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| Message Subject: PFDs | |||
dickP |
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Posts: 304 | Prolly time I start wearing one when alone-at least in wind.Any recommendations on the lightest,least constrictive ones appreciated. | ||
| CFlipFish |
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Posts: 8 Location: New Berlin, WI | My son and I have been using the Cabelas (now Bass Pro) A33 vests for the past 7 years or so and really like them. Fortunately, haven’t had to test the auto-inflation. We use them when we are motoring between spots and generally take them off when we stop to cast (in calmer conditions). It’s amazing how many times we are casting and realize we didn’t take them off and don’t notice them on. I feel they are very light and not restrictive at all. Just my $0.02. | ||
| North of 8 |
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| Just got off the lake after sneaking out for a couple hours before visiting family got up and moving. I wear an Onyx deluxe self inflating. Fishing alone, I put it on before I start the motor, take it off when I am on the lift. I am a strong swimmer, but things happen. I used to only where under power or if weather got bad. But a couple years ago a guy in his mid 40s was in the Eagle River area to fish musky. They found his boat the next morning but did not find his body until 10 days later. They don't know what happened. My first self inflating was from Cabela's. Had tried on in store, felt fine but realized if I wore with a t-shirt, the material really chafed my neck, to the point my wife asked what happened to my neck. Try them on, check how easy it is to adjust, etc. Since I wear mine with everything from a t-shirt to heavy winter coat, want one that is easy to adjust. Heck, in northern WI, might go from t-shirt to heavy coat in the same week. I don't notice it casting, if I remember to tuck the strap end away so I don't tangle with it while working the rod. | |||
| chuckski |
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Posts: 1172 | I wear a regular Cabela's one, but my late dad and nephew wear the Cabela's blow up one (just lopes around your neck and if you go in the water they automatically blow up) They love um. I don't trust the auto part and I like the warmth in the spring and fall when I fish the most. | ||
| Cedar |
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Posts: 341 Location: Western U.P. | X2 on the Bass Pro AM33 auto/manual's. Very adjustable for chest size, so no problem wearing over a T-shirt, or insulated coat. | ||
| mikie |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I've used this one in non-camo for years: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/cabelas-northern-flight-camo-mesh-li... I currently wear this one: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-tournament-fishing-me... Wind or no wind, moving or casting, I wear a life preserver while on the water. I figure it's like a seat belt in a car: once you know youu need one it's prolly too late to put it on. m | ||
| North of 8 |
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| Just got an ad from L&M Fleet that the have Onyx life jackets on sale through 5/29. | |||
| dickP |
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Posts: 304 | Thanks guys. Will check m out. Have a great Memorial Day weekend! Got a SD muskie this AM.Fun! | ||
| Ranger |
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Posts: 3772 | The more gonzo you fish the more you need to wear the PFD all the time. **** gonzo, you just need it on, all the time. I have a few stories but my best is sharing a Poe's Giant Jackpot with a 40" fish, a green fish at boatside, while fishing alone. I was able to use side cutters to cut the jaw of the fish by the hook and so released myself. Please let me emphasize that when you get hooked up with a green 15lb boatside fish you are ****ed. After I was lucky enough to cut off the muskie I passed out on the way back to the landing, boat underway. I woke up when the boat hit a deadhead tree in 30' of water, straight on, wham! I was hanging over the side of the boat, way over the side, my head was in the water. (14' boat). And my hand with the ****ing Poe's had been dragging in the water all the time thru a thick bunch of timber. If the lure had caught one of those trees I would have been pulled out of the boat. I would have woke up stunned and attached to a ****ing tree in deep water. No life jacket. Now, when you go into shock you can't think straight; if it wasn't already too late to put on a PFD you won't think of think of it when your sight is compromised, you're sweating like a waterfall and you're not sure where you are or what you're doing. Anyway, I don't trust those blow-up life jackets. I have learned to wear a kayaker's jacket 100% of the time, from put in to take out. Those guys are perfect for jamming the rod butt under the jacket as you go into the 8 and so you can use your whole body to do a deep, wide figure 8. If you gonzo fish every good trick to save energy is important, it matters a lot after 8 or 10 hours. Ah. Wear the jacket. | ||
