Ok guys, I'm hoping not to start and argument here but I do want to get more opinions on wading. I fish the mid coast area from port Lavaca thru port oconnor and seadrift pretty much every weekend I can get away. I'm not by any means the greatest fisherman to run the bay system but I do OK. I'm trying to get more opinions/facts about wading. I personally don't wade. I could go on with the same old " I bought the boat so I'm not getting out of it" blah blah blah but that's not what this is about. Although I do somewhat feel that way. What are the reasons for getting out and wading? I've heard several reasons but I'm curious if I can discover more. Is it a more productive way of fishing? Do you catch more fish? Catch bigger fish? Simply just enjoy wading as more of a sport?

I don't have any problems with it, I just choose not to because it don't really enjoy it, but am I really missing something by not wading? If so what am I missing. Sometimes I feel it's just a person's personal preference on how they like to fish. Personally I love trout fishing. It's my favorite thing to do, however I only REALLY enjoy it with a popping cork rig. I've caught trout working lures, freelining shrimp or croaker, etc. but nothing makes me happier than catching trout (big or small) under a popping cork with a gulp under it. There's just something about the visual of it disappearing, setting the hook and hoping it feels really heavy! Is this part of the reason some choose to wade? or is it really so much better of a technique that you catch more or bigger fish?

I've seen this conversation turn into an immature argument quickly on the water and at the bait camps so please let's keep it professional.

I don't think most of us would get out of the boat if it was as successful as wadefishing. I use my boat, and my kayaks to get to wadefishing spots. You miss seeing and hooking up with a lot more fish by staying in the boat, particularly throwing artificials. I've not had much success throwing a topwater out of a boat. You also miss that heart pounding excitement that comes with seeing a big Stingray at your feet

Or a big Bullshark.....

We drift areas, we wade spots.

It's good to include both, a lot of times i'll pull a quick drift where i think fish are, If I get a strike or catch a fish and the sign is right, I'll move back in position to set up a wade. With drifting you sometimes cover too much water (sometimes that is good when hunting down redfish sightcasting), but you can quickly blow thru a school of trout by only stayin in the boat, and I've seen anchoring scare fish from the boat slap).

Two quick hits will have me stabbing the scooter off to start a wade. Best way to find those little spots that hold the schools of trout.

Dead on Brotha!

I used to be opposed to wading, friends and I would haul @ss to Baffin on a really nice boat, get there and hop off, seemed dumb. But when I would fish from the boat(drift, ppole down, drift ppole down) I quickly got tired of not catching fish while everybody else would come back to the boat with stringers of fish, I finally got off the boat and will never fish from a boat in wadable water again...just my experience

On a side note has anyone been stabbed by a stingray with ray guards on? Did they work?

Seen a few ray stabbings, never seen one beat ray guards.

i like to drift but may have to try wading this fall but need to get some ray protection for sure!

The stingray shuffle is your best protection

also why wait till fall it's not near as hot out there when you are waist deep or deeper

I've talked local waders and they tell me the stingrays are getting brave around the popular areas. Having seen what a ray can do I'll take all the help I can get. Do the reef ray guard wading boots protect against oyster beds?