Wet Wading Basics: How to Ditch Your Waders With Confidence

One of the best parts of summer fly fishing is being able to leave your waders at home. Walking through a trout stream unencumbered by chest waders is a game-changer – you realize that you’re not horribly uncoordinated and inflexible, you’ve just been wearing waders. When the air and water temperature rise this summer, break out the wading boots and socks for ultimate trout fishing freedom. Here’s what you’ll need.

Wading Boots

Some people swear by fishing in sandals, but I’ve kicked too many rocks and logs to test it. Yes, wading boots can be a bit heavy – in my book, it’s a small sacrifice for no broken toes and some ankle support.

Wading Socks

Gravel guards, wading socks—whatever you call them—are a must. They keep rocks and dirt out of your boots and are typically the same thickness as the built-in socks on your waders, so there's no need to worry about extra wiggle room in the boots. Throw on a pair of wool socks underneath, and say goodbye to blisters.

Shorts

Just because you’re without waders doesn’t mean you should be limited by water depth. Wear shorts (and a shirt) that will dry quickly, and you can wade out as far as your heart desires. I’ve seen some people wear quick-dry pants, but they stick to the legs a bit too much for comfort.

Fishing Pack

When you lose the waders, you also lose a few pockets, so some reshuffling of your pack may be in order. Thankfully, most packs on the market today have plenty of accessible pockets. Just make sure to transfer everything from the waders before heading out – it sucks to get to the water and realize you’ve got no nippers.

A Safe Spot for the Cell Phone

I’ve water-damaged more than my share of cell phones, and it almost always happens when I’m wet wading. It may sound silly, but make sure your cell phone isn’t in your shorts pocket before you wade too deep. There’s no shortage of waterproof pockets on most fishing packs, but they don’t help if you don’t use them.

When to Wet Wade

Some people wait until the air temperature breaks 80, while others lose the waders on the first day above 60. There’s no hard and fast rule – with time, you’ll develop a sense of what’s comfortable. I typically wait until I see someone else wet wading before making the switch myself; that way, there’s someone else to blame if I get cold.