| chuckski |
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Posts: 1172 | I fish a lot by myself so when I'm solo the vest stay's on. Over the years if fishing with someone I wear it when under power take it off to cast. (If the weather was ruff it would stay on) I've been in a boat once this year with a friend on a small electric only body of water and dead calm so it stayed next to me in the nose of the boat. Good job on the Muskie Dick! It's nice when you catch one close to home. In the dead sea of Hybrid's only here in Colorado I have no idea of that feeling. Last year 42 people died in the water in Colorado. Swimmer's, Boater's, Fishermen, Paddleboarder's ECT. And we don't have a ton of water here. (The water can stay cold in the Mountains) And on a sad note a friend of mine died a number of years ago fishing by himself after dark. (fell out of the boat somehow). | ||
| North of 8 |
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| Dumb stuff happens in boats. A couple years ago, caught a fish, decent musky. Used a needle nose to unhook, after netting. Released the fish and then stepped back up unto the front casting deck while holding the lure and looking for my file. I stepped on the needle nose and somehow it rolled, I lost my balance and went down. Fortunately, didn't go over but hit my ribs hard on the gunnel. Had a bruise for several weeks. I deliberately stepped on the same pliers several times, could not replicate. But, I never just drop the pliers on the deck anymore. | |||
| dickP |
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Posts: 304 | Yes I've had a few gonzos myself.Lucky to be here actually.Really appreciate the input gentlemen.Am looking. | ||
| CincySkeez |
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Posts: 591 Location: Duluth | Foam always floats, the self inflating PFD are incredibly vulnerable to chafe. The collars specifically will pinhole, learned it the hard way and then when I had various customers test theirs they were also pinholed in the collar. Paddling PFD or foam PFD's that dingy sailors wear are going to be your best combination of comfort and actual flotation. Gill makes some nice options. | ||
| TCESOX |
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Posts: 1181 | Ranger - 5/27/2023 8:42 PM After I was lucky enough to cut off the muskie I passed out on the way back to the landing, boat underway. I woke up when the boat hit a deadhead tree in 30' of water, straight on, wham! I was hanging over the side of the boat, way over the side, my head was in the water. (14' boat). And my hand with the ****ing Poe's had been dragging in the water all the time thru a thick bunch of timber. If the lure had caught one of those trees I would have been pulled out of the boat. I would have woke up stunned and attached to a ****ing tree in deep water. . Sounds a lot like the reservoir at the mine ponds. I've had a couple of panic moments there, but nothing quite like that. Indeed, were your pfd. | ||
| dickP |
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Posts: 304 | Yes Cincy,I trust foam.Went with a kayak/paddlers vest.Only concern is think it's a pretty snug fit so hopefully not too warm.$89 on Amazon.Here in a few days. Thanks again all! https://stohlquist.com/products/edge?variant=43068168700071 | ||
| Angling Oracle |
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Posts: 309 Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | Given I fish solo a lot I have both. The reality is you need to wear one all the time when fishing solo - Murphy's Law sort of gets you when complacent and fishing solo no room for error. It is going to be 33 C here (91 F) and it is still May. You can wear the inflatables (I have the Bass Pro) when it is hot and humid, but not a vest in that heat/humidity. You knock yourself out or faint, these will put you face up too, which is a key selling point for me. Step on something slippery, avoid a stepping on a hook, rogue wake, whatever, and s--t can go wrong in hurry. If raining or wet conditions, well, can't wear it and have to go to the vest. Edited by Angling Oracle 5/30/2023 10:14 AM | ||
| North of 8 |
