Gear Review - Foot Tractor Wading Boot

The Patagonia foot tractor boot is in a category of its own. It is the latest and greatest from Patagonia and with the fly fishing show right around the corner, it is the perfect time to check them out. I wanted to do a review on these boots after I had fished them on all different types of water and terrain. They are one of the most comfortable pair of boots I have owned. They are not the lightest boot in terms of weight, but once you are wearing them, you hardly notice them. The aluminum bar boot is a newer concept that started off just as a hard plastic bottom with straight bars across them. Patagonia has taken the concept to the next level with this boot. There is sticky rubber in between each jagged-edged aluminum bar to help grip uneven surfaces. A high ankle collar gives you maximum support for those long walks over rough terrain. Patagonia's Clarino® synthetic leather is a durable and abrasion resistant material. Unlike natural leather, you don't have to worry about the material shrinking. Finally, the "D" ring makes attaching your gravel guards easy as pie.



With all good comes bad, such as the price tag of $279.00.  It is a lot of money, however, if you consider when you buy other boots, studs are typically sold separately (which often cost upwards of $60.00).  Another downside to these boots is that the aluminum bars are soft and flat making smooth surfaces like shale dangerous to wade. On the other hand, given that aluminum is a soft metal, instead of cutting and ripping the stream bottom, it molds to it so that you can gain traction.


I have worn these boots on the Salmon River, Tulpehocken Creek, Schuylkill River, Big Spring Creek, and Valley Creek.  Besides the price and difficulty wading on shale, I think these boots are awesome.  Stop in at the shop and check them out.  

If you look close you can see Patagonia Foot Tractors

Last Fishing Trip of 2014

Over the Holiday I was able to get out for two half day trips while I was in NY. The first day was a high water float down a river I fished way back when, that is full of smallmouth, Pike, Pickerel, and Walleye. The river was flowing at just under 5000 cfs, normal is about 900, but instead of sitting inside and eating cookies as the girls baked them, we decided to get out anyway. No fish were landed or even seen for that matter. But it was a good time with my dad and brother in law.

The boat launch sign 4 feet under water

The next morning I was able to get away for another half day, to run down and fish the Salmon River with Joey. We fished the DSR, with all the dying fish up river, we decided that our best chance to get into fish, would be down river. We were right, after crossing the river at nearly 2000 cfs, we fished for a while and didn't get anything, so we crossed back over and headed down river. We found some nice healthy fish, One got away before the picture, but we managed to land 4 that morning. Joey fished with some of his old crew from Whitaker's the rest of the day, getting into fish most of the afternoon. He stayed up for two more days, and the fishing continued to be productive. He was fishing by himself the last day, and only had his gopro on, so forgive a couple of the pics for being blurry.

Photo by Joey McGinley - Salmon River Chrome

One another note, word has been coming to be regarding my last salmon river post, but the NY DEC think they have the cause of death figured out. Words from a friend and Client:

"I just received the December 26, 2014 issue of "New York Outdoor News" and right on the front page is an article entitled, " Steelhead Die-offs may be Linked to Alewives".  Seems NY DEC has sent some of the dead Steelhead to Cornell University's Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory for testing, which have so far been inconclusive.  NY DEC Biologists at this point are leaning towards a Vitamin B deficiency in the Steelhead as the source of the die-offs.  Seems the Biologists have seen this deficiency in Alewives which is a main food source for Lake Ontario's Salmon and Steelhead.  Also, the article said the DEC Fish Hatchery is having "water-related" issues.  It'll be interesting to see if the two issues are so way inter-connected.  When it rains, it pours!"