#1 Mistake Wade Fishermen Make (That’s Costing Them Fish!)
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
What’s the biggest mistake most wade fishermen make that causes them to miss out on fish?
Is it fishing in the wrong spot?
Using the wrong lure?
Fishing at the wrong time?
Those are all common mistakes, but I’d argue there’s one that’s even bigger than those…
See what it is (and how to fix it!) in the video below.
#1 Mistake Wade Fishermen Make [VIDEO]
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The biggest mistake that wading anglers make is approaching the fish from the wrong angle.
When you’re wading in the water, you’ve got a lot of smells on you and you’re kicking up a bunch of sediment.
If the fish are downwind or down current of you, then those smells and kicked up sediment are going to warn them that something unnatural is approaching and they should watch out.
On the other hand, if you’re downwind or down current of the fish, they’ll probably have no idea you’re there.
This will make catching them much easier.
For a visual on this, check out the two pictures below:
The Right Way To Approach A Spot When Wading
As you can see here, the fish are up current and upwind of me (I’m just below the target zone), and the wind and current are pushing my mud wake and smell behind me, away from the fish.
The Wrong Way To Approach A Spot When Wading
In this picture, you can see I’d be in the wrong spot because the current and wind would blow my smell and sediment right to the fish, giving away my location and putting them on high alert.
Conclusion
If you want to catch more fish while wading, then approach them from down current and downwind.
This will decrease the odds that they know you’re there, which increases the odds you’ll catch them.
Have any questions about wade fishing?
Or any other wading mistakes?
Let me know down in the comments below.
And if you know someone who wants to watch more fish while wading, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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So off topic question, how is the GoPro attached to your hat? I have the band that goes around my head and the chest mount but never seen it done like the way you have it.
what tackle you recommend to bring w/you when wade fishing?
I lived in Houston and wade-fished coastal Texas from ’88 to ’96. I typically carried a pocket sized box with my favorite plastics, a tail-weighted topwater (easy to cast and easy to work in a light chop) and a weedless spoon. While they have faded in popularity over time, a nice weedless spoon will cast like a bullet and is something to consider switching to if you are wading your way “home” into the wind.
Makes a lot of sense but, wouldn’t you then be casting into the wind?
Yes. But I will try to position myself at an angle to where I’m not casting directly against it, rather more diagonally, so that I can catch a little bit of wind to carry my cast.
just like hunting
Absolutely! Don’t let them know you’re there, and you have a much better chance of bagging them!
Saw you guys out checking the crab trap buoys for triple tails yesterday. We were doing the same thing. We didn’t find any, did you?
Tom Findlay
Thanks Wyatt! Great tips!
No problem Andy! Thanks for watching!
Yes , good tip!
Thank you Jerry! Glad you enjoyed it!
Exactly. I knew a guy that would make his first cast while not even in the water. I have tried it ( your cast has to reach the hole obviously). I have caught so many first cast keepers this way i cant tell you. Also watch for your shadow– thats another thing if you are up on them tight.
Yes! I always fanciest the areas I’m about to walk through before I get to my true target area, because you never know what’s lurking about!
You make some great points.I fish in New England, many years ago I learned while striped bass fishing that even before you get your waders wet make a few casts. Sometimes the fish are in the shallows at your feet and you actually spook fish that are nearby.
Great tip Barry! Lots of fish will get up in the shallows and sun themselves if it’s the right conditions, so it’s definitley worth a few casts before you go stomping to your spot.
Contrarian here. Speed of sound in water approaches 1500 meters/second. The impact of currents in Texas bays on sound is likely indeterminable (a couple of inches?) particularly relative to the length of a cast.
Turbidity is more of a potential issue, but that depends on how fast you wade or whether you are standing still.
The biggest factor in wade fishing is usually covering ground…the longer you can cast, the more area you can cover, and the more visually stealthy you can be. And the biggest factor affecting that; especially as you move south along the Texas coast; is WIND. It’s a BIG deal.
Going to sneak up on a hole? Sure try to approach from down current. Wading a shoreline or a flat? Try to cast downwind or across wind and cover as much area as possible from as far as possible.
Great points David. I agree that when wading, it’s very important to cover as much distance as possible on casts because we can’t move as quickly. I still will always try to keep stealth in mind as much as possible if the conditions allow for it ( which isn’t always the case)
Thanks for watching!