The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Ok...I picked up a Fish Cat Deluxe float tube but the last piece of my lake set-up is waders. I need some input from you folks on what is the best way to go. What waders should I look at buying? Thanks in advance...

My fat butt seems to blow out breathables in float tubes. The seams give out.

I have gone to nothing but neoprenes in float tubes. Takes a LOOOOONG time to wear them out. Hard to beat cabelas 3 mm stocking foot.

Standard disclaimer.....

Just looked - really good sale on now, not sure why.....

I tend to use breathable with varying amounts of layering depending how cold of water I will be fishing. Neoprene’s are heavy, tight, constricting and do not breath. I consider wearing them at Pyramid Lake. I have a couple pair's of breathable but I use them for all my fishing needs. There are so many waders out there now so find something in you budget and go with Gore-Tex if you can. For layering I have polypropylene long johns & fleece pants with stir-ups so they don't ride up your leg. The Fly Shop in Redding has good deals on nice comfortable light layering. In the summer you can get away just wearing your jeans.

Good Luck

Jet

P.S Those neoprenes could be an issue when you find that you held it way too long and running for the nearest porta potty or tree. Don't worry though that will only happen if the fishing is really really good.

Jet wrote:
I... snip ...

P.S Those neoprenes could be an issue when you find that you held it way too long and running for the nearest porta potty or tree. Don't worry though that will only happen if the fishing is really really good.

AS someone who knows a bit about trying to "hold it" I cannot imagine that a single layer of neoprene is slower off than breathables and a couple layers of poly pro. Of course, I am smart enough to by waders labelled Stout - and they don't mean Guinness.

Sound like the makings for a new bash campfire competition in addition to LMS.

Jet

I borrowed someone elses stuff this summer when I was at Almanor and I used neoprene then. They were a bit uncomfortable, granted I did not buy them to fit me...and they leaked, which didn't help. I just wore shorts under them. I was leaning towards breathable, but I had not considered that the float tube would wear them out.

no/msg

Eagle Lake in late Nov., warmer in the water then outside air temperature. Breathables waders, fleece and silk longjohns.



Paul

Carpy wrote:


Eagle Lake in late Nov., warmer in the water then outside air temperature. Breathables waders, fleece and silk longjohns.



Paul

And five or six shots of root beer.

When I use the float tube, I use Neoprene Waders...for me, when used with a layer of polypro underneath, they are warmer than breathables with several layers beneath them...it seems to me, when you consider the "breathing" process that the breathable waders use, they only "breathe" when the exterior surface of the wader is exposed to the air...like mammals, their breathing doesn't function at anything close to optimal levels when under water ..

Paul

I agree with Ed. Unless your breathables fit very loosely and there is no binding or tightness in the seat area when you sit down, float tubing in them is a good way to wear them out fast, not only in the seat, but also along the inside leg seams which can rub as you kick (ie, your legs rub together). I use breathables for stream work and neoprenes for float tubing. My neoprenes fit fairly snugly, and I don't have a problem getting them down for potty stops.
Betty

Breathables. The $150 Hogeman's I bought 6 years ago are still holding up just fine...99.5% float tube/pontoon use. Great for summer & worn when the open water at Davis was limited to about 4 acres. Quicker & easier to get on, off, and halfway down for nature's call. I've had neoprenes & liked 'em well enough until I bought the breathables. Not long ago I took my son in law out for his first time...gave him the breathables & wore my backup neoprenes...I was sweating like Michael Jackson at a Cub Scout meeting by the time I got 'em on & swore never again unless it's absolutely necessary.
FTIR