Hi All, as some of us are putting away our gear for winter, I due to work commitments can get out a bit more during the colder months of the year. We all know the rocks and boulders in the rivers,etc get more slippery, more green lichens/moss and old mud. I have a good pair of Quatro gumboots, and waders with a harder sole. But it just gets so much more dangerous in the rivers. Does anyone have any good suggestions for better grip in these conditions please? Thank you, Ben.
Boonies mai mai boots with wader socks or wading trousers, I’ve used them all through winter, I to prefer to gold mine all year round to and find the low water levels in winter to be a good thing, the people who talk about mining seasons confuse me!!
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Thanks Gav, I will pop into Hunting and Fishing here in Chch, and see what they’ve got. Cheers.
you can get sum fishing boots that have studs on the bottom . I just wear my gumboots. get wet feet.
Thanks to Kiwikeith and Gav, for your help, I have to admit to being reluctant to getting wet feet in winter, bit soft I know!
Appreciate the suggestions. Ben.
Hi Guys, just a quick update on nonslip gumboots.
I found an old roll of felt, and used ADOS contact glue to glue it to my gumboots. I know it looks like YETI feet, but it worked an absolute treat!. On any mossy or lichen coated rocks, and even frosted grass,my feet did not slip. Also a pair of old large socks pulled over the soles of the waders also worked well. This was on the West Coast, most mornings very frosty, made enthusiasm for playing in the river a bit hard to come by, but in the end only got fine colour in the pan. Cheers, Ben.
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You used to be able to buy these types of boots in shops great for fishing etc …until didymo reared its ugly head and have since been banned
Hi Andyclause, I was made aware of the banning when I popped into Hunting and Fishing to look at the Boonies, the guys there made me very aware also of the didymo, which I had already made plans for. I took a bottle of bleach with me in case I was going from one river into another river.
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To be honest I think it’s all fucking shit about the spread of didymo. Yes we can wash our boots and boats and anything we like but tell that to the ducks with their feathers and the wading birds. The same goes for those insanely stupid DoC inspired eyesores which tell how thick the Minister for Conservation is, the foot disinfection stations in the Waitakeris to prevent Kauri dieback. It takes a text book expert to come up with these totally useless ideas . The Minister is certainly no ‘Sage’. By name maybe but she’s as thick as two short planks. Didymo and the likes of Kauri dieback will also be spread by wildlife…and yet they spend tens of thousands ‘educating’ (indoctrinating) the public to convince the public that these things can be prevented by disinfection. Personally I don’t think your yeti boots will make any difference at all…not one little bit. If everyone drowned themselves and their vehicles and gear in disinfectant it would slow the spread down…but can never stop it. Dont believe what scientists tell you…they tell you what their masters want you to believe. It’s all about control.
I like that idea of the felt on the gumboots. It’s a cracker idea. I must do it myself for fly fishing up the Ahuriri and Waitaki as I spend most of my time picking myself up out of the water.
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Hi Lammerlaw, without wanting to inflame your moaning rant, the guys at Hunting and Fishing did say to me, if I was caught with a fishing rod in my hands, and was wearing my yeti boots, then I would be in trouble.
I do sincerely hope that you have your tongue firmly placed in your cheek when you do your posts on the forum, your hatred and distrust and anger towards authorities and the government officials etc,does go over the top at times, don’t really think its always necessary. But some of your replies are very funny! Cheers, Ben.
I think personal attacks are the mark of a low life so join the club. I do wonder if the guys at Hunting and Fishing were having you on. I actually wander about the rivers with a fishing rod quite often - I havent got in trouble yet! As for yeti boots - I have never heard that they are banned on rivers! An interesting thought. The very boots you are sporting must surely be unlawful are they?
To accuse me of having a ‘hatred’ of authority and government officials is also a childish jab which I might expect from a fuckwit. It is actually quite wrong. Indeed the opposite. I actually have a relationship with DoC and have been very actively involved in conservation work. I also have sat on committees with government officials to discuss matters relating to water purity and pollution. Indeed I am involved in Fisheries to this day in an official capacity.
I suggest that you get to know people before you make make personal attacks and before you do consider making them take your pill, let it take effect, and then make a comment without attacking the person.
If you do not agree with the analogies I have made then negate them with facts and a logical argument but dont stoop to being personal - I can do that as well. I assume you believe that wildlife cannot spread didymo nor the likes of Kauri dieback disease and only humans do it??? Thats the impression I get if your response to what I said above is anything to go by. Do you work for DoC after all that is what I might expect from someone trying to defend their position?
I enjoyed some of what you have said and agree but the moment you make personal comments then I put you in the same category as - didymo! (slime)
There you go another moaning rant for you. Hate authority and Officials? - an accusation to the wrong person. I dont hate anyone - the only thing I hate is Irish fucking Stew and the only thing I detest are gormless pricks who make personal attacks on others!.
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Cmon Lammerlaw stop beating around the bush. Tell us how you really feel 
Firstly Lammerlaw, I did not set out to offend you in anyway, and I could have phrased my questions in a better way, so I apologise for that. No, I have not been involved in any committees etc, so more power to you.
My yeti boots are my own creation, but do not know if theyre legal or not. The felt has now been ripped off to return the gumboots to their normal use…
I do not work for DoC, and am not defending any position or other people.
I am a 2-3 times per year fossicker as a hobby, to get into the bush, the rivers and enjoy mother nature, getting away from tourists as much as I can,and with the year from hell I have had with my dads failing health and passing away, the trip last week to the Coast was even more appreciated, thats all.
Yes, wildlife are very likely to spread didymo, as well as us humans, kayaks,etc, and also appreciate that the way DoC want to prevent,fix, or eliminate diseases, pests etc, does defy logic at times.
I am offended to be called a f…wit and slime as noone has ever called me that, and I did not use any offensive language to you.
And that is exactly what I was appealing to you for Lammerlaw in the first place, was to tone down the swearing, as I do not feel its needed, that is all.
Take care, Ben.
I do have a close relationship with them but do not like the pedantic text book experts. When Dunedin lost the Conservator for Otago and Southland they lost one of the people I most respected - Marion Van der Goes (Sp) who tragically died of Cancer.
As far as fisheries are concerned I have attended many courses and have some say in my home area where my warrant applies though I do not live there.
I also attended many meetings as a representative of my organisation in relationship to farming practices and the pollution of the waterways and liaised with DoC to get prosecutions for infringements of the hunting permits DoC issued as well as other things.
I happen to be a book of many pages…and my beliefs are firstly and most importantly the environment and its protection and the rights of decent honest New Zealanders to enjoy their land and all it has to offer - hunting, gold fossicking, access, walkways etc but I do not like draconian laws and those who enforce them - even though some are friends! We have our arguments.
Never be offended if you offend someone and they retaliate because sometimes when we get personal we have to accept what ever shit they fire back. I never fire the first shot but I will sure in hell retaliate. i can beg to differ in an intelligent manner without being personal.
Dont you think the following quotes are offensive and personal ‘without wanting to inflame your moaning rant’ and ‘your hatred and distrust and anger towards authorities and the government officials’ then you are wrong. They are unwarranted personal attacks and I have told you what I think of people who make them…I do not retract that…