If you have booked a trip with Blue Horizon Belize, you have probably seen that we recommend bringing hard-soled saltwater wading boots. While this item is not essential, especially if you are just going for one day, they do come in handy for certain scenarios out in the flats. It could make or break a day, especially for a beginner angler.

You can get closer to a fish on foot as opposed to in the boat. Wading boots allow you to get out of the boat and get closer to a feeding or tailing permit. This is great for many novice anglers as it can mean making a 30-foot cast on foot instead of taking a 60-foot cast from the boat. While not every permit can be hunted down on foot, you will often have a shot or two on foot on average per day.

To be best prepared we recommend bringing down a pair of trusted flats wading boots so you can stalk a permit on foot.

Flats Boots we recommend:

*Please contact your local fly shop to see if they have any in-stock. #buylocal

Orvis Fishing Christmas Island Bootie $79.00: minimalist, lightweight enough to get the job done from the boat. Avoid this model if you plan to do a full day of wading on your own, no foot support. But great for quick off and on’s from the flats boat.

Simms Fishing ZipIt II Flats Booties $99.95: lightweight and easy on and off these are great for the angler who doesn’t need a lot of boot support and will just be using in and off the boat.

Simms Fishing Flats Sneakers $169.95: these are durable, long-lasting, and comfortable flats boots. If you plan to do some wading on your own these would be the ones. They will last a little longer and give you more traction.

Other options:

Sandals will not protect your feet from stinging coral but they will be better than going barefoot. Cheap water shoes are always an option but these tend to get pretty beat up fast. You can also use an old pair of sneakers with tube socks. Just know that the saltwater will eat them up pretty good. Normal wading boots built for waders with wading socks are a decent option but are extremely heavy to pack and can be timely to put on quickly. We do recommend a pair of flats specific shoes if you are fishing multiple days with us, you will thank us later.