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Angling Oracle - 5/30/2023 10:12 AM Given I fish solo a lot I have both. The reality is you need to wear one all the time when fishing solo - Murphy's Law sort of gets you when complacent and fishing solo no room for error. It is going to be 33 C here (91 F) and it is still May. You can wear the inflatables (I have the Bass Pro) when it is hot and humid, but not a vest in that heat/humidity. You knock yourself out or faint, these will put you face up too, which is a key selling point for me. Step on something slippery, avoid a stepping on a hook, rogue wake, whatever, and s--t can go wrong in hurry. If raining or wet conditions, well, can't wear it and have to go to the vest. Agree with standard vests in heat. I have all three, inflatable, standard vest and a good paddling vest. In summer months, we are part of a group of retirees that paddle every week on different lakes, river. Once it gets warm, we go in the morning because wearing a paddling vest in hot weather will leave you drained and as a bunch of old folks, we wear the vest. They are comfortable, but warm. | |||
| gimruis |
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Posts: 103 | I wear mine when I'm underway and on plane. I also attach my kill switch to it. I take it off when I fish. Its absolutely astonishing how many people don't wear them at all. I know the MN state law says they only have to be "accessible" but even in the early spring when the water was 50 degrees, I saw very people wearing them. Just this past weekend I saw at least 10 kayaks and 5 paddleboards without them. An enforcement officer coulda had a field day on citations where I was. Until state law says they have to be worn, people will not be using them. Its like a seat belt or motorcycle helmet, until its mandatory, its optional, even though everyone should already know they will safe your life. Edited by gimruis 5/30/2023 11:27 AM | ||
| Angling Oracle |
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Posts: 309 Location: Selkirk, Manitoba | gimruis - 5/30/2023 11:26 AM I wear mine when I'm underway and on plane. I also attach my kill switch to it. I take it off when I fish. Its absolutely astonishing how many people don't wear them at all. I know the MN state law says they only have to be "accessible" but even in the early spring when the water was 50 degrees, I saw very people wearing them. Just this past weekend I saw at least 10 kayaks and 5 paddleboards without them. An enforcement officer coulda had a field day on citations where I was. Until state law says they have to be worn, people will not be using them. Its like a seat belt or motorcycle helmet, until its mandatory, its optional, even though everyone should already know they will safe your life. Yup. I insist everyone wear one underway. Something goes awry, people fall out of boat, knocked out, wearing bulky stuff and no life jacket, if you are still in the boat and capable of getting back to whoever is overboard, high probability they will be struggling hard...or drowned. With jacket good chance they will be alive, and if conscious will have retained energy to help you get them back in boat. In fisheries work was mandatory to wear all the time given the same sort of scenarios where we needed to make it easy to self rescue. In the cold water scenarios sort of morbid joke that life jackets made the recovery of bodies easier. We did also have full floaters but the old-school ones super hot to work in pulling nets with a slicker on (for fish slime and running in nasty conditions). Really low probability of anyone realizing missing for a fair few hours if not full day anyway. Hate to say it, but kind of a buzz surviving some dicey situations - ones you would never get yourself into if it wasn't something that had to get done and didn't really know how dicey it was going to be until already into it. Edited by Angling Oracle 5/30/2023 12:09 PM | ||
| Ranger |
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Posts: 3772 | TCESOX - 5/29/2023 6:30 PM Ranger - 5/27/2023 8:42 PM After I was lucky enough to cut off the muskie I passed out on the way back to the landing, boat underway. I woke up when the boat hit a deadhead tree in 30' of water, straight on, wham! I was hanging over the side of the boat, way over the side, my head was in the water. (14' boat). And my hand with the ****ing Poe's had been dragging in the water all the time thru a thick bunch of timber. If the lure had caught one of those trees I would have been pulled out of the boat. I would have woke up stunned and attached to a ****ing tree in deep water. . Sounds a lot like the reservoir at the mine ponds. I've had a couple of panic moments there, but nothing quite like that. Indeed, were your pfd. Good guess. It was what I think they call "Island Pond", my Lake X, the first one you pass to get to the two ponds separated by that tall hill. Did you ever fish the pond, my Lake Y, on the left side of the big hill? I used to drive down that steep ass 2 