Waders in the surf?
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Only if it is cold. I have waded the surf almost every day this week. Few cabage head jellys, but they only make you itch a little. But have been a few stinging jellys in the surf. HAve not seen any man of wars in the last few weeks. Got to watch them in the surf when the weed comes in. They get trapped on the weed lines and get pushed into the surf and can get thick. The last few days all I have seen are the clear ones with the brown circle in them.
Rayguards are always a good ideal when fishing. Lot of little rays around right now in the surf.
Rayguards are always a good ideal when fishing. Lot of little rays around right now in the surf.
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waded the surf this morning saw one cabbage head that was it........
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I had those dinner plate size rays buzzing through the surf when we were down last year. Actually caught a couple in my cast net. Good shark bait but not the funnest thing to get out of a cast net.
Water's not cold enough for waders. If worried about jelly's, wear your rain pants. Rayguards are always a good idea. .....and don't go wading near a pass (without a seat cushion or some wort of floating hanging around your waist). Having the sand erode out from under your feet isn't very fun when you're loaded with gear. Good luck
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Wear long pants in the surf! You are just asking for trouble not doing so. Sure you might get away with it a few times but they will find you eventually. And NEVER wear the big ray boots in the surf. If you get caught up in a rip current you are a dead man with those big heavy boots on. Even the regular wade booties are much better for swimming, and those can be forcibly ripped off if need be. IMO.
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Well said i would just add i never would recommend waders in the surf unless its dead calm. Waves can come up over the top and you can be water logged real quick, also if you get pulled under they can drown you. good luck!deke said:
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You'll have to learn the wade shuffle with your feet. Shuffling your feet along the bottom will scare the stingrays away. Try not to step backwards, they like to follow and hide in the sand you stir up.
Dekes got it right
I always wade the surf in jeans. They will repel most of the jellyfish and cabbage heads, but still allow you to swim a little. Light shoes that you can swim a ways in, hard to tell when you may want to sidestroke to the 3rd bar LOL. Virtually never waders in the surf..dont need them when the fish are there, and no fish in the surf when its cold enough to need them.
I have waded the surf for 50 years, and sooner or later, you will end up in a "tight spot" for whatever reason. I was young, dumb, and reckless until a few years ago, and could tell you a few "tight spots" LOL. Today, I would advise anyone wading the surf, to at least have a ski belt on, PFD, or good floating donut, or big float on your stringer!! I have thought "So this is how I am going to die" 2 times wading the surf in the past 50 yrs! LOL It is usually going the the 3 rd bar or wading around a pass that will get you in trouble!
A 10 foot shark circleing you and your fish on the 3 rd bar, when you have to swim 10 yds back to the 2 ond bar with your hands splashing in the water, while trolling your stringer behind you, will increase your blood pressure too!
Later
R3F
I always wade the surf in jeans. They will repel most of the jellyfish and cabbage heads, but still allow you to swim a little. Light shoes that you can swim a ways in, hard to tell when you may want to sidestroke to the 3rd bar LOL. Virtually never waders in the surf..dont need them when the fish are there, and no fish in the surf when its cold enough to need them.
I have waded the surf for 50 years, and sooner or later, you will end up in a "tight spot" for whatever reason. I was young, dumb, and reckless until a few years ago, and could tell you a few "tight spots" LOL. Today, I would advise anyone wading the surf, to at least have a ski belt on, PFD, or good floating donut, or big float on your stringer!! I have thought "So this is how I am going to die" 2 times wading the surf in the past 50 yrs! LOL It is usually going the the 3 rd bar or wading around a pass that will get you in trouble!
A 10 foot shark circleing you and your fish on the 3 rd bar, when you have to swim 10 yds back to the 2 ond bar with your hands splashing in the water, while trolling your stringer behind you, will increase your blood pressure too!
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R3F
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I wear the Magellan lightweight, fast drying pants that zip off and become shorts. I also wear the Magellan fishing shirts, long sleeve for protection from the sun and jellyfish. They also dry quickly. You can pick up these up at Academy, 19.99 for the pants and 16.99 for the shirts. I have several of each. The neoprene zip up boots are my go to for foot wear. Jeans are too heavy when wet and would be you demise if you should get knocked off your feet, the ray guards and waders, as mentioned above, would do the samething. Also as a note, my Stearns inflatable fishing vest, both manual and CO2 activated, is an insurance policy that I will wake up the next morning!
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Thanks for all the replies!
Since I'm short, (5' 4") how tuff would it be to hit the 3rd bar?
I've got a CO2 PFD and the doughnut container for any fishies, I've got the pants _ so now I just need the shirt!
