Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
Question regarding Pontoons and waders: I was just wondering if most you guys ware waders and if so do you prefer the chest high or the waist high one. I’m looking to go with the breathable waders waist high waders but may go with chest high as the cost is the same. I just wanted to know from an experience what the general thought/preference was.
[url "http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=36975&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults"]http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=36975&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults[/url]
[url "http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/103700-02;jsessionid=06A55D54351FD016FB9D416C7B22D015"]http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/103700-02;jsessionid=06A55D54351FD016FB9D416C7B22D015[/url]
Also do you ware flippers or go with Wading shoes? If wading shoes what type of bottom do you use?
Thanks for the advice.
[signature]
Posts: 3,535
Threads: 1
Joined: Jul 2003
Reputation:
0
I use chest high waders simply because I also use them to wade rivers and streams to flyfish.
Definitely flippers. Trying to maneuver without flippers is much more difficult, and could be dangerous if it gets a little windy.
I use some soft 'water sock' type boat shoes over my waders and inside the fins, so that I can walk on the bank when getting in and out of the tube. There is a pic. somewhere on this board of my shoes. Check the pics section.
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Welcome aboard. Hope we can steer you in the right direction.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Since you did not specify where you will be fishing, for what species, during what times of year, it is tough to give a generalized answer. Some waders are better for cold water tubing or tooning in lakes, whereas others might be a better choice if you are running rivers and getting out to fish at times.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I also looked into the waist high waders but found them to be cut so that they do not fit well when you bend over...butt crack. In a pontoon you do not have to worry about shipping water over the tops, unless you get out to wade for whatever reason. But it is important for all day comfort, especially in colder weather. Stay with the chest waders. They will keep you dryer and you can always roll them down in hot weather.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am making a [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=199517;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]LINK TO PICTURE BOARD[/url] for you to go in and look at some of the pics of waders and footwear. I prefer to use soft neoprene booties with a hard sole for walking on rocks with my waders. I wear diving fins, with big soft pockets. If you wear wading shoes you need to get the strap on fins and they are generally not as efficient. Even with oars, you will appreciate having fins to help maintain position without having to keep working the oars.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Let's see what others might add and if that helps or just confuses you more.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 962
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2005
Reputation:
0
I fish stillwater only from an ODC 420 tube or Super Fat Cat tube. My toon is non-operational at the moment (hopelessly flat pontoons.) For tubing I like neoprene chest-highs in the winter and breathable chest-highs in the summer. As has been mentioned, you can always roll chest-highs down if it gets too warm but ya can't go the other way. I don't fish waters that are warm enough to fish wet so waders are a must for me.
My vote also goes to the neoprene booties with soft pouch diving fins as TD mentioned.
A good pair of soft polypropylene wading pants (or other wicking type material) is a good thing to have underneath your waders. Thicker ones in winter, thinner ones in summer. Hodgman, among other companies, makes a decent set of wading undergarments that are very worthwhile. They keep the sweat away from your skin when you're warm from walking or kicking.
z~
[signature]
Posts: 19,235
Threads: 2
Joined: Nov 2005
Reputation:
1
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black]In my pontoon, I generally wear hip waders, but if I were just getting started and money must be spent wisely, I would recommend chest high breathables.[/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black]Reason, most of them will fold down to waist high. Weather can change quickly, and with rain and waves you do get wet even in a pontoon. As mentioned good for rivers. Plus breathables are great for summer and winter (with proper layering). I wear mine year round.[cool][/black][/font]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
Thanx to all for the advice I had pretty much decided on going with the chest waders for all around versatility and I do have a pair that I've been using for tubing I just wanted to know if I could get way from them with the pontoon.
As to area I fish in Northern California (Bay Area) so it rarely gets that cold here. And I primarily fish for bass.
Thank you for the welcome
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]I used to live in Sacramento and fished all of northern California. With the exception of the high mountain lakes, early or late in the year, you should be able to do well with the lightweight waders, neoprene boots and a good set of fins.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]By the way, have you checked out any of the Northern Cal bass fishing tubing clubs...like BassNTubes?[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
I've looked over the other forums but they don't seem to be as active as this one.
Sounds like you get around, were you in the Air Force? I grew up in Rancho Cordova so I know the area well.
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Not in the military. Business in advertising and consulting has had me living, working and fishing all over the country. I have now moved back to Utah (family, friends, fishing) for my final major move.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I lived in Sacramento for about 5 years, near Watt and Hwy 50...right next to Rancho Cordova. I lived right over the levee from the American River and spent a lot of time fishing for steelhead, salmon, stripers and shad in the American and on the Sacramento. Fished all the lakes along the Sierras and up and down central Cal too. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]We're glad to have you aboard. Feel free to pop in whenever you like and we are glad to address any of your questions. As you have probably discovered, we have a pretty good group here and represent a lot of combined experience...and a lot of enthusiasm.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Have you spent any time up on Clear Lake?[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
I have not spent time at Clear Lake but plan to soon.
