Thread: Waders

OK so looking at getting my first pair of waders, they'll be used for everything from surf fishing, fly fishing in the river, and maybe even hitting some inlets at some point. I want something quality that's going to last a while, but be versatile. Does anyone have any experience or advice on them? Any thoughts on wader boots? I know I've got to have to some kind of boots on since there's rocks, and it wouldn't be fun falling into the cold mountain rivers out here.

I always get the ones with the boots built in. If you'll be fishing in cold water, neoprene is worth the extra money. Had good luck with bass pro redhead brand. If only mildly cool water the green rubber uninsulated is more durable and less costly.

What style are you wanting? There are hip, waist, and chest. If i am wading in swift water I stay away from chest waders because of a bad experience. Personally, I use hip waders because I can get to the majority of places I fish in streams.

Either way I would suggest the built in boots as said before. Neoprene material is the best due to having some stretch and resilience to getting holes in them when wading in those small creeks that require trekking through thick woods to get to the good holes.

I would go with a pair of breathable chest waders. Hip waders always turn up short when trout fishing anything but very small streams and wont protect you from spray if you use them in the surf in the winter. Make sure to wear the belt with them, that keeps water out if you go in.

hodgman and i prefer the stocking foot and wading shoes. the boot foot may be better in the surf as i imagine sand in your shoes would wear on them fast.

Chris for what ur wanting to do i would get a pair of the sock foot chest waders and get two pairs of
wading boots. One with FELT soles for the river and one with rubber for surf. You will be swimming in that river if u wear rubber soles. Algae on wet rocks is like catfish slime on a marble.

I was thinking chest waders as it gets a little deep in spots out here. Mainly be used in the river, but some in the reservoirs as well. All very cold water, snow melt off. Here's a few places I'll be fishing. There's hundreds of streams, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers out here so its going to be a pretty good mix. It would be handy though when goose hunting and I have to get across some marsh.

That top pic looks like the streams I fished for trout growing up in PA. Totally different ball game vs. fishing coastal AL!

Originally Posted by dublthret

Chris for what ur wanting to do i would get a pair of the sock foot chest waders and get two pairs of
wading boots. One with FELT soles for the river and one with rubber for surf. You will be swimming in that river if u wear rubber soles. Algae on wet rocks is like catfish slime on a marble.

BEWARE -- Some states have banned felt soled boots as they have been shown to introduce toxins that are lethal to trout into streams. You should check your particular state before investing in felt soled wading boots. Just learned this today as I was looking at boots on Orvis.com and they mentioned the ban. Bit of checking and I found this (among many other) pieces:

(from the Juneau Empire--2010):

A new ban on felt-soled wading shoes is set to take place next year as Juneau fishermen take to freshwater streams with fly rods in hand.
The ban is meant to keep nasty fish diseases from creeping into waters on the waders of traveling fishermen.
A proposal to expand the ban from the Southeast region statewide will be considered by the state Board of Fisheries at its March meeting in Anchorage.
…
Whirling disease is just one communicable fish disease of concern. Didymo, an algae also called rock snot, mud snails and zebra mussels are others that can kill all the fish in a stream.
“The waters where fly fishermen tend to fish and wade have become a map of the spread of these problems,” Vinsel said.

That is a really beautiful neighborhood you fish in, Mr. Tofer.