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Wet wading is becoming more and more popular even far away from the tropics. Because it is not only an extremely pleasant way to fish in the warm summer months, by wading deeper or even crossing the river, you also have completely new possibilities and areas open to you to fish your waters.
Already practiced for a long time on the flats of the tropical islands as well as on the rivers in New Zealand, wet wading is also inspiring more and more fly fishers in Europe. This is not only due to the increasingly hot summers, but also because it is simply more pleasant than standing on the bank in waders at 25 degrees and more. Modern, breathable waders are already an asset in the world of fishing, but even in these pants you quickly get warm when the temperatures rise and you are also actively moving. The human organism strives to keep its temperature constant at around 37 degrees Celsius so that vital metabolic processes can take place continuously. At very high temperatures or prolonged heat, however, this natural temperature regulation no longer works and symptoms such as headaches, nausea or even heat stroke can quickly occur. Wet wading not only makes fishing at the stream or lake in summer as pleasant as possible, it also protects our body and offers us completely new possibilities to fish the water. With waders, at some point between the hip and the arm, the time has come when deeper wading is no longer possible and there is a risk of flooding the pants. With so-called wet wading without waders you don´t have this problem and there is no limit to the maximum wading depth. What you should still pay attention to and which important accessories make wet wading much easier, we explain to you with our Top 10 for wet wading.
The right clothing from head to toe and wet wading becomes an unforgettable experience even at home waters. The lightweight fabrics used in wet wading are not only comfortable to wear, they also offer a lot of freedom of movement.
1) Pants for wet wading
In wet wading, the waders are replaced by lightweight, quick-drying pants. Here we distinguish between two types of pants, the short and the long pants. The choice of the right one depends on the water we want to fish. For example, short pants provide maximum comfort and good ventilation. However, they should be chosen only on freely accessible waters, where nettles or other bushes do not block the way. Long pants, on the other hand, are the ideal companion for heavily overgrown riparian vegetation, as well as when there are numerous occurrences of insects. Another option is to wear thin functional underpants in combination with shorts. Which type you choose depends on the body of water. However, it is important for all pants that they offer sufficient freedom of movement, are comfortable to wear and do not chafe, as well as being quick drying.
2) Socks for wet wading
The right socks for wet wading are a very important factor, because not only that our wading shoes without socks are usually much too large, wearing a wading shoe without a sock is more than uncomfortable and can lead to injury. Wet wading socks are available in both quick drying, water repellent yarn and neoprene. Which of these socks is used is purely a matter of taste. However, it is important that the sock and the shoe make a snug fit, so that there is no movement. A slipping foot in the shoe always makes for an uncomfortable feeling when wading and quickly leads to blisters. A favorite among wading socks is the neoprene sock with Gravel Guard. For one thing, the neoprene socks are largely as thick as those on the waders, which guarantees a secure fit. And for another, the cover, called Gravel Guard, provides protection from penetrating sand or rocks.
3) The right shoes
Wet wading is mostly practiced during so-called sight-fishing. That is, when walking in or on the water, in search of the next fish. In order that this constant movement, hiking or even climbing does not become a burden, well-fitting and lightweight wading shoes are essential. Many manufacturers already offer ultralight wading shoes. Wading shoes that are more like a sporty hiking shoe, but are on par in quality with traditional wading shoes. These light, sporty shoes make wading and hiking immensely easier, especially when the shoe has drawn water, you can clearly feel what a light wading shoe is all about.
4) Shirts, shirts and longsleeves
Whether short or long sleeve, the choice of the right shirt in summer and wet wading should definitely fall on a synthetic fabric. Because polyester or other synthetic fibers are much more suitable as soon as it comes to effective sun protection! Modern high-tech textiles also have other advantages for summer fishing: they dry faster and thus ensure maximum sun protection for as long as possible. In addition, they can transport sweat away from the skin and still repel wetness from the outside. Last but not least, these fibers do not take on unpleasant smells. Among other things, the fast-drying shirts are also available with insect protection, such as the Bugstopper from Simms, which often plays a significant role in the evenings. The biggest advantage of these modern shirts in wet wading, however, is the quick-drying fabric. On the one hand, the sun protection factor is quickly restored, on the other hand, a clammy or even wet shirt is extremely uncomfortable to wear in the long run and can even lead to cooling in moderate winds.
