I’ve spent several hours each of the past few days chasing smallmouth bass on a few Lake Michigan and Green Bay bays. Part of being on the water in Door County is being out in the sun. Most of us have likely had too much sun exposure over the years and don’t need any more. I’m on the beautiful waters of Door County many days a year and see the barely dressed to people like me who take protection from the sun seriously.
Whether out in my Yar-Craft fishing boat, one of my Jackson Kayaks chasing smallies, or just enjoying a pleasant paddle, I ensure I’m protected from the sun! Looking at an older picture of me fishing up here in Door County from about 1998, I’m wearing shorts, a short-sleeve shirt, and just a baseball cap. Several years after that picture was taken, I began getting serious about better sun protection. Now, I’m like a Dermatologist’s poster boy! Starting from top to bottom, I always wear a hat with a brim, polarized sunglasses, a gaiter to protect my ears, neck, and part of my face. I wear a good sunscreen of at least 50 SPF on any exposed areas, including areas of my face not covered by the gaiter. I wear sun gloves from Glacier Outdoors, long-sleeve fishing shirts, and pants with built-in UPF protection. My fishing kayaks are sit-on-tops, so even with the pants and water shoes, it’s important to apply sunscreen on the ankles and tops of your feet that are not covered.
When giving talks at sports shows, I note that I’m on the water to catch and release smallies, not get a suntan. If the fishing is slow, I’m usually off the water.
Speaking of smallmouth bass, we’re in that part of the year where fishing is more challenging,g as mostly smaller fish are in shallow or around the permanent rock piers with the bigger ones heading for deeper water. Most of us kayak anglers stay somewhat shallow, so I’d suggest using small swimbaits like the Keitech 2.8 FAT Swing Impact or the Z-Man 3” SlimSwimZ. Going a little deeper, I’m using a Ned Rig with the Z-Man Finesse TRD. With our smallie fishery getting a lot of pressure,e it’s important to practice catch and release to help sustain the fishery. And please try to get that smallie in the boat or kayak quickly and back in the water. If you want a picture, have the camera ready.
