Wetsuits

By Paul Melnyk

Extreme surfcasting requires the addition of a bit of specialized gear. The most important of which is the wetsuit. The wetsuit is essential in allowing you to venture safely into the outer reaches of the surf environment. The wetsuit achieves this by establishing buoyancy, warmth and quite a bit of protection against the scrapes and bangs associated with reaching that perfect rock.

The wetsuit first came into use during WW2, when U.S. frogmen discovered the added warmth of a rubber garment. These early suits were rather impractical, being made of rubber and not fitting very well. It was not until the 60's that the modern Neoprene suite came into use. Neoprene is a type of cellular rubber, consisting of millions of air filled bubbles, which has superior insulating and buoyancy properties. It's tight fitting "stretch" characteristic allows the wearer to feel as though he is enclosed in a second skin. The wetsuit was first used exclusively for scuba diving, but soon became popular with the surfer generation, allowing then to ride on those cool, cloudy days.

It was only logical that a few pioneers of the surf would catch on to this new material. In their time, Innovators such as Jack Frick (the Professor), Jack Yee, and Joe Breagan,began to venture out into the surf, in search of those monster Stripers that feed in the outer reaches of the white water zone. They had fantastic success! Monster bass were captured on a regular basis.As these innovators were also competitive fishermen, their success was kept under wraps for quite a while. But it was only a matter of time before others would discover the benefits of Neoprene.

The principle behind the warming effect of a wetsuit is that of the retention of body heat. A wetsuit does not really keep the wearer warm, as much as it slows down the cooling process. Body heat is transferred to a thin layer of sea water that seeps into the suit (thus the name "wetsuit"). This insulation allows you to remain comfortable, although wet, in a layer of 98 degree water for up to 3 hours under moderate weather conditions.

There are many choices to be had when choosing a wetsuit. You should weigh the conditions that you will fish under against the styles and types of wet suit available in the market. In fact, it is not unreasonable to have more than one style of suit in order to give yourself a greater degree of latitude in where or when you fish.

In the early spring and late fall seasons, when water temperatures are very cool (58-65 degrees) it is best to use a heavier gauge suit. Neoprene of 6mm-7mm are the best for cold water. A hood, booties and gloves are also a necessity. I prefer a two piece suit, with a farmer John bottom and jacket for these times. Flotation and protection against bumps and scrapes. A one piece outfit of no less than 5mm may also be used. The one piece suites tend to be less restrictive, although not as warm as the two piece garments. To gain even more thermal protection, a Lycra thermal :"skin" accessory may be worn underneath your wetsuit. It is most important to have the proper fit when purchasing a wetsuit. The suit should be rather difficult and almost tight to dress in, rather like putting on a pair of rubber gloves. Your gear should not be so tight as to restrict blood flow or body movement.

I would advise anyone who wants to purchase a wetsuit to do so through a good local dive or surf shop. In general, I have found scuba equipment to be far superior to surfing gear. It just holds up longer. I have a preference to the Henderson "ultra stretch" wetsuits. You can expect to spend over $300 for a one piece Henderson suit. O'Neill suites are OK, and less expensive, but do not have the stretch and durability of the Hendersons. Comp, Tusa, Mares and Harvey's are all considered top quality suits that are available in differing styles and colors. Color choice should be a personal choice. Be aware that black or dark colors absorb solar radiation which is benifitial in the early-late seasons but uncomfortable during the hot summer and Indian summer months.

During the summer months, It is still passable to use a wetsuit of thinner character. Suits in the range of 2mm-4mm are adequate for the daylight hours, but I prefer a 5mm suit for night fishing. I always fish with gloves and booties. They help to retain warmth and also guard against cuts and scrapes.

The gloves I use, I find at the dive shop. They are 2mm, neoprene with an artificial leather palm and fingers. This allows the glove to be supple enough to tie knots even in braided lines, once you get accustomed to the "feel" of them These gloves should cost no more than $20. In the fall, it might be advantageous to use Glacier Gloves, although these gloves do get wet.

Booties are also advised for year round use. The style that has a sneaker sole are the best for entering in and out of the surf where barnacles and mussels incrust the rocks. Your Korker cleats can be secured right to these boots, just as you would fasten them to your waders. You should bring your booties with you to purchase Korkers. You will need to have the proper fit.

In general I have found that wetsuit fishing is much safer that using waders and a jacket. A wetsuit is totally buoyant. Should you fall or get dumped by a wave, it is no hassle to right yourself and reposition yourself on the rocks. A wetsuit is also secret weapon #1 for swimfishing, along with a good pair of flippers, but this is a topic for another essay! Good luck!