Do you Southerners wade?

[billmac]

I was reading the young man's post about not being able to catch bass, and I was about to suggest he wade into the lake or pond to get closer to the fish. But then I thought better of it.  I live in northern NY.  I've been wading rivers and other bodies of water all my life.  But we don't have alligators or water moccasins or other such hazards.  I didn't want to give advice that would get someone hurt.  Do you guys down south wade the waterways?  I think I remember reading about Tom Mann wading ponds.  I lived in SC for a few months and took a local guy fishing with me, wading a pond, and he was jumpy and terrified that there were snakes nearby.

[Jleebesaw]

I live in new york too, but I have seen people in Alabama and Mississippi  swimming to get catfish on tv and the internet, so I guess some people go in the water in the south. I'm sure it's not all that dangerous. 

[Troy85]

The only time I wade is fish is in the summer time on the beaches, trying to catch speckled trout.  As far as any other time, no.  Other than at beaches, the bottom is usually to muddy/soft to wade fish successfully, especially when freshwater fishing.

[813basstard]

Ehhh..as a southerner surrounded by gators and snakes, I would caution a 14year old doing it especially on his own. Adding to the fact I’m sure he’s somewhat new at it and doesn’t know his surroundings as well as an older angler. 

Too many times I’ve felt uncomfortable and I’m in a boat. Seeing a 12-14 footer thrash his tail and spray the inside of the boat got my attention and gets my full respect and distance. 

Not worth catching a 2lb fish in my opinion.

[Alex from GA]

All summer I kayak and wade the rivers in GA.  I'm in my late 70's and go alone some of the time.  I am not afraid.

[TnRiver46]

It all depends on how far south. I'll Wade anything anywhere near me but I don't want to suck into quicksand muck in a Louisiana Marsh . Here's what happened to my buddy wading in Edisto trying to net some bait hahaha! Boy did he smell rotten for a few hours 

[Johnbt]

"Boy did he smell rotten for a few hours"

 

Oh boy, marsh gas aroma. I have a heavy 1648 and fish a lot of small ponds and lakes that don't have ramps. I always take my rubber knee boots and quite often take my insulated camo chest waders, just in case I need to help the boat onto the trailer. Or if it's gale force windy or the water is really cold after the ice melts. I keep them in an old red metal cooler with rusty hinges. It rides really well in the boat on the way home. I hate stinking up the truck almost as much as stinking me up.

[HeyCoach]

If I go to a certain wildlife management area in northeast Alabama, I’ll wade in the middle of the creek and fly fish for fun. It’s easy to get to and I know the area. But, I’ll carry a small .22 revolver loaded with shot shells instead of a solid bullet. 

 

I’ve had water moccasins want to get cuddly. I try to stay out of their way and brush them back with the rod. I’ve not had to use the revolver yet. 

[roadwarrior]

Too dangerous for some of our "mature members".  It's not about

snakes or gators, it's slipping and falling. No big deal when you are

younger, but a huge issue for old farts like me.

 

[MAN]

Here in southeast Texas we do not wade freshwater unless its a shallow river and you needing to get to a deep hole or something. Super rare.  All our wading is coastal wading. We got gators in both, but not enough to worry much.  Heavily populated gator areas are well known and people tend to be more careful around those areas where they gather. 

Me and my 4 year old son go fishing at our community lakes almost daily. His job has always been to spot the gators first before we hit the shoreline.  As long as we can see them we are ok.  Its when we can't find them that we have to stay further back from the waterline.   

[greentrout]

65 yrs. plus .... my calculus no longer do i wade .... i do understand some seniors are different ...

 

good fishing ....

 

"a man's got to know his limitations". dirty harry callahan 

[Choporoz]

@roadwarrior and @greentrout, I had been thinking similarly, but I've always liked pulling the yak ashore on a river float and wading in for a bit...as much to give the back a short rest as anything.  Saw a vid the other day with a guy using a 'wading staff' --had never heard of such a thing, but I think it's on my short wish list.  folds up nicely, but can attach to belt while wading and just let it float alongside while casting...seems like a great idea

 

As to the question about reptiles -- I'm in VA, but so far north as to longer be in the South, IMO.  No gators and the snakes are (nearly) all harmless

[Jrob78]

I live in TX, don't see many gators here where I am but plenty of water snakes and moccasins. I don't wade but not really because of that, I just don't do it. I did fish out of float tubes a lot when I was younger and never worried about it. Snakes don't normally bother you unless you bother them. 

[the reel ess]

I'll wade a creek or a sandy or rocky bottom in a heartbeat. But in some ponds that I fish, the bottom is so silty you take one step into the pond and sink up to your knee.

