Hike-In Fishing Question

[Shane Cavitt]

Last summer I got a brief taste of some small stream hike-in fishing while in Colorado. I really enjoyed getting away from the crowds and I plan on doing more of it this year. Right now I only plan to do day hikes (in & out) and won't be camping overnight. For those of you that do this type of fishing are you hiking in boots and bringing along an extra pair of shoes like sandals to fish in? Are you hiking in your wading boots? Hiking and fishing in the same pair of shoes? I am considering a pair of something like the Keen H2 sandals for hiking in and fishing in. I would appreciate others sharing what system they use.

[flyguy66]

Korkers! Trail sole for the hike. Swap to whichever water sole I want for wading.

[oldfrat]

My favorite kind of fishing! Most of my small stream fishing is done within 2 miles of my vehicle, though, so my "system" is based on short hikes.

If the weather/water is still pretty cool I hike in with hip boots and my wading boots. In warm weather, I wear nylon pants for wet wading and either hike in with my wading boots or an old pair of tennis shoes. If you go the wet wading route, wear synthetic or wool socks that don't get heavy with water and consider packing in a dry pair for the hike out.

[Dave E]

So many scenarios and ways to go. For me in the Sierras and Motherlode it's largely dependant on distance, weather, season and the waters I'm going to fish. I wear everything from a hiking shoe to wearing a pair of wading boots. Sometimes I'm wearing in a fanny pack, others I'm carrying a medium to small sized back pack with the wading boots ( in a trash bag - to hold the wet boots, etc. on the way out. ), fanny pack, dry socks, towel, underwear & top, bear line, etc..

If it's a shorter distance then I may opt to wear my waders in, for longer hikes I'll go with a pair of fast drying zip off leg fishing pants ( Aruba III's are my current favorites ) over a pair of under wader shorts ( they look like bike shorts - fast drying ) that I wet wade in. Again, the conditions are the key.

Generally speaking, if it's less than two miles in, I'll most often wear my wading boots and waders. Beyond that distance if I can, I'll opt for zip off leg fishing pants with a pair of capilene socks under neoprene socks. ( To take up the extra room left in the boot, when not wearing waders with neoprene feet ), or just go with a hiking shoe and change when I get there. Then put the pack up on the bear line.

Then there are those Mountain Bike in days ...usually looking at areas five to twenty miles each way.

Best, Dave

[Fishing Jill]

That's a great question and I'm looking forward to the replies.
I may hike as much as 2-3 miles in one given direction during a fishing excursion in the Sierras. I only use hiking boots at this point in time and have wondered the same thing about what to wear. I used to have some wading boots that did me fine up and down the trail. They plumb wore out. Now I avoid getting my boots wet and if I do, then it's a long hike back with squeaking boots. Too many bushes, rocks, logs, etc. keep me from changing from my sturdy hiking boots. My fishing spots involve a great deal of hiking and I don't want to carry gear. It is a puzzle.

[JimBob]

This is also my favorite type of fishing. I normally hike several miles in and usually end up doing several miles of stream fishing. I generally fish small creeks and therefore do not do much wading; only stream crossings, and minor wet wading, so as to maintain stealth. I just wear my Goretex waterproofed hiking boots and bring extra wool sox in my pack to change into for the hike back up the trail. Zip-off hiking pants are great too in Summer. I have one of those anglers backpacks (Cabela's) which is perfect for me. I carry all necessities, light fishing gear, packable rain gear, lunch, snacks, maps, etc. in it. My 5-piece pack fly rod fits in a tube which straps right to the pack. I carry a folding wading staff which I use as a hiking staff.
I have often wondered how light (and small) packable waders and/or hip boots are. Guess I should look at them next time at a flyshop.....

The best part is that even if the fishing isn't very good, at least you have been hiking.

[JohnScott]

Last summer I got a brief taste of some small stream hike-in fishing while in Colorado. I really enjoyed getting away from the crowds and I plan on doing more of it this year. Right now I only plan to do day hikes (in & out) and won't be camping overnight. For those of you that do this type of fishing are you hiking in boots and bringing along an extra pair of shoes like sandals to fish in? Are you hiking in your wading boots? Hiking and fishing in the same pair of shoes? I am considering a pair of something like the Keen H2 sandals for hiking in and fishing in. I would appreciate others sharing what system they use.

