Leaky Waders

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of experiencing it, a leak in your waders has to be one of the worst things in the world to deal with. You're standing in the middle of a flowing river enjoying all of the beauty that nature has to offer, when you think you feel a drip on your leg. "Is that sweat?" you think to yourself. "It has to be", you continue. Then you feel it again. "It's not even that hot outside", you think to yourself, and then a minute or two later you feel is again. You simply block it from your mind and keep fishing. Then, when you're walking back to your vehicle, you feel "sloshing" in the boot area of your waders. You know what's going on but still try to ignore it, then when you take your waders off, your sock is wet enough to ring out! You're dealing with a pair of leaky waders.

I've let the exact scenario mentioned above go on for an entire month before I broke down and bought new waders. Sure I repaired various leaks for that entire month, but as it turned out my problem was more serious than a single hole. Make sure you store your waders properly, by the way.

When it comes to leaky waders, they can be repaired fairly easily. Most new waders actually come with little patch kits that will help you repair small holes. I suggest keeping this patch kit in your fishing vest. That way you know where it is and you have it with you on the water if you encounter a problem. Another wonderful product for fixing leaky waders (especially breathable waders) is called "Aquaseal". You simply squeeze a glob of Aquaseal around the hole, spread it out a bit, and let it dry. Aquaseal will most certainly fix most holes in breathable waders.

The bottom line is that there are few things on this planet worse than a leaky pair of waders. Fixing them can become quite a hassle, and buying new waders can be quite expensive. If you do have to purchase a new pair of waders, remember what your Mother told you years ago. You get what you pay for. A good pair of waders is like heaven on earth, and a cheap pair can bear a remarkable resemblance to hell.