One of the best ways to catch more trout is to wade the shallow flats of Port O’Connor. Capt. Robert Sloan specializes in wade fishing charters in West Matagorda and Espiritu Santo bays.
The unique thing about wading is that it’s a total escape from the real world. Once you get away from the boat you are on your own. It’s you, the water and the fish.
Veteran waders know from experience that gearing up for hours of comfort in the water is not as simple as you might think. The intriguing thing about wade fishing is that you are on your own, but to do it right requires some forward thinking and gearing up with the right stuff.
From about May through October most waders go wet. But there are some that wear waders year-round due to the presence of a flesh-eating virus call Vibrio Vulnificus.
With over 40 years of wading the Gulf coast behind me I’ve found that stocking foot waders are the best way to go. They are comfortable and when combined with a pair of wading boots can be worn all day. Lightweight chest waders are best. They can be worn up over the chest or rolled down and secured with a belt around your waist.
My favorite waders are made by Simms. They are compact, lightweight, and comfortable. Plus, they easily convert to waist highs. Good waders will easily cost over a hundred bucks and can jump up in the $300 to $600 range. One thing is certain about waders – you get what you pay for. Custom fitted waders like Simms are worth their weight in gold.
Wading boots vary in quality and comfort. When selecting a pair of wading boots remember that you’ll need to get them two to three sizes larger than your street shoes. That‘s because you’ll be wearing socks, plus you’ve got to factor in the thickness of the stocking feet on your waders.
Wearing snake boots while wade fishing might seem kind of wacky but believe it or not they actually function pretty well on the flats. You see, most snake proof boots are also stingray proof. Contending with rays is something we have to do year-round. That’s especially true from the middle to lower Gulf coast where the water is usually warmer than the upper coastal areas in Texas.
The most popular wading boots made are Ray Guards by Foreverlast. They offer full protection from the knee down. They might be a little bit pricey but they completely take the worry out of getting hit, enduring big time pain and heading to the ER.
Part of the wade fishing line of gear is the belt. Used to be we would strap on an everyday belt around our waist and head out. On the belt might be a knife, a pair of needle nose pliers and a stringer. Over the past couple of decades wading belts have improved 100 percent. They offer back support, a tackle box pouch, a rod holder, a stringer clip, tool pouch and a D-ring attachment point. Some of the belts allow accessories to be moved to different positions for easy customization. A belt with a back-support system improves comfort during long wades. My go-to wading belt is the G2 by Foreverlast. It comes with everything but the kitchen sink and has great back support.
It’s the accessories that make a belt worth its cost. You definitely need a secure stringer holder that can easily be removed for stringing fish. By the way the latest and greatest stringer is called a Fish Slick Original. The 12-footer is best. Fish go on and come off easily thanks to the plastic finish on the leader. A tool pouch for a pair of needle nose pliers is mandatory. I like a wading belt that allows you to move the tackle box compartment around for easy access.
One last thing you’ll need is a floating landing net. It will put a lot more fish on your stringer.
Remember, always buy the best wading gear you can afford. It’ll last for years and the comfort of quality is priceless.
Capt. Robert Sloan is now booking wading trips from May through October. For details call 409 782 6796 or go to sloan288@aol.com, also check out www.luckystrikeguide.com.
