Wet Wading ...

[Chaz]

Stagger_Lee wrote:
I know it's been discussed b4 but I was curious ...

Do u wet wade?

Only on certain streams?

Why and why not?

I ask this cause I hit the Neshimany often ... a creek I wouldn't say is the 'cleanest' ... and I notice a decent amt of people doing activities in it from swimming, kayaking(getting in and out) and fishing .... lots of bare skin exposed.

1, yes; 2, yes; 3, only in creeks I know to be clean, my first criteria is; are they any sewer plants discharging into the stream, and if so where? The second criteria is; is there a Superfund site nearby?
Neshaminy Creek is 60 % sewerage effluent during the summer, it's not a good thing, I used to live within a mile of the creek as a kid, it was stocked from the headwaters nearly to the mouth then. Now it's got one short section that is stocked. It's not a stream I'd ever consider wet wading.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear stagger,

I wet wade everywhere once the water gets warm enough to tolerate. I also float tube wearing just shorts. I wear wading shoes in streams and zippered booties when tubing. As a diabetic I am a little more careful with my feet than I was when I was younger and wasn't diagnosed.

I sometimes wear long nylon fishing pants to protect from briars or poison ivy and bugs and my shorts are made of the same quick drying material. They have built in briefs so I just wear them and even if I wade up to waist level by the time I get back to the truck and put everything away I am dried out enough to sit on a living room couch.

I have been doing it for decades with no ill effects that I can think of. I hate waders after about mid-May and only wear them when the water is too cold, as in mid 50's or lower.

I swam in the Neshaminy Creek as kid and I turned out OK. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and what kills you kills you so why worry? ;-)

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[wildtrout2]

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

Totally agree. If I want to get wet I'll go swimming or take a shower. I prefer being dry while I fish. Most of the areas I fish have a lot of crap that needs to be walked through that harbors rattlesnakes. I want at least something between my bare legs and a snake. Also, there's sharp rocks, branches, poison ivy, ticks, nettles, and other stuff I'd rather not come in contact with. So, my light-weight nylon (cool) hip waders work fine in the heat, even though they get replaced at least each season. :-x

 

[Brownie101]

^ wt2, I have to ask, how often do you see rattlesnakes while fishing/hiking to the stream?

 

[MD_Gene]

I wet wade and wearing pants for the bank shrubs is a good idea. I just got a pair of Korkers for wet wading and use in my kayak. I paid $120 and they have interchangeable treads. I have the standard ones (hard rubber) but for another $30 I will get the ones with studs.

PS Orvis has them on sale now for $94 (about 25% less than I paid).

 

[wildtrout2]

Brownie101 wrote:
^ wt2, I have to ask, how often do you see rattlesnakes while fishing/hiking to the stream?

So far I've almost stepped on 3 of them. That's often enough for me.

 

[pete41]

rattlesnakes-about 5 times .
Since the theme is waders won't stop them I tried not to step on them.

 

[Brownie101]

Have any of them acted aggresively or did they mostly shy away?

 

[wildtrout2]

No, none of them were aggressive, simply because I was lucky enough not to step on one. I'm pretty sure that if you DO step on one you're getting bitten. I'm usually alone and couple/few miles from my truck, so I try to be as safe as I can on my adventures. I appreciate your concern. :-D

 

[dryflyklesse]

Las I don't normally go to the trophy trout waters too many people and the access there is miserable other branches of the code

 

[Fredrick]

This thread reminded me that I need to buy new wet wadding shoes the soles ripped off of my old ones clamming at the beach last week . You can always find good deals at sierra trading post . I just bought these
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/teva-churn-shoes-amphibious-for-men~p~4958t/?filterString=s~water-shoes%2F&colorFamily=08

Once the water is warm enough I always wet wade I have yet to have a problem from wet wadding and I have wet wadded in some sketchy places

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick wrote:
This thread reminded me that I need to buy new wet wadding shoes the soles ripped off of my old ones clamming at the beach last week . You can always find good deals at sierra trading post . I just bought these
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/teva-churn-shoes-amphibious-for-men~p~4958t/?filterString=s~water-shoes%2F&colorFamily=08

Once the water is warm enough I always wet wade I have yet to have a problem from wet wadding and I have wet wadded in some sketchy places

......like the outflow of the Oaks treatment plant on the Skuke :-?