Do you prefer wading to floating?

[Al Agnew]

I prefer floating, simply because of the way I like to fish.  I like to keep moving and make lots of casts to lots of different places, and be able to quickly skip over unproductive water (too slow or too shallow).  Don't get me wrong, I love wading small creeks as well, but I find myself 4 miles up the creek and then dread hiking all the way back to the car.  Still, I have a few favorite wading creeks that regularly produce 15-18 inch smallmouth, and I love fishing them.  However, I'll only fish each stretch once or possibly twice a year, simply because I don't want to wear it out.

[Gavin]

Caught a pair of lipstick lesbians putting on a show upstream from Suicide Hill years ago. You see strange people, and strange behavior on the river sometimes...The more popular the river, the stranger it gets.

[drew03cmc]

23 minutes ago, Al Agnew said:

I prefer floating, simply because of the way I like to fish.  I like to keep moving and make lots of casts to lots of different places, and be able to quickly skip over unproductive water (too slow or too shallow).  Don't get me wrong, I love wading small creeks as well, but I find myself 4 miles up the creek and then dread hiking all the way back to the car.  Still, I have a few favorite wading creeks that regularly produce 15-18 inch smallmouth, and I love fishing them.  However, I'll only fish each stretch once or possibly twice a year, simply because I don't want to wear it out.

For years on here, I didn't think there was merit to your method of moving, moving, moving and simply tossing a fluke, squarebill or Plopper to all visible structure, but this year I did just that and had my best year for overall size and numbers while floating. The Super Fluke and I became one over the late summer and it's going to remain a big time player for me.

[tjm]

yes, no boat=much less work, I want to fish not work. otoh some places you need a boat to access the wading.

[ollie]

I prefer to float myself. Only because you can reach places you can't while wading. I don't want to stop and turn around when I reach too deep of water or can't go any further. I like to wade, don't get me wrong, but I'll take a float over wading any day. JMO

[MOPanfisher]

I love to wet wade small creeks.  I love repeatedly dropping lures into those small secret holes that nobody fishes.  When floating given a chance I will beach my canoe and wade fish the heck out of a good looking spot.  Usually there are a couple canoes of us and we will.leap from to next hole.  Sure can turn a shorter float into one you are paddling like heck to find truck before dark when beaching and wading though.

[Johnsfolly]

9 hours ago, drew03cmc said:

The Super Fluke and I became one over the late summer and it's going to remain a big time player for me.

I prefer the Fluke in baby bass for smallmouth and LMB. I felt that I got better hook sets than with the super fluke. On a good day in my prime I may wade 3 or 4 river miles. Used to fish with my wife and the oldest kids when they were little. Once they got bored with fishing and began throwing rocks or splashing around, I could always go upstream to the next hole and catch a few more .

Did have to teach my youngest to fish the fluke. Passing on the family tradition. She doesn't remember the smallmouth.

Had to reteach her and she caught this largemouth on the fluke in Kansas this summer.

 

[Johnsfolly]

Besides the fluke I would always love to throw topwater in the summer. Lots of creek fish caught on the Excaliber spittin image. I was hoping to catch multiple species back in 2013 all with the same lure. I did catch largemouth (too dark for photo), smallmouth, redeye (now Chattahoochee redeye bass), and shoal bass that summer before I lost that lure .

[Gavin]

Floating really isn't that much work. Figure 10-15 minutes to load or unload a boat & gear, and 20-30 minutes to shuttle vehicles times two.. Basically an hour and a half per float trip, unless if you have someone to drop you off upstream.

[drew03cmc]

7 hours ago, Johnsfolly said:

Besides the fluke I would always love to throw topwater in the summer. Lots of creek fish caught on the Excaliber spittin image. I was hoping to catch multiple species back in 2013 all with the same lure. I did catch largemouth (too dark for photo), smallmouth, redeye (now Chattahoochee redeye bass), and shoal bass that summer before I lost that lure .

Those rivers in the southeast are on my to-do list. Topwater is a blast on moving water, and if given the opportunity, it's all I will throw. When they won't hit those, I will grab a Super Fluke or Jr, depending on the conditions. I've had great days on both.