What is your comfort level....

[Karl F]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

On the Outer Cape I never wade into open surf. Usually I am twenty feet back. Lots of nights the fish are in the wash. It don't make sense to walk on 'em. There are bars that people wade out to at low tide as they feel they have to get outside to reach the fish. What they don't realize is the even forty pounders think nothing of wallowing over a bar in less than a foot of water to scrounge bait that inhabits the three foot depths inside the bar to the beach proper. Especially at night.

Big surf has a lot of dynamic forces that will try to drag you into Triton's realm. Looking up into a cold green wave at two in the morning that you only noticed coming as it blotted out the stars is unerving to say the least and if survived runs the whole experience.

Estuaries have there pitfalls as well. Mucky spots and my favorite the holes left by clammers who worked the low tide and down you go as you wade in the dark over the same spot at the high turn. :

Yep, Well Said.. I know nothing of Rocks
As one of the regulars on my beach says.. we only wear waders, to keep our socks dry.

[gone fishin]

Yep - what Flap said, Karl - so true about the beach and keeping the socks dry. At my age anything above my knees gets hairy.
Anyone who even thinks of wading in the ditch is completely nuts. That includes the east end at low tide. I have seen a few screwballs taking a crack at Pips Rip with waders on at dead low. When a tanker comes through and you get sucked in you are going for a long swim.