Chest wader ? Felt or cleated boots

[Fire Fighter 43]

What is better for shallow water hunting a felt boot or a cleated boot? What is the advantage to both.

 

[whippy]

Felt boots are for wading on slippery rocks like you find in the rivers northwest. A lot of fly fisherman wear those as the felt tends to grip on the moss covered stones.

Cleated boots work best in dirty, muddy conditions.

Hope that helps.

Coolwhips

 

[Craig-PI]

I have both... the felt is great for wet slimey rocks the cleated I use in the mud and sandy spots..

 

[therover]

If you get cleated boots or ones with a steel shank, and are working a PI unit, make sure you keep that coil way out in front of you. If the coil gets too close to the boots, it will signal !

Found that out while working slow in the suds with my Infinium and 10x14 mono. Wondered why it was signalling and thought it wasn't tuned right and it was the waves. WRONG. It was my steel shank boot on my chest waders. Started sweeping with the coil out farther and everything was fine.

Gotta watch your sand scoop too ! One of the reasons I like using a wooden handle sand scoop when using my PI is that I can hook the basket to my belt via a hook and let the handle dangle down without worry because it's wood. Can't do that with the metal scoops unless you are careful.

 

[Craig-PI]

I was laughing at your post... I have the steel shanks and if I swing too close my PI does signal, not thinking I back up trying to get the signal again as to the scoop I carry my scoop on my left shoulder...

 

[Cupajo]

The only way I could get waders to fit my girth was to go with Cabella's which only comes with felt glued on the cleated sole.

So far I've used them for everything and no problem.

Plus, I swing the coil with my right hand and drag my "Poor Man's Back-Hoe" scoop way back with my left.

GL&HH Friends,

CJ

 

[UtahRich]

Years ago, I was at a winter club hunt at an old ghost town in the west desert and had put on the majority of my winter clothing in an effort to stay warm. I had been told that hunting the old ghost towns was a challenge due to all of the rusty iron and tin.

The first hour I about went crazy trying to get my detector ground balanced and dealing with all the phantom signals, they were everywhere. Pinpoint in this ground was awful. I finally decided to move and was walking to a new area and happened to sweep my coil across my steel toed sorrel boots - bing, signal. A couple more sweeps across the boot confirmed. The light went on! Boy did I feel stupid.

The good thing is that I haven't done it since.

My chest waders and hip waters don't have attached boots. I have a pair a felt bottomed boot to use when I go river fishing. There are a little slippery in hard bottom lakes or ponds.


Rich

 

[Craig-PI]

The only way I could get waders to fit my girth was to go with Cabella's which only comes with felt glued on the cleated sole.

So far I've used them for everything and no problem.

Plus, I swing the coil with my right hand and drag my "Poor Man's Back-Hoe" scoop way back with my left.

GL&HH Friends,

CJ

Dicks Sporting goods has waders in all sizes CJ... I bought the Field&Stream brand paid $79 for them... have used them 3 seasons now (neoprene)

 

[Cupajo]

Craig I started at the local Dick's Sporting Goods Store and they only had waders in stock that allowed me to get my legs in without a struggle.

The rest of me was another story!

I have bought the Field and Stream waders in the past, but this time I opted to go with Cabella's for the extra comfort.

So far, so good!

CJ

 

[therover]

Towards the end of the day, when I get tired and my sweep technique gets sloppy, there are times I go chasing and then figure it out and crack myself up.

You with that big Dual Field coil, me with the 10x14 mono on the Infinium, we ain't immune to those times when the boots have us chasing those signals !