Hope to see some of ya out there on Saturday!
Look for a green civic. Come by and holler!
Since I'm short, (5' 4") how tuff would it be to hit the 3rd bar?
I've got a CO2 PFD and the doughnut container for any fishies, I've got the pants _ so now I just need the shirt!
Hope to see some of ya out there on Saturday!
Look for a green civic. Come by and holler!
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3,020 Posts
Since jeans get pretty heavy when wet, I've swapped over to wearin a pair of scrubs, like the doctors wear. They're lightweight, cheap, they dry REALLY quick when out of the water, and you still get the protection from the jellys.
Bobtrout...
Dont go to the third bar by yourself, at least for the first time, and usually always better with a buddy or two. I am 5' 9" and it is USUALLY, about between my belly button and armpits, deep on me, plus waves if they are there. Sometimes you can see the third bar, sometimes not, sometimes you can tell where it is by the breaking waves, sometimes not. A high tide can be in and it be a foot higher than normal, sometimes not. One time I swam out to where the third bar was supposed to be, and put down foots---not there, swam out a little further and put down foots--not there--put foots down one more time, and no bottom--gave up and turned around and swam back to 2ond bar--must have been a wash out there??
Not unusual to have waves break over your head on the third bar, if rough. At 5' 4" I think it wouldn't be pleasant there for you--prolly neck deep at least! And NEVER go to third bar close to a pass.
I once waded out about 100 yards around San Louie Pass in waiste deep calm water. Tide started to rip in, in about 15 min. Started sucking sand from under feet--started back in immediately--ran into deep water--waded about 1/2 mile down bar away from pass --still deep water between me and shore. The ripping tide had cut a channel between me and the shore about 40' wide---pretty long swim with all the gear and a few fish. And I learned from that! LOL Just glad it wasn't 60' wide!!! That channel "happened" in about 20 minutes.
On a real calm day you might be able to fish it, but I wouldn't reccommend it at 5' 4" under most conditions. Good Luck!
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R3F
Dont go to the third bar by yourself, at least for the first time, and usually always better with a buddy or two. I am 5' 9" and it is USUALLY, about between my belly button and armpits, deep on me, plus waves if they are there. Sometimes you can see the third bar, sometimes not, sometimes you can tell where it is by the breaking waves, sometimes not. A high tide can be in and it be a foot higher than normal, sometimes not. One time I swam out to where the third bar was supposed to be, and put down foots---not there, swam out a little further and put down foots--not there--put foots down one more time, and no bottom--gave up and turned around and swam back to 2ond bar--must have been a wash out there??
Not unusual to have waves break over your head on the third bar, if rough. At 5' 4" I think it wouldn't be pleasant there for you--prolly neck deep at least! And NEVER go to third bar close to a pass.
I once waded out about 100 yards around San Louie Pass in waiste deep calm water. Tide started to rip in, in about 15 min. Started sucking sand from under feet--started back in immediately--ran into deep water--waded about 1/2 mile down bar away from pass --still deep water between me and shore. The ripping tide had cut a channel between me and the shore about 40' wide---pretty long swim with all the gear and a few fish. And I learned from that! LOL Just glad it wasn't 60' wide!!! That channel "happened" in about 20 minutes.
On a real calm day you might be able to fish it, but I wouldn't reccommend it at 5' 4" under most conditions. Good Luck!
Later
R3F
This is a great thread. I've been fishing the bays for a few years and decided to try the surf for the first time last weekend. I wasn't having much luck at the 2nd bar so I ventured out to the 3rd bar w/in the first 30 minutes there and caught 5-6 immediately. The thrill of the catch far outweighed that of the potential dangers, and in hindsight I was pretty careless. Thanks for the stories of past experiences to keep me in check.
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Like most everyone else said, wear long sleeves and long pants and sneakers or booties. For the FNG's, try not to let the lure of the 3rd bar get to you and wade out thru the fish in the 1st & 2nd gut, especially early and late. Good luck.
One more note on this thread....
For you new guys, be aware that around all jetties, breakwaters, and permanant structues on the beach, there is virtually ALWAYS a deep washout around their base, like 8' to 20' deep. Dont ask me how I know! LOL I fished the surf all my life with no PFD, but I sure wish RFer would include somekind of "floater" with his equipment!
Later
R3F
For you new guys, be aware that around all jetties, breakwaters, and permanant structues on the beach, there is virtually ALWAYS a deep washout around their base, like 8' to 20' deep. Dont ask me how I know! LOL I fished the surf all my life with no PFD, but I sure wish RFer would include somekind of "floater" with his equipment!
Later
R3F
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