I noticed from your pictures that you are not so keen on the Hodman Wadelites are they that bad I was going to order a pair of [url "http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/82600-02"]lakestream lites[/url] because the price was right $70 w/ no shipping charge from Bob Wards. I have a pair of neoprene waders now and it has a few leaks so I thought it was time to upgrade to the Breathable waders as it rarely gets below 50 degrees here.
Does anyone know anything about the [url "http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/800452-02"]Dan Baily Bare Bones[/url]?
Other than that I've heard good things about the [url "http://www.bobwards.com/bobwards/servlet/item/features/800452-02"]Bass Pro White River Dogwood Canyon's[/url]
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]The Hodgman neoprenes are decent waders and worth the money. The wadelites are junk. Many of them leak right out of the box and most develop pinhole leaks all over the lower part very quickly. The two way "breathable" material does not hold up well.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Not familiar with the Dan Bailey waders but I would suspect that they would not put their name on inferior waders. In that price range you have a lot of choices.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Any recommendations in that price range for Breathable waders?[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Also the postings with all the pictures are really helpful and are much appreciated.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Thanks for taking the time to answer all the questions, this time I want to do things right. Number one rule for me at this point is not to buy used waders [  ][/size][/font]
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Back in May, I posted a report on some Columbia waders I got for under $100. I have used these quite a bit and they are still like new and no leaks.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=260319;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"]LINK TO THREAD[/url][/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
Would that be the Steelhead Breathable Wader? The best price I could find on that is $130. + shipping
[signature]
Posts: 19,235
Threads: 2
Joined: Nov 2005
Reputation:
1
Not familiar with Columbia Waders (everything else they make is awesome) but in my opinion, you won't find a decent pair of breathables for under $100. Dan Bailey's, Patagonia, L.L. Bean & Cabela's all sell really nice breathables for s good price.
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]They have been bringing out a series of new products. Not sure how close the Steelhead is to what I got. I haven't seen any others in Sportsmans since I got mine. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As has been suggested, any of the waders you buy over $100 should be good enough for the money. It will be up to you to do your due diligence and then make a decision and stick with it.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]All any of us can provide is our own personal opinions, and those are usually pretty subjective. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Good luck in your search.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
Thanx again
found this post -
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/Float_Tube_Fishing_C66/Float_Tubing_General_F81/Question_about_Pontoons_and_waders_P276999/gforum.cgi?post=195691;search_string=waders;t=search_engine#195691"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/forum/Float_Tube_Fishing_C66/Float_Tubing_General_F81/Question_about_Pontoons_and_waders_P276999/gforum.cgi?post=195691;search_string=waders;t=search_engine#195691[/url][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]and looked on Field and Streams site and found this article - [url "http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/gearingup/article/0,13199,1057759,00.html"]http://www.fieldandstream.com/fieldstream/gearingup/article/0,13199,1057759,00.html[/url][/size][/font]
[signature]
Posts: 962
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2005
Reputation:
0
Something else to add to the mix is that products continue to improve, making this year's opinions and assements perhaps obsolete from last. With the kind of competition there is out there between the companies we should expect technology that is high end today to come down in price and be adopted by lower end companies as the higher end ones find new ways to do things.
I remember the first few sub-$1000 computers. Everyone thought they had died and gone to heaven. Now you can buy much more machine for half that. The same is true with graphite rods. Today's breakthrough in technology becomes tomorrow's low end rod. It's the way of the free market. As a result, it may well be possible, now or in the near future, to buy a quality set of breathables for considerably less than $100 and actually stay dry in the things for more than a year. (That has never happened to me, mind you.)
I think TD indicated that a guy from Simms moved to Columbia. If that guy is designing waders for Columbia you can expect them to improve with the influence. I'll be checking out those waders the first time I have a chance to do so in person.
z~
[signature]
Posts: 35
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2006
Reputation:
0
I thank you for all the advice, you make some valid points and I think I have decided on [url "http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=c0039890830759&navCount=0&podId=0039890830759&parentId=cat601848&navAction=push&catalogCode=6IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat601848&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=cabela's%20waders&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true"]The Cabela's Dry Plus[/url]. They say their guarantee is unmatched w/ a 100% satisfaction. Does any one have experience with that.
[signature]
Posts: 35,760
Threads: 262
Joined: Sep 2002
Reputation:
49
[cool][#0000ff]Cabelas DOES stand behind their merchandise. If you return it, according to their instructions and policy, you will get credit or refund quickly. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have also heard a couple of good reviews of the Dry Plus waders.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
|
