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#11825021 - 09/12/16 03:22 PM
Wet Wading
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Pro Angler
Registered: 06/02/14
Posts: 557
Loc: Bosque County, Texas
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I guess I've fished just about every way there is to approach a fish at one time or another. From little tiny hand made boats I built myself and paddled around small ponds to big factory made boats out on the ocean. Small wooden docks on stock tanks to mile long pay-your-way piers on the beach. From the bank, kayak, canoe, inflatable, pontoon, and various kinds of tubes and rigs. I've waded cold water in waders.
My all time favorite way to approach fish is wet wading in warm water. I don't know why really, it's not the most convenient way to fish. You have to carry everything on you when you wet wade, or drag a floating platform around behind you, which I don't but my wife does. It's difficult to have cold drinks handy or snack foods. Most of the time the water is waist deep making casting that much more difficult, and less leverage to fight the fish. Unless you know your spot real well there's always the chance of stepping off into a hole, or off a ledge and going down deep. Snakes can get just right up in your face and not much you can do about it too. Hard to move fast when you're deep in the water and the footing is a bit slippery or rocky. And snakes do like the kinds of places I like to fish. If it ain't snaky it probably isn't going to be real productive fishing either.
But it is my hands down, no holds barred, second place is very distant at best, favorite way to fish. I'll do it bare legged when the water is cold, cool, luke, warm, or hot. I like cool the best but will take what I can get. I stop when the water gets cold enough to make my feet go numb. I stop there because experience has shown me that these warm water fish just sull up and won't hardly bite then - and if you can get one on they "just lay there" as you bring them in, no fight to them.
I love the feel of water, the closeness of it when I'm in it. The startled feeling I get when something unseen brushes my leg. The smell of the water when it's warm. The little puffs of silt that kick up with each step. I like feeling the rocks move around under my feet or the snap of gravel, noises I try to minimize but still like the feel.
I love bringing in a fish that is nearly at eye level to me, watching a good bass jump higher than my head because my head is just above the water itself. I like it when I release a fish and as it darts away it splashes water in my face. I like the way the released fish will often think my legs are protective cover and bump against them a few times before figuring it out and jetting off.
I like the sense of buoyancy my body fat provides, reducing the strain of gravity when I'm chest deep. I like the way the current helps me move when I'm going with it, and I like the resistance when I'm going against it.
I don't get those things from a boat or a bank or a dock or a pier. I get good things from those dry places, yes, but not the really good things I get from the wet places. Snakes and all, I'll take wet wading any day over any other approach to the fish.
Edited by Lloyd5 (09/12/16 03:24 PM)
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#11825128 - 09/12/16 04:21 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Outdoorsman
Registered: 09/21/14
Posts: 106
Loc: My Honey Hole
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I couldn't agree any more! Wet wading is by far my favorite way to fish too! Heck, I don't even have a pair of waders I wet wade so much! It's by far the most soothing in the summer. I've even wet waded the LMF River during Thanksgiving Break in late November I love wet wading so much!
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#11825920 - 09/13/16 04:20 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Pro Angler
Registered: 06/02/14
Posts: 557
Loc: Bosque County, Texas
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LMF during Thanksgiving would be a bit too cool for me - that's where I've worn the waders at.
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#11826461 - 09/13/16 10:27 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Outdoorsman
Registered: 05/08/16
Posts: 198
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It's only cold until your legs go numb.
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#11826495 - 09/13/16 10:53 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Pro Angler
Registered: 06/02/14
Posts: 557
Loc: Bosque County, Texas
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Just don't take a hot shower after your legs go numb. That can be a rather needling experience.
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#11826506 - 09/13/16 10:58 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Outdoorsman
Registered: 05/08/16
Posts: 198
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More usefully -- wet wading a trout stream on a summer day is the bees knees. Just enough to stay cool even on a hot day. I find the water here to be too warm for my liking -- was wading on Sunday and it felt like tepid bathtub. Which would have been OK if it wasn't also 90 out.
On the other hand, I've never owned waders, so what do I know?
