Proper Shoes for the Canal?

[jugstah]

Hello..

I've been through a lot of personal issues the past two years, and fished only a few times last year, but am looking to ramp up my fishing this year and get back to the game I know and love, and that's striper fishing!

I'm normally a surf fisherman fishing from the beaches of Cape Cod or fishing off my brother's boat in the West end of the Canal and have fished a few times out of the Canal. Just now, I've been thinking about the Canal and remembered how slippery or how uncomfortable my feet were a number of times on the rocks there.

The question is, what kind of shoes should one look for that would work well in these rocky conditions?

If this has been answered before, give me the thread please? Thanks, and Oh, I checked out Canaljigger's article on the canal, good read. :-)

[ProfessorM]

I've always thought ice skates would work. But i just use boots and move along on my ass at low tide and i move slow like a snail as i have found out over the years that running and jumping is hazardous to your health.

[t.orlando]

Knee boots or waders, depending on where I plan on fishing. Felt is good

[Saltheart]

I mostly use knee boots with nubby rubber soles at low tide and sneekers at high tide. The rocks are stratified for slipperyness. Its pretty obvious to see the different zones of slipperyness at low tide.

Up high , the rocks are dry and not at all slipper. then you get to the black rocks and weeds which are way more slippery than you would ever imagine. then way low , you hit the barnicle covered rocks which are not at all slipper.

best case is when the tide is low and you can stand in mud or gravel instead of on the rocks . For low , low tide , the knee boots are great as you can stand in only 6 to 12 inches of water on a gravel or mud bottom and get out past the lip when retrieving the jigs.

Anyway , its a traecherous 10 t0 50 feet depending on where you are when the black rocks and weeds are exposed.

[Mike P]

IMO, the best footwear a newbie can wear for the Canal is a pair of work or hiking boots with good ankle support.

That being said, I tend to wear the same knee boots that everyone else does

[striprman]

ever think of wearing shin guards and knee pads along with the boots ?

[ProfessorM]

Exactly. might as well wear the whole hockey gear plus a Koho for balance.

[JPowers]

Whatever you wear make sure you've got good treads. I go thru at least two pair of hip boots a year walking those rocks - never leak but the damn treads get demolished.

[jugstah]

I'm not planning on going below the waterline/black line where it gets wicked slippery or will I go wading into the water.

I merely wanted an idea of the type of shoes/boots that will be good to navigate the rocks. Hiking boots that are ankle high sounds like my best bet.

Hockey Gear and ice skates are good for the local pond, but I don't think theyre of any use during striper season.

[Tburg]

I picked up a pair of MUCK BOOTS a few years back and they work good in the ditch for me.

[Johneeed]

you dont wanna fish the canal....no fish there

[lurch]

I wear my waders al the time on the canal. My waders have an "aqua steath" boot from ll bean and I still tread lightly.

[Casting Z's]

If your sure you won't be working the fish of your dreams from on top of slippery rocks, then I would go with a boot or sneaker that has flexible ankles. Stacked stones have many different sloped angles and flexible ankles would help much more to aid traction than stiff ones would.
Now, if your going down to retrieve that, cow, bull or slob, you might want to consider felt soled waders or even studded felt soles.
What ever your choice is, good luck and be careful out there?

[NIB]

I like felts...

[Diggin Jiggin]

I like the felts too. And if you are not going below the slime line, you are going to miss an awful lot of good fishing.

[gone fishin]

I wear felts also - waders at night. Knee boots if I am there when daybreaks. Keep in mind that you have to pick your spots and be sure you can land a fish there. I think most fishermen who fall or get hurt fishin the ditch do so going down to land a decent fish. I and most fishing the canal take two rods with us down on the rocks..One in each hand to steady yourself. There are no fish in the ditch

[jugstah]

I love the ditch, and will hit the ditch. :-)

Nothing like chunkin' bait, tossin a line, and stickin' your pole in between the rocks, and watch all the boats go by during the day or enjoy the silence of the night.

I usually try to go during high tide if possible, so that I don't have to wander down below the waterline where it gets slippery.

And I don't like waders, the rubbery feel gives me the jeebies. :-)