Greg Schwipps - Fishing For Dummies

Some wading shoes, like those made by Korker, feature interchangeable soles. You can also buy strap-on cleats that fit over your existing soles. These let you switch quickly from felt to cleats to match the conditions. Metal cleats are helpful when climbing on slippery jetty rocks.

Waders are often made of the following three materials, and vary in durability and comfort:

Neoprene: The material used in wet suits, neoprene works well if you are fishing in cold waters. Walking around in neoprene waders on a hot day, you’ll feel like a baked potato in a microwave oven. Neoprene punctures, like rubber ones, can be resealed. Neoprene waders keep you warm in water below 60 degrees F.

Rubber and nylon: The least expensive of the bunch, rubber waders are basically rubber boots that “go all the way up.” Most feature reinforced knee patches and factory-sealed seams. They can last a long time if cared for.

Breathables: Made of Gore-Tex and other fancy materials, breathable waders are the most expensive, but they’re ultra-comfortable. The breathable membranes of these waders allow you to stay cooler in warmer months.

Here's some advice from Peter: When I was a kid, we always had a laugh at the “old guys” who wore belts and suspenders. I still think it’s kind of overkill for streetwear, but with most waders it’s a must. You wear suspenders to hold up your waders, and the belt keeps water from rushing in if you get a dunking. This is a serious safety precaution. You can drown if your waders fill up.

From coauthor Peter:

I have one mounted fish on my wall. He’s a 6¾-pound brook trout. I caught him on a stream in Labrador in early August. When I hooked him, I worked my way over to the side of the stream to continue the fight where I had a chance of winning. This required me to fanny walk across a number of midstream boulders. As luck would have it, one of those boulders had a sharp edge that tore a five-inch gash in my flyweight waders.

When I had calmed down from the excitement of my gorgeous brookie, reality set in. When you’re in the middle of Labrador and the nearest store is more than 100 miles away, you can’t just hop in the truck and get a wader repair kit at the nearest tackle shop. I did have a roll of duct tape in my duffel bag. I ripped off a piece and ran it alongside the gash in my waders. I got another two full seasons out of them, and in the end, it was the seams and not my patch that gave out. Always carry a roll of duct tape.

Vests are such a common sight on streams that it’s hard to imagine wading and fishing without them. Yet until Lee Wulff had the bright idea of sewing some blue jeans pockets onto a denim vest more than 80 years ago, there were no fishing vests. You can buy vests with a gazillion pockets and you can stuff every one of those pockets. And you can also make sure that you have every possible gizmo hanging off the little snaps and rings that many vests have. I know that some of you will because fishing, like every other pastime, has its share of gear freaks (like me). However, I recommend that you take as little as possible in your vest. When wading, it’s advisable to travel light.

Here are the five features to look for in a vest:

Two large outer pockets suitable for holding a box of lures or flies: The pockets should open and fasten from the top. If your vest has pockets that open on the side, you’ll forget to zip up one day and eventually you will lose a box of expensive flies or lures.

Four inner pockets: These are smaller, and it’s okay if they only have Velcro and no zippers. You may put a box of split shot in one pocket, tippet or leader material in another, and bug repellent in another.

Four small outer pockets: One should have a zipper for an extra car key. The rest are for a small box to carry flies, floatant, and this and that.

A metal ring: You can tie your clippers onto this. They do make retractable pin-on gadgets that are designed as clipper holders, but I’ve had bad luck with those gadgets breaking. Save old fly line for these kinds of jobs instead. Tie your clippers on with them. Fly line is also a free alternative to Croakers for holding your sunglasses when you want to keep them handy.

Outside back pouch: Put your rain jacket in here, or maybe your lunch, water bottle, extra reel, and so on.

Now that you have a vest, here are ten things you should always carry in it:

Sunscreen: Use it for all daytime fishing.

Insect repellent: For obvious reasons.

Clippers: For cutting leader and trimming knots, clippers are preferable to teeth because clippers don’t need to go to the dentist.

Thermometer: Many tackle shops sell inexpensive thermometers designed to withstand being tossed about in vests and tackle boxes. With a thermometer, you can tell what species of fish may be most actively feeding.

A plastic garbage bag: You may not keep fish as a rule, but every so often you will want to, and who needs a vest full of fish slime? You don’t need a lawn-size Hefty bag; a wastebasket liner is more like it.

Forceps: They help remove hooks more easily. This is good for the catch-and-release angler who wants to get the fish back in the water in a hurry. And it’s always good for dealing with fish with sharp teeth.

Rain jacket: It doesn’t take up much room and it makes a big difference, especially when it rains!

Spare car key: Everybody loses the car key sometimes. It’s a bummer if this happens when it’s dark and cold by the side of a trout stream 20 miles from home. If you have a key with electronics, keep it in an airtight plastic bag.

Flashlight/headlamp: LED flashlights can be both small and amazingly bright. Headlamps can also be small and bright, and they allow you to keep two hands free for knot tying, removing hooks, and so forth. And at the end of the day, on the way to the car, you can see where you are going.

First aid kit: It’s easy to find a compact first aid kit. Buy one and keep it in your vest at all times. If you’re allergic to bee stings or other insects’ bites, make sure you have something to treat severe allergic reactions.

One last thing: If your cellphone isn't waterproof, carry it in something waterproof. It doesn't have to be fancy; a ziplock sandwich bag will do.

Okay, maybe it seems like I'm loading you down with gear here. Admittedly, to be totally prepared for everything that can happen while fishing, you’d have to carry a truckload of stuff. You can’t, and you shouldn’t have to. Do this: Have what you need available, and bring the gear that a particular trip calls for, as well as you can predict. With experience, this process of choosing what to bring gets easier.

Bringing stuff also gets easier if you have the right tools to carry it. A good fishing vest is one such tool (check out the previous section). A tackle carrier is another vital tool. Of course, an angler who shows up at the lake with his vest, foul-weather bag, and tackle carrier but no rod and reel looks like a ding-dong.

Everything you need to know about choosing a good rod and reel is covered in Chapter 7. You can choose a setup that best matches the kind of fishing you do. Most beginners start with a medium-length rod, between five and six feet long, and either a spinning or spincast reel. That’s a light outfit, with a relatively short rod, that transports well and carries easily.