[freestoneangler]

To start wet wading? I recall some dang hot days years past even with my breathables. Then the routine of removing wading boots, trying to balance whilst hopping around getting them damn booties off, and finally storing the wet dirt covered mess. In more recent years, it's the nice quick dry nylon pants with zip off lowers, and wading sandals. I wear a pair of socks with the Simms grey sock guards. More often than not, the pant lowers are bone dry and the sandals most way there by the time I get back to the truck. This system is just too easy... only wish I had started doing so years ago. I'm going to see just how long into the fall season I can go .

A few hours of fun this morning. I had dropped my camera case cover the other day and was almost certain I knew where. Found it on the way to fish and when I went to pick it up, this little fella was right next to it... holding as still as a bronze statue.

I'll need to find our birding field books to see which make & model he is. Any bird specialists on the forum know?

There was a nice morning hatch in progress and a few of the locals were kind enough to play along. One slot was a bitch getting the cast just right... and this guy was only taking offerings within a few inches of the end of a branch. I had the sun/shadow in my favor and just kept at it getting perhaps 1 in 10 casts to the zone. These teasers are, IMO, the most rewarding when figured out.

A couple bends down river, another soft water slot had some activity and yielded several more on either the Brindle or the emerger.

By noon, they were hunkering down (forecast is 91F today), so I headed back. Hoot Owl not in effect this high up river, but no sense taking unneeded risk... just go early.

 

[Philonius]

I'm no bird specialist, but that looks like a baby Robin to me.

Nice fish.

 

[Guest]

Judging by the yellow I can see on the bird, it is a non-breeding western meadowlark, state bird of Montana.

http://www.swartzentrover.com/cotor/Photos/Hiking/Birds/BirdPages/WesternMeadowlark.htm

Edit: I'm becoming convinced that I may be wrong and that it might be a baby robin--didn't realize their breast/belly plumage was so yellow.

 

[Jim F.]

I'd say baby Robin also.

 

[Old406Kid]

And here I thought you were going to tell us that Swimmy shamed you into wet wading.

 

[Scott Salzer]

Baby robin.

 

[freestoneangler]

And here I thought you were going to tell us that Swimmy shamed you into wet wading.

He's even more stylish... wears them skinny shorts and his shirts un-tucked.

Baby robin.

Damn... I liked the Meadowlark guess better. We've been watching baby Robins around the house for weeks now; no shortage of them. Also lots of Mountain Bluebirds (new to our list since we moved), Sandhill Cranes (their calls wake us in the morning), Cedar Waxwings, and, also new to our list, Eastern Kingbirds.

 

[tinman207]

To start wet wading? I recall some dang hot days years past even with my breathables. Then the routine of removing wading boots, trying to balance whilst hopping around getting them damn booties off, and finally storing the wet dirt covered mess. In more recent years, it's the nice quick dry nylon pants with zip off lowers, and wading sandals. I wear a pair of socks with the Simms grey sock guards. More often than not, the pant lowers are bone dry and the sandals most way there by the time I get back to the truck. This system is just too easy... only wish I had started doing so years ago. I'm going to see just how long into the fall season I can go .

A few hours of fun this morning. I had dropped my camera case cover the other day and was almost certain I knew where. Found it on the way to fish and when I went to pick it up, this little fella was right next to it... holding as still as a bronze statue.
View attachment 122219
I'll need to find our birding field books to see which make & model he is. Any bird specialists on the forum know?

There was a nice morning hatch in progress and a few of the locals were kind enough to play along. One slot was a bitch getting the cast just right... and this guy was only taking offerings within a few inches of the end of a branch. I had the sun/shadow in my favor and just kept at it getting perhaps 1 in 10 casts to the zone. These teasers are, IMO, the most rewarding when figured out.
View attachment 122220

A couple bends down river, another soft water slot had some activity and yielded several more on either the Brindle or the emerger.
View attachment 122221

By noon, they were hunkering down (forecast is 91F today), so I headed back. Hoot Owl not in effect this high up river, but no sense taking unneeded risk... just go early.

Beautiful fish, and report. Those situations are the best IMO....when you know you have a player, but it's on you to set it up right. Then when you finally get it right and they light you up.....I think it's humbling and fulfilling at the same time.

 

[The Drifter]

Well I tried...

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com...-waders-when-it-is-90-degrees-outside.119205/

 

[Old Man]

I tried wading in Sandals one time. I kept getting rocks between my feet and the sole of the sandals. Back to tennies I went.

 

[Salmo_g]

Wet wading is definitely the way to go in hot weather. Provided one doesn't leave one's camera in the cargo pocket where it will take a bath. I need to figure out suitable footwear for wet wading. Swimmy likes it with his Chaco sandals. I tried sandals, then my old saltwater flats booties. Still not enough protection. I want to be able to wade as agresively as I do in chest waders. My feet took a beating this last trip. I'm thinking I might want to buy a set of wading boots with studded felt soles in my street shoe size.

 

[Mumbles]

My oldest korkers have become my wet wading choice. They are a bit smaller than my newer ones, are light, hike well and tighten over the neoprene socks well. These older ones have the felt that fits into the rubber sole, with rubber all around. They are better for hiking than the newer full felt sole version. The rim of rubber makes them a bit more slick than the full felts.

 

[gone johnson]

My feet took a beating this last trip. I'm thinking I might want to buy a set of wading boots with studded felt soles in my street shoe size.

This is what I do.

 

[The Drifter]

Wet wading is definitely the way to go in hot weather. Provided one doesn't leave one's camera in the cargo pocket where it will take a bath. I need to figure out suitable footwear for wet wading. Swimmy likes it with his Chaco sandals. I tried sandals, then my old saltwater flats booties. Still not enough protection. I want to be able to wade as agresively as I do in chest waders. My feet took a beating this last trip. I'm thinking I might want to buy a set of wading boots with studded felt soles in my street shoe size.

I like chacos for mellow streams (like the one we fished that Friday) or if I'm float fishing.

If I'm wading big rivers or faster streams, I rock a pair of Simms guide boots with gravel guards. I have both felt and rubber.

These give me plenty of support and my feet don't get beat to shit.

 

[The Drifter]

And salmo I should add that my wet wading boots are a tighter fit than my wader boots.

 

[Tug]

I'm a fan of wet wading in a pair of good old Converse All Stars. I've been walking in rivers and swimming in those since I've been old enough to swim.

 

[Old406Kid]

This is what I do.

Me too unless 99% of the time is going to be in a boat.

 

[Batt B]

FSA, welcome to the world of common sense comfort.

When I wet wade, I wear neoprene socks made for wet wading and just tighten up the laces on my normal boots. It's about as tight as they will go but the fit is fine.

 

[GorgeTony]

I highly recommend 5.10's Water Tennie's paired with NRS Hydroskin socks. They are what I wear raft guiding and kayaking. The soles are climbing rubber, and are as sticky as anything out there. They grip on just about anything and Class V kayakers around the country rely on them for missions involving sketchy portaging. They also have good ankle support and are really comfortable; when I was in Nepal on a kayaking expedition they were the only shoes I brought. Give them I try, I think they would be the shit for wet wading.