By Gary Droze
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] major drawback of wadefishing is the inability to cover much area, compared to boaters. It’s partly a velocity issue; no ambling angler can keep pace with a vessel. But the waders’ world is also constricted by treacherous footing and impassably deep water. I plan most of my fishing hikes around low tide, as I lack the skill to cast while submerged. Plus, even on skinny tides, wading oyster bars in flimsy water shoes can yield sliced ankles. And we all know sharks can smell a drop of blood two time zones away (safety tip: use an electric razor if you shave your legs right before wading). So, when I nix waterways that feature oyster bars or deep water, my wadefishing universe appears puny indeed. But this spring, two products have dramatically increased my access to coastal hotspots.
Bayou Boots: The NRS Workboot Wetshoe. Apalachee Bay showcases dozens of tidal creeks, inviting lagoons, and the glorious fishy expanse of Stoney Bayou. Some very productive spots are rife with oyster bars. This made them off-limits to me in the past, when my thin water shoes would have led to shredded digits. True hiking boots are protective, but too hefty for pleasant wading. Out of curiosity, I ordered a pair of Workboot Wetshoes ($79.99) from www.nrs.com. I have no idea what NRS stands for. Maybe it’s the last name of the company’s founder, who died young, tragically, from vowel deficiency. Anyway, I put the boots to a brutal bivalve test, sloshing down a feeder stream in Taylor County. This stream is chock full of sharp-edged oyster clumps, which my Workboot Wetshoes rendered harmless. These amazing “bootshoes” have firm rubber soles, a neoprene glove liner, and a Velcro cinch strap. They are comfy, but uber-snug, which means I won’t lose them when employing frantic exit tactics in soft mud. Moreover, they aren’t merely lightweight…they actually float, so you have a backup if you run out of popping corks. Summary: these are the best wading shoes I have ever worn, but they run way small. Order up 1.5 sizes.
Backpack Boat: The Advanced Elements Packlite. Many’s the time I’ve waded the late outgoing tide in one of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge creeks, and lamented that I would not be able to stay on the creek for high tide, due to my pesky aversion to drowning. I’ve often asked myself “Why doesn’t somebody invent an inflatable kayak that only weighs 4 pounds and fits in my backpack, so I can experience the whole tide cycle, then float back to safety?” Well, the folks at Advanced Elements are phenomenal. They can actually hear people talk to themselves. They also make a three-chambered, 7’ 10” kayak that inflates in under five minutes. It’s $299. For its feathery weight, the Packlite is much more durable than I expected. It won’t win any contests against longer yaks for tracking or speed, but does a perfect job of cruising me back to the levee on bloated tides after long hours in SMNWR creeks. Summary: I wouldn’t dare float the Packlite around oyster bars at low tide, but that’s not why I bought this backpacking angler’s delight.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I am NOT sponsored by NRS or Advanced Elements. Some sponsored anglers can review without bias, but I don’t trust myself. Shoot, I’d give SPAM five stars for nutritional value if they hooked me up with freebies. In fact, if any potted meat representatives are reading right now, feel free to contact me at 850-SELLOUT. Your product logo would look right smart painted on the stern of my Packlite, and fishing a full tide cycle gets my appetite up.