track to the "landing area" and unhook my boat, flip the truck, hook back up and drop the trailer tires off that concrete block (trailer frame goes "bang!"), push the boat off the trailer, park and go fishing. No way out without 4WD to get the boat out of the water and then back up that 40* incline. Good times. ps - I spent so much time on Lake X I was able to figure out a path to troll Husky Jerks for the tanker walleye. Every walleye was between 4 and 6lbs, all upper 20's. Too bad the ponds were so polluted from the mining operations. ppss - did you ever see a deer at the ponds? Not me and I fished them sometimes 3 times a week. Never tracks or poop either. I have no proof but I think a breeding pair of cougars lived there in the shafts near the ponds. Edited by Ranger 5/30/2023 3:28 PM | ||
| TCESOX |
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Posts: 1181 | Ranger - 5/30/2023 3:20 PM TCESOX - 5/29/2023 6:30 PM Ranger - 5/27/2023 8:42 PM After I was lucky enough to cut off the muskie I passed out on the way back to the landing, boat underway. I woke up when the boat hit a deadhead tree in 30' of water, straight on, wham! I was hanging over the side of the boat, way over the side, my head was in the water. (14' boat). And my hand with the ****ing Poe's had been dragging in the water all the time thru a thick bunch of timber. If the lure had caught one of those trees I would have been pulled out of the boat. I would have woke up stunned and attached to a ****ing tree in deep water. . Sounds a lot like the reservoir at the mine ponds. I've had a couple of panic moments there, but nothing quite like that. Indeed, were your pfd. Good guess. It was what I think they call "Island Pond", my Lake X, the first one you pass to get to the two ponds separated by that tall hill. Did you ever fish the pond, my Lake Y, on the left side of the big hill? I used to drive down that steep ass 2 track to the "landing area" and unhook my boat, flip the truck, hook back up and drop the trailer tires off that concrete block (trailer frame goes "bang!"), push the boat off the trailer, park and go fishing. No way out without 4WD to get the boat out of the water and then back up that 40* incline. Good times. ps - I spent so much time on Lake X I was able to figure out a path to troll Husky Jerks for the tanker walleye. Every walleye was between 4 and 6lbs, all upper 20's. Too bad the ponds were so polluted from the mining operations. ppss - did you ever see a deer at the ponds? Not me and I fished them sometimes 3 times a week. Never tracks or poop either. I have no proof but I think a breeding pair of cougars lived there in the shafts near the ponds. First time there, we just wanted to put eyes on the place. Didn't take a boat or fishing rod, just checked out every road, and path, we could. Checked out your "lake Y". No way for my boat. We always talked about bringing a small boat in the bed of of the truck, but never did. Even thought about belly boats, but we just stuck to "lake X". There's a nice campsite on the north side, that is right in front of a fairly large opening in the dead trees, that was good for slip bobbers after dark. You definitely have to be creative in how you fish there. Did a lot of standing in the bow, and pulling our way through the trees, to get to an area you thought might be holding fish. After the first day, very little run time on the gas motor. Very dicey, even after you have a good idea of where you can run clear. Don't recall if I ever saw a deer, as it certainly wouldn't cause you to notice, if you did, in that part of the world. | ||
| Ranger |
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Posts: 3772 | Yea, the trick to gonzo fishing the mine ponds is..... 1) be prepared to get stuck without any help; boat, motor, trailer, truck. The one time I tried to fish Lake Z (other side of the hill from Lake Y) I towed my boat to the landing with my Jeep Cherokee Sport, a manual 4WD with the 4L motor that could go almost anywhere. Broke the trailer axel twisting thru the boulders. I had tools and for some reason a roll of stiff wire. Took the motor off the boat, likewise all gear and the huge battery. jerked the boat off the trailer, jacked the trailer, removed the tire and used the wire to bind the axel back up best I could. Put everything back together and limped the **** out of there. My usual 30 min drive home took 4 hours and wore out both tires. But I knew I was lucky things weren't much worse. Another time, late fall fishing Lake X, a warm mist/rain started right at sundown. I stayed on the water until it was getting REALLY dark and foggy/misty and found that my Q beam was useless to see anything, it looked like a white wall 5' in the front and every other side of the boat. I knew exactly where I was but within 10 mins of bumping off trees and rocks I was totally lost. There was a slight breeze, and I used the angle of the mist to stay in one direction until I literally hit shore. Then I chose to go right and bounced my way along the shoreline until I finally reached the "landing". Only once did I assume I knew where I was and tried to cut across the pond, but bouncing thru the timber I was immediately lost again, so I flipped back to hit shore and continued to feel my way along, always to the right. Many hours. 