What the well-dressed angler will wear in the 2019 season

It may be jumping the gun a bit … but here is the Tackle Fondling edition of Tangled Lines for 2019.

If you fish small streams a lot, you might look into a pair of wading pants. These are the same as bootfoot chest waders except they stop at the waist. No straps to fiddle with, and subsequently a lot easier to get in and out of.

Obviously you can’t go in as deep as with full chest waders. But if you are creeping around little brook trout streams, that is not a problem.

I bought a pair from a discount outfit called Steep and Cheap. They are Redington’s Palix River Pants, currently listed at $119.

Early season fishing is usually cold. Here are some ideas for fighting that. 

First, buy a pair of wading boots one size bigger than your usual size. This allows the warm air generated by your feet and the warm socks you have prudently purchased to circulate better. 

Goathead Gear makes an excellent set of studs that screw into most wader soles. The extra traction is invaluable at any time of year, but especially when you are still contending with ice and snow. An unplanned bath is never fun, but it’s extra unpleasant in late February or early March. A set costs about $20. 

Domenick Swentosky of Pennsylvania runs an excellent website called “Troutbitten.” It is from him that I got this next item: a balaclava made by Self Pro (available from Amazon, $17.95). 

This thing is the best. It keeps all that nasty cold air at bay, and you can still fit a hat over it. Plus it makes the angler look like a deranged monk.

I go back and forth on gloves. There are several neoprene models out there, some with fingers that flip over at the tips. Or you can try a set of fingerless wool ragg gloves. I carry both; sometimes one is better than the other.

Believe it or not, it is easy to overheat during the early season (hence the breathable wader pants, rather than neoprene waders).

I have worn lined chinos from LL Bean, only to find them soaked with sweat at the end of the day. A better option, also from LL Bean, is the Cresta Hiking Pants, lined version ($89). These are made of a synthetic material (so they wick away moisture) and are lined (for warmth). Plus they come in a 29 inch inseam, which is good for the shortish, squarish angler.

Now, on to the fondling.

I will skip the joke about testing for wader leaks in the bathtub this year. Instead, I urge you to clean your lines. 

This doesn’t require anything more exotic than a clean sponge and a weak solution of warm water and Dawn dish soap. Just wet the sponge and pull the line through, first one way, then back. Look at the sponge and marvel at how much gunk comes off.

Also check your rods for built up yick (as opposed to gunk).  If you’ve been using ferrule wax, get that Dawn/sponge thing working again and remove the old wax. Dry the rod pieces and reapply the wax as needed.

Organize your flies. This winter I purchased two big fly boxes, the kind guides keep in their boats. I got most everything in them, and flies may then be transferred into smaller boxes for carrying on the stream. 

Buy new tippet materials. I always lose a good fish or two in the early going due not to my rustiness or hasty strikes, but to brittle old tippet from two years ago. (I usually lose seven or eight good fish to rustiness and hasty strikes.)

Practice your knots — inside, before you go. Trying to tie a blood knot streamside  with cold fingers and a sluggish brain is no fun. And it gets worse with age.

Warm up before you go. I don’t mean sitting in the car with the heater on, either. I’m talking about stretching, limbering up. A set of resistance straps (just like the ones at the gym) are about $25. Throw one in the “miscellaneous stuff” bin in the back of the car and deploy it for a few minutes before you lurch off in your Michelin Man getup and Frankenstein boots. If there’s anyone else around, say “Om” a lot. It will scare them off and leave you in peace.

Finally, the wading staff. Bring it. When you are trying to scramble up a steep bank that’s covered with ice and snow, you’ll thank me.