Always Rinse Out Your Wading Boots!
If you are inclined to leave your wading boots outside of your cabin or cabana to dry, then this simple tip is for you. Damp wading boots are the preferred home for a number of creatures including crabs, mice, frogs, salamanders, scorpions, spiders, and centipedes. Just grabbing your boots and storing them on the boat or slipping them on prior to a day of fishing can have some unpleasant consequences.

We were witness to one such incident at Christmas Island. In the morning, all the anglers and guides were busy getting the gear onto the pangas in preparation for the day’s fishing. Our guide decided to put on his flats boots which had been drying in the skiff overnight. He slipped his foot into his boot and was immediately stung by a centipede that thought the moist dark environment would make a great home. Quickly pulling off the boot, he flung the centipede into the water. By this time his injured foot had started to swell, and he was not feeling altogether right. While we took stock of the situation our guide was deciding if this fishing day was about to end before it got started. In the end, his condition stabilized, and we all had a great day on the water.
The simplest way to mitigate such an event is to always, thoroughly, rise your boots with water prior to placing your feet into them. This will flush out any critters that have decided to make your boots a home. As you often do not want to bring your boots inside for the night, simply carry your boots to the lake, river, or ocean and dunk them below the surface. Make sure both boots get filled to overflowing with water, swish the water around inside and then pour it out. This action will help insure that you do not get a nasty surprise next time you slip into your wading boots.