2) Forget your gas motor until you know just were to go. Otherwise, you will bend the prop on a submerged deadhead or a boulder every time. Me, I bought a 65# transom Min Kota Maxxum and an extended handle for my super light 16' aluminum semi deep-V boat. 2 huge deep cycle batteries, one in the boat and one on the charger. I could fish 14+ hours moving constantly on one charge. When I camped at the ponds, I had a charger and a battery in the garage of a nearby house, folks who agreed to help while I fished for a few days. (I paid with New York strip steaks, a big deal to low income Yoopers.) Another big deal about a way overpowered troller is that you need to quickly get to baits stuck on submerged timber. Minimize downtime. 3) I can assure that you will run out of adrenalin after the first hour of the boat running up on submerged deadheads. The wind is your friend. Keep your feet, put the troller in reverse and rock the boat off the deadhead. 4) Fish the top 5' of the water: bucktails, Suicks, Glides, Poes and Topraiders. Have your gear perfect because you'll have to horse the fish over and thru the tops of the timber. Every fish you get to boatside is a green fish. 5) The roadhouse in Randville has great cheeseburgers and cold beer. The big musky on the wall was caught by accident in the Michigamme Reservoir. I could go on and on, so much time spent on the waters in that area. Tell you for sure, the very biggest fish are in the Menominee River. The mine ponds hold big fish, too, but once they dive deep you can't get them back up out of the timber. Rock on. | ||
| CincySkeez |
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Posts: 591 Location: Duluth | Ranger - 5/31/2023 2:12 PM Yea, the trick to gonzo fishing the mine ponds is..... 1) be prepared to get stuck without any help; boat, motor, trailer, truck. The one time I tried to fish Lake Z (other side of the hill from Lake Y) I towed my boat to the landing with my Jeep Cherokee Sport, a manual 4WD with the 4L motor that could go almost anywhere. Broke the trailer axel twisting thru the boulders. I had tools and for some reason a roll of stiff wire. Took the motor off the boat, likewise all gear and the huge battery. jerked the boat off the trailer, jacked the trailer, removed the tire and used the wire to bind the axel back up best I could. Put everything back together and limped the **** out of there. My usual 30 min drive home took 4 hours and wore out both tires. But I knew I was lucky things weren't much worse. Another time, late fall fishing Lake X, a warm mist/rain started right at sundown. I stayed on the water until it was getting REALLY dark and foggy/misty and found that my Q beam was useless to see anything, it looked like a white wall 5' in the front and every other side of the boat. I knew exactly where I was but within 10 mins of bumping off trees and rocks I was totally lost. There was a slight breeze, and I used the angle of the mist to stay in one direction until I literally hit shore. Then I chose to go right and bounced my way along the shoreline until I finally reached the "landing". Only once did I assume I knew where I was and tried to cut across the pond, but bouncing thru the timber I was immediately lost again, so I flipped back to hit shore and continued to feel my way along, always to the right. Many hours. 2) Forget your gas motor until you know just were to go. Otherwise, you will bend the prop on a submerged deadhead or a boulder every time. Me, I bought a 65# transom Min Kota Maxxum and an extended handle for my super light 16' aluminum semi deep-V boat. 2 huge deep cycle batteries, one in the boat and one on the charger. I could fish 14+ hours moving constantly on one charge. When I camped at the ponds, I had a charger and a battery in the garage of a nearby house, folks who agreed to help while I fished for a few days. (I paid with New York strip steaks, a big deal to low income Yoopers.) Another big deal about a way overpowered troller is that you need to quickly get to baits stuck on submerged timber. Minimize downtime. 3) I can assure that you will run out of adrenalin after the first hour of the boat running up on submerged deadheads. The wind is your friend. Keep your feet, put the troller in reverse and rock the boat off the deadhead. 