Shoes?

[DarkShadow]

That shoes do you guys use when fishing on a bass boat?

I tried sandals once and had 2 bad experiences, 1 dealing with the sun, and 1 dealing with a size 1 treble hook.

I never use the seat, so I'm on my feet the entire day, and I'm hopping to and from slippery docks as well.

I have a winter boot that is insulated and has non slip soles that works great, but haven't found anything for summer fishing.

[Johnny A]

I would love to help but the company that makes the shoes I wear went out of business!

[slipperybob]

Depends on the weather. For good warm weather and not getting feet wet, I wear a simple Columbia Sports boat shoes. It's got drain holes in the bottom but I've never dunked the shoes.

Still my old trusty, never fail for all sorts of weather is an almost twenty years old Keen outdoor shoe, still seems to be water proof, at least if it rains I don't get wet.

[Cal]

Salomon makes a line of Goretex trail running shoes that are very comfy and you can get them to a point you can just slip them on without tying and untying the laces.

Olukai also makes some slip on slip off shoes that I've been using the last couple of seasons.

[toddmc]

You will see soft-soled running shoes dominating at the pro level. A lot of Cloud Nova's lately. They make a huge difference when you spend all day on your feet. The old days of wearing flip flops when I was young are long gone. I have Teva's with a really thick and soft sole that I will wear if it gets over 100 degrees and I am regularly in and out of the water.

[SSS]

Have been wearing a pair of goretex hiking shoes from salomon since 2018. Still in great condition, and have no issues.

[Jimjoe]

Salomon makes a line of Goretex trail running shoes that are very comfy and you can get them to a point you can just slip them on without tying and untying the laces.

Olukai also makes some slip on slip off shoes that I've been using the last couple of seasons.

New Salomons are kinda sad compared to pre 2020 or so. Bought a pair last year and it barely lasted me a season(maybe I just got unlucky ofc, last pair I've bought in like 2015 and it was good till this one, so... 7 and something years ).
Currently using Gill trainers, so far pretty okay, easy to get off and on(also wide enough for my feet which is a huge plus!) And for everyday I use Topo shoes( https://rununited.com/topo-athletic/ like those). Really comfy!

[Cal]

Well that's disappointing.. thanks for the heads up

[doomtrprz71]

My older Salomon were great, my newer ones not so much, I do like my Keen fishing shoes. Columbia has some PFG shoes for boats now that I did like but they don't seem to last.

[RMCatchNrelease]

I ruined my feet and arches fishing in sandals for years in my mid 20s. I used to think the sandal tan was a badge of honor...

Now I have flat feet, knee problems, and wish I had listened to dear old dad about "good shoes for your feet".

Buy good running shoes, good socks, and consider an insert if you have pain. Superfeet blues are my jam.

Getting old sucks! Tennis elbow may blow my 10day spring trip next week.

[DarkShadow]

I ruined my feet and arches fishing in sandals for years in my mid 20s. I used to think the sandal tan was a badge of honor...

Now I have flat feet, knee problems, and wish I had listened to dear old dad about "good shoes for your feet"....

I hear you! I did the sandals thing for a summer and no way Jose. I'm not doing that again.

I just got a pair of trail running shoes made by Nike, and I think I have found THE ONE.

The shoe has a GoreTex shell, which is also a plus, but the weight and the cushion is outta this world. Also helps it was on Sale at Nike.

[Junk Fisherman]

For maximum comfort while fishing from a bass boat wear the most plush cushioning running shoes you have. I used to wear retired running shoes, Keen sandals, or lightweight hiking boots in the boat till one day I ended up wearing my uber-comfortable Hoka Bondi. What a difference!! So whatever your running shoe preference is, wear those. I would recommend wearing max cushioning shoes over springy, energy-returning type running shoes. The most comfortable plush running shoes I've ever worn are Hoka Bondi and Brooks Glycerin. At the minimum, get some memory foam inserts if you don't want to spend $150+ on new gym shoes. Memory foam inserts make all your shoes more comfortable and I put them in just about everything I wear. And it goes without saying that wearing comfortable shoes becomes more and more important when you hit 40 and beyond.

[PhilHTX]

I settled on well-used but not quite worn out New Balance 1122 running/walking shoes for the boat. One outing of bare foot fishing all day convinced me to not do that again. Would like to find a similar waterproof shoe but haven't found anything yet.

[DarkShadow]

Been using the Pegasus Gore Tex on the bass boat since I got them, and they have been exactly what I'm looking for (which means Nike will discontinue them soon.)

As others have mentioned, the flip flop and barefoot days are over.

These sole are sticky. I worried a bit about wet docks and slippery surfaces but I haven't had any trouble with slipping. Although I haven't put the Goretex shell to the test, we did get a rogue wave hit the bow a few weeks ago which did get water over the deck and while the outside was wet, my socks and feet were bone dry.

What I do NOT recommend these for is for hiking where bouldering is involved. Stick to hiking boots for that, as these 'trail runners' cannot manage rough terrain.