When Wading Boots Become Necessary

Last weekend the lack of foot wear that you could walk into the water with cost me landing a couple of nice trout.  In one case my dad couldn't get close enough to the fish to get it in the net before he got free.  In the other I couldn't find a spot to get close enough to the water to get the fish in the net.  As I was packing up all my gear I had decided it was time for me to get some wading boots.

It wouldn't have been possible for me to give you a personal review of every available boot on the market.  And even if it had been possible, I'm hardly expert enough for my opinion to be of much weight.  I think the best way for you to get reviews of specific boots will be to visit the reviews of as many online realtors as you have time for.  But here is what some online research found.

If you're looking for wading boots you have a lot more options that when we grabbed an old pair of tennis shoes as kids.  I found $20 synthetic leather boots from RedHead and $200 Korkers with quick-change soles.  Regardless of your price range, the first choice you have to make is whether to get felt or rubber soles.  Felt soles are by far the best choice to avoid slipping on rocks.  But with rock snot creeping in everywhere, even if your state hasn't banned felt soles, more and more fishing areas are forbidding felt soles.  I've only worn wading boots on one fishing trip and they had felt soles.  Given the choice, and the funds, I would buy a pair of felt soles as well as a pair of rubber soles.  Anywhere that felt soles are allowed I would wear them and then wear the rubber soles anywhere else.  But not having the choice, or the funds, rubber soles it is.

The next choice is that of laces.  The latest type of lacing available is the BOA lacing system.  Your "laces" are actually steel wire wrapped through the eyelets and into a twist knob.  Put the boots on and twist the knob until the boots are tight.  Pull the knob out and the laces loosen.  From the reading I did this week, people love using them but are concerned about them breaking when they're miles from their vehicle.  From what I've seen of pricing, you can expect to pay at least $20 more for BOA lacing on equivalent boots.  For me, I'll stick with normal laces.

Price is always an issue.  I wanted a little more quality than $20 RedHead boots.  But I didn't want to spend $200 on boots that I would only be using occasionally.  I found a pretty good compromise.  I don't know how long the sale will last but Cabela's has their Guidewear wading boots on sale for $89.99 from $139.99.   They should be on their way to me now.  I hope to take them out for a spin in a few weeks.  I'll let you know how they work out.

Next on my list of equipment is a new set of waders.  I currently have a set of neoprene bootfoot waders that were given to me when my brother-in-law got a new set for himself.  Now that I have wading boots I need to get some stockingfoot waders to use them with.  If you have any suggestions let me know.

Fly Fishing Exile Ended

This weekend I was able to go fly fishing for the first time in over a year.  It has seemed like even longer since on the most recent fishing trip prior to this weekend all I had caught was a rock.  And to top the trip off, they guys in my family were springing for it for my birthday. The guys took me to Westover Farms in Steeleville, MO.  This was the last place I had had any success fly fishing so I have been really anticipating the trip. I wrote about my last trip to Westover Farms here and have some pictures of the grounds here.  We fished Friday afternoon, spent the night at one of their cabins, and fished again on Saturday morning. It was a great weekend.

Get Tied Up in Knots

My fishing trip is set for next weekend and I almost forgot an important part of getting ready, making sure I know how to tie my knots.  It seems silly, but before every fishing trip I go on I always sit down and give myself a refresher on the knots I'll need to use.  I say it seems silly, but one trip I wasted 45 minutes trying to remember how to tie a perfection loop on a new leader.  You can read about that experience here.  Since that trip I always make sure I remember two basic knots before I go fishing.  

Putting It All On the Line (Care)

In getting ready for my first fly fishing trip in over a year I've been trying to refresh my mind on everything I used to know about fly fishing.  I've been thinking about casting.  Which knots should I use.  How should I approach the fish.  And then I thought about my fly fishing gear that's been sitting in it's case waiting patiently for me to bring them out.  You know, it might be a good idea to check out my gear to make sure it's still in good working order.

I grab the case, open it and pull out my rod and reel.  My rod looks OK, at least to my novice eyes.  The reel spins smoothly.  No issues there.  What about the line?  Didn't my brother say something one time about cleaning my line?  Have I ever cleaned my line?  Ummmm.... no.  Time to do some research.

Book Review Pt 3: 1001 Fly Fishing Tips

This is the final installment of tips and advice from 1001 Fly Fishing Tips.  Part 3 of the book review is actually from the last two parts of the book.  Part 3 from the book is Hatches and Seasons.  You'll find tips on determining what fly to use in a situation to advice on weather and competing outdoor sports (Boom! Boom!).  Part 4 is Travel, Destinations and Species Other Than Trout.  Leaving home to go fishing in the vast outdoors has different conditions to consider, such as extra equipment and dangerous wildlife.

I have to be honest in that as a novice, my knowledge of these topics is even less that in the previous two posts about this book.  So if I seem to disagree with a piece of advice, you might be better off going with the advice from the book.

Let's dive in...

Book Review Pt 2: 1001 Fly Fishing Tips

How do you keep your dry flies dry longer?  Do I really need a hook hone?  What's the best way to get your fly unsnagged?  Keeping your equipment safe and functioning properly is vital to catching fish.  No matter how long we've been fishing there is always advice or a tip someone may have that will make our day on the water less frustrating.

This week is part two of the tips and advice from 1001 Fly Fishing Tips, edited by Jay Nichols.  There are enough pieces of great advice that I felt like I needed more than one post to do the book justice.  Part Three of the book has to do with Hatches and Seasons.  We'll talk about that next week.

So here are the tips on equipment with some comments...

Rod, Reel & The Kitchen Sink

So you've decided to start fly fishing.  All you need are some flies and a rod and reel, right?  Then you start looking at fly fishing gear.  Yes, you need a rod and reel.  But you also need to get the right fly line, leader and tippet material.  And you'll need a some strike indicators so that you can tell when the fish are taking your fly.  And if you'll be nymphing it might be a good idea to have some weight so the fly gets down in the water more quickly.  You must have a a line/leader straightener.  A tippet holder is essential.  And a Ty-Rite Jr or Clinch Tool Knot Tyer will make knots simple and easy.  And you have to have thermometer otherwise how will you know how cold the water is?  And how will you know how many fish you've caught if you don't have a fish counter?  And the list goes on and on and on...

There is a lot of "stuff" out there for fisherman.  A lot of gear and gadgets that make themselves out to be invaluable to fly fishing.  But what exactly do you need?  Besides your rod, reel and line what do you really need in order to go fly fishing?  So from someone who just started fishing, and is definitely fishing on a budget, here is my list of the basic equipment that will get you fly fishing without having to buy the kitchen sink.

Waders Aren't Complicated?

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about my waders springing a leak in the most unsightly of places.  They've lasted for several years and they were given to me by someone who had already used them for a while, so I decided it might be time to start looking for new waders.  It couldn't be too complicated to decide what I was going to get, right?  Waders are just something to keep you dry, right?  Well, do you want neoprene waders or breathable?  Do you want boot foot or stocking foot?  Do you want rubber soles or felt soles?  Or both?  Do you want studs?

This just got a little more complicated...