Row vs. Wade

Choosing between wader fishing and fishing from a raft or kayak can be a hard decision. If you only have to move a few hundred feet throughout the day is a raft worth using? If the water is 3 feet deep does that make waders an inconvenience. I wanted to share how I choose what I use for mobility while fishing based on the water.

I do a lot of fishing on rivers. This can be from shore, waders, boat,  raft or kayak. When I have to decide a number of variables are looked at.

Water depth:

If the water is deeper than the top of my waders, I am not going to have a good time fishing in it. if the water is under 2 feet deep, I do not want to use my boat because the motor can hit rocks, branches or other obstructions. You also don’t want the motors propulsion destroying the river bottom. Raft and kayak can go in very shallow water, but to shallow and your paddle is hitting the bottom  of the river.

Size of the river:

When a river is very narrow it is hard to maneuver a kayak raft or boat. This typically leads me to using my waders or fishing from shore. If the river is wide, I lean towards my kayak or raft. The boat seams to be more of a go to for flowages or stretches of rivers that are dammed (due to depth).

River bottom type:

I will not wader fish if I am constantly sinking in silt at the bottom of the river. I have in the past but have stepped into air pockets and sunk pretty deep into them, this is something that you need to be very cautious of. Pay attention to sticks and rocks, to not trip on them. I have found that areas in more urban environments will have fishing line in the water from break offs that can also be a trip hazard.

Current:

Strong current makes wading a bit more treacherous. This leads me to the kayak, raft, or boat. I do not take chances on the river due to waters unpredictable nature. Dams can be opened upriver. A log can float down. There are a lot of variables, so when strong current is also a factor, it is not worth the risk.

Lakes and ponds are a ton of fun to fish, but the traffic on them can be a bit overwhelming. I lean heavily on using my boat for high this type of situation. During weekdays a kayak can be more doable on a lake until wake boats come out. once the recreational boaters come out, I typically head in for the day. The water gets too choppy to quick and makes fishing uncomfortable. As long as a lake or pond allows a boat with a motor you will almost always see me in my boat. When there is a no motor ordinance in place, I will use my kayak to fish it. Small ponds are my kayaks best friend. I love chasing panfish from my Freedom Hawk Pathfinder kayak, and small ponds are the place to do it.

At the end of the day on the water safety is number one. After that for me it is convenience of having all needed gear. Hopefully this helps with your decisions on what type of craft to use or buy depending on your needs.