I have left the waders home the last few times out and have really enjoyed it. it helps to have some comfortable footwear, I use my wading boots and simms wading socks. The northern michigan straems are not that cold this time of year and the water feels great on a hot day. anyone else prefer to get wet?
I’m in Mi as well and I wet wade the Au Sable all the time from about late May till mid September. Nothing better on a hot 95 degree day like today than just sliding on some socks and the wading boots with a pair of shorts and walking out into the river.
Steve
I leave the waders home from the beginning of April until the end of October.
While I avoid shorts because of poison ivy, nettle and other stuff; I do wear a pair of long microfiber pants, my regular wading shoes and the Simms Guard Socks.
I HATE waders!
I usually do. Last week I was in Wyoming though, and the water temps were still very cold, so I wore them… I’ll wet wade in cold weather and water, but when both are in the 30’s it’s a little too much.
Rarely do I. This weekend it was 90+ degrees every day. I was in my waders in a tail water and had to get out for a while because I was chilled. What a wonderful feeling. Wet was not needed. The direct cold can become difficult on one’s old tired joints.
jed
It depends on the water. If its easy wading and hot out, i might go barefoot with just shorts and a shirt. I have a pair of waders but i have never used them. i dont own wading boots, but I should probably invest in a pair. Where I live most of the fishing is done from shore or from a boat. I like fishing barefoot though, it makes me feel close to nature. I like having the bare essentials and still catch fish, although the looks I get from the guys all decked out.
David
Been wet wading the last week or so, now that the temps have gotten up. Just use a couple of pair of socks to make up the room in waing boots. Quick and easy. Water still cold, but doesn’t tale long to get used to it.
I enjoy wet wading during the summer months as well. I use my regular wading boots with neoprene boots that I cut off from an old pair of waders.
As others have noted, I like to wear long pants for protection while bushwhacking through nettles, raspberry vines and such. However, the usual light weight nylon fishing pants don’t offer much protection, especially when they are wet. Anyone know of a good wading pant solution that is quick drying, but sturdy enough for bushwhacking?
As others have noted, I like to wear long pants for protection while bushwhacking through nettles, raspberry vines and such. However, the usual light weight nylon fishing pants don’t offer much protection, especially when they are wet. Anyone know of a good wading pant solution that is quick drying, but sturdy enough for bushwhacking?
How about some waist high breathable waders? That’s what I use when I wear waders (hate chest waders). I got my waist high breathables from cabelas for about $89
Steve
Whenever temps make it feasable. I prefer it over waders.
Wet wade the Main Branch (Au Sable) and hippers on the North. Don’t have to bushwhack to either. Now the Manistee I’ve had to bushwhack a few times, usually at night with no moon and forgot my big light. (had a clip-on hat light) That was a different kind of fun.
Not recently, but I have wet waded the Bitterroot in summer, wading boots with socks and lightweight flats-type pants. I use to fish the main stream of the Au Sable the same way. I’ve always wondered if flats booties would work - anyone try them?
Bamboozle, Whats nettle? I’m wondering beause a few years back the bro in-law and I were fishing the Susquhanna right were the Penns enters it, In fact we crossed the Penns entering… We got into what his doctor told him, Was some kind of bacterial infection…He got the worst of it… Well My sister did atually through…ummm… Association shall we say… Upon getting home I thought the itching was from poison, So I tossed a cup of clorox in the bath water!. Nipped it in the bud with almost no discomfort! I still wade in shorts in cooler waters. Buy if I’m hitting water that resembles bath water temps…some sort of lightweight pants tucked into the socks/boots is a good idea!
Bill:
Nettle or stinging nettle is a nasty little plant that has really fine needles on the leaves that inject substances in your skin that give a stinging or burning sensation. It feels like your skin is on fire when you come in contact with it and it leaves a rash.
Even though I wear long Supplex nylon pants when wet wading, it doesn’t keep the nettle from stinging you but it’s DEFINITELY better than shorts! I once had to walk though 200 yards of the stuff to get to a wadable section of the Brandywine Creek and I thought I was going to burst into flames. Getting into the water helped sooth my pain literally & figuratively.!
johnstoeckel…these pants are are nylon and very tough and fairly quick drying http://www.lapolicegear.com/5tanypa.html
GM
Once the water gets warm enough for it, I love to wet-wade. In fact, if I do go that route, my whole approach to the fishing changes. I go from waders, full vest, etc. To a t-shirt, shorts, one fly box, one spool of tippet, floatant, hemos, and nippers. On my feet I also go minimalist, donning my Vibrams and “barefooting” the streams. 
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_KSO_m.cfm
It doesn’t take much cold to getting my old joints aching nowadays. To many rough parachute landings I guess. I usually wear waders with fleece pants under them, even in summer. Though wading glacier fed streams does get real chilly even during a heat wave.
REE
Did it for the first time in years last season. Felt great, but sure enough, somewhere along the line my left leg got into some kind of poisonous plant. Terrible itching, then scabbing, and now scarring. Never had anything like it before.
Thankfully, my daughter didn’t get in it. Had she, I never would have heard then end of it from her mom and stepmother.
Ah yes, the poison ivy. I get it pretty easily. Every time I use the weed-whacker, some times that I just mow the lawn, even once (on my legs) while wearing waders (explain that one!). I’ve had poison ivy in mid-February with 8" of snow on the ground, got it during a week of vacation at the beach, with no poison ivy in sight, and even on a ski trip. I get it so easily that I’ve pretty much given up on trying to avoid it, and just kind of accept it as a necessary evil of having fun in the outdoors. A new spot of it showed up on my right forearm a few days ago…the 4th or 5th case of it this summer. Oh well. Stinging nettle is some nasty stuff too. If I’m bare-legged, I will reroute my path to the stream to avoid a thick patch.
Bamboozle & others: if you run afoul of stinging nettle, look around for some jewelweed. Crush up the stems of the plant and rub it on the affected area. It will temporarily help relieve the pain, itch, and burn of nettle…usually long enough for you to get in the water.
with the tempature over 90 for the last 4 days, I went to our beach yesterday and proceded to catch a few bass while soaking at waist level. problem is the water is very warm and feels more like bath water.
-Jeff