tabis

The Japanese tabis, pronounced “tah-bees”, are about the dorkiest footwear you could wear and most beginner fisherpeople try to avoid wearing them as long as they can.  But if you have to walk on slippery wet rocks, or sharp reef, nothing is more protective and sure footed.  Tabis have thick rubber protection around the toe area to prevent stubbing, and have a felt bottom to provide grip on slippery surfaces that rubber can’t provide.  Yeah old sneakers, surf booties and even reef walkers look cooler, but eventually you’ll slip and fall, or get poked through to your less-than-luau feet.

tackle bag

And if you’re wading and fishing, do yourself a favor and get some kind of over-one-shoulder tackle bag to keep your gear out of the water.  I know, the bag looks like a lady’s purse so it’s not gonna help your fashion cause, especially if you’re wearing tabis, but it will be handier to access than a backpack and will be worn higher than a fanny pack.  Attach pliers and a line snipper on a retractable spring and you won’t have to worry about dropping your tools in the drink.

If you’re gonna spend a lot of time in the water and sun, you’d be wise to accessorize with a hat and polarized sun glasses. I’ll leave the style details up to you.