4) Fish the top 5' of the water: bucktails, Suicks, Glides, Poes and Topraiders. Have your gear perfect because you'll have to horse the fish over and thru the tops of the timber. Every fish you get to boatside is a green fish. 5) The roadhouse in Randville has great cheeseburgers and cold beer. The big musky on the wall was caught by accident in the Michigamme Reservoir. I could go on and on, so much time spent on the waters in that area. Tell you for sure, the very biggest fish are in the Menominee River. The mine ponds hold big fish, too, but once they dive deep you can't get them back up out of the timber. Rock on. A shame I never ran into you two out there. Spent many a night with my cousin fishing the ponds...that shifty Fin is still the best angler I know. Watched him catch a high 40's off of the boat ramp on Lake X at about 3am woking a zara spook. There are big fish in that area, that don't get too much harassment. | ||
| Reef Hawg |
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Posts: 3518 Location: north central wisconsin | Great topic, following closely. All of my boats are tillers, and I sit on back deck when underway, even at night. I need to start wearing one, and have no excuse for not having been doing so other than the vests are hot. I had a cabelas inflatable several years ago, and it went off in my storage compartment and I could not re-arm it(perhaps the reason for clearance). I have been researching and I believe I'd now go with one that inflates under pressure, allowing one to wear it in the rain. Does anyone have experience with these vs the standard get wet to inflate models? Thanks | ||
| 39 degrees |
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Posts: 103 | I had a cheaper one inflate while ir was in my garage (too humid?). I then purchasef a mustang brand that inflates if it has water pressure. No issues in approximately 8 years. Rearmed once, very conmfortable. Expensive but i feel it is worth it Edited by 39 degrees 6/2/2023 10:59 PM | ||
| RLSea |
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Posts: 479 Location: Northern Illinois | I too have a Mustang pressure differential inflatable. I’m in process of re-arming this season after 5 years and no issues. I wear it almost all the time and getting better about it. No reason not to. It’s comfortable and light. | ||
| dickP |
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Posts: 304 | Received my yak vest.Very nice with totally free arm movement.However it's going back because it,by design,fits snuggly and clearly will be too warm. Guess it's a Mustang. | ||
| dickP |
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Posts: 304 | For those familiar with Mustang hydrostatic vests is this the one recommended? https://mustangsurvival.com/collections/approval-rating_type-iii/pro... | ||
| North of 8 |
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dickP - 6/3/2023 6:56 AM Received my yak vest.Very nice with totally free arm movement.However it's going back because it,by design,fits snuggly and clearly will be too warm. Guess it's a Mustang. Sorry it didn't work for you but that is my experience with my paddling vest. I can paddle the kayak with no interference from the vest at all, but it is warm, despite having mesh in some areas for ventilation. One of the guys in your paddling group just could not take the warmth and wears an inflatable that has to be manually activated. To me, I will take the mild discomfort over worrying about whether I can find the pull tab in an emergency. | |||
| 7.62xJay |
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Posts: 478 Location: NW WI | North of 8 - 6/3/2023 8:03 AM dickP - 6/3/2023 6:56 AM Received my yak vest.Very nice with totally free arm movement.However it's going back because it,by design,fits snuggly and clearly will be too warm. Guess it's a Mustang. Sorry it didn't work for you but that is my experience with my paddling vest. I can paddle the kayak with no interference from the vest at all, but it is warm, despite having mesh in some areas for ventilation. One of the guys in your paddling group just could not take the warmth and wears an inflatable that has to be manually activated. To me, I will take the mild discomfort over worrying about whether I can find the pull tab in an emergency. Yup 2nd the kayak vest, idr what brand it is but it was yellow with night reflectives, it's brown now  that sucker never leaves my truck, summer time I just replace my shirt with sunscreen and keep the vest on. I wear it all the time and I've used it twice so far, and dam glad both times, an inflatable wouldn't of prevented me from hitting my head on bottom I don't think.Edited by 7.62xJay 6/3/2023 12:17 PM | ||
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