Fishing Shoes

[MobyGrape]

I bank fish & wear cheap walmart tennis shoes. Many times i inadvertently step in the water & ruin my shoes. I wear the shoes mainly to protect my feet from ants & other insects. Any recommendations for waterproof shoes that do not have any holes or other openings? I do not want boots.

[smr913]

Most water shoes have holes in them to let water escape. You could try neoprene wading booties from bass pro or other retailers. I use some that come a few inches above my ankles. They are slip on with a zipper on the side. Since you specifically do not want boots, you could try to find a low top version. But if insects are your main concern i think something that goes higher up is going to be better.

[NHBull]

Muck make an over the ankle waterproof shoe that is pretty good.

[XpressJeff]

+1

 

Mucks are Great. Co m e in several heights!

[RPreeb]

I've always just worn sneakers, usually an old pair so I don't care if they get trashed.  Even back in the '60s fly fishing in Montana, I couldn't afford waders (and I didn't want the hassle or the depth limitation - were a few times when I was in water up to my neck when fighting a big trout), so I waded snowmelt and glacial melt streams in sneakers.  It only hurt for a little while until my feet got numb, then some prickling as they warmed up again. 

[BCline]

I feel the same about fishing shoes as I do about fishing pants or shirts.  There is no such thing since all clothes are fishing clothes.  I will fish in whatever I happen to have on.

[Steveo-1969]

2 hours ago, MobyGrape said:

I bank fish & wear cheap walmart tennis shoes. Many times i inadvertently step in the water & ruin my shoes. I wear the shoes mainly to protect my feet from ants & other insects. Any recommendations for waterproof shoes that do not have any holes or other openings? I do not want boots.

 

I wade fish and wear cheap Walmart tennis shoes. They last me a year or two (dozens of fishing trips and hundreds of submerged hours) and eventually get replaced with another pair of cheap Walmart tennis shoes.

 

Why do you want to buy a more expensive pair of waterproof shoes?

[MobyGrape]

When the cheap walmart shoes get water inside them the insides get mildew & fall apart. Mildew is basically "rot". It starts smelling & eventually will cause infection on one's feet. I don't want to economize on foot health to save a few dollars. I'd rather spend extra money & buy appropriate shoes than make an appointment with a foot doctor.

[Jartbek]

I usually use a waterproof spray on my tennis shoes and works great 

[JG233]

I'm sensing a lot of smelly feet in the thread!

[Steveo-1969]

1 hour ago, MobyGrape said:

When the cheap walmart shoes get water inside them the insides get mildew & fall apart. Mildew is basically "rot". It starts smelling & eventually will cause infection on one's feet. I don't want to economize on foot health to save a few dollars. I'd rather spend extra money & buy appropriate shoes than make an appointment with a foot doctor.

 

Ah, gotcha. My cheap tennis shoes are left out in the sun to completely dry between uses and don't get mildew. But they do eventually fall apart from the wet/dry, wet/dry, wet/dry, etc. cycle. The material just isn't designed to handle that.

 

But it sounds like Mucks waterproof shoes are your answer.

[Bankbeater]

I'll wear a pair of Muck's in the morning if I am fishing off of the bank, but I usually put on a pair of tennis shoes after the dew dries.  Those Muck's get uncomfortable real quick in the heat and humidity.

[NiX]

When I would wear tennis shoes I would avoid getting in water. I would ducktape the laces and my ankles so I wouldn't get stickers and what ever else all over me.

 

I have Hiking Boots I wear when the weather isn't too hot. Lately it has been getting warmer though so I went back to the tennis shoes that I don't care about.

[Scott F]

6 hours ago, MobyGrape said:

I bank fish & wear cheap walmart tennis shoes. Many times i inadvertently step in the water & ruin my shoes. I wear the shoes mainly to protect my feet from ants & other insects. Any recommendations for waterproof shoes that do not have any holes or other openings? I do not want boots.

Google "gore tex shoes". Lots to choose from. I also like LL Bean Boots. They have moccasin style, or low cut shoes that are waterproof and these; the Men's Storm Chasers

 

I like these so much, I just ordered a pair for myself.

[JustJames]

There are some hybrids water/hiking shoe, but they seem to be bulkier and heavier than tennis shoe. I normally wear crocs when bank fishing but sand and small rock can get into it.

Another that I wear sometime is boat shoe but I don't think shoe sole gonna last long on dirt road and rocky beach.

I always walk into shallow water and stay there for awhile where I have more room to cast.

I also have two water shoe that I only wear when I'm on kayak. These shoe is very soft and light weight but the sole is very thin and not suitable to walk on street, and yes there are plenty of hole where sand can get into it.

[fishwizzard]

I do a lot of hiking and tare through about a pair of boots every two years, so for general bank fishing I just wear my "second best" pair of hiking boots.  "Third best" live in my car as emergency boots, and whoever gets bumped back to fourth place finally gets thrown away.

 

If you have a common foot size and don't mind garish neon colors, there are a bunch of Internet deal-sites that focus on hiking equipment and it's pretty easy to find hugely discounted, high-quality waterproof shoes and boots. The catch is very limited sizing and usually the worst looking the color, the greater the discount.

[NYWayfarer]

I wear Crocs when using my canoe. Bank fishing used to be whatever old sneakers I had laying around that I didn't mind getting muddy or dirty.

 

After getting poison oak, I have a dedicated pair of boots I wear when fishing from shore. I rinse off the outside of them after every trip.

[HeavyDluxe]

Tevas, for me.  One pair for water, the other for everything else I do in the summer.

[BuzzHudson19c]

I have what I refer to as "Jerusalem Trekkers." They are a sandal with a close toe and straps on the back. Work pretty good. Mine are field and stream brand, but I think even walmart carries them.

[frosty]

I just do the cheap Walmart tennis shoes, but I put them on a boot drier when I get done. I work outside in all kinds of weather so wet shoes are not a big deal to me. I buy cheap ones for work cause they get torn up fast. I would wear flip flops if I'm not hiking to a fishing spot, I may need to look into some crocs. 

[I.rar]

For the most part, I use my oldest shoes I have to fish in. Eventually they get nasty and then tossed.

I do wear Reef sandals at some of my more maintained/residential spots during the cooler months when the snakes and other critters aren't out as much. 

[RHuff]

I picked up a pair of under armor deck shoes last fall at Bass Pro. I love wearing these while fishing in my boat. If I need to step in the water when launching or retriving its no big deal they drain quick and dry fast.

[pipes18079]

I've been using the Zeko shoe this season absolutely perfect for me they dry out quickly and comfortable for me too

[CybrSlydr]

I went to WalMart and picked up something similar to this in all-black.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/OP-Women-s-Aqua-Beach-Shoe/54790945

 

I think it was a whole $10 for the pair and they're great - sole could be stiffer so you feel less of the rocks but they're comfy.  Bought some non-cotton socks to go with it so my feet don't stay too wet.

[Darren.]

Wow. There are a ton of various shoes to wear when shore

fishing. Depending on what you want to spend, a nice pair

of hiking sandals during the summer are great. Teva, Keen,

make some of the best. There are other excellent brands, 

though.

 

Fall/winter? Pretty much the same around my neck of the 

woods.