Everyone here has been so helpful with my newbie questions so far. I hope you?ll have patience for another one! (and more coming, I?m sure?)

As September puts a little chill in the air here in Connecticut, I?m thinking of buying some waders. Standing up to my sensitive bits in Long Island Sound the other evening as the sun and temperature dropped got me a little more serious about this.

Here?s my dilemma. I fish about 50% salt water from a beach or sand bar and 50% streams and rivers. The local shop recommends buying boot foot waders because of the sand and gravel on the beaches here. He says it gets into your boots and will destroy your waders. However, rubber boots aren?t going to be very good for streams and rivers with slippery rocks, which is where I do about half of my fishing.

I?m willing to spend the money for a quality setup that will last for years, but buying one setup for fresh and one for salt is ridiculous. As I see it, my options are to 1) go with boot foot and put some kind of traction over the top, or 2) go with stocking foot and boots (I like the idea of Korkers interchangeable soles) and then figure out how to protect the stocking foot from all the sand and gravel.

How do the rest of you deal with this?

Thanks in advance!

MuddlerMinnow aka Charlie