.... which the above posts already reflect.

Probably the first question is how well you tolerate cold, both as in weather and in water. One poster above indicated he has a very low tolerance. I have a very high tolerance. What works for him would be a burden to me, and what works for me would be totally unacceptable to him. So you have to figure out where you fit on the scale before you make any decisions.

Other variables include how good is the trail in, or are you going to be on a route and having to do a lot of bushwacking ?? Wading boots and waders are fine for nice trails and short hikes. Sandals don't do so well on routes and while bushwacking.

Also, what kind of wading will be involved ?? On a nice sandy stream bottom or on the proverbial bowling balls ?? Will there be lots of jagged subsurface rocks that you need to protect against ??

I think you have to let the conditions dictate the equipment, like most everything else in fly fishing. And what works for me with a high tolerance for cold may not be at all suitable for you.

If I were going to peg one realistic approach to most situations, I often wear hiking shoes with socks that wick away moisture, both for hiking in and out and wading. Before you start out, give the shoes a little time to lose the water they want to carry, and wring the socks out best you can. If they are good quality socks and wick the moisture away readily, it won't be long before you feel like your feet are dry and warm even if the shoes are still wet.

One word of caution about sandals that are "closed", like the Simms and Keen sandals. When you get stuff in them whether hiking or wading, it can be very difficult to get that stuff out. Not pleasant. Open sandals like Tevas can be worn loosely and when something gets in, a simple shake of the foot will let it get out. And wearing socks with sandals of any kind can cause more problems than you want. They help contain the irritating little pebbles and grit that you want to get out of there.

The only issue I see with Tevas is security while in the water, especially when there is any serious muck in the system. Velcro closures just make me a bit uncomfortable. I haven't lost a Teva yet while hiking or wading, but I have been in situations where I thought I might, and it could have been a serious problem. The point being, it's good to take along lightweight backup footwear just in case. If the sandals are sized properly, the odds of injuring your foot while hiking or wading are very slim.

John

[markgraumlich]

sorry, I have not read all the responses. I guess I would suggest trying to figure out if you are going to wade or not. I would think a minimum would be bring a pair of sandals. The one thing to realize is that some of the water out here is colder than heck even during the summer. I know guys who claim to only wet wade during the summer, but it depends on your tolerance, and where you go. I know of places that are in the 40's during the summer. Which is damn cold, especially if it clouds up and storms (good chance that will happen).

Some places the rocks are really slippery with tennis shoes, or regular sandals, some not. At least if you pack a pair of sandals, and mabe some extra socks to protect your feet, you can at least try and get in the water. There are places where that is a huge advantage, some lakes you can't cover much territory unless you do.

I tried to hike in with my hiking boots, then wade in them. But it destroyed the boots (not surprisingly).

[branhap]

Most of my hike in spots are 1 to 2 miles. One such location is off trail though, so I'm not a fan of hiking in with my waders there, thick coverage, etc. Most of the time for those distances, I just wear my waders and wading boots.

There are a few new spots I want to try this year that may involve me hiking in with my waders in a back pack.

[PaulRitten]

I generally hike in to fish and have tried just about every shoe known to man-kind. I really wanted to like the sandals as well as the Orvis Wading Shoes, but have found that all compromise footwear are just that - compromises. Have settled on hiking in hiking shoes and packing in Dan Bailey hippers in the backpack - even when staying out for several nights. I actually can't imagine trying to hike in wading boots - heavier than hiking shoes/boots and with a tread optimized for the stream.

A lot of the streams I fish are at pretty high elevations (RMNP and the surrounding area) and are fed with melting snow even into the late summer so are pretty chilly for wet wading. Have had friends that didn't want to pack waders so they fished from the banks, but it always seems like there is a spot you'd love to fish from, but it requires wading.

There's also something pretty nice about keeping your pants dry - even the quick-drying types are pretty miserable to hike in when the wind is blowing. Really, how much does a pair of lightweight waders weigh?

Paul