Wet Wading ...

[montanya]

I hate waders. The second the water is tolerable my waders go into the attic. Id walk in a river filled with poop thanks to my trusty keen sandels 🙂. I feel out of touch with nature when I have waders on, I don't like that fabric separating me from my second home (the water).

 

[k-bob]

I have started to wet wade in very small remote streams. gear is ex officio nylon bugsway permethrin pants, redington neoprene (perforated on bottom) wading socks over thin nylon liners, super light Patagonia river walker wading boots .... I wear light evs option ($30 amazon) motocross knee/ shin guards under the pants and turtleskin gaitors over them for brush and just in case. ... sounds like a lot of stuff, but its cooler than even good breathable waders.

 

[RCFetter]

I also use the Keen sandals. They are nice but they should be for $100.

 

[just_jon]

I wet wade everywhere beginning around June 1st. I wear the LL Bean wading pants along with a pair of Simms wading socks and my wading boots. The socks work as a gravel guard when folded over and hooked to the D-ring on my boots.

 

[RLeeP]

I don't wet wade. Anywhere...

It isn't just infections, etc. that concern me. I've posted this a half dozen times over the years, but I had a friend (actually he was one of the more prolific posters on the first incarnation of this forum back in the 90's) who walked down into the no-kill on Hickory Run in cut offs and sneakers and began to fish his way back up. He stepped sideways on the wrong rock, slipped and a sharp streamside stick punctured his femoral artery. He made a tourniquet with his bandana and a stick and made it out of there. But he could just as easily have bled out.


No thanks..

 

[greenlander]

JasonS wrote:
The worst thing about wet wading is that gd devils weed, nettles. Quick dry pants usually don't protect against them. I'm typically just rocking shorts and flip flops. #YOLO

hey now.

nettles are deeee-licious.

 

[greenlander]

I spent my entire childhood playing in streams that weren't remotely as clean as the ones I fish today. So do millions upon millions of kids across the country today.

Unless you're suffering from some sort of immune disorder, I find it hard to believe that our trout streams are festering stinkholes just waiting to infect all of us.

I wet wade the as soon as I can tolerate it each year. Before, really.

You'll be fine. Don't let growing old turn you into a big fat sissy.

 

[poopdeck]

Stags I have wet waded the neshaminy creek for quite a few decades. I only started wearing waders when the water temps get down to the low 60's. The cold water makes my back hurt anymore.

I wear my wading boots with a neoprene sock and what ever shorts I happen to have on when I get the urge to hit the creek for a few hours. I just try to keep my wallet dry.

 

[springer1]

sweatin my ballz off is better than ending up in the hospital with an infection.....it happened to me.

+1

 

[Brownie101]

Almost seems its 50/50 on this topic. Interesting.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I have wet waded in the past. I don't any more. If it's hot I wear my lightweight stockingfoot hippers with my wading boots.

 

[Fishidiot]

troutbert wrote:
I wet wade a lot.
I wear the quick drying fishing pants already mentioned. I never zip them off. The long pants give you some protection against ticks, mosquitoes, sunburn, etc.
Also, I wear regular wading shoes. Sandals do not give your feet enough protection against broken glass, sharp metal objects, etc. Even rocks sometimes have sharp edges that can slice feet.

Me too. I also wear wading shoes over socks and am careful about minor cuts.

 

[BrianMyers67]

Wet wade in a cheap board shorts and an old pair of Columbia light hikers. My waders gave up the ghost this year so no choice but even with waders they are gone as soon as it starts to get warm.

 

[dryflyguy]

I gave up wet wading years ago.
Besides the reasons already mentioned, I just really don't like walking around with wet pants and underwear. And if you move from one stream to another, you have to change your clothes - or get your car seat soaked?

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Went out yesterday in fishing shorts and my wading boots. I started arnd 2PM (84 degrees) and I was very comfortable and didn't wade that deep.

dryflyguy wrote:
I just really don't like walking around with wet pants and underwear.

My fishing pants/shorts are quick drying material and I did tight workout/gym shorts for underwear

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Alnitak and RCfetter ... So u guys r happy with the Keens and they work well re: protection? Also ... are those studs removable so u can use the sandals in other situations?

 

[Missedagaib]

Who wouldn't wade wet??? I use regular wading boots with studs - Cabela's brand right now. I wear sandels when canoe or yaking, larger rivers, but other than that I wear the boots. And I always have a gym bag with dry clothes, whether I am wet wading or in waders...

 

[Alnitak]

I really like the Keens. The one downside is that with a closed toe if you get a stone in there it doesn't roll out as easily as open-toed sandals--but you have toe protection, so its a trade-off.

You could unscrew the studs, but they're not meant to removed and and reattached all the time. If I did it again I'd get slightly shorter studs or put washers on them. I can just barely feel the tips of the screws every now and then. It was an old pair of Keens, so I was willing to experiment.

Jeff

Stagger_Lee wrote:
Alnitak and RCfetter ... So u guys r happy with the Keens and they work well re: protection? Also ... are those studs removable so u can use the sandals in other situations?

 

[dryflyklesse]

Bathing suit and wading boots or old shoes been doing it since I was a kid anywhere from codorus creek to the gun powder to the upper delaware river. I even wet wading in Colorado when I was out there a few summers ago.

 

[laszlo]

Dry. How can you wet wade Codorus. I tried it the other day and my legs were so cold I couldn't stand one more minute and it was nearly 90 degrees.