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Okay guys,
I have been following this thread with interest and finally decided to put in my $0.02 cents...
First, wetsuiting is by far more comfortable, safer and more productive than conventional waders. When you are in a wet suit you are less worried about going down, getting washed off etc... You can get to better rocks, rips safer than in a pair of waders and that little extra usually pays off!
As for which suits are better, I have a one pice 3mm, 3,2,3 mm and a 7mm. I almost never use the 7mm. I use the other two in the summer months only. In the fall I use a two piece 6.5mm farmer john with only the bottom half, a insulated jumpsuit and my neoprene AquaSkinz tops and dry hood.
Iam however seriously considering a 5mm for late Spring and Fall as I don't particularly like the 6.5mm farmer john as its not much different than my 7mm.
I have friends who use the 5mm with their AquaSkinz and love the combo. These guys are avid wet suiters.
As for Skishing, I have tried and it really is a blast...I wouldn't recommend anyone do it alone or try it for the first time without someone with experience accompanying them. It can be exhilarating and frightening at the same time. This method however yeilds big fish! I have seen it with my own eyes...when we on the surf could not get a sniff...the skishers were catching one after another and deciding what to keep and what to release. This has happened more than once...trust me...it can be frustrating!!
They also do it at night with great results...I have never done it at night even though my good friend Paul Melnyk has asked me many times to try it....I am courages but not stupid!! There is a dedicated group that does this in Montauk and usually out produce everyone else on the surf. They do however take the necessary precautions. Ropes, fins with stailess steel screws bolted onto them, flashing strobe head lights etc... But to risky for me.
Toby, try the wetsuit thing, you will love it!! Just start slow and work your way up...stay within reasonable limits and always have a plan of getting before going in. I say this because even a wetsuit isn't a cure all. About 4 or 5 years ago, a avid wetsuiter was fishing a popular rock in Montauk at night and says "he got pulled in by a big blue fish..." no one really knows except him. He got swept out 5 miles to sea...the only reason he was alive to tell his story is because a fishing vessles Capt. "thought he saw a human face...and his concious wouldn't let him go in without looking.. " the turned his boat around, put all his lights on and searched for this guy and found him; badly dehydrated and hypothermac.
I am sure you got the point. You are only as good as your plan.
Hope that helps....
Kadir
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