Quick-drying shirts and pants are important when wet wading in the summer, because damp clothes can quickly lead to freezing and are also extremely uncomfortable to wear. To make sure there is no rubbing, we recommend modern synthetic fabrics so that you can dry off quickly after putting a fish back.
5) Waterproof bags, sling packs and backpacks
When it comes to bags or backpacks, there is no way around the waterproof versions! In wet wading, we enjoy the unrestricted scope of wading in to swimming, so it is obvious that the bag should be submersible. So the material as well as the zipper should be 100% waterproof to protect the contents safely. Roll-top, T-Zip and TruZip, are a clear indication of high quality and 100% waterproof closures. If hip or chest pocket, sling or backpack are also made of a submersible waterproof outer material, it is an ideal companion for wet wading. Because we do not wear waders, we miss additional storage space for fly boxes, keys or cell phones. This missing storage space can be replaced by a bag or a backpack and is therefore for us definitely one of the top 10 for wet wading.
6) Polarized glasses
Polarized glasses are not only one of our top 10 items of equipment for summer wet wading, they are also one of the most important pieces of standard equipment for us. This is because polarized glasses not only protect our eyes from UV rays or flies that have gone off course while casting. They also provide us with the ability to better read the water and spot fish. So not only do polarized glasses increase success through better spotting and quick recognition of fish, they also provide safety when wet wading, as shallows or hazards in the water can be seen more quickly. More about the function of polarized glasses and the different lenses can be found in our blog polarized glasses for fly fishing
Polarized glasses are one of the top accessories for us anglers and not only for wet wading. They not only protect our eyes from flies and UV rays, they also provide a perfect view on and into the water.
7) Caps and hats for the summer
Headgear offers us further protection when fishing in the summer. After all, once you're out on the water, it's easy to forget to put on sunscreen, and sunburn is inevitable. Especially when wading in the water, you are at the mercy of the UV rays, because the reflections are significantly amplified. So it is important to protect our head from these UV rays. Another advantage of a cap or a fly fishing hat are that the effect of the polarized glasses under the protection of the screen is improved. The less light from above or the sides can get behind the polarized glasses, the better the view forward and into the water. In summer, we should make sure that the headgear is kept as light and thin as possible, i.e. caps with a mesh fabric for good ventilation at the back of the head or so-called tactical caps and hats made of quick-drying materials.
8) Thermos
Yes, that's right, a thermos. Most outdoor enthusiasts among us associate a thermos with a warm drink in the cold season. But what many forget, a good thermos keeps our drink cold for 24 hours on warm days just as well. When wet wading in the summer, you often don't notice that you are losing a lot of water through sweating, because you can always feel a chill on your legs. This can be especially dangerous if you forget your thermos and can't take any fluids. Quickly it can cause you to become dehydrated. So a good thermos provides us with refreshment and important liquid for the body and should be on every trip in the summer, not just fishing.
9) Mosquito and tick protection
Wet wading in summer is a brilliant, easy way to fish. But the lack of clothing on legs or arms also gives pesky insects more places to attack on our bodies. Not only can mosquitoes and ticks ruin your evening's fun, just when the summer fish bite is at its best, they can also be dangerous. For example, the bite of a tick can transmit Borrelia or even TBE viruses. To protect ourselves from this, we advise to wear at least long pants and a longsleeve at waters where we can expect mosquitoes or ticks, and always spray ourselves with protection. On waters with heavy occurrences of ticks and many shrubs such as nettles, we even advise against wet wading.
10) Wading Stick
Wading without waders gives us the opportunity to stand very deep in the river or even cross it. However, this deep wading in the current requires a lot of skill and a good sense of balance. If you don't feel confident, be sure to grab a wading stick! A wading stick offers two main advantages when wading, firstly the stick is of course another leg to stand on for support and safety. On the other hand, a wading stick can also be used to sense the next step. In many cases, usually when the water is very clear, it is difficult to estimate the depth of the water. Often there is a refreshing surprise when you take an overconfident step forward. Exactly for this case you can explore the way to wade with the wading stick in the best way. Because the cold water should not be underestimated.
Wet wading in the summer is not only for the tropics a great way of fishing, properly equipped it can also be much more pleasant in Europe than in waders. To give you a quick overview of this equipment, we have compiled the most important products for wet wading in the summer.
