Knee pads over waders while being stealthy

[baileyoconnell]

While I am waiting for cooler temperatures to return prior to resuming trout fishing, I am thinking about ways to protect my expensive waders while kneeling in low flow water. Early fall fishing often requires stealth and lower flows than spring.

Has any one tried knee pads? I imagine they may be uncomfortable but I can wear them below my knees loosely until needed. I hate to bring another gear item but my waders are newer.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[dwa111]

I have them on my Orvis waders and I love them. Besides stealth, it's nice to have the option to rest on your knees when releasing fish or other times. Expensive though and would probably opt for an option like you mention in the future.

 

[troutbert]

I bought knee pads and so did several fishing buddies, for fishing brookie streams, which often get very low and clear.

We all tried them several times. But now none of us use them.

They are just something else to carry around, something else to put on and take off. They slip out of place.

It's not worth it, in my experience.

What I do instead is to make fairly long casts upstream to the holding areas.

CASTING up, rather than crawling up.

And fishing those types of streams when the water is high, when less stealth is needed.

 

[salmonoid]

My Patagonia waders have them built in and they are the best feature of those waders, IMHO. But they are there to protect my knees, not the outside of the waders. If you want to protect your waders from damage on the outside, wear a pair of chaps over them.

Several tactical shops sell knee pads that are designed for other uses, but they are applicable for fishing too. I bought some to try out, but I like the Patagonia waders that have them built in the best.

Finally, I bought a pair of Duluth Trading Alaskan Hardgear tights that had knee pads built into them. They worked pretty well, although they were just the tiniest bit too short for me, so the knee pads shifted off my knee from time to time.

 

[Mike]

Over a 42 year period I did a fair amount of crawling on my knees with 30 lb electrofishing backpack on my back when electrofishing wild trout streams, mainly to get under blow-downs and through rhodo. I never put even a pin hole in my waders doing that; any soreness was purely superficial and a case of momentary tenderness. Grin and bear it. Main source of pin holes = multiflora rose, main source of major tears = barbed wire in deeper water.

 

[dwa111]

It's not as easy for former runners to grin and bear it. Everyone's body is different.

 

[larkmark]

I agree with Mike about the multiflora rose being a major contributor to leaks, also barbed wire. I would add sharp tree roots along bank when getting in especially and then guard rails because they seem to have all kinds of unexpected sharp edges. My main cause of leaks seems to be just stretching the material and it seems to be unavoidable over time. I have tried to get the perfect fit but nothing really works over the long haul if you fish a lot. Of all the waders I have used I think Patagonia has been my favorite and mine do have a built in knee pad though I rarely kneel.

 

[poopdeck]

I’ve worn knee pads but never for fishing. No way no how, I’d rather stay home over wearing knee pads or having to crawl while fishing. I don’t feel standing has handicapped my fishing.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I'll be 56 in a few months and played football for 9 years. Kneeling anywhere hurts. I say "yes" to knee pads for brookie fishing in many situations.

I'll go one better and use shin guards with integrated knee pads (hard plastic with neoprene cover)for protection from cuts, rocks and snakes.

To each tier own.

 

[Bamboozle]

baileyoconnell wrote:
...I am thinking about ways to protect my expensive waders while kneeling in low flow water...I hate to bring another gear item but my waders are newer.

Thoughts anyone?

In regards to the basis for the OP:

Knee pads OVER waders will protect the waders, but be uncomfortable as heck with the straps and fabric bunching up behind your knees.

However, my experiences mirror Mike's; as someone who spends entire days on my knees at place like the Letort, all I ended up with is grass & mud stains on the knees of my waders but NO leaks.

If all you want is to protect your waders from that, maybe the way to go is to have someone fabricate a simple fabric sleeve from stretchy Polar fleece that you could slip over your wader knees or use an apron you can roll down to cover your knees when kneeling.

OT but, when the day comes when you are looking for knee pads to protect your KNEES, try my solution I described here in Post #6:

http://www.paflyfish.com/forums/Open-Forums/Gear-Talk/Knee-Pads-Under-Waders/3,49742,714669.html#forumpost714669

 

[RLeep2]

If I ever decide to get knee pads for my waders, I'm going to opt for the most durable ones I can find because once I kneel, I'm likely to be there a long time before I am able to stand again.

Unless I have a stream side tree or something I can latch onto to crowbar myself back up.


Otherwise, I can see myself walking a half mile on my knees to get back to the car..

 

[rrt]

I have to echo what RLeep2 writes. I can and do kneel down to avoid frightening fish when I can. At 71, the toughest time is getting back up. I don't think knee pads would do me any good. In fact, if they were stiff, they'd probably make it even harder to stand up.

And, I'm not able to walk a half-mile on my knees to get back to my vehicle.

 

[DaveS]

Have you ever considered a small pad to kneel on like they sell for gardening? Seem like you could stick it in a vest when not needed and would weigh much. Just an idea. I’ll stick to big water where my knees don’t take that beating.

 

[springer1]

Not a bad idea. I put a piece of rope through their built-in handle and tie it around my belt when I goto the local dirt races - makes a nice warm pad to sit on the aluminum bleacher seats.

 

[dryflyguy]

My days of crawling up to a hole are pretty much over too.
Even if I would try to wear knee pads, my left knee would still be hurting. And getting back up is a chore

I just do as several of you others do also - make longer casts to (hopefully) avoid spooking them.
If that doesn't work, there's always another spot just upstream!

 

[troutbert]

Do people really crawl upstream on rocks? Even in the days when I tried knee pads, I didn't crawl upstream on rocks. And I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that.

What I did was walk upstream in a hunched over position. Then when I got to where I wanted to cast from, I went to one knee or two.

But now I don't do that. I make long casts upstream, using fairly long leaders, and rods capable of casting a reasonable distance easily.

 

[dryflyguy]

I probably crawled up on rocks when I was younger.
Would have done anything to get into position to fish a nice looking spot then

I've also done the hunch maneuver to get close.
Then drop down to a seated position to keep low to make the cast.

But lately, walking hunched over makes my back ache..........

 

[Clams]

Orvis Pro Waders come with built in knee pads. They're comfortable and they do help. And they aren't bulky at all, which is nice. Also they are removable if you don't like them.

 

[Dave_W]

I started wearing knee pads a couple years ago after going down hard on a rock while wading the LJ.

I find that basic hardware store pads work fine over hip boots, under waders, or when wet wading. I plan to continue wearing them for tricky wading spots like the Susq river. They are helpful for stealth, but I mainly like them for safety.