Cofish Foul Weather Gear 2009
Cofish Weather Gear
For the serious fisherman, bad weather is a fact of life. Even one who carefully watches the weather forecasts and fishes only on the nicest days will eventually find themselves facing a sudden storm or a forecast that is a long way from matching the actual conditions.
And fishing only on the bluebird days will rob an angler of some of the best piscatorial opportunities of the year; the fact is many fish like to feed when it’s rough.
Since dealing with bad weather is unavoidable for most of us, the issue then is how best to deal with it. A $20 department store rainsuit may suffice for an occasional angler, but serious fishermen need serious weather protection, and that’s where Cofish International Foul Weather Gear comes in.
Headquartered in Sneads Ferry, the company produces a complete line of clothing for poor and cold weather, including the Heavy Duty Smartskins (HDS) line of bib pants, jackets, and pullovers.
Bibs are essential to staying dry and clean on a fishing boat, particularly on something messy like a bottom fishing trip. A pair of Cofish HDS bibs can protect you from rain, salt spray, and fish guts.
They’re comfortable even during the summer months (with a pair of shorts underneath), but they make an incredibly warm water proof shell over the lower 2/3 of your body during the winter months. Despite a life of saltwater abuse, the bibs will show almost no wear; they will stay water tight and flexible, the straps won’t lose their elasticity, and the buttons and strap buckle will still function flawlessly.
The clothes are stitched from a custom fabric that features a cotton twill base material laminated with a layer of PVC and another coating of polyurethane.
The fabric gives the bibs, and everything else in the line, lots of flexibility and excellent durability and abrasion resistance compared to gear made of PVC alone. The fabric is also oil-resistant and freezer tested to remain flexible below 0 degrees Fahrenheit
Each seam on an HDS garment is precision sewn, and then double welded to add strength and prevent any chance of water intrusion. Each snap is stainless-steel chrome plated to enhance its corrosion resistance.
Perhaps of greatest importance of all for the fisherman, all Cofish foul weather gear is machine washable, so hardcore fishing clothes don’t have to smell like them.
The Cofish HDS Smartskins line is available in orange or dark green, and they also make other lines of foul weather gear in white and blue. In addition to foul weather gear, they make lines of clothing designed specifically for cold weather and fish processing, along with footwear and hats aimed at fishermen.
Cofish International gear is available at New River Nets in Sneads Ferry. For more information, you can go online at www.newrivernets.com.
