The practice of wade fishing has remained popular with anglers as it provides an excellent scope to come in direct contact with nature. One gets the chance to shuffle along through the water, feel the current, the temperature, and witness several other factors first-hand that come in handy while trying to catch big game fish. No angler would possibly want to miss the chance of hunting the bigger fishes while inshore fishing. I think it is safe to say we all fantasize about laying our hands on the big trout, bull reds, monster snook, and doormat flounder. Wade fishing helps to accomplish this goal and allows you to become one with nature. 

One does not need an expensive boat or Kayak in wade fishing. It does not require burning gas and polluting the environment. One can try their hands in wade fishing with the necessary fishing equipment such as rods and reels. Using an internet-backed phone, one can quickly locate the spots perfect for wade fishing. Many anglers use wade fishing as a meditative exercise as well. Fishing clears the mind and restores the spirit. 

Wade fishing is not about an expensive boat or moving at high speed from one place to another. Hence, enthusiasts should pay more attention to the gear they use and the garments they wear. So, let's start with looking at what wade fishing attire will help accomplish the goal. 

The Perfect Wade Fishing Gear

Experts in this field believe that an angler is just as good as their equipment. This notion stands true for wade fishing as well. One needs to be careful about the fishing gear and pay more attention to the type of rod and reel they use. The rod and reel should be appropriate for inshore fishing. The fishing reel should meet the needs of saltwater fishing when in the ocean. Salt is no friend to anything moving and should have an excellent salt rating. Even then, cleaning and maintenance are essential for longevity. The ideal wade fishing reel for open water is going to be light but strong. For example, the Okuma Helios SX parts are made from C-40X carbon fiber. They are 25% lighter and 50% stronger than their graphite counterparts. A 2500 to 4000 size reel is more than adequate, especially when spooled with 10 to 15lbs of low diameter braid. The lighter reel and smaller diameter line will perform best and give a long-range cast for the ultimate stealth experience. 

In wade fishing, you need to carry all your gear with you while fishing in the water. Otherwise, each time you retie your leader, change lures, etc., you would have to hike back to the shore. A wade fishing belt comes in handy in such circumstances. It helps to store all necessary equipment within this belt. To carry the inshore jig heads, you may choose to use a waterproof tackle box. It is better to bring an assortment of jigs of different colors, styles, and weight sizes so that you can have options for diverse water currents and clarity. One needs regular jigs as well as weedless ones. To increase your probability of attracting the right volume of fishes. I recommend many of the artificials that come in the monthly Badfish Subscription boxes. There is an abundance of Down South, Zman, Mirro lures, and so forth that are proven to catch fish, year after year.

One must carry at least 4-5 bags of inshore fishing soft plastics on a typical day. A variety in color proves quite useful. It is an intelligent choice to carry a robust pair of pliers and a stringer to hold the fish once caught.  

Once you are equipped with the right types and qualities of fishing gear, you must choose the correct wade fishing apparel. 

Wade Fishing Apparel

The selection of the perfect wade fishing apparel also depends on the season. The right amount of sun protection is enough to tackle the heat during the spring, summer, and early fall. There is a wide variety of fishing performance shirts available in the market, covering the entire SPF rating range. Salty Scales has you covered in that area, be sure to check out our online shop. We have a variety of long sleeve sun protection shirts. Apart from this, you will need shorts and a quality fishing hat on the warmer days. 

Another vital component of the wade fishing apparel is wade fishing boots. The quality of footwear is crucial. These are the ones that protect from stingrays, sea urchins, and other sharp objects. During the months of winter, it is necessary to use waders and waterproof insulated gear. They will keep you warm and safe.

• Selection of Wader: While selecting the waders, one needs to be sure about their purpose. It is always a safe bet to go with chest waders. Hip waders are a good fit when fishing in smaller, shallow, and hard-bottom streams. Butt most of the time, hip fishing involves going into water bodies that are deeper than the hip wader allows. Wade fishing in ponds, lakes, and rivers invariably requires chest waders. They make it possible to go deep into the water and prove more versatile in their utility. They also provide multiple pockets for small gear storage.

Wade Fishing Locations

Selecting the perfect wade fishing location is as important as choosing the correct gear and apparel. Anglers who are not well accustomed to the area may often miss productive fishing spots nearby. Utilizing google maps on the go is an intelligent approach to follow while wade fishing. Often the beaches serve as the perfect fishing spots. One way to scout for the ideal wade fishing location is to find areas off the shore with some structure at the bottom or water flow changes. Spots that have channels running along the coast works well for wade fishing as it provides enough feeding grounds for the Snook, Redfish, and Trout to come off the flats. 

Being careful about the type of bottom the wading location has is essential. One needs to be mindful of whether the bottom-surface is muddy or hard. Soft surfaces make anglers sink, increasing the chances of fall and making fishing more challenging. It is preferable to avoid the Lily Pads. The bottom under the lily pads is naturally soft, where anglers may sink up to the ankles and even more when freshwater fishing. 

It is essential to wear a wader safety belt, even if the surface is hard. It helps keep the water out if one steps into a deep hole or falls on a muddy bottom. Heavy rainfall or snow can make it more difficult. Rain or snow runoff often destabilizes the banks.

Movement During Wade Fishing

One must be aware of a few crucial factors while fishing in a stream, lake, or pond. First, finalize along what direction you should be fishing. In a river or stream, the preferred approach should be along with the downstream, especially past the water you are planning to fish. There are two advantages of fishing along with the downstream. Fishes typically face upstream. Therefore, fishing downstream comes in handy in sneaking up on the prey.

An experienced angler should be aware of the impact his or her movement creates. It is a crucial aspect of wade fishing since the angler's movement pushes the water forward, disrupting the fish. In small ponds, such actions can make the fish aware of your presence as far as the bank. 

There are some thumb rules that one must follow while attempting wade fishing. Following these ground rules make wade fishing a safe and efficient exercise. 

Important Ground Rules For the Wade Fishing Enthusiasts

• One should try not to go beyond knee or waist-deep water while wade fishing.
• Wearing wade shoes is a must, irrespective of the bottom-surface quality or the waterbody's depth. Forget stingrays or sea urchins, even broken pieces of glass can cut one's feet.
• No matter how experienced you are in wade fishing, keeping your pace slow pays. Moreover, maintaining a lower profile during wading helps in not spooking out the nearby fish. Experts say that the ideal approach to wade fishing is to fish like a statue and walk like you are on the clouds. 
• It is essential to find out available structures in the water that would help to hold the baitfish. The baitfish are the ones that attract the fish you are targeting. 
• Going deep into the water does not imply that one would get the largest fish. Some of the biggest catches are only available in a few inches of water. This is especially true in the winter months when fish tend to move shallow to sunbathe. 
• Unlike depth, increasing the area of fishing improves the chances of catching more fish. To expand your operating field, move down the shoreline.

Conclusion

Inshore fishing becomes more exciting with wade fishing. It's a fantastic exercise for the mind and body to walk along the shoreline, and frequently indulge in sight fishing, free from heavy machinery involvement. Wade fishing causes the least harm possible to the environment and the ecology. However, success would depend heavily on research. It helps locate the correct spots. However, if going by instinct, one should focus on natural areas with structure, grass, or rocky patches. Ultimately, if looking for more and bigger sized fish, well-informed wade finishing brings sure shot success. Be sure to watch one of our wade fishing adventures here on YouTube, if you like the video please do subscribe for more great knowledge and adventure.