[Glaucus]

Roland Martin has a set on him. Can't imagine ever doing this in South Florida.

 

 

[bowhunter63]

I still do in Missouri, Don’t know about Florida 

[billmac]

Roland's wading is particularly impressive because I've seen a bunch of his videos where gators have followed his fish right to the boat, and one actually got his fish and lure.

[Catt]

I used to wade all over the marshes of Southwest Louisiana & Southeast Texas.

 

At 68 I don't anymore but I always carried backup & it aint no stinking .22 with rat shot!

 

 

[redmeansdistortion]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

@roadwarrior and @greentrout, I had been thinking similarly, but I've always liked pulling the yak ashore on a river float and wading in for a bit...as much to give the back a short rest as anything.  Saw a vid the other day with a guy using a 'wading staff' --had never heard of such a thing, but I think it's on my short wish list.  folds up nicely, but can attach to belt while wading and just let it float alongside while casting...seems like a great idea

 

As to the question about reptiles -- I'm in VA, but so far north as to longer be in the South, IMO.  No gators and the snakes are (nearly) all harmless

Wading staffs are great.  Here in the north, we wade the streams in search of salmon and steelhead.  A wading staff, while not a must, is a great safety item.  If the water is murky and you step into a hole, you could find yourself in a heap of trouble.  You can feel the bottom (or not) with a staff and they help immensely in navigating the rivers.  Rivers can change very fast.  The spot you fished last week could be totally different the following week.  Stay safe out there.

[TnRiver46]

28 minutes ago, Catt said:

I used to wade all over the marshes of Southwest Louisiana & Southeast Texas.

 

At 68 I don't anymore but I always carried backup & it aint no stinking .22 with rat shot!

 

 

I saw a customer shoot a snake with rat shot and it was just bouncing off the snake. Then he put a regular LR round in there and killed it first shot 

[Catt]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I saw a customer shoot a snake with rat shot and it was just bouncing off the snake. Then he put a regular LR round in there and killed it first shot 

 

Snakes are the least of my worries!  ?

 

 

[soflabasser]

8 hours ago, billmac said:

I was reading the young man's post about not being able to catch bass, and I was about to suggest he wade into the lake or pond to get closer to the fish. But then I thought better of it.  I live in northern NY.  I've been wading rivers and other bodies of water all my life.  But we don't have alligators or water moccasins or other such hazards.  I didn't want to give advice that would get someone hurt.  Do you guys down south wade the waterways?  I think I remember reading about Tom Mann wading ponds.  I lived in SC for a few months and took a local guy fishing with me, wading a pond, and he was jumpy and terrified that there were snakes nearby.

I did some wade fishing in the ocean this past weekend in an area well known for shark fishing and have done wade fishing in Florida for over 20 years now. Also wade fish in freshwater. So far it has been a fun, productive experience for me since I always watch where I step and pay attention to the wildlife around me.

[TnRiver46]

15 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Snakes are the least of my worries!  ?

 

 

Looks like supper 

[geo g]

In Florida the water are loaded with gators of all size.  I often see 10 footers in the everglades.  We had a women walking her dog close to the bank taken by a 10 footer.  In the boat I have had them nose my my Trolling Motor, slap a tail long the side of the boat.  I have had them follow the boat for a half mile making false runs and vibrating their backs in a show of force.  In some areas they are as numerous as cockroaches!  On a normal day in the glades in the boat I'll see 20 to 25 gators.  If the water is low easily see 100 gators in the course of the day.  These aren't small gators.  The small ones would become food fast for the bigger ones.

 

Then the glades also have a good population of Burmese pythons and African rock pythons caught up to 17 feet long and over 300 lbs. These are escapees form numerous hurricanes, and stupid people where they just get too big to keep.  These big ones are top of the food chain with no predators except humans.  Plus of course, we have a healthy population of poisonous snakes.

 

You ask if I wade while fishing.  The answer is no way in hell for freshwater fish.  I have waded at the beach for salt water, surf fishing.  

 

It's a different world this far south.  But always exciting!

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

 

 

Looks like he is thinking ''come on in the water is fine!''LOL

 

On a serious note I have wade fished both in freshwater and saltwater for over 20 years now in South Florida. Have also dived in areas with alligators, crocodiles, sharks, and other animals so I got more in water experience than most who just stay on dry land or on a boat. You have to know where you are wade fishing in and always pay attention to your surroundings. Do not enter the water if it is alligator mating season, when sharks are actively feeding, etc. Having fear of animals will take away from the overall experience of being in the outdoors so it would be best for every fisherman to educate themselves on the animals they can possibly encounter while wade fishing in Florida.