In the previous sections of this series we've discussed the selection of waders and the prudent use of creepers. Yet no matter what brand of wader you choose or how careful you are in the surf, sooner or later you will encounter the inevitable leak. In this installment we will discuss methods for finding and repairing leaks in your waders.

Some leaks occur due to a specific event such as a puncture or tear. It's not uncommon for waders to be damaged when fishing on rocky shores or if you have to climb over jetties or bulkheads to reach your intended area. Debris in the water can rupture the waders. Even a fish can cause a leak when a spine or bone punctures the wader. Others leaks occur due to wear and tear. I have found that, over time, my waders tend to weaken around the joint of the leg and boot. Other anglers find their waders begin to wear out most often around the knees, crotch or even hips. In general, anywhere the material has to frequently bend, rub or stretch is a point of a potential wear and tear leak.

Depending on the type of breach in your waders, it may or may not be so easy to find the site of the leak. When the leak is cause by an rip or tear in the wader material the site of the leak is usually quite obvious. However, sometimes the location might be as small as a pin-hole size opening. In these cases, finding the location of the leak can be a task.

One method for find a small leak point is to fill a large tub such as a bath tub with water, carefully roll up the waders (from the opening downward) and submerging the waders in the tub. This will trap air in the waders and, when submerged, bubbles can be seen escaping from the point of the leak. Another method that can work well with rubberized waders (particularly cloth waders such as Red Ball Master waders) is to run a bright flashlight along the outside of the waders in the area you believe the leak to be, while you look inside the waders around the same area. Most rubberized waders are thin enough so you can see some the light from the flashlight coming through the material. However when you see a point of BRIGHT light, that's your leak! This method can also work with neoprene waders except that you need to carefully stretch the material as you run the flashlight over it in order to force open the leak point (neoprene is very elastic). However, sometimes it just seems impossible to find that small leak. In these cases you often have to look carefully at the material for any abrasions or apparent "injuries" to the material, and then simply guess at which could be the leak. It's not a precise method but sometimes it's the only thing you can do.

Regardless of how you find the leak, once it has been found a secure patch needs to be applied. Ideally, the leak should be patched from both the inside and outside of the wader. However, time may not allow you to do both if you need to use the waders again soon. In these cases the outside of the wader should get the first patching. You can add a patch to the inside later when time allows.

Wader patching materials are usually based on some type of water proof rubber cement to seal the opening and hold a material patch (either rubber, vinyl or cloth) in place. There are several manufacturers of wader patching materials and kits such as Red Ball, Remington and AquaSeal. A water proof contact cement can also be used. In a pinch Plio Bond, Zap-A-Gap and Zap-Adaba-Goo can also be used very effectively to patch waders. Zap-A-Gap has the advantage that it can be applied to wet waders. However, it does not dry to a flexible state as does wader rubber cement and should only be used on those areas of the wader that do not need to bend of stretch as much.

For a rubberize wader, the leak site should be washed clean in fresh water and dried thoroughly before applying the patch. A sufficient amount of patching cement should be applied to thoroughly fill and cover the hole, and allow a little extra coverage around the spot. A material patch should then be attached over the hole before the cement dries (in the case of contact cement of course you apply the material after the cement has dried). The patch should be allowed to dry completely (at least over night) before applying a patch to the other side of the waders or before use if only one side is to be patched. You may have to put a broad weight, such as a board or book, over the patch to hold it snug against the spot while it dries.

Neoprene waders are somewhat more difficult to patch. They too should be cleaned before being patched. However, patching neoprene usually involved large amounts of patching cement without applying a material patch. Since neoprene is very elastic the waders should be allowed to completely dry before use again, otherwise the cement will not set properly.

A larger hole or tear in your waders will definitely require both a material patch as well as a patch on both sides of the waders. I've seen some casters try to sew up a larger opening in their waders using nylon thread, but I have my doubts as to the effectiveness and strength of such a method.

While not all leaks can be patched, most can be at least on a temporary basis. A well stocked wader patching kit should be taken on every trip. With proper use and some experience, applying patches to your waders can greatly extend it's useful life for more time in the surf.

striper flies saltwater flies fly fishing flies saltwater flyfishing flies crease fly fly-fishing saltwater flies flyfishing stripers bonefish tarpon

This article is Copyright © 1999-2008 ArtsNFlies.com All Rights Reserved. No part of this article in whole or in part may be redistributed, reprinted, linked to or quoted without the prior express written permission of ArtsNFlies.com