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#11826583 - 09/13/16 11:32 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Pro Angler
Registered: 06/02/14
Posts: 557
Loc: Bosque County, Texas
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Lots of times in the summer I'll be up to my waist and sweating heavily above the water. A good hat helps a lot.
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#11827231 - 09/13/16 05:57 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Angler
Registered: 11/09/15
Posts: 477
Loc: Knee deep in the Guadalupe.
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Nice post! Wading is also my favorite way to fish, especially in moving water.
_________________________
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#11829093 - 09/14/16 05:06 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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TFF Team Angler
Registered: 12/20/10
Posts: 3615
Loc: mckinney, tx
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I hate waders, don't like putting them on, don't like the heat they produce. I don't fly fish much in winter months just because I don't like to put waders on. Wet wading trout streams is definitely my favorite.
_________________________
TCU class of 2019
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#11829113 - 09/14/16 05:23 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Mckinneycrappiecatcher]
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TFF Team Angler
Registered: 01/31/14
Posts: 3163
Loc: Fort Worth
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I hate waders, don't like putting them on, don't like the heat they produce. I don't fly fish much in winter months just because I don't like to put waders on. Wet wading trout streams is definitely my favorite. 
_________________________
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God
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#11829225 - 09/14/16 06:41 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Pro Angler
Registered: 07/13/11
Posts: 840
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Wet wading/fly fishing is my favorite as well. I prefer the simplicity. Just me, my waders, fly rod, small fly box. Chasing trout is the best but since that is strictly a winter time option around here I'll fish for whatever is in the river.
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#11842829 - 09/22/16 08:24 AM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Green Horn
Registered: 08/28/16
Posts: 3
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I with you on this one. My son and I have a twice a week appointment to the johnson branch unit on Lake Ray Roberts. We go to the point and wade all over the place. The first time we visited that lake most of the picnic tables were under water. We waded out to one that was submerged just under the table top and dropped all our gear there. Lots of bass, catfish and drum. having to go back to the bank to get drinks and stuff is a drag. I saw a guy online that built a floating barge out of a wake board. It look pretty simple to build. I take a cooler out with me and use one of my anchors from my Kayak. A kayak is also a nice floating bar. I've seem some stubby ones at walmart for 80 bucks.
Lloyd5, you are correct, its my favorite type of fishing. Seems to help support my back. It also keeps my son engaged with the fishing. He will get bored and just swim around for a while, but when i start catching, he grabs his rod and starts fishing. If we were on shore he would be pulling grass and asking me if he could go back to the truck. So its a Win, Win for me.
Brad
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#11843788 - 09/22/16 05:03 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Angler
Registered: 08/20/15
Posts: 298
Loc: Hillsnowhere in Central Texas
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I used to fish the trinity coming out of benbrook and always kept a pair of shorts in my truck so I could change as we closed down the shop at night. I've spent many hours wade fishing and do enjoy it. Now that I live in an are that has a lot more snakes and not a lot of running water I don't do it any more. After things get cool enough for the snakes to go to sleep I might just have to get in the water again. Thanks for reminding me of this pleasure. 
_________________________
I'm on other forums that deal with the old turbo powered Buicks.;)
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#11844036 - 09/22/16 07:14 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Pro Angler
Registered: 10/04/07
Posts: 598
Loc: Central Texas
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I really enjoy wet wading, too. Son gave me a sling pack for my birthday. Best thing to improve wading I have seen.
_________________________
Some people go to church and think about fishing. Some go fishing and think about God.
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#11845141 - 09/23/16 12:45 PM
Re: Wet Wading
[Re: Lloyd5]
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Angler
Registered: 02/28/13
Posts: 261
Loc: Lake Tawakoni
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Simpatioc. Every sentence of the article speaks to me. Snakes, rocks, cold, hot, etc. Some of my most memorable catches have come from wet wading the banks of Twok's Fish Point. The grandkids love it too. Now we are just waiting for the water to cool down enough for the fish to move up shallow and get in casting range.
_________________________
Holder of Texas State & Lake Fly Rod Records.
“Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." Attributed to Thomas Jefferson.
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius
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