Summertime doesn’t just mean ice cream. Summertime means easy living and this includes wading down your favourite rivers seeking out those elusive specimen size trout and salmon.

There is no feeling in the world that compares to finding, hooking and landing a trophy sized fish whether fly fishing, boat fishing or estuary fishing. However if you wear waders while fishing you could run into a little trouble.

Mould in Waders

A common problem which not only affects trout and salmon anglers, but carp anglers and other fishermen as well, is mould in waders.

Waders are breathable and allow moisture from the inside of the waders to escape to the outside. However sometimes it can take a little time for all the moisture to escape. If the waders are stored incorrectly too soon after use, before they’ve had a chance to dry properly,  mould can start to grow inside the waders.

Mould in waders probably won’t kill you but it would certainly be nice to put on a clean pair of waders as opposed to waders which are riddled with mould spots on the inside. Mould spots inside waders develop into stains which can be unsightly.

What Happens To Your Waders

The number one reason that anglers get mould in their waders is that they simply throw their damp waders in the boot of their car after fishing without drying their waders properly. Always make sure that your waders are dry before storing them.

What happens when you store your waders incorrectly is that mould will form and attack the lining of your waders. The damage to the membrane then causes the waders to leak rendering them useless.

How To Clean and Look after Your Waders

You will probably find that if you do have mould spots on the inside of your waders water alone will not remove them. You will most likely need to try a soapy mixture such as Oxiclean or a Borax substitute.

Here are some tips for looking after your waders so that you can extend their lifetime.

1. After using waders in salt water rinse them down with fresh water
2. Dry your waders upside down and inside out to allow the fabric to breathe
3. Dry your waders overnight before using them again
4. Dry your waders with scrunched up newspaper in the boots
5. Store your waders out of direct sunlight
6. Store your waders in a cool dry place

A great product for cleaning your waders is Nikwax TX Direct Wash In or Nikwax TX Direct Spray On. These products remove dirt and grime and are CFC free as well as solvent free.

If you do find mould on the inside of your waders then clean the waders in a bathtub using cold water, a soapy mixture and the rougher side of a sponge scourer. Dry and store as described above.

You can always hang your waders in a small area and run a dehumidifier to ensure that the relative humidity levels in the room stay down.

Tight Lines

So after using your waders dry the outside of them and then hang them upside down and inside down in a warm area but out of direct sunlight. Ensure the waders are dry on the inside before using them again.

Using a little care when drying or cleaning your waders will go a long way to increasing their lifeline. This way you can spend more money on buying fishing tackle instead of buying another pair of waders.