Got myself a new pair of waist-hi waders and wading boots today. Aqua-stealth soles. Cut a dashing figure if I do say so myself. I’ve been fishing in just hip-boots for a long time
since watching a friend almost drown many years ago in waders and a fast current on Kettle Creek in Pennsylvania. I participated in his rescue and the whole event scared the heII out of me; enough so that I tossed my waders and haven’t fished in a pair since. Hippers force me to stay in a sane depth of water.
I’m gettin too old to stay on my feet for 10 or 12 hours a day like I used to and like to sit on a wet stump or the stream bank once in awhile during the day so I indulged in a pair of waste-hi’s so I can sit down anywhere I want without gettin a wet arse.
Question is: Who owns a pair of these half-waders and what do they think of them?
I didn’t get them to go deeper. I only got them for the above stated reason. Oh, and I like the idea that my rain jacket goes down far enough to keep me entirely dry in a shower. What say you about them? I haven’t used them yet but plan to at the Roscoe fish-in.
Later, RW
“Maybe your stature as a fly fisherman isn’t determined by how big a trout you can catch, but by how small a trout you can catch without being disappointed.” <John Gierach>
I got a pair from Cabelas a couple seasons ago after wearing hip boots, and I really like them. They are light and comfortable, and keep my butt dry if I choose to sit down on a soggy log. They are bulkier than a regular pair of pants, but not much bulkier than a good pair of denim jeans, so they are fairly packable.
CJ
The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.
RW, I’m with you. I just can’t stay on my feet all day anymore. When I was young I could hunt from can to can’t. (can see in the morning till ya can’t see at night) but no more. Besides I’ll miss my afternoon nap.
HI RW
Let’s see if I have this right waist high waders (now you could go more places)aqua stealth soles (like having 4 wheele drive)also armed with a light and dark cahill (wet)of course. WOW I would hate to be a trout in the catskills!!!
I own a pair (Hodgeman) and really like them. Our rivers here are small and fairly shallow. If I’m in the water at all, I’m never more than knee deep. Bought them to keep my fanny dry when I want to sit - works very well. Added plus of being cooler. They are also very packable. (I do use waders when fishing bigger water)
I switched to waist highs about 4 years ago as I don’t like to wade deep. I’ve only had one instance when they held me back from water I wanted to fish. A situation where I needed to ford a deep spot in order to get further up the canyon, but couldn’t do it.
We’re on somewhat opposite tacks, though.
Last week I wore my new hippers for the first time to fish a small mountain stream that requires about a 2 mile hike in. Fitting more snugly on my legs, they made the hike easier than my breathables. I packed in a plastic lawn trash bag for times when I wanted to sit down.
Summers I’ve come to wade wet, wearing fast-drying nylon pants for protection from sun, insects and brush. So now I have all seasons covered.
Royal wulff,i am a owner of simms waist highs
that set me back around 3 gees i believe two or three years ago.Simms for some ungoddly reason quit making them?!I only use them from oct-march i then wet wade in exofficio
zipoff pants and simms wading socks with my choata wading shoes.I just never seemed to want chest highs for comfort and i can be in these things laced up and ready for the water in less than 3 minutes!
The ones I mentioned earlier are the Hodgemans, and like I said, I like them a lot. Have never been in a belly boat, so I can’t speak to that, but I have had the chance to finsh from a small pontoon/kick boat on a pond, and the waist highs worked fine there too. The streams around here aren’t all that deep, and I avoid the spots that are deeper.
CJ
The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.
I also have the Simms convertibles, and they work well, except the built-in gravel guards are way too tight and almost impossible to get off. Not so much of a problem getting them on, it’s taking them off that’s difficult.
Ditto on the Simms convertibles, (River Tek), and DOUBLE DITTO on the hard to get off. I personally think the fit is too snug in the entire calf area, especially when you have large calves like I do. The fit everywhere else is fine.
I almost never use the full wader since I just don’t like taking a chance in moving water just to catch a stupid fish. I really prefer hippers and skip even the waist highs except when I don’t want hippers full of water. Soon I’ll be wet wading and won’t bother with waders at all.
The only time I use full waders religiously is when float tubing.
Technically i have chest waders but i have yet to wear them as chest waders except for the day i bought them. They were designed to be worn as either chest or waist and i prefer them as waist.
It is a nice feeling especially for those of us with short legs to know that our pants arent getting wet if we sink a little too much into the mud.