildfire emergencies we have seen a number of sources of canned water as part of the emergency supplies provided. Breweries and soda suppliers have all converted their operations to provide portable water in their typical beverage containers.

 

I will have 3 liters of water to enjoy via hydration bag when goofing around taunting fish. More is available as needed. We are fortunate that the low humidity makes for effective evap cooling. So a frequent dousing of your garments (hat, shirt) can go a long way in managing some of the heat.

 

Let's be careful out there! Be well and Cheers!

 

[Spankey]

I don’t have a problem fishing in the summer sun. It is what it is. I know when to quit. 
If I tried it while sucking back coffee, ice tea or with Coke or Pepsi it would be an instant headache. Water or water with Crystal Light I reach for first. Gatorade or PowerAid is probably a good choice but I have to cut it 50/50 with H2O. 
This coming week we are gonna have temps that are up there. I’m sure I’ll be on it before sun up and will probably drift fish the shade side. Be safe. 

[MediumMouthBass]

Look at how the sports industries and military deal with hydration, even if you arent thirsty keep drinking. Take as many breaks in the shade as possible, cooling towels are great too.

For some reason most people dont know, and most places dont teach just how important proper hydration is, as well as avoiding dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Its literally life saving, but theyll teach you all these different types of math youll never use. Interesting.

Theres alot of good info, podcasts, videos, forums, that go into details about this topic.

I was listening to a podcast the other day about professional motocross and they had a guy on who is a specialist in hydration, about keeping the riders in one of the most physically demanding sports on this planet healthy, and able to perform, while riding in full gear on really hot days and he said waters one of the least hydrating liquids for the human body, you need something with electrolytes. Fascinating, that must be why all the sports guys are drinking Gatorade, i personally have a deep dislike for excess sugars so ill do a 50/50 mix with water.

There are days tho its just so hot, i love bass fishing, i really do, but some days ill just decide not to go.