Waders in the surf?

Hi folks,
I'd be interested to know your thoughts on wearing chest waders when beach fishing. I use them all the time fishing rivers and lochs but there the water is pretty calm. I always wear an automatic life jacket too.
But what about on a storm beach with a fair swell running? Would I be better off with an immersion suit?
Thanks in advance.

Hi,

I fish from beaches most of the year, so in summer it's shorts and not much
else and for winter fishing I go for a pair of Snowbees neoprene chest
waders.

I bought them from a place in Scotland in size XFB, which the guy on the
phone assured me meant 'extra full bodied,' (was that a titter or two I
heard in the background?)

Bob Hewitt


"Dichromus" wrote in message
news

Hi folks,
I'd be interested to know your thoughts on wearing chest waders when
beach fishing. I use them all the time fishing rivers and lochs but
there the water is pretty calm. I always wear an automatic life jacket
too.
But what about on a storm beach with a fair swell running? Would I be
better off with an immersion suit?
Thanks in advance.


--
Dichromus

In article , Dichromus
URL:mailto

Hi folks,
I'd be interested to know your thoughts on wearing chest waders when
beach fishing. I use them all the time fishing rivers and lochs but
there the water is pretty calm. I always wear an automatic life jacket
too.
But what about on a storm beach with a fair swell running? Would I be
better off with an immersion suit?

By all means wear them but don't be tempted to wade anywhere near as deep.
regard the upper half of the waders as splash protection. Wade so the
bigger waves go no higher than thigh level (crotch level if really calm) and
you have some chance of staying dry when the odd wave is reinforced with a
distant boat's wash.

Be prepared for your lj to go off if you do get a wetting [There's an
opening here for wading lj's with sensors at the top]. You're unlikely to
go in unconscious so removing the hydrostat and just making sure you can get
at the release cord is very nearly as safe and will save you wasting
rearming kits.

Cheerio,

--

I'd echo the strong advice not to wade too far - it's really easy to
misjudge a wave and (at best) get your waders full of cold, salty water!
Also, when I'm fly-fishing in the sea, I never go out alone.

Best wishes

Des

Thanks for the replies guys. Your opinions have been well noted.

Dichromus wrote:
Hi folks,
I'd be interested to know your thoughts on wearing chest waders when
beach fishing. I use them all the time fishing rivers and lochs but
there the water is pretty calm. I always wear an automatic life jacket
too.
But what about on a storm beach with a fair swell running? Would I be
better off with an immersion suit?
Thanks in advance.



if you get water in them, when fall or knocked over,
they make you too heavy to climb back up.
thats the danger with thigh or chest waders.
there is a school of thought that they are death traps in surf.
just a matter of time before an accident.
much better off with a one piece Floatation suit.
and your inflatable life vest ontop if do a lot of wading.
regards malcolm