Part of being on the water in Door County is being out in the sun. Most of us have probably had far too much sun exposure 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 to an extreme. And, coming off a week with several days with temps in the mid-90’s this is a good time for the sun protection reminder!
For me, whether out in my Yar-Craft fishing boat or one of my Jackson Kayaks chasing smallmouth bass, or, just enjoying a pleasant paddle on the lake, I’m protected from the sun. Starting from top to bottom, I always wear a hat with brim, polarized sunglasses, a gaiter to protect my ears, neck and part of my face. I wear 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, long sleeve fishing shirts and pants that have UPF protection built in. Even with the pants and water shoes, don’t forget to put sunscreen on your ankles and the tops of your feet not covered. When I’m out chasing smallies, if they aren’t biting, I’m usually off the water as I’m not out for a suntan!
Speaking of smallmouth bass, with the hot weather we’ve had this summer the water temps on both Lake Michigan and Green Bay are very high in the upper 70- degree range. Catching and releasing those smallies is extremely important and doing it fast to stress these beautiful bronzebacks as little as possible. I get those smallies I catch in and back in the water as fast as anyone, but with high water temperatures have still seen some sluggish fish, especially bigger ones. If you want a picture, have the camera or phone ready, so that smallie is back in the water as fast as possibly, ideally in under a minute.
And another important reminder. Always wear your PFD (lifejacket) at all times while kayaking, even when the water is warm! Recently, at Cave Point I was with a friend who is an experienced kayaker. She dropped her sunglasses into the water and tipped her Sit-In kayak reaching too quickly and shifting her weight to get those sunglasses. Kudos to Leah, Door County Kayak Adventures as I was 50 yards away when it happened. She was leading a group of six kayakers and jumped in helping my friend, who was wearing her PFD. Leah pulled the kayak out of the water, emptied it and helped my friend back in!
As always, if you have any questions about kayaking or kayak fishing Door County you can email me at kayakfishingwisconsin@gmail.com
