Wild River Fish
Contact
Call: (203) 247-9070

Menu

Skip to content
  • Fishing Trips
    • Trip Rates and Dates
    • About Our Trips
    • Types of Trips
    • The Rivers We Fish
    • Deposits & Cancellations
  • Season Reports
    • 2019 Reports
    • 2018 Reports
    • 2017 Reports
    • 2016 Reports
    • 2015 Reports
    • 2014 Reports
    • 2013 Reports
    • 2012 Reports
    • 2011 Reports
    • 2010 Reports
  • Photos
    • Wilderness Fishing
    • Camp Life
    • The Adventure
    • Alaskan Wildlife & Landscapes
  • Videos
  • Blog
    • Fishing
    • Gear
    • Fly Patterns
    • WRG in the Media
    • Trips
  • Resources
    • Fishing Gear List
    • Fly Selection
    • Fly & Tackle Notes
    • Travel Arrangements
    • FAQ’s
  • About
    • Wild River Guide Co.
    • Mark Rutherford
    • Peter Jaacks
    • John Jinishian Owner/General Manager
    • Brian Malchoff Head Guide
    • Bailey Conaty

Wading Jackets are Critical Gear

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Mark Rutherford

Peter portrait in hood lo res

Rain or Wading Jackets are a critical piece of gear for wilderness rafting and fly fishing in western Alaska. Our climate is “maritime” and influenced by proximity to the cool waters of Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea. This climate provides all the cool water to our rivers to host the world’s largest salmon population.

Our daytime average high temperature is 62 degrees. Our average nighttime low is 45 degrees. It is generally cloudy or partly cloudy and about one half the days each week we experience rain showers. It tends to be breezy mid day with an average 8 mile per hour wind. But here’s a fun fact. You are going to experience long days of sunlight. In July you’ll have 20 hours of fishable daylight. In late August 16 hours of daylight.

DSCF2076In summary we experience cool and breezy conditions with regular rain showers. For most of us a Gore Tex or similar waterproof breathable jacket in good repair will keep us comfortable for a week of fly-fishing. With a good rain jacket we’ll enjoy our hours of raft travel even when our hoods are up in a rain shower. We’ll be warm and protected from the wind.

There are lots of rain jacket options and if you are making a purchase I’ve included suggestions to fit your budget. Note: If you are a husband or father bringing your spouse & or family it’s vital that the family has rain gear every bit as “bombproof” as yours.

What is in your closet now? Do you have a dedicated wading jacket? Do you have a Gore Tex shell for skiing or snow boarding. What do you currently wear when you are fishing or hiking or canoeing in rain showers? Does the jacket have a very good hood? Many of us have a serviceable jacket but the question you need to answer is: Is it up to the task of a week on an Alaskan river?

Grab your jacket off the hanger and critically look at it for worn (fuzzy looking or shiny) fabric, missing zipper teeth, and give it a test in the shower. If it passes your inspection then before you leave home treat it with a renewal of the outer waterproofing with a product such as “ReviveX”. ReviveX will reapply the thin layer of Teflon like substance called DWR that causes water to bead and run off your jacket like “water off a ducks back”. When the water beads and runs off it doesn’t have much of a chance to seep though the fabric.

If your answer is: “I really don’t know if it’s going to keep me dry for 7 days on the river. I’ve worn it for years and it shows signs of wear & tear.” My recommendation is to purchase a new jacket for the trip that will definitely keep you dry and should serve for years to come under more temperate conditions. I heard from more than one guide that they’d rather have a great jacket in Alaska than a new fly rod.

If you are faced with purchasing a new jacket here are some Jackets that have proven themselves.

The Simms G3 and G4 and the Patagonia SST are proven all weather fly-fishing jackets. This is what most of the guides in AK wear and should give years of service. However they are not cheap. Still several guides told me they thought a good jacket was more critical than a good fly rod in AK. Something to think about!

Getting value at a reasonable price. In addition to shopping at your local fly shop and outdoors store. Consider checking Sierra Trading Post like long time Bristol Bay angler Bob Erickson. He’s going to be wearing a new Gore Tex jacket by Filson this year and he reports that he “never pays retail”. When he made his Sierra Trading post purchase there were Simms, Redington, and Frog Togs jackets available as well.

Another option is EBay where there are discontinued new and used Patagonia and Simms jackets for sale.

Other wading jackets that our guests are happy with include LL Bean, and Cabelas and Helly Hansen. Guide John Jinishian got 2 hardcore seasons out of his Cabelas “Guidewear” jacket while expeditionary angler Rob Crawford loves his LL Bean Gore Tex Jacket. Bristol Bay guide Peter Jaacks reports that he fished Steelhead in the Olympic Peninsula rain forest all winter with Helly Hanson commercial rain gear and it was quite serviceable and affordable.

If you are a mountain sports person with an OR, Patagonia, North Face, or Arc Teryx Gore Tex jacket, that might be perfect for the trip. As above assess the jackets wear & tear, perform the DWR maintenance, and test it out against leakage.

For information on restoring the DWR finish of a jacket checkout REI or ReviveX. http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/rainwear-dwr.html

https://www.mcnett.com/gearaid/durable-waterproofing#36230

I’ll see you on the river with your hood up and a smile!Chuck & Daughters

Posted in Gear | Tagged fly fishing, gear, wading jackets

Recent Posts

  • WRG in the Media – Young Guides July 28, 2021
  • “Fish Favorites: Coho Salmon” – Anglers Journal November 12, 2019
  • WRG in the Media – “Out There” – Anglers Journal October 3, 2018
  • Wader Shootout: A WRG Guide to Waders March 26, 2018
  • “You Are Now Alone” – The FlyFish Journal March 13, 2018

Categories

  • Fishing (1)
  • Fly Patterns (3)
  • Gear (3)
  • Press (2)
  • Trips (6)
  • WRG in the Media (6)

Archives

  • July 2021 (1)
  • November 2019 (1)
  • October 2018 (1)
  • March 2018 (4)
  • February 2015 (1)
  • February 2014 (1)
  • April 2013 (3)
  • March 2013 (1)
  • February 2013 (1)
  • October 2012 (1)
  • September 2012 (1)
  • May 2012 (1)
  • April 2012 (1)
  • February 2012 (1)

Tags

Adventure alaska Backcountry Bristol Bay coho Coho Salmon Dolly Varden fishing fly fishing G4Z gear Guided trips King Salmon leopard rainbows mouse mousing patagonia Permit rainbow trout Rio Gallegos salmon Silver Salmon simms Sockeye Togiak wader review waders wading wading jackets wilderness womens waders

Stay In Touch

Sign up for our occasional newsletter.

Facebook Vimeo Instagram

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Fishing Trips
  • Photo Albums
  • Watch Videos
  • Season Reports
  • About
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact

Contact Us

Wild River Guide Co.
P.O. Box 608
Dillingham, AK 99576
(203) 247-9070
info@wildriverfish.com

